Finding a Tilt Switch for Your Bike Alarm

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    Bike Switch Tilt
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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around finding a suitable tilt switch for a bike alarm circuit. Participants explore various types of switches, their functionality, and alternatives, focusing on the requirements for a momentary switch that can reset after activation.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant inquires about the availability of a tilt switch that functions as a push-to-break switch for a bike alarm.
  • Another participant describes a simple switch design using a ball bearing in a shallow metal dish, suggesting it could be made or sourced from an auto parts store, and mentions the possibility of using an XY accelerometer IC for sensitivity to orientation.
  • A suggestion is made to consider mercury switches due to their lack of moving parts and low cost.
  • One participant expresses frustration over the difficulty in finding a momentary tilt switch or vibration sensor, indicating a strong need for such a component.
  • There is a question about whether the ball bearing switch is momentary, with a clarification that all switches have some momentary aspect.
  • Another participant emphasizes that for the circuit to function correctly, the tilt switch must return to its off position after activation.
  • Concerns are raised about the auto reset feature of the alarm system and its compatibility with the proposed ball bearing switch design.
  • For high reliability, the use of an accelerometer IC combined with a microcontroller is suggested as a more effective solution.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the availability and functionality of momentary tilt switches, with no consensus reached on the best solution for the bike alarm circuit.

Contextual Notes

Participants discuss various switch designs and their implications for circuit functionality, highlighting the need for the switch to reset after activation, but do not resolve the specifics of momentary switch availability or design effectiveness.

Gughanath
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I have a circuit that I am going to use as a bike alarm. The problem is that I will need a tilt switch which acts like a push-to-break switch :confused: ...is it possible to get a switch like that? ...or are there any alternatives?please reply...
 
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The simplest switch I have seen is a ball bearing in a shallow metal dish with a second conductive ring around it. The depth of the dish sets the maximum allowable tilt.
in the case of a parked bike there would probably be enough tilt to trigger it while movement would cause the ball to break contact with the ring.
You could make one or perhaps an auto parts store.
You could also use an XY accelerometer IC. These are sensitive to orientation.
Try google for sources of various commercial switches.
 
Mercury switches? No moving parts then and cheap too.
 
it seems impossible to find a Momentary tilt switch (if it exists). Does a Momentary Vibration sensor exist at all? I desperately need one :(
 
NoTime said:
The simplest switch I have seen is a ball bearing in a shallow metal dish with a second conductive ring around it. The depth of the dish sets the maximum allowable tilt.
in the case of a parked bike there would probably be enough tilt to trigger it while movement would cause the ball to break contact with the ring.
You could make one or perhaps an auto parts store.
You could also use an XY accelerometer IC. These are sensitive to orientation.
Try google for sources of various commercial switches.

is the ball bearing switch a momentary one?
 
Gughanath said:
is the ball bearing switch a momentary one?
What do you mean by momentary?
All switches are to some degree momentary.

You say this is an alarm system.
Most alarm systems simply ignore the activation sensor state (switch on or off) once triggered.
 
For the circuit to work, the tilt switch needs to return to its normal position, which is the off position.If the switch doesn't return to the off position, the automatic reset system in the circuit will not work.
 
Yes. The auto reset feature would be a problem.

To some degree the ball bearing idea will still work here,
since there would only be a small angle over which it would fail to reset.

For high reliability the accelerometer IC and a micro computer chip would probably be required.
 

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