Broken boss momentary switch... solution...

[Branimir]

So my DS2 after 6 years said enough is enough...

momentary switch broke...

I have no clue how his plastic thing ever stayed in it's place, theres no screws, no nothing! just a plastic box with a little button, all that was left behind was a rather big square hole...

So here's what i've done:


part of an scrap pcb, two screws (for chassis), momentary switch that you can actually buy in a store

I know i should have used some kind of metal for the platform, but i didn't have any i used pcb.. heh

And with the metal covering, the switching works fine, the head height of the buttons are probably about same, so the foot press/metal thing works...

Anyways, why didn't Boss use this kind of switch in the first place? It simpler, drill a hole and that's it (for the momentary switch of course), rather than that plastic tight fit system...

ps: sorry bout Varta, i didn't meant that as an ad 

[Peter Snowberg]

Very cleaver.

The original switch is actually a keyboard switch and it locks into place via a plastic tab so no additional hardware is required. It's a cheap switch made for mass production.

[Branimir]

yeah i figuered it was locked via plastic tab, but my english prevented my from explaining it

I have piles and piles of these kinda momentary switches and last time i was in a electronic store, i rememberd that they had them, altough these boss all plastic ones, i have no clue if i could buy them anywhere in the city...

[smallbearelec]

The OEM part is an ALPS keyboard switch that they no longer make. My stock of those is gone. I DO know where to buy a very similar part, and I have ONE sample. Is the someone out there who has a DS-1 or similar that needs a switch? If so, e-mail me at the smallbearelec address. I need a guinea pig to try this part in a pedal and make sure it's kosher before I invest.

Regards
SD

[Paul Marossy]

why didn't Boss use this kind of switch in the first place? It simpler, drill a hole and that's it (for the momentary switch of course), rather than that plastic tight fit system...

I would surmise that it is because they could save a nickel on each box made using a 10 cent keyboard switch vs. a 15 cent momentary switch like your replacement. 

[Mark Hammer]

The keyboard switches just "pop" into place, and do not need any tightening.  The real savings for manufacturers is not in the switch itself, but in the labour involved to install one vs the other.  Many of the keyboard-type switches I've seen as well have what you might call "guide slots and fins" on all four sides to assure the contact is only pressed down on axis.  The little pushbutton that Branimir shows IS an elegant solution, but you will note that such a switch is open to lateral wiggling (or rather has nothing to prevent the plunger from being pushed at a bit of an angle) which can result in unreliable contact and stress which can shortent the lifespan of the switch.  It just MAY be the case that keyboard switches provided mechanical virtues that other types didn't, and just so happened to be cheaper too - a happy accident for the manufacturer.

[GFR]

Very cleaver.

The original switch is actually a keyboard switch and it locks into place via a plastic tab so no additional hardware is required. It's a cheap switch made for mass production.

Nowadays keyboards are disposable - they don't have "real switches", only membranes.

One virtue of these old keyboard switches is that (IIRC) internally they were built with a reed switch and a magnet, for a very "clean" switching, easy to debounce. Braminir, pay attention if there are no spurious switching when you stomp on it -  you may have to tweak the flip-flop to compensate for that.

[Branimir]

I tried the pedal yesterday, and it works just like before... I'll have to advise with my dictionary to fully understand the meaning of "spurious" switching...

The momentary switch has its own spring inside, and is a bit harder to push then the boss original one (just a bit), but i haven't noticed any other differences between these two.

Of course i use the metal "pedal" that goes on top of the box, and it has a little "island" on the part where it's suppose to hit the momentary switch, so i guess the only thing i figured, that can damage the switch is the depth. It works for now, but i have no clue if the pedal pushes the switch too low, probably causing the stress to the switch.