Make an Automatic On-Off switch using a tiny mercury switch. No soldering iron needed and no alteration done to the ProPointer. Just drop the mercury switch into the battery compartment and put the battery back in. The switch must be tiny, it fits vertical along side the battery with room to spare. Don't cut the leads on the switch, just curl the ends with needle nose plyers and put a piece of tape between the leads so they don't touch each other. One lead goes into the small hole, the positive terminal of the battery touches the other lead. When the ProPointer main switch is turned ON (it stays ON), the mercury switch will automatically turn the ProPointer ON when tip is pointed down and OFF when ProPointer tip is pointed up. Must be stored in the holster upside down, OFF position. No need to touch the main switch on the ProPointer until you are done detecting. The upper left photo shows the switch in place, vertical against the side wall, kind of hard to see it. The switch is held in place when the battery is inserted and the cap is screwed on. I bought my switch at Greenbrook Electronics, I don't know if Radio Shack has them.
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ProPointer easy to do automatic ON - OFF switch
- Thread starter jabbo
- Start date
will do my self, thanks 
jabbo, awesome idea. Out side the box thinking while staying inside the tube I guess. Im definitely going to try this. Ive had twice PP switch going south on me, this would of course really reduce the number of time the switch gets used on a weekly basis. I turn it off and an every time I target something in the ground. Non invasive and probably inexpensive. Thanks a lot, CO
Osgood, Turn the main switch ON at the beginning of the hunt and turn it OFF when you're done for the day. In between, the mercury switch does all the ON-OFF switching at each target. Let us know how you like it. The mercury switch cost me less than $6 at an electronics store near me.
Jabbo, I just did the mod. It is awesome you came up with that- you should patent it, before the production companies grab that idea. Took several mins working in those close quarters- tweezers helped a lot. I tucked the switch into that rectangular groove area. Cant wait to try this afield. Besides reducing the repetitive stress issue on the switch discussed above, this solves an issue i was having trying to water proof the thing. Using PVC with a threaded end and cap, this system will be activated just prior to entering the water. Turn it on, put the propointer in the tube, put on the end cap and you're good to go. It was something I couldnt figure out before, do I just leave it turned on all day wasting the battery? No this will save battery life as it will only be energized when pointing downward, pinpointing a target. I will mount the pvc tube (housing) on a stick, which will also double as a walking stick so to speak, slide your hand down the vibrating stick to find the target.Will have a holster to keep the unit elevated up when not in use. I found a place that has them locally for $1.50 a piece, if its shiped to you of course it will cost more. Thanks again, good hunting, CO
I was out in Jersey hunting with Jabbo, saw both the mercury switch modification and plastic coil cover for the spider style coil.. I was impressed with both..Had intended to have Jabbo drive me to the store for a switch, and grab some ties as well..A class reunion, met his lovely wife, and had some errands to attend to forgot..BUT, the mercury switch is a fantastic idea since most Pro
Pointers crap out due to switch failure...And, I was getting hung up in stubble where his detector was flying..The guy will be out here, or me there this Spring, depending on how some sites pan out..Class reunion.....finally got to dance with the gal I wanted to take to the Prom 55 years ago...still as lovely as ever..
Pointers crap out due to switch failure...And, I was getting hung up in stubble where his detector was flying..The guy will be out here, or me there this Spring, depending on how some sites pan out..Class reunion.....finally got to dance with the gal I wanted to take to the Prom 55 years ago...still as lovely as ever..
Ok, I spent several days a field with it. For now I have removed it. While it did save on off cycles, i did still have to occasionally turn it off and back on - you know like we all discovered having to let it retun by turning off and on? No problem with that overall but also and more the reason for removing it is i found myself having to tap it against the detector shaft and or shake it as it would sound off inconsistently when I wanted it too. Now Im not done, it could be I had an inconsistent contact down there at the positive pole, and also when I ordered my switches I didnt get to see them before hand, they where very tiny , with very little mercury, I wonder if there was an inconstant seating of the ball of mercury over the internal connection post within the bulb when i point it down and or tip it a little. I still think conceptually its a good idea. So im taking two approaches, one is to look for switches with more mercury, and two redo the contact portion where the switch wire touches the battery post inside the pro pointer. Has any one else experienced the problem I described above, if not Im going to assume im not making good firm contacts. Please give me your honest feedback, thanks, Curt O
Critterhunter
New member
Very smart idea without voiding the warranty on the Pro Pointer. If people are having trouble finding mercury switches (they are hard to find with EPA regulations these days), visit your local junk yard and look under the open hood of some older cars. Like 1980's or older probably. They often used mercury switches to turn on and off the hood light when you opened it. More modern cars use(d) ball bearing tilt switches which don't work nearly as well.
I've used the Vibraprobe and found it's automatic on/off function by tipping upside down or such to be a real pain, so I won't be doing the mod, but I can see how it would save on wear and tear on the Pro Pointer's on/off switch, as that's the most common problem that goes bad on them.
Sidenote: I am a big fan of night fishing for catfish, so I made a bite alarm to hang on the tip of my fishing pole using a mercury switch. It's housed in a little black radio shack project box that I just hook onto the tip of the rod, and can remove before setting the hook. I have a two position switch on the box. Off, and then flipped the other way the mercury switch can energize both a piezo buzzer and a large LED bulb at the same time. Works like a charm. The trick is getting the mercury switch at the right angle so it will energize at the slightest bump. I just wrapped the mercury bulb in a bread loaf twisty tie and then bent the tie until I had the mercury bulb almost to the point where the mercury would make contact with the internal leads. I run it off a car remote door/alarm battery found in key fobs. Can't remember off hand but that little short battery is I think 6V, so it provided the higher power I wanted for the buzzer and bulb, although there are ones that will work fine off one AAA battery at 1.5V. I just wanted the shorted battery for a more compact job.
I've used the Vibraprobe and found it's automatic on/off function by tipping upside down or such to be a real pain, so I won't be doing the mod, but I can see how it would save on wear and tear on the Pro Pointer's on/off switch, as that's the most common problem that goes bad on them.
Sidenote: I am a big fan of night fishing for catfish, so I made a bite alarm to hang on the tip of my fishing pole using a mercury switch. It's housed in a little black radio shack project box that I just hook onto the tip of the rod, and can remove before setting the hook. I have a two position switch on the box. Off, and then flipped the other way the mercury switch can energize both a piezo buzzer and a large LED bulb at the same time. Works like a charm. The trick is getting the mercury switch at the right angle so it will energize at the slightest bump. I just wrapped the mercury bulb in a bread loaf twisty tie and then bent the tie until I had the mercury bulb almost to the point where the mercury would make contact with the internal leads. I run it off a car remote door/alarm battery found in key fobs. Can't remember off hand but that little short battery is I think 6V, so it provided the higher power I wanted for the buzzer and bulb, although there are ones that will work fine off one AAA battery at 1.5V. I just wanted the shorted battery for a more compact job.
Coin Gopher
New member
khouse said: