Solarus "Standby" switch going kaput! Where on earth to get another one?!

[aavatech1]

It seems my Sunn Solarus' standby switch is on it's way to the great Sunn stack in the sky. If anyone has any info on them or any idea where to find a replacement please let me know. I'm getting a nasty snap when switching the standby both on and off. Also I have some NOS Sunn switches and other NOS parts if anyone has what I need and needs something I have and wants to trade. If I get a chance tomorrow I'll post a list and/or some pics of the Sunn parts I've got on hand. I've got a couple switches but they're not the correct ones. I'll certainly buy one if it's available, of course.
Thanks much
Mark

[glebert]

PIcs? The electronics surplus store near me sometimes has old Sunn parts since they were a local manufacturer. I made the mistake of telling them the knobs with the shiny red centers were worth at least $5 each and then I couldn't get them for 50 cents like I used to.

https://www.surplusgizmos.com/

[loudthud]

The Sunn site (https://forum.sunnstillshines.online/index.php) is down right now and I can't contact tboy to get it fixed. It's a Carling switch and I think I documented the exact part number there. Search for "carling" when the site is back up.

Edit: I have some used Carling switches that will work. I need some of the little black plastic cups that were used for speaker jacks on the back of speaker cabinets back in the 70's.

[DrGonz78]

Perhaps the old switch is something to attempt to rejuvenate. If the switch can taken apart you could inspect if it’s broken or just needing a clean and grease. I love old parts that were built to be repaired.

[loudthud]

I think you have to remove the front panel and drill the rivets that hold the switch. You can replace the rivets with counter sunk #4 or #6 screws.

[Helmholtz]

Did you try to get some Deoxit D5 inside?

Permanently cured the dead power switch of my 80s Super Champ.

[DrGonz78]

Did you try to get some Deoxit D5 inside?

Permanently cured the dead power switch of my 80s Super Champ.

Yup that works a charm every once in a while. Had a Marshall DSL 100 and the standby switch was lagging a second after flipping it on. You would see the light even stutter a second and then viola! Burnishing tool did little good on the spade terminals. But a good shot of cleaner inside the switch brought it back to working condition again.

[aavatech1]

Thanks for the replies everybody!

glebert: I checked "surplusgizmos.com" but it doesn't look like they've got what I need. I'll keep an eye on the site tho. Thank you!

loudthud: It looks like the Sunn site you referenced is up and I did a search for "Carling" and got a few hits. I'll be checking each link out presently and let you know what I find. I will note tho that when I clicked the link I got a warning about a potentially dangerous site and stuff. I went there anyway - because as we all know, a man looking for Sunn parts is more dangerous than any website could ever be! Thanks!

DrGonz78: I think I'll attempt to rejuvenate the switch while still looking for a replacement since it may actually work. It's something I really hadn't considered. Plus I can get a good pic of it for the forum and for reference. Thank you Sir!

Helmholtz: I'll be trying to DeOx and save the switch as mentioned above. Thanks for the input!

So I dumped out my box of, I believe, vintage NOS Sunn parts and aside from a few everyday items I also found that which is pictured below. I didn't consider using one of the two rear mounted - lighted switches shown since the original on my '67 Solarus doesn't have a lamp. But if it comes down to it I suppose one could be used. Several of the smaller switches which were still in the plastic packages were kind of gummed up - I suppose with the original lubricant or dielectric. A few squirts of MG Chemicals "Super Wash" has freed them up and is inert to the plastic (whew!)
I'll follow up with some DeOxit - let it sit and then test them.
I'll post some pics of the amp and pulled switch once I get it out of the cab later tonight. I'm thinking "loudthud" was correct in that the switches in my amp are of the rear mounted rivet attached kind and I'll have to disassemble it to get the switch out - so it's gonna take a minute. Judging from the schematic I'm not sure if the lamp feature of the switch I actually have on hand can be lit - but it'd be pretty cool if it could. I'm trying to keep this amp as original as possible so I'd like to find the proper switch - but if I can't.....I can't, ... for now. Thanks again for the kind responses. More to follow...

[aavatech1]

Holy cow! Have any of you guys seen my brain lately?! When perusing the forum here in regard to switches and stuff, I found a post that reminded me that I had removed the "death cap" and left the Polarity switch unconnected and in place. If that switch is still "good" my problem may be "sol-ved"...as Inspector Clouseau once remarked. Being the skeptic and realist that I am I do realize that both switches are of the same age and where one has gone the other is sure to soon follow. But hey,...it's a thought, and may prove to be a temporary solution if any other is not forthcoming.
More to follow...

[aavatech1]

Well, my brain may not quite yet be retrieved... I didn't consider that the two switches, Polarity and Standby, might be different. The Standby switch seems to be a SPST switch and the Polarity switch a DPST switch. And to add insult to injury I must be getting rusty or old or both! I looked all over ebay yesterday for a Sunn amp switch and found absolutely nothing. Tonight I found exactly what I need under the heading " Sunn Amp Standby Switch OLD style Cloth Face Standby" yeah, it's 15 bucks + but it's the correct "cloth face" switch...amazingly enough. So it's on it's in the bag.
As you can see from the pics below the switch is indeed riveted to the chassis and at first glance I'm not sure exactly how a replacement switch could be properly mounted. I'm thinking maybe "tapping" the face-plate holes and flush cutting a bolt so the finish plate still sits flush. I do have a "pop rivet" gun but not sure how that'd work out. So I'll pick this up again tomorrow, do more digging and consider options. I've added some pics of the patient and the task at hand.

[g1]

I didn't consider that the two switches, Polarity and Standby, might be different. The Standby switch seems to be a SPST switch and the Polarity switch a DPST switch.

It looks to me like SPST and SPDT. As long as the polarity switch is 2 position (no 'center-off'), you can use it (assuming it has same or better current rating).

[loudthud]

I think you'll find that when you drill out those rivets, there is a countersunk hole underneath. A pair of screws and nuts will mount the switch.

FireFox is still giving me an error when i try to access the Sunn site.

[aavatech1]

I think you'll find that when you drill out those rivets, there is a countersunk hole underneath. A pair of screws and nuts will mount the switch.
FireFox is still giving me an error when i try to access the Sunn site.

I was hoping that that would be the case with the rivets. I'll pop 'em out today! I can still hit the sunn site using the link you've provided - as can be seen in the image below. Maybe clear your "cache" in Firefox and try again. Thanks for the info about the rivets, I was hoping that confirmation about that might come before I got out the drill!

[g1]

I can still hit the sunn site using the link you've provided - as can be seen in the image below. Maybe clear your "cache" in Firefox and try again.

I think older versions of firefox can't do it. I asked firefox to 'forget' the sunn site, but I still get the error.

[aavatech1]

I think older versions of firefox can't do it. I asked firefox to 'forget' the sunn site, but I still get the error.

I'm not sure if "forgetting" a site is the same as flushing your cache. Try going to settings then in the search box type cache. Then you'll have an option to clear the cache.
You'll be logged out of any site you're on but you can just log back in again. Give that a try, Firefox has been able to do that for some number of versions.