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Soft touch power switch

Decky

May 17, 2017
10
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May 17, 2017
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I managed to find a lovely Bluetooth speaker that's really small, good quality and fits really well inside the model I'm building. The only problem is that it has a soft touch power switch which means to turn it on I would have to take the model apart in order to press the power button. Also, the speaker turns itself off when the input stops for a while. Ideally I need a Bluetooth speaker that I can power externally with a physical power switch that I can keep switched on but the only ones I can find with a physical power switch are about twice the size. Even then I would have to let the internal battery go flat and power it through the USB charging lead when needed.

This is what I went for...
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01ITEG0YI/

Does anyone know how the soft touch power switches work on these devices? I may be able to modify it but I don't want to cut it open only to find the power switching is performed within the tiny microchip circuitry or some way similar that can't be easily modified. I'm hoping I can short something out to keep it permanently on.

Advice on this or any other ideas on how to implement the Bluetooth sound in the model with external power control will be greatly appreciated.
 
Last edited:

duke37

Jan 9, 2011
5,364
Joined
Jan 9, 2011
Messages
5,364
I bought a bare board component tester and made a plywood box for it. To turn it on, I push a small screwdriver through a hole.
 

Decky

May 17, 2017
10
Joined
May 17, 2017
Messages
10
Thanks Duke37, that's a good idea but the button is quite big and normally needs a hefty press and hold with the thumb. I think trying to lever it with a screwdriver through a small hole will be difficult to avoid breaking the model with force required. I may have to think around this method if it's the only possible solution though I ideally want to be able to power up the sound and lights with a single external switch. Maybe there's room to turn the speaker sideways so there's no levering required and poke a small rubber ended pencil through the hole. Hmmm, interesting.
 
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