Where to find a good on/off switch

[TerryMason]

I'd like to find a nice small on/off pushbutton switch to turn my transmission temp gauge on and off (I'll mount it on my center console). Where is a good place to shop for something like this? I found a few on amazon that look ok, but it's hard to tell without actually touching them.

The switch below looks good (although maybe alittle big), but I don't want to pay $70

Amazon.com: 22mm AutoLoc Billet Button w/ LED Blue Ring: Automotive

 

[54cj3b]

why not just staight wire it to the fuse block so when you turn key it comes on one less switch to worry about

 

[TerryMason]

That's the way that I have it now, but I keep burning up gauges (I'm on my third one). The problem is that I'm using LED gauges where the numbers light up - after time the "pixels" inside the display burnout. It's really a problem with the gauge itself, but I like the way that they look so keep using them. I'd like to be able to turn the gauge off.

I got one switch, but I haven't installed it yet.

 

[B'ham Jeeper]

Terry...these are a couple of places you might want to check out. They are vender's on jkowners.com (pirate sponsored site) but everyone seems to loves their switches..

www.12voltguy.com or sPOD

 

[Robert Kayland]

AutoZone and (shudder) Wal-Mart have some nice small switches that I've used for auxiliary lights... I assume you could use them for the temp gauge.

 

[TerryMason]

I ended up going to radio shack and picking up two switches that I like. I had expected to only find cell phones and RC cars there, but to my surprise they had about 30 different switches - illuminated, small, large, toggle, pushbutton, etc.

Here's what I ended up with for only $4

 

[Robert Kayland]

That's the ticket! AutoZone and Wal-mart have those illuminated toggles too, along with the round style rockers like this:

FWIW, I found a source that has those original style switches your OP mentions for much less than $70... $27, to be exact... still pretty spendy, but hey, the heart wants what the heart wants. :wub:

Illuminated LCD Touch Switch

 

[TerryMason]

Robert,
I almost went with a switch like your first one, but it's alot easier to just drill a round hole instead of trying to cut a rectangle.

About the second switches - those are slick!

Overall I'm happy with the way things turned out. Here's what I ended up with:

 

[Robert Kayland]

Looks good. :beer:

I almost went with a switch like your first one, but it's alot easier to just drill a round hole instead of trying to cut a rectangle.

I hear ya! That's why I bought some different switches than the small rectangle toggles that came with my auxiliary light kits.

I'm in the process of wiring up a tri-lamp light bar on my front bumper, with two switches like this that I placed in-between the round vents below the radio:

I'll post some pictures when I'm done.

 

[MudderChuck]

Problem solved, but maybe next time take a look at these.

Sierra Madre Collection :: Hella Fog Light Switch

Easy to find (in the dark or bouncing down a dirt road) and switch, pretty much unbreakable and nearly bullet proof.

I have some of the same switches you ended up with for my driving lights relay, they have held up better than I expected. I was always afraid I'd snap the toggle off with my sleeve or something. I mounted them well out of the way.