Joystick Resilience

[gleblanc 1]

I ordered a ECX3520 joystick from AD a couple of months ago. It worked great, although the contact blocks on the back are very deep. For quick reference, this is a 4 position momentary contact NO switch. Today, the monkeys on the floor have managed to un-screw the joystick handle, which, of course, changes all of the "directions". That is, up used to close (say) 1 & 2, but it now closes some other contacts. Anybody else run into this problem with their joysticks? Will I be better off replacing this with, say, an AB 800T-T4T8 switch? The switch gets run about 50 times a day, through all different directions, in order to test the 4-way remote control mirrors. The AB part with 4 NO contacts is non-stock, so I don't know what the price on that is. The list price on 4 sets of NO/NC contacts (which eliminates the need for relays I have, probably) is $366.60. Seems a little extreme, no? Thanks, Greg

[b_carlton 61]

If you jsut replace it with an identical unit will they take that one apart also? Maybe you have something other than a hardware problem.

[gleblanc 1]

Most of the problem is that when you take it apart, the contacts change. There's nothing to insure that it gets put back together with the same configuration. And, yes, clearly the problem is the operator.. but since he doesn't work directly for me, I have to try to make my hardware stand up to his abuse. :-/

[b_carlton 61]

The PDF on this operator says that the contacts are non-replaceable. They are pretty well defined in their operation. Do they somehow change after dis-assembly? Isn't the joystick itself keyed so that it goes onto the contact block assembly in only one way? Not that this is a solution, just trying to understand the problem.

[Isostandards 0]

go for a replacement if the joystick is not working means there is some hardware problem and it can cause the problem contact block assemby may be .the standards are some time matters.