Where to get multimeter knob contacts?

[rea5245]

You know the contacts on a multimeter knob that brush against the PCB (pictured below)?

What are they called? Where can I buy them?

Thank you,
   Bob

[MosherIV]

They are known as spring contacts.

Not sold anywhere that I am aware of.

[bob91343]

You probably will have to buy or salvage some beryllium copper or phosphor bronze parts of the approximate thickness and cut them to shape.

[rea5245]

You probably will have to buy or salvage some beryllium copper or phosphor bronze parts of the approximate thickness and cut them to shape.

Every multimeter has them. There must be someone manufacturing them.

[floobydust]

Those are crap! chinese low purity copper which on gold ENIG pcb I find does not give a decent connection. They have won the race to the bottom for price and quality.
Are you looking for replacements or building something using them? If they were leaf/cantilever style, at least silver-plated the quality would be good.

[rea5245]

Those are crap!

So are multimeters experiencing a high failure rate? Or do higher quality multimeters use a different mechanism?

I want to build something that uses a multimeter-like rotary switch. But if there's a better alternative, I'd love to hear about it. (My current prototype uses an off-the-shelf rotary switch, but it's more expensive than multimeter rotary switches, and it doesn't have quite as nice a feel to it.)

- Bob

[floobydust]

Something about them I have constant problems with oxidation and a poor connection even with DeOxit on them. The copper has a dull look about it. It depends on what signal you are pushing through them.

It's a primitive switch contact- any high quality rotary ones have silver or gold plating (Brymen, Agilent, 121GW appear gold coloured). Better Fluke multimeters have their own patented switch mech with I think phosphor or nickel plate and more precise, refined fingers. Fluke started out with an off-the-shelf rotary switch in their earlier handhelds.

Some people strip a cheap Harbor Freight $4.99 special and use those, or this guy documented making his own. https://softsolder.com/2012/09/20/multimeter-range-switch-contacts-whoops/
If you can make the rest- the knob/ratchet maybe 3D printed it would be neat.

They are part of a switch which is part of a multimeter. Switch manufacturers only sell the entire switch. I searched but could not find a specific company offering them, which would save tooling and die cost.

[janoc]

You probably will have to buy or salvage some beryllium copper or phosphor bronze parts of the approximate thickness and cut them to shape.

Every multimeter has them. There must be someone manufacturing them.

They are likely custom parts.