Rotary switch questions - Please help.

I have been trying to figure out how to wire a rotary switch in my car and "call me thick" I am having a tough time figuring this out. I wondered if anyone has any tip or help could help me out.

What I need to perform...
I have 4 connections/positions:
1) An empty position lack of connections on other positions (that should be easy just don't add wires to that selection setting).
2) A normally open positive to positive connection that should be closed when position 2 is selected.
3) A normally open negative to negative connection that should be closed when position 3 is selected.
4) A normally closed positive to positive connection that should be closed when position 4 is selected.

NOTE: If 4 is too complicated that is an option, I consider would be nice to have but not absolutely necessary.

After researching this stuff I was thinking perhaps a "3 pole 4 way" rotary switch would fit my needs but can't figure out the details on that. At this point I was considering perhaps just getting a "3 pole 4 way rotary switch" and just playing with it to see if I could make it do what I wanted.

So if anyone has any advice for me on what I need, how to wire it, where to get the supplies I need, just about any information you would consider helpful, I would be very grateful.

I don't think you are really conveying what you want to do well enough. Maybe a better description of the goal or exactly what you are trying to accomplish would help?

Ron

Reloadron said:

I don't think you are really conveying what you want to do well enough. Maybe a better description of the goal or exactly what you are trying to accomplish would help?

Ron

Click to expand...

Thanks for the response, let me try to describe it.

I have a car with a built in GPS system.
I installed a reverse camera, and a module that when turned on overrides the GPS display with RCA input.
I currently/temporarily have a half dozen wires running out from under the dash with 3 toggle switches and I want to make it one rotary switch to control the functionality.

The functionality:
- When no toggle switch is turned on the GPS displays.
- When toggle switch 1 is turned on it overrides GPS and turns on RCA input.
- When toggle switch 2 is turned on it overrides GPS and switch 1 displaying the backup camera. This is also activated when the car is placed in reverse but I would like the option to turn it on manually.
- Toggle 4 (the would be nice to have) is an interrupt to the GPS system turning off GPS tracking.

Hi Drunlar,

use a 3X4 rotary switch and connect in- and outputs as per schematic and PCB-layout.

Boncuk

Thanks

Thanks for the info and schematics

I ran into problems.

I ran into problems.

I ended up getting a 3x4 rotary switch. I looked over Boncuk’s attached images and found them very helpful. I hooked up positions 1 through 3 no problem but ran into two problems with 4. Issue 1 is I didn’t do my research good enough and the requirement change =(. Issue two is I don’t think I explained myself needs good enough in that it was an always connected wire that I wanted to break the connection on position selection.

So for position 4 it turns out the voltage is not a common 12 volt it’s 4.2ish. To compensate I just didn’t bridge in connections ‘A’ and ‘C’. I made C the independent in 4.2 volt line. That seemed to be an easy enough solution.

Here is where I am getting confused. For line 4 this wire should be a constant connection and when position 4 is selected on the rotary switch the connection should be broken. The connection would remain broken until any other position is selected then it would be reconnected. The more I think about this the more I believe that 4’s “In line” would be C and 4's out line would be C1, C2, and C3 right? Frankly the only thing stopping me from just trying it out is I know I don’t have a clue as to what I am dong and I don’t want to run out there and fry my GPS system because I didn’t understand how rotary switches work and I hooked up 12v + to a 4.2v line.

Would it be like this:
Pos 4 (GPS interrupt): IN wire = C OUT wire = C1, C2, and C3


The sad truth of how little I know is I have a nice voltmeter with many options and the darn thing usually just confuses me. I do good with just a 12v electrical tester with a fuse in the handle that lights up when I have a current flow but past that... I have a terrible time just finding the setting to let me know if I have current flow or not on that voltmeter.

Drunlar said:

Would it be like this:
Pos 4 (GPS interrupt): IN wire = C OUT wire = C1, C2, and C3

Click to expand...

Exactly that way. Leave C4 unconnected.

Boncuk

Thanks for the confirmation I really appreciate it.