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Replacement for mercury switches?

I was thinking about using a mercury switch for some application (detecting if a horizontal item is tilted vertically), but understand that mercury switches are being phased out because they are environmentally unfriendly and potentially toxic. Does anyone know what is being used as a replacement to perform the same function? Either in a electromechanical switch or in a chip (I seem to remember something about it). Thanks.

Reply to
ElderUberGeek
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There's a number of vendors who make mechanical tilt-switches as a replacement for the mercury switches. I've recently used the CW1300 from Assemtech, a small metal tube with a tiny ball inside. They bounce like hell, but do the job.

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Reply to
Ico

There are two options:

  1. Mechanical tilt sensors. The very best ones have two balls inside; one is a contact, the second hits the first to pierce any oxide layer that might be on the contact ball. Only one company makes this style, and I forget their name :)
  2. MEMS accelerometers. Significantly more expensive, substantially more flexible and reliable; you can implement however much hysteresis you desire.
Reply to
larwe

There are also mechanical/optical ones that use a single ball and optical detectors.

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Reply to
Arlet

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