For sale: Custom 3D printed shift knobs with integrated buttons

[Veen]

Originally Posted by Daox

There really isn't anything small enough to fit in the knob that has a real good current rating. My highest rated switch is 2A (D2F) and its a momentary. The toggle I use (TL2201EEZB) is rated for 100mA.

Are most people using an external relay? Or is 2A enough for most jobs, especially kill switches. I did find one momentary switch that handles 10A, but it's a little bigger (PB1973ABLKBLKEF0). The other approach I'm taking is to use a tiny relay (CP1SA-12V-X) but they get a little pricey.

[Daox]

Some guys are using relays. I'm not sure which because I don't supply them. However, its always easiest if you can just kill a logic circuit with a kill switch. A small switch can easily handle killing the signal to the crankshaft sensor or something like that.

[Baltothewolf]

I'm sorry Doax, but I cannot support your product any longer unless you update it to make it more safe. It almost got my boyfriend and I killed on the freeway today.

I was on the way home from the fair climbing a 6% grade and I was coming up on a truck ~70mph in the slow lane and I decided to go into the lane next to it, which was also occupied by a truck. I go to press the clutch button to turn back on my IMA system and I instantly lose power. I now have a semi barreling up behind me at 55+mph that's pissed because I just cut in front of him, not realizing my car is dead and I have NO IMA SYSTEM to help me move out of the freaking way. I flipped on my hazards and luckily he was paying attention and went into the fast lane, avoiding me and the truck in the right lane had passed and luckily nobody was behind him, so I moved into the E-Lane and ripped my shifter out as fast and hard as I could.

It appears the wiring got cut/damaged by the shifter rod and the hot from my injectors grounded to the clutch signal, causing it to get stuck thinking the clutch was pushed in, so no assist, and it was grounded to that, so it flipped the relay, cutting the power off to my injectors. IMO this was a freak accident, and I wouldn't be as bothered with it if only I was in the car, but my other half was in the car and his life was put in danger because of this design flaw.

Here is some pics.

[deejaaa]

it's a simple design meant to bypass a system already in place by the OEM. don't endorse the product. use at owners risk.

[Baltothewolf]

Originally Posted by deejaaa

it's a simple design meant to bypass a system already in place by the OEM. don't endorse the product. use at owners risk.

Really? Lol. Sorry I gave any feedback I'll just remove my post -.- (not really).

[Daox]

Thanks for the photos Balto, they really help. I'm very sorry to hear about the situation the knob caused. I will definitely do what I can to fix the problems with the knob.

From the pictures, I can see two problems. First, it looks like the threaded section actually separated from the rest of the knob. This is what caused your knob to be so loose. The good news is this probably isn't heat related (which is good because I can't fix that part). I should be able to print the part at a higher density which will make it stronger so this does not happen again. The second issue of the wire being sheared/cut is a separate issue. I would imagine the knob rotated and eventually cut through the wire. Does this sound right? The busted threads may have added to this. The knob on my car has rotated as well, mostly when real warm. I haven't had it even start to cut into my wire yet, though I have checked. I haven't implemented the fix for it yet, but I am going to try using some blue loctite (which should make the knob still be removable) next time I reinstall it. This should prevent it from turning.

[California98Civic]

I do think this all can be solved, but I have had problems like these (not with your knob, which I don't own).

Of the three custom shifter knobs I have made, all three have rotated a little eventually. Especially but not only in the heat. I used to have my injector kill on the shifter knob. The knob never cut the grounding wire that ran through the switch on the shifter. But twisting of wires as I moved the shifters thousands of times eventually caused an unsettling failure in LA traffic. That was the majn reason I moved my kill switch to a dash panel where it is always stationary.

[RedDevil]

The wires should be locked inside the knob so the soldered wire ends do not move.
Like a pull protection in a home appliances plug.

Best to use a shielded cable and lock the shielding.
(as the shielding takes the strain of twisting the cable beyond the lock, the wires inside are subject to very little of that)

[nemo]

An observation, there appears to be no wire relief. At a minimum tying the wires in a knot will reduce stress on the wires where they are soldered to the terminals.

A jam nut under the knob if shifter design allows will help keep the knob from rotating.

[Daox]

In my thread where I show how to install the knob, I believe I advocate taping the wires to the shifter shaft. This completely eliminates any pulling on the soldered connections. A knot is a good idea as well. I also like the jam nut idea.