Wiring Sanwa pushbuttons.

Shion · Post by **Shion** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 4:21 pm

Hey all, I'm currently working on my custom control panel for an old cab I'm "upgrading". Since I'm new to this, I don't always know what I'm doing. Instead of taking risks, I was hoping I could get some clarification from people who've done this before

The problem: My cab currently has pushbuttons with big microswitches attached to them, like these:

Which is great and all, since the wires fit perfectly on those big sticks of metal sticking out.
However, the Sanwa buttons I just received have different connectors sticking out. Instead of 3 connections, there are only two. Two should be all I need, but I wonder what the third one is for on the microswitches? Can Sanwa buttons live without ground wire or something?

Anyway, I got these buttons:
Sanwa OBSF-30RG

The main problem is that these connectors are a lot smaller. The connectors attached to the wires simply won't fit on these buttons. The joysticks I got, on the other hand, have the same sized connectors as the old microswitches in my cab. Could someone explain what I should do to attach the wires to the buttons

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Sun Dec 30, 2007 5:10 pm

You probably have Quick Disconnects on your wires. Since the large microswitches use different size terminals than the small ones, you'll have to get rid of the Quick Disconnects that are currently on the wires. You can either replace them with the smaller disconnects, or just solder the wires directly onto the buttons (which is easier short term but more work if you have to replace buttons later on).

For reference, Sanwa buttons use .110 terminals, and the larger switches use .187 size.

Shion · Post by **Shion** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 12:43 am

Alright, I guess I'll solder them directly then. Since I don't have a device to attach smaller Quick-disconnects to the wires. Is there any difference between the two pins sticking out? Or can I use either of them for ground and trigger?

Alien Soldier · Post by **Alien Soldier** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:19 am

http://www.lizardlickamusements.com/pag ... ical.shtml

Check out the Solderless Quick Connect, 18-22 AWG Red

.110

zakk · Post by **zakk** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 8:25 am

The three connector microswitch has 'common', 'normally open (NO)' and 'normally closed (NC)' contacts.

NO means that when you press the switch, it will connect the common and NO contacts internally.

NC means that when you aren't touching the switch, NC and common will be connected. When you press the switch, they are disconnected.

For typical arcade switches, NO is what you use. The sanwas just don't have an NC connector.

Shion · Post by **Shion** » Tue Jan 01, 2008 2:58 pm

Alien Soldier wrote:http://www.lizardlickamusements.com/pag ... ical.shtml

Check out the Solderless Quick Connect, 18-22 AWG Red

.110

Thanks for the link, I think I'll order some of those if it can be done without tools

zakk wrote:The three connector microswitch has 'common', 'normally open (NO)' and 'normally closed (NC)' contacts.

NO means that when you press the switch, it will connect the common and NO contacts internally.

NC means that when you aren't touching the switch, NC and common will be connected. When you press the switch, they are disconnected.

For typical arcade switches, NO is what you use. The sanwas just don't have an NC connector.

Cheers, very informative. Now all I need to know is if there's a difference between the two switches on the Sanwa buttons (since it still has a NO and common contact, and there's no indication which is which).

Sorry for my newbish questions once again

Gwyrgyn Blood · Post by **Gwyrgyn Blood** » Wed Jan 02, 2008 12:34 am

There's no differences between the pins so you can just wire them however you want.