Any electricians? Foot pedal switch for Jugs machine?

Westwind · Oct 30, 2014

I saw a post on another forum where Howard rigged up a foot switch to turn a pitching machine on and off to vary speed.

I found some really reasonable foot pedal switches on EBAY.

Here is the first one:

TEMCo Industrial Foot Switch SPDT NO NC Electric Power Pedal Momentary New CN

Temco Industrial Foot Switch SPDT No Electric Power Pedal Momentary New CNC | eBay

That is a SPDT, (single pole double terminal) switch. They have the same one that is SPST, (single pole single terminal).

The switches are 10 amp, 250 vac. The pitching machine is 4 amp, 1/4 horse and 110 volts. (I have no clue what that means.)

Will these work? Which one do I want? I want it wired so you push the pedal and it goes on, then push the pedal again and it goes off. OR, push and hold the pedal and it goes off.

Thanks, ww

CoachBroker · Oct 30, 2014

I bet you could use the foot of a foot controlled trolling motor that has a variable speed dial as well as an on/off switch.

Comp · Oct 30, 2014

That switch you are looking at is a momentary switch, as long as you step on it it is on and when you release it goes off. That is the NO, or normally open side of the switch. It will also work the opposite and be on all the time and go off when you step on it, that is the NC or normall closed side of the switch.

What you are looking for is something that is push on/push off. That way when you step on it it will lock on, and then when you push it again it will go off.

JAD · Oct 30, 2014

CoachBroker said:
I bet you could use the foot of a foot controlled trolling motor that has a variable speed dial as well as an on/off switch.

A trolling motor is 12VDC. You need an AC switch with a rheostat. What type of motor does Jugs use?

slingnit · Oct 30, 2014

Power Maintained Foot Switch

This may be what you are looking for, it is an on/off switch. But it depends on how you want to operate. Most are for power tools and are momentary switches, machine is on when pedal is down and turns off when released. Why are you wanting a foot pedal for the machine, out of curiosity?

slingnit · Oct 30, 2014

JAD said:
A trolling motor is 12VDC. You need an AC switch with a rheostat. What type of motor does Jugs use?

The motor is 90v DC variable speed motor, there is a rectifier in the housing. No easy way to use a speed control anywhere else without major modifications.

YOCOACH · Oct 31, 2014

You would need a variable speed single pole single throw foot pedal if you wanted to control both the speed and whether the machine is on or off.you can use an AC pedal for both AC and DC applications. However, you cannot use a DC switch in an AC application. That being said, you need to interrupt the wires feeding the motor after the control board right before they go into the motor. You would wire the switch in series with the hot side of the feed to the motor. As someone else said if you wanted a set speed and just an on/off, a trolling motor motor pedal would work fine but the speed control would be redundant to the one on the machine itself. Otherwise, you will need a foot pedal with a rest at or potentiometer built into it.

Westwind · Oct 31, 2014

Thanks all.

I probably didn't explain very well. I just want to set a max speed on the machine and then use the foot switch to interrupt power to slow it down and lower pitch and then turn it back on so it catches back up.

It would only be a few mph, but it would keep it changing a little.

I also got worrying that the constant on/off of power might be hard on the motor, what do you think?

guero_gordo · Oct 31, 2014

Are you trying to simulate a change of speed pitch? If so, the NC switch Comp describes will probably do what you want, but unless your hitters are deaf or stupid, they will quickly realize that when they hear the motor stop, the pitch will slow down.
If not, pardon the interruption.

gasfreak · Oct 31, 2014

I have tried this before with just turning it off and Back on. The problem is when it slows down the balls go in the dirt,just a few mph goes from strike zone to the dirt.

Any electricians? Foot pedal switch for Jugs machine?

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