How to repair or replace this micro switch please? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / repair

author: geoorgio
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 02:03:06 pm
content: Hi,I've got a device which monitors the sleep. It's a very tiny one. Unfortunately I broke the microswitch that allows to start it.I'm a noob in electronics. I think it's not a common on/off switch, here is what it's doing :- long press : switch on the device- long press : switch off the device- short press : toggle between different modes on the LCD screenHere is the device (approx 3cm x 1cm)Zooming on the broken switch :The switch was something like this one (around 2mm):Currently to start the device I use the tip of a screwdriver to make the contact between the 2 metallic parts (green arrow).I know I won't be able to replace the switch by a new one because it's too tiny and I don't have any microscope to see what I'm doing (I just have a big soldering iron) so I'd like to find a solution to be able to replace it by another system, even if it's ugly. Like for exemple putting one bigger switch next to the battery... Is it possible?If you have any idea please share I really like this device and would like to save it from trash.Thank you very much !

author: Peabody
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 02:41:21 pm
content: All of the short press and long press stuff is just the microcontoller interpreting things. The switch itself is a momentary switch that just makes contact between the two points while the button is pressed - just like your screwdriver does. So anything you can do to temporarily make that contact should work. You could solder wires to those contact points and bring the wires out to another momentary switch, in the same way the battery is connected to the circuit.

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 03:10:52 pm
content: Thy to find something like the whole switch where it is soldered to the main board. At the solder tabs.Maybe something like this.Search on ebay:2 X Momentary Pushbutton Micro Switches - Right Angle PC Board Mount - MotorolaIt appears to be a right angle mount in the pictures.Just measure the connections to the main board. I think a regular soldering iron could do this.

author: geoorgio
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 07:19:33 pm
content: Quote from: Peabody on June 24, 2020, 02:41:21 pmThanks for your help Peabody.Yes ideally I'd like to solder 2 wires here, but it's impossible to solder something here, not enough place, the contact points here are around 1mm and the tin will recover everything...Quote from: Wallace Gasiewicz on June 24, 2020, 03:10:52 pmThanks for your help Wallace .Yes I'm searching for another place where I could solder the wires, and which is more accessible.Here is a side pic of the switch, maybe I could solder the wire here ?

author: aqibi2000
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 07:35:38 pm
content: Yes soldering to those 2 pads would work

author: geoorgio
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 24, 2020, 07:58:01 pm
content: Thanks Aqibi, you bring me some good hopeI'm waiting for tin wire to arrive, and wil try itCan I put *any* switch ?