Posted by Sherman in Idaho [72.47.153.28] on Friday, June 20, 2014 at 10:15:17 :
In Reply to: waterproof kill switch posted by jerryinidaho [64.234.49.226] on Thursday, June 19, 2014 at 21:23:39 :
When I want a waterproof switch, I rummage around in my boneyard of old military electronic equipment and find a good sealed toggle switch. There are switches that are sealed where the toggle goes into the case, but not sealed where the terminals come out the back, so look for that, or put silicone sealer all over the back once you have the wires SOLDERED (not clipped) to the terminals. Use the non-corrosive (doesn't smell line vinegar) RTV that's sold as "sensor-safe". Another way military toggle switches are waterproofed is with rubber boots molded onto the front panel nut that cover the toggle. I don't like them because they tend to tear under heavy usage.
If you don't have any old military electronic gear to pick through, the good industrial supply outfits have industrial machinery switches rated for "wash-down" applications, where they hose the whole room down with a fire hose, like in food processing plants.
In general, if you want the absolute most waterproof switch you can get, it will be a rotary switch rather than a push button or toggle. That's because a rotary switch can use a good rotating shaft seal rather than something that has to bend repeatedly or endure a sliding motion with a dirty shaft.
Push buttons are easier to operate with gloves on, though. Since it's an emergency stop for the winch operator, it might be worth getting an industrial switch with a big fat red mushroom head that says "STOP" on it. Even the sealed ones are only meant to be sealed from the front of the panel, so I'd put it in a good sealed box or dope up the back with RTV pretty good.
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