Out here in Minnesota, we don’t often have big waves to surf, but now that doesn’t have to stop us from surfing thanks to electric hydrofoil surfboards, or eFoils. Foil surfing is one of the newest and most exciting watersports, offering surfers an opportunity to get in sessions regardless of wave availability.
An eFoil flies above the water’s surface due to a hydrofoil, which creates lift similar to an airplane wing, allowing surfers to catch even the smallest waves. These surfboards have an electric propeller just above the wing of the hydrofoil, which powers the board to move through any water, including lakes and ponds.
An eFoil is propelled by a nearly silent electric motor and rechargeable battery controlled by a handheld, waterproof, Bluetooth remote. The surfer starts on their belly as they would on a typical surfboard, and as they use the remote to increase the propeller’s speed, they transition to their knees and then their feet.
The surfboard operates like a wing that would be flying in the air. As the wing gathers speed while moving through the water, it generates lift, and suddenly the board is out of the water and the surfer is now flying. Since the surfboard is above the water, it creates less friction and allows the surfer to go further and ride for a longer amount of time.
The remote is where E-switch comes into play. An eFoil manufacturer who was a current customer of E-switch seeking a solution for the power switch on their ergonomic, waterproof Bluetooth controller. Since the controller requires switches to be waterproof, an ingress protection rating of at least IP67 was essential.
The solution came in the RP8100 Series round pushbutton switch, which is IP67 rated and protected against the effects of temporary immersion between 15 cm and 1 m for a duration of 30 minutes. The eFoil manufacturer didn’t require the optional illumination available with the RP8100, but it did require the pre-wired terminal assembly for connecting to the controller’s power source.
The wire assembly makes connecting the switch and power source a breeze, which you won’t need to create the big waves for surfing on an eFoil electric surfboard with a waterproof controller.
RP8100 SPECIFICATIONS
ELECTRICAL RATING: 125mA @ 125VAC, 100mA @ 50VDC
LIFE EXPECTANCY: 500,000 Cycles at full load
CONTACT RESISTENCE: 50mΩ Max. (initial)
INSULATION RESISTENCE: 1,000MΩ Min. @ 500VDC
DIALECTIC STRENGTH: 1,000VAC rms
OPERATING TEMPERATURE: -30°C to 85°C
TRAVEL: 1.5mm
CONTACT ARRANGEMENT: SPST, Off-(On), Momentary
ACTUATION FORCE: 350 gf
CONTACT BOUNCE: 10ms MAX
INGRESS PROTECTION: IP67