I think you must disconnect one of the red leads to the reciever, you cant have 2 power feeds, it will fry the reciever. Unclip 1 red lead fold back and tape it safe, look closley and inside the plug you can see a small tang sticking up into the plug, use a pin to push the tang down and at the same time gently pull the red lead clear, not a lot of free cable be gentle.

pcb assembly

HI Shaun
Glad you have found a solution that suits.
The battery will still be connected to the ESCs so you will need to disconnect after each sail but this can be done at home.
Cheers
Dave

Wow, can't believe what seemed like a relatively easy topic has generated so much discussion - I really am grateful to everybody who has responded with so many ideas and fixes. My original concept was to have the switch accessible without having to take the superstructure off, for those not familiar with the Aerokits Solent it's a big boat at 49 inches and this makes the superstructure fairly wieldy. I have tried to come up with a way of disguising the switch with a kneeling lifeboat man or similar but have given up on that. My "fix" has been to replace the two small cheap and nasty switches with a single DPDT toggle switch mounted just under the front of the superstructure which is easily operable without completely removing it.

Than you again for all the responses 😊

Shaun

with a dpdt toggle you can switch 2 circuits at the same time without any electrical interaction. it is in effect 2 switches with a common lever.

Have a look at the diagram.

here

http://www.hobbyking.co.uk/hobbyking/store/__4309__Receiver_System_Switch.html

HI Shaun,

I get what you want to do, but you actually have two separate circuits inside one boat, very much like my Fireboat build, so its difficult to share one on/off switch, as you are in fact joining the two circuits by doing this, there is however a fix!

Firstly, bin those rubbish esc switches, they are the Achilles heel in an otherwise decent esc. The esc is waterproof, the switch isn't, and is a constant failure point of these esc's. Cut them off, solder the wires together, they are now permanently on. Thing now is, the receiver needs tro arm before the esc's, and depending how fast they are, this might not happen, remember the problems I had with the Fireboat doing this. Attached is a picture of my recent PCF Boat build, look at the illuminated switch on the left. The two esc's via a "Y" lead are connected to this switch, it takes a normal servo lead style connector. The rx is then connected to this. You can also see there is another slot (unused in the pic) where you can connect something else, like a light switch etc. So, connect your batts, I assume you are using the esc becs? (I would recommend not doing this, use a separate battery source for your receiver, as in my pic) and turn the switch on to power the rx.

Now to achieve what you want, I would have two switches, one in each of the positive leads on each esc, mount these where you want. A separate battery source for the rx, you can power the receiver up, then when armed, now power both esc's. Imagination to hide the switch, see my radio operatore, the box he is kneeling on, guess what's under the box? 😁

Paul

Here is a possible solution. Use a linkage and a deck fitting pull up for off and push down for on. That way your switch can be mounted under the deck and your scale fitting is in place when your running.

HI Dave,
Done a lot of work on the electrics since the original post. The working radar is powered by the receiver using the transmitter to turn it on/off so an extension lead has resolved that issue. The internal, navigation, mast and searchlight are now powered by a single 11.1 volt LiPo through an Action Electronics quad switcher which again has a extension lead fitted so overall I have gone some way to resolving the issue. I would still like to be able to turn off the receiver power without removing the superstructure beacause as you will be aware it is a bit unwieldy, however haven't found a place I would be happy to mount a toggle switch that doesn't look out of place. Work in progress!

I am amazed at the amount of help and advice there is from so many people on this forum and also the amount of interest the topic has generated - thanks to all who have offered their wisdom.

HI Shaun
Your problem is really the connections to the switcher located in the superstructure to power the lights. How many connections/wires are there? I suspect 2 for power and a standard servo connector, all of which will be low power and could be supplied by two servo extension leads. That being the case the cabin top can easily be raised enough to allow you to access the two mtronik switches to power up the model. I disconnect my battery with a plug but you can have this connected at home and just switch on and off at the lake. You will need to disconnect the battery at home as the escs will draw a small current even in the off state.
I believe you may realise from all the advice given that switching heavy motor power circuits is not really an easy option and is likely to be prone to failure. Two MFA 800 torpedo motors will draw a heavy current and this is best handled by your chosen ESCs.
I use electonize and bhuler motors in my Solent with a double pole switch to turn on/off. The power is via a 12v 12amp sla so spade connectors are used.
I have a working radar and use a small slide switch to turn this on/off. Power is via two phos bronze strips attached to the coaming with two similar on the cabin. Pics enclosed.
Hope you can find a workable solution
Cheers
Dave

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/ip67-sealed-toggle-switch-n25ka

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/large-toggle-switch-cover-yl01b

use a toggle switch and cover. The more complex you make any system the greater the chances of fail. if you need to switch multiple systems you can still use a single toggle switch if you multipole switches. A DPDT ( double pole double throw) will switch 2 different circuits without electrical interaction.

Good thinking hubsy ,the lighting switch could also bring in a relay a double pole one,one side for servo feeds and the other for main battery feed. Use a nylon pull cord and bobs yer uncle 😑

I use a magnet to switch reed switches, which operate a larger switch, mosfet or relay.

what are you switching? there are 2 possibilities 1) replacing the existing ESC switch

2) battery disconnect.

if your replacing the ESC switch it will work, but, its not a good switch sorry but mains switches like these are built to prices. The pull cord will act as a wick and draw water to the switch.

For a battery disconnect switch you need something a bit heavier light switches are 5A rated and although your voltage is a lot lower the current is the limiting factor on any switch.

Just an idea I am going to use on my club500 is a small lighting pull switch the type with a cord this can be passed through the hull in a thin plastic tube to reduce any water ingress,this will sav removing the top too often, will let you know at the end of the season or if I get an early failure will let you know sooner.

Stour boy.

Your solution will work Dave, but, I don't like the cheap slide switches used by manufacturers of ESCs.

Replacing that switch with a decent toggle switch can only increase reliability.

if you have multiple ESCs then a multipole toggle will allow each ESC to be switched on and off by a single switch with no interaction.

That's why I recommended a DPDT toggle.

HI Derek
Yes you may not have problems but your last sentence really hits the nail on the head.

I'm not so sure on this disconnecting a wire thing with multiple controllers. I often forget as with a model now. Been sailing weeks with all connected. They are in parallel after all.but do it anyway for safety

Shaun
If you use an extension lead to the quad switcher you can easily raise the cabin and disconnect the lead allowing removal. I just lift the front of my cabin and access the two Mtronic switches attached to the front coaming. This removes the need to change the existing switches. if you wire them to one switch there is a real risk of damage to one or both Esc's and Rx, not to mention damage to your model in the event it catches on fire.
dave

Do not just try to solder them into one of the existing switches. Find a suitable placement then wire each switch into a DPDT switch.

That will switch off BOTH ESCs with a single switch.

Thanks a lot for your advice Dave and Alan - what I thought would be a relatively easy fix doesn't appear to be so. I think I may attempt to join the switch cables so only one switch is necessary and re-site it somewhere on the deck. its a big model and I am trying to achieve a means of isolating the receiver power with the boat still in the water and without removing the superstructure mainly because the wiring to power all the various lights and radar are controlled by a quad switcher on the underside of the superstructure.

Cheers Shaun

HI Shaun
You originally asked if you could use one switch.
I agree with all the previous comments and advice given. in my experience, however, Mtronic escs work best with the switch in place especially in multiple setups.
Buy a two pole switch and wire one pole to each of the Mtronic switches. You will have to find a suitable spot above the waterline that is waterproof. Disconnect one red lead between one esc and the rx.
The power from the batteries will still be connected to your Escs however and will flatten the batteries over a few weeks.
You do need to be able to disconnect each battery between sailings.
I have a Solent and remove the top to fit batteries and switch on the rx etc. if you put the switches near the coaming you only need to raise the top a few inches at the lakeside.
On the bench you can take the top off to service the running gear and remove the batteries for charging.
Personally I abandoned switches for high powered (>5amp) currents many years ago and now just use plugs (Deans or similar) to connect all my batteries.
I also remove all batteries from my models after sailing and charge in a remote safe environment.
Good luck and I hope you find a solution that meets your needs
Dave 😀

Shaun be aware that the small switches that come attached to the ESC's can be iffy.
I always cut them out and solder the cables together covered with a bit of heat shrink, and just rely on a switch to cut the main power.

In your case perhaps having two batteries you could just use a switch to cut the two positive cables to the batteries. You could probable find a suitable switch at a motor spares shop or Maplins with a high enough amperage. Not knowing the layout of the boat I don't know where you would site it though.

Alan

Given the matter a bit more thought and : Mark - I would need to fit two switches because each motor and speed controller is powered by its own battery, this wouldn't work for me because of the space obtrusive nature of two switches on the deck.

Haverlock - the whole idea is to try and overcome the need to remove the superstructure to turn off the power, disconnecting the batteries would still necessitate removing the superstructure which on the 1/12 scale Solent is quite large.

Shaun

If you intend to never use the switches rather than leave them switched on remove them altogether!

The system of switching the main battery feed is ok PROVIDED the switch is man enough. Surly it would be better to dispense with switches all together and just disconnect the battery.

Switches are fitted on low current sections of the ESC. the total current for 2 motors main supply would require a MUCH more heavy duty switch.

You could buy a double pole double throw switch and connect both of your ESCs to one each side of that so one switch will replace 2 without any risk of interaction. in effect that is 2 switches side by side in one package.

http://www.maplin.co.uk/p/sub-miniature-toggle-switch-f-on-off-on-dpdt-fh05f

one example.

if your esc(s) each have a BEC. then you should remove the red receiver lead from one of them. Potentially you could fry a receiver else.

That would work for me - Cheers Mark

Regards Shaun

HI Shawn, sorry didnt know you were using the P95, with out seeing a diagram my thought is still use a battery switch, leave the 2 small switches ON, but put your main switch in the main power feed to the whole motor reciever setup, IE, in the red wire from the battery

Hope this helps

Mark

HI Mark,

Thanks for your reply. I really am a bit confused now, the speed controllers (brushed) have two wires to attach to the main power battery, two wires to the motor which connect through a twin Action Electronics P95 board, the receiver wires connected by means of a "y" lead, and two further wires with a small on/off switch on them, these are both black wires.

I have been using the boat without any problem but would like to make the two small switches accessible without having to remove the superstructure. I would prefer to be able to do this using one switch only and wonder if I can dispense with one switch altogether or alternatively make one switch out of the two by splicing the wires together and connecting one switch.

Shaun

HI Flack, Most important, disconnect one of the red leads to the reciever, you cant have 2 power feeds, it will fry the reciever. Unclip 1 red lead fold back and tape it safe, look closley and inside the plug you can see a small tang sticking up into the plug, use a pin to push the tang down and at the same time gently pull the red lead clear, not a lot of free cable be gentle.

I would leave the switches alone and fit a switch into the battery leads, this will kill all power to the boat, covering your need not to remove the superstructure

Mark