emachines power switch

[theo800]

I'm fixing an emachines (gateway) for a friend, his kid opened it up and in his infinite wisdom, ripped the front panel connectors off, ripping the leads out of the power switch.
I was wondering where I could get a replacement power switch I could attatch to the power switch leads, it would have to be pretty similar or the same size as the old switch because it has to fit in the computer's front bezel

here's a picture http://www.schiffdesign.com/vids/switch.jpg

 

[Harvey]

The front panel power switches on most computers is a momentary SPST, NO (Single Pole, Single Throw, Normally Open) pushbutton switch. As the name implies, when you push it, it momentarily closes the switch which triggers the logic ciruitry that starts the system.

Many manufacturers use DPST (Double Pole, Single Throw) switch because the extra poles give the switch more mechanical stability and dedundancy (if they're nice enough to use both halves of the switch)... or the switch simply is not manufactured in an SP configuration. Your pic didn't show the bottom of the switch so I don't know if yours is SPDT or DPDT.

In any case, it's a standard switch size and configuration made by a number of manufacturers so you should be able to find a direct replacement having the same size, contact configuration and actuator form (the shape of the shaft the front panel button pushes).

See this page in Digi-Key's catalog. Scroll down to PVA Pushbutton Switches on the left side of the page. See ITT Industries Part No. PVA1 OA H1, H2, H3 or H4 (listed in the right column, second section of that entry) may be the one you're looking for.

 

[theo800]

great! thanks a lot for the info.
here's another picture of the bottom on the switch, the left and middle contacts were the ones being used, the right one wasn't, I confirmed this on an identical working computer in the same house. I'd just use this switch if I had any idea how to connect the wires to the switch, I'm assuming there were leads going to the contacts to connect the wires to.

http://www.schiffdesign.com/vids/switch1.jpg

 

[CrispyFried]

yup the wires go there. how good are you at soldering? you should be able to trim some of that platic case away to solder the wires back. they dont carry hardly any current so the soldering job doesnt need to be top notch, plus no one will see it anyway.

Id try that before hunting a replacement down.

Or just wire a radio shack stsp momentary swith on and hang it off the fromt panel or out the back.

 

[Harvey]

Your switch is SPDT (Single Pole, Double Throw). Here's a diagram of the switch:

(NC) o-o o (NO)

NC = Normally closed. Your "right" contact.

NO = Normally open. Your "left" contact.

The middle terminal goes to the actuator (the moving contact) in the switch.

When you push the button, the actuator momentarily moves from NC to NO, completing the connection. Any switch that does this will work. You'll want an exact physical replacement only if you want it to be cosmetically as new.

 

[theo800]

So if the switch is spdt, will the PVA1 OA H1-H4 work? I tried soldering it and made a mess of things, I do some things well but not soldering 🙂

 

[Harvey]

Yes. An SPDT switch is an SPST switch with an extra contact you won't need. 🙂

You'll need to know which side is normally open (NO) and which is normally closed (NC). You want to connect the wires to the center and the NO contacts. If the contacts are not marked, and the company does not provide a diagram, you can test it with an ohm meter.

 

[theo800]

sweet, I don't have a spare ohm meter laying around, I think I must have donated it to the buddhists or something. there is a diagram for the switch though so I'll just use that. 🙂
Thanks to you guys for your help