Voltage Sensitive Switch

[CosmicFarmer]

Hey guys - Sorry to bother you all - but I cant seem to find a nice voltage sensitive switch. Tried mouser and digikey but maybe I didn't know what keywords I needed.

I need a switch that works at low voltages around .2 to 1 volt. Ideally to make a short when voltages are .5 and an open when .2 and not consume much power. Will I have to make it out of diodes and transistors, or does anyone know where I can buy such a switch?

Or if you know of a good schematic I can use for such diode transistor setup...

Thank you for your time.

[redrichie]

Well I was kinda looking for the same thing a little while back. Um you could try to use a comparator chip but it does consume energy. You control the voltage switching with pots.
Check out SOLARBOTICS.net he has many differnet Voltage sensing circuit that he uses in solar charged tiny robots.

[CosmicFarmer]

Thank you for that reply.

I might have to use a robotics approach to shuffle the voltages. I dont think using a diodes breakover as the switch would be that great as there would be resistance "in" the made capacitor battery. a battery of capacitors like a battery of cannons.

I know Dr Stiffler has a voltage sensitive switch but I have no idea how to contact him other then buying more of his oscillators which I think are brilliant, but not magical.

I posted earlier a sun eater variant and no one seemed to care :-) but its in the archives and I could use that , but like Bedini said you pay for the switching. I guess a sun charged capacitor could supply enough power to run a 555 to check the voltages every 10 seconds. . .

Mmmm sun roasted capacitor.

[CosmicFarmer]

Voltage Level Sensor

Voltage Level Sensor

can get one there.