Electronics > Repair

Space Heater Tilt Switch

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Excavatoree:
The space heater works just fine, but this switch rattles intermittently - it starts and stops at random.   I can't find anything like it on parts sites like Digi-key, and there's no information on the thing at all, other than the numbers 1-4 and a picture.

It rattles, but it's not just a ball and contacts, as there's no continuity between any of the four terminals, either tilted or not. 

Does anyone have any info about this crazy thing?  I wanted to simply replace it to see if that helped.     Diameter is ~17mm.   Terminals are in a .1 x .4 inch rectangle pattern.

The heater brand is Honeywell, but I don't think that means anything.  It's no doubt made in China with the US brand slapped on.

andy3055:
You should be able to use a mercury tilt switch.

fzabkar:
Maybe it's an active device, like this ...

https://www.romanblack.com/tilt/SFH7710_angle_sensor_using.pdf
https://www.romanblack.com/tilt/SFH7710_angle_sensor.pdf
https://www.romanblack.com/tilt.htm

Does it have Vcc, ground and output pins?

Excavatoree:

--- Quote from: fzabkar on June 25, 2022, 08:13:00 pm ---Does it have Vcc, ground and output pins?

--- End quote ---

The question reminded me that I was being lazy and hadn't reversed engineered this as I should.  I was doing so, and noticed the power supply was a lot like the one in the larger heater Dave repaired in his recent video.  I also noticed a filter capacitor (220 µF, 35v) right next to the dropping resistor.  I thought, "might as well check it."  Turned out to be completely dry.  The capacitor checker didn't even recognize it.   (No capacitance, near infinite ESR)  It looked good.  No bulges, no leaks that I could see. 

So, as a first step, I changed it, and of course it isn't acting up (rattling) now.  I'll continue to operate it and see if the rattle returns.  It'll be embarrassing if that's all it is.

james_s:
It may just be a metal ball bearing sitting in the middle of some contacts. As someone else suggested a mercury switch may work as a replacement.

Edit: I read your post again and see now that you said there isn't continuity. Maybe it needs more current to have continuity or maybe it's worn out and has gone high resistance? You could try temporarily bypassing it for testing.

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