Tilt Orientation and shock Sensor SW420 Blue

Features:

• Operating Voltage: 3.3V – 5V
• Low current consumption (typically 25mA)
• Easy to interface with microcontrollers like Arduino
• Compact, reliable, and cost-effective
• Durable and waterproof sealed design

Principle of Operation:

The SW-420 operates as a single-roller induction trigger switch. When at rest or upright, the internal conductive balls maintain a closed circuit. On tilting or vibrating the sensor, the internal contacts are disrupted, generating a brief pulse or breaking the circuit. This signal is used as a digital input trigger in electronic systems.

It reacts when tilted more than 15° from horizontal. If tilted toward terminal A, the circuit opens (OFF); if tilted toward terminal C, it closes (ON).

Pinout of SW-420 Module:

• VCC: Power supply (3.3V–5V)
• GND: Ground
• DO: Digital Output

You may use the sensor's two legs as a basic switch without polarity sensitivity.

Applications:

• Theft Alarm Systems
• Earthquake Alarms
• Motorcycle or Vehicle Vibration Detectors
• Smart Toys and Gadgets

Circuit Example with Arduino UNO:

Connect the tilt sensor to digital pin 4 and an LED to digital pin 12 through a 220Ω resistor. Upload the following code and observe how the LED reacts to tilting or vibrating the sensor.

Code Example:

int ledPin = 12;
int sensorPin = 4;
int sensorValue;
int lastTiltState = HIGH;

long lastDebounceTime = 0;
long debounceDelay = 50;

void setup(){
  pinMode(sensorPin, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(sensorPin, HIGH);
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop(){
  sensorValue = digitalRead(sensorPin);

  if (sensorValue == lastTiltState) {
    lastDebounceTime = millis();
  }

  if ((millis() - lastDebounceTime) > debounceDelay) {
    lastTiltState = sensorValue;
  }

  digitalWrite(ledPin, lastTiltState);
  Serial.println(sensorValue);
  delay(500);
}

Technical Specifications:

• Voltage: < 12V
• Current: < 20mA
• Conductive Time: Approx. 1s
• Closed Resistance: 0–200Ω
• Open Resistance: >10MΩ
• Temperature Range: -40°C to 80°C
• Humidity: 95% RH @ 40°C for 96h
• Terminal Pull Strength: 500gf for 1 min
• Operating Lifespan: Over 1,000,000 cycles

Comparison with Other Tilt Sensors:

• Ball-in-Cage Switches: Use a solid metal ball for contact. Less affected by vibration due to heavier construction.
• Mercury Tilt Switches: Use mercury to make contact. High vibration resistance but are now discouraged due to mercury's toxicity.