What switch and potentiometer?

[timgunn1962]

I have used10-turn and single-turn for VFD speed control.

Each has its advantages, but going from single- to 10- turn is very noticeable and downright annoying. It's very much like quick-action on a vice: if you've never had it, it's not particularly obvious that you'd want it, but once you have had it, not having it will always feel wrong.

If you don't already have anything on a single- turn pot, and you don't need rapid speed changes, I'd probably go with the 10-turn initially. It'll probably fit a 3/8" or 10mm hole and it's easy to open it up to 22mm if you want to change to a single-turn later.

 

[Pete.]

I think we are over-thinking this. I only use bog standard cheapo 5k or 10 ohm pots and I've never had one fail.

 

[Bsmith]

3 way switch but how do I mount it on the panel. 22mm hole cut with hole-saw

 

[Seadog]

The two angled screws are jack screws that pull the boss onto the panel, obviously from the rear of the panel.

 

[Bsmith]

The two angled screws are jack screws that pull the boss onto the panel, obviously from the rear of the panel.

They are threaded into the boss.
What the screws do when in the position as in the photos, they stop the knob from being pushed inwards, given an anti clockwise turn and removed.

I can imagine drilling the threaded holes straight and putting a nut behind, but does anyone have better idea for fitting these switches?

 

[timgunn1962]

Unscrew the screws, separate the yoke/contact block assembly from the actuator, insert the actuator into the hole in the panel, fit yoke/contact jobbie, tighten screws.

The screws are on the angle so that they clamp the panel between the screws and the flange of the actuator bezel. If the screws were straight, they'd tend to make the panel flex and maybe not provide enough support. The pointy screws help to keep the whole thing from turning when rotary actuators are used by clumsy operators. It' a bloody good design and your chances of improving it by faffing it about are very close to nil.

 

[Robotstar5]

They are threaded into the boss.
What the screws do when in the position as in the photos, they stop the knob from being pushed inwards, given an anti clockwise turn and removed.

I can imagine drilling the threaded holes straight and putting a nut behind, but does anyone have better idea for fitting these switches?

That mounting style has been around for many years and works fine apart from you have to be careful tightening each screw evenly, it was superseded about 25 years ago by the XB5/ZB5 style which only has one clamping screw, they also changed the "twist to lock" operating heads to to catch locking system. I found it made control panel building a lot quicker.

 

[Bsmith]

It’s already been invented. Why try to ‘reinvent the wheel’?

No alterations made, my reason for asking advice first.

 

[Bsmith]

Unscrew the screws, separate the yoke/contact block assembly from the actuator, insert the actuator into the hole in the panel, fit yoke/contact jobbie, tighten screws.

The screws are on the angle so that they clamp the panel between the screws and the flange of the actuator bezel. If the screws were straight, they'd tend to make the panel flex and maybe not provide enough support. The pointy screws help to keep the whole thing from turning when rotary actuators are used by clumsy operators. It' a bloody good design and your chances of improving it by faffing it about are very close to nil.

That mounting style has been around for many years and works fine apart from you have to be careful tightening each screw evenly, it was superseded about 25 years ago by the XB5/ZB5 style which only has one clamping screw, they also changed the "twist to lock" operating heads to to catch locking system. I found it made control panel building a lot quicker.

So easy when you know, tricky when you don't esp for an idiot like me.
Good substantial fastening as has been said. Thanks fellas.