Looking for switch to be used under water?

[Staples Build Team]

I am using ESC's to control my thrusters, and as some of you may know, you have to turn on the transmitter before you turn on the esc. I want to be able to put a switch inline with the ESC/Thruster power input but i want it to be on the outside of the rov. Everything is going to be in a nice sealed box, but i want the switch to be on the outside. Does anybody know of a waterproof switch that i can mount through the wall of the sealed box to be accessible from the outside, and not let water into the box?

[thegadgetguy]

You could mount a magnetic reed switch on the inside of your housing, and then put a magnet on the outside of the housing to trigger it. That'd be one way.

[reHosea]

The reed switch idea is a great idea. Another way is to leave the switch mounted inside the sealed compartment and drill and thread a hole that fits a 1/2" PVC male threaded plug in the compartment directly over a toggle or slide switch. Take the plug out and use a screwdriver to flip the switch whenever you need to turn the power on or off, then screw the plug back in. If the sealed compartment is not thick enough to thread, then use a 1/2" PVC fitting that has male threads on one end and female on the other, and Epoxy the male threaded end into the compartment and put the plug in the other end. Ours has been tested to 300' and works great.

[sthone]

I've gone the magnetic reed switch route before and it works good, the added benefit is it's one lest through hole in the hull that might leak.

-Steve

[Staples Build Team]

what reed switches are there out there that can take up to 10 amps (im being very generous) and is CLOSED without the presence of a magnet? I don't want 5 magnets sticking to my box while i m under water... Rather have them on when they are on land.

[sthone]

There are reed switches that do either NC or NO operation, if you need to control 10 amps you could always use the reed switch to turn on/off a relay which could handle the high amps.

-Steve