# Tutorial: Installing a 15-30A Rocker switch in a Mag D switch housing



## jusval (Mar 10, 2009)

Hello,
I had a couple people ask "Exactly how do I use a Rocker switch in a Mag "D" switch body?". So I thought it would be nice to show everyone how I do it, with details and photos.

The idea is to use an economical and readily available switch (15A-30A) to replace the Stock Mag switch. Something easy, that only takes a few simple hand tools and not a lot of electronics (for dummies like me). Also to use a switch that still maintained the stock placement and stock rubber cover.

Well, I found that rocker switches from Radio Shack, or the local Auto Parts Store, would work for this purpose. The one I am using is a 16A 125V switch from radio shack. I have seen 20A and 30A in Auto parts stores.

I will go thru the whole replacement, step by step. I know some of this may be redundant.

First I am using an old cut off "D" body, that's all I had lying around.

*Here's the switch*
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*I just use two fingers and pinch the rubber cover, to take it out.*
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*The exposed switch.*
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*5/32" Allen wrench inside the switch, I loosen the set screw it about 6 turns.*
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*Pushing out the switch. It should slide out easy after you push it out a little ways.*
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*This is an old switch that I cut the bulb tower off of. If you need to cut the tower off, just use a hacksaw.*
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*I use the same allen wrench to push out the set screw and the negative terminal.*
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*Push out the switch, from the bottom side of the housing.*
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*The four flat areas that need to be removed, inside the housing.*
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*The reason wht they need to be removed. The new switch won't clear.*
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*I dabbed white out on the areas to be removed.*
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*My fancy tools. 3 round files.*
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*I start with the larger coarse file. An even larger one would work well. I just want to make the housing completely round.*
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*Pretty much done roughing it out. The metal contact plate does not come out, just the plastic surrounding. The rocker switch has 2 flat spots on it and they slide over the metal plate.*
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*Now I modify the rocker switch. I need to remove the square edges and get it round. I use a pair of cutters at first, but I just cut a little at a time, or the plastic splits instead of cutting.*
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*After using the cutters. I get fairly close that way.*
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*More special tools, a couple flat files.*
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*I finish removing the material and round it off using the files like this. Not much pressure on the vise or you break the switch.*
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*Final touch is with a sanding block.*
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*That's about finished. I just need to clean off the burrs.*
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*Now the rocker fits in the housing fairly well. It's still just a bit too tight.*
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*I can use sandpaper to take a little more out of the housing, just a fine adjustment or two.*
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*I don't want that little raised red light, so I file it off flush.*
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*Now I am seeing how it goes into the body and I will need to do some angle trimming here.*
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*Making sure the rocker is down flush with the housing edge.*
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*Now I use my small flat file to take off the edges and conform to the housing angle.*
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*Just a shot of the underside. I can just drill a hole in the ends of the housing for wires to go thru and solder them on.*
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*Nice fit! Slides right in. Put the toggle in the "on" position, so it slides in and if you take it out, put it in the "off" position to slide it back out. *
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*The housing is in place. Now I usually hold it in place by putting a little JB Weld on the top of the housing, where it touches the "C" ring inside the body. That will be enough to hold it, when it sets up.*
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*Rubber cover is back in place and it looks stock once again.*
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*EDIT: Use a bit of 5 minute 2 part epoxy in a couple of spots on the underside, just to keep the switch from moving around. You can break free "just a dab" if need be, to remove the switch again. Also do the same thing with the whole housing, to the "C" ring, with just a couple dabs of epoxy.*


*I hope this helps someone out in their search for mods.*


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## 65535 (Mar 10, 2009)

Nice tutorial.


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## paulvw (Mar 11, 2009)

Thanks for this detailed "how to" !

Just what i needed !


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## Nos (Mar 11, 2009)

Hey cool, :tinfoil: good idea and pictures


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## griff (Mar 11, 2009)

Great job!!
Giving the "newcomer" a easy project to do with basic tools is the best way to get more people interested in this hobby! Pulling the curtain back showing something that would seem complicated , is not with step by step instructions!!

" Thirdshift" RIP .... is smiling right now
Please keep the STEP by STEP's coming!!!

Vote with a "+1" if you want to see more of these


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## tx101 (Mar 12, 2009)

+1

I have a question ....

How do you remove the switch if for example it breaks and needs replacing
Wouldnt using 2 part epoxy make it very difficult ?


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## jusval (Mar 12, 2009)

tx101 said:


> +1
> 
> I have a question ....
> 
> ...


 
As far as the rocker switch goes, just a couple little dabs of epoxy are needed here;







Just a little bit. If there's only a little, you can knock the switch out with a small socket & hammer. Epoxy cracks and breaks easily when hit sharply/quickly with something.

For the whole housing, when I epoxy it to the "C" ring, again, I use just a little bit in 2-3 spots, just so the whole thing stays in. You can use a 3/4" or 1" socket with extension to knock it out in the same manner, with a sharp rap from a hammer.

_I will edit the first post, to recommend 5 minute epoxy._


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## tx101 (Mar 12, 2009)

jusval said:


> As far as the rocker switch goes, just a couple little dabs of epoxy are needed here;
> 
> 
> 
> ...




Cool ........ 

Gives me the idea of using a momentary rocker switch with a D2Flex or Maxflex board


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## jusval (Mar 12, 2009)

There's Lots of Momentary pushbutton switches out there. Many more than rockers. I am still looking for an "economical" pushbutton switch in 20-30A, but I have not found one. Lots of 5A ones and a few very expensive 20A ones, but none that would work flush, like the rocker did.

Of course, there's always one of the big switches, for nitrous, with the big red cover over it that you have to flip up. Sorry, that's cool......... Used to race and always thought those switches were great!


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 19, 2009)

Any chance of getting the pictures hosted again? I didn't get to see this tutoral.


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## Icarus (Sep 19, 2009)

Aircraft800 said:


> Any chance of getting the pictures hosted again? I didn't get to see this tutoral.


 
+1


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## will (Sep 19, 2009)

Icarus said:


> +1


Pictures


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## jar3ds (Sep 25, 2009)

yeah... need pics!


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## supasizefries (Sep 25, 2009)

In for the pics too.


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## 3rdrock (Sep 25, 2009)

Me 2.


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## Aircraft800 (Sep 28, 2009)

Mods: Is it possible to ad this to the first post? It seems the OP has left the building. Thanks *cnjl3* for the help reviving this thread!



jusval said:


> Hello,
> I had a couple people ask "Exactly how do I use a Rocker switch in a Mag "D" switch body?". So I thought it would be nice to show everyone how I do it, with details and photos.
> 
> The idea is to use an economical and readily available switch (15A-30A) to replace the Stock Mag switch. Something easy, that only takes a few simple hand tools and not a lot of electronics (for dummies like me). Also to use a switch that still maintained the stock placement and stock rubber cover.
> ...


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## RyanA (Sep 28, 2009)

Hooray, It LIVES! *insert Frankenstein smiley*

I love this thread. I think I'm going to see make a el cheapo sleeper 623 4c with this. Maybe the switch will be to big. I'm just glad this is back though. I must use it before I forget.


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## AlexGT (Sep 28, 2009)

Thanks! I didn't see this mod before.

AlexGT


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## Icarus (Sep 29, 2009)

:thanks: much.


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## supasizefries (Sep 29, 2009)

Thank you so much!


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## tx101 (Sep 29, 2009)

RyanA said:


> Hooray, It LIVES! *insert Frankenstein smiley*


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## swampgator (Sep 29, 2009)

One of the best tutorials I've seen in awhile. Thanks.


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## ANDREAS FERRARI (Oct 3, 2009)

Thanks for bringing this back.I missed it the first time around.


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## TheInvader (Nov 30, 2009)

Anybody have any finished pics of this? Anyone try this?
This is an uber cheap way to put a switch in, and it probably has low resistance and drives 100 watt bulbs.
I worry with my future Mag85 build that I'll melt up the plastic switch from using it too much (it sure will be a beater, that's for sure). An AW switch will cost more than the light itself! (going on the cheap, building my own battery holder etc)


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## Dexter (Dec 22, 2009)

Why is this switch better than the normal one?


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## rayman (Dec 22, 2009)

It can take a higher current. The stock Mag switch is good up to 4A. Will work with a higher current too but that's not very safe. With hotwire or newer LED mods you need higher currents like 10A.

rayman


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## Dexter (Dec 22, 2009)

I just bought a new switch for my mag as discovered I need one for the maxFlex driver i am planning to use, its going to be hooked up to a cree mce 4s. The switch I bought is a 6A, 250v, is this going to be enough?


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## HarryN (Dec 23, 2009)

Thanks for the info post.


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## Hack On Wheels (Dec 23, 2009)

Dexter said:


> I just bought a new switch for my mag as discovered I need one for the maxFlex driver i am planning to use, its going to be hooked up to a cree mce 4s. The switch I bought is a 6A, 250v, is this going to be enough?



For the maxFlex you just need a momentary switch. The switch isn't inline with the power source and, as such, it is isolated from any large amount of current. It is simply for signals to the driver, not making or breaking the connection to the power source.


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## Dexter (Dec 23, 2009)

Thanks Hack on Wheels, that makes sense. cheers for the reply


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## Dave 88 (Mar 13, 2010)

Having just put an SST-90 into my 3D mag I am thinking of putting in one of these switches. Running that DD with 3 Tenergy NiMh D cells and pulling over 5A when they are fully charged.

With this switch I just cannot figure out how I would connect the negative? Do I just clean a spot down to bare metal on the body and solder a wire to it? Obviously the old contact point gets hidden under this switch.


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## Bimmerboy (Mar 13, 2010)

Dave 88 said:


> With this switch I just cannot figure out how I would connect the negative? Do I just clean a spot down to bare metal on the body and solder a wire to it? Obviously the old contact point gets hidden under this switch.


Funny, but not one person questioned this! That was my first thought upon seeing this mod. The OP obviously did not mention.

You won't be able to solder anything onto the inside of the body tube, but one solution is to run a negative wire directly up from the bottom batt contact. Depending on your mod, this may or may not require isolation of the batt negative from the body, but would require to use C diameter batts in a D body, allowing room to run the wire.

If you can figure a way to anchor a negative set screw to puncture the inside anodizing, a la Mag-style (scraping away a small spot of ano can make this technique easier, and more effective), then you don't need the wire alongside the batts. Keep searching around as well... there have been a few really ingenious Mag switch mods/replacements here over the years.

Good luck with whatever mod you're planning!


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## Aircraft800 (Mar 13, 2010)

I would try using some oven cleaner to remove the ano in the snap ring groove, then solder the wire to the snap ring, and put it back in. I had to do this with another mod, but have never tried it with a Mag body.


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## HarryN (Mar 14, 2010)

A relatively easy, though not inexpensive approach is to use silver filled epoxy instead of solder to make the wire to body electrical connection. I used this on some prior projects and it seemed to work fine. The adhesion is quite good, and electrical properties are ok - so make a larger contact area.

McMaster sells it for about $20 / one use mix bag last time I looked, and that was a good deal.


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## mrartillery (Mar 14, 2010)

I just stopped by radio shack a few weeks ago and bought all these switches they had , im planning on putting them in several of my lights. The idea i was going to use was sand down the ano inside the tube itself and ground the switch to the KIU. Being that the KIU fits airtight in a mag anyway this should provide consistent ground for the switch.


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