First Major Mod Idea, Power switch.

[TheMuffinOfEvil]

I am going to be putting my computer together later this week, what I would really like to do is disable the power button on the front of my armor case and run the wires out to a box I am planning to fabricate. I would like to have it look similar to the controls to launch a nuke in the old movies, where you have to flip the air style toggle switch, turn a key and press a giant red button. My question is, I see power buttons for computers with lights on them all the time, can you guys outline what is going on inside those switches, is there current constantly going through it, and to turn on your computer when you press the button, you are breaking that current? Or is it the other way around, do power button LEDS work off of those same wires, or is there a second set to power the lights?

[Xpirate]

The switch is a momentary power switch. It does the same thing as touching two wires together for a really short time.

The power button LEDs use a second set of wires on the motherboard.

[TheMuffinOfEvil]

How could I find the wires that control the lights on my motherboard? I am really serious about doing this and trying to make it look cool.

[Xpirate]

They are usually labeled on the board, or in the instruction manual. Each LED should have two pins each. If the board doesn't have them labeled, the original LEDs in the case might have them labeled.

Also LEDs have a polarity. The + and - have to be right for them to light up.

Good luck with your mod. The ModWiki might have some good information about this.

[TheMuffinOfEvil]

Thank you a ton!

[blueonblack]

As an alternative, if you don't have or are unable to find the proper pins on your board (like me), you can also power it with its own external power source. I am running mine off of its own 12-volt "wall wart" with a 570-ohm resistor in series, completely independent of the computer.
________
Glass Bong (http://glassbongs.org/)

[TheMuffinOfEvil]

Could you be a little more specific as to what you mean, I have only a very basic electrical knowledge, all though I am currently reading up.

[blueonblack]

I can, but I am at work right now, so pics are unavailable, and they will be essential to a complete answer.

In essence you will take the wires from the wall wart and hook them to the LED leads on your switch, but there will need to be a resistor included along the length of one of the wires to cut the voltage down. The resistance will depend on the output of the wall wart. There are dozens of online calculators that will help you determine what resistance you need for a given LED at a given voltage. For my 12-volt source I used a 570-ohm resistor (about a buck and a half for five at your local Radio Shack if you have one).

I can try to go into more detail with pics after I get home if you need.
________
Del Rey (http://www.ford-wiki.com/wiki/Ford_Del_Rey)

[Eclecticos]

I would like to have it look similar to the controls to launch a nuke in the old movies, where you have to flip the air style toggle switch, turn a key and press a giant red button.

You mean one of these?

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/8190/usbswitchkb2.jpg

I made a remote power switch with a camcorders input control device.
I will attempt to find the picture.

[Eclecticos]

I used one of these for my power button.

http://img368.imageshack.us/img368/2391/powermaybeewg0.jpg

[halcyonforever]

What you are trying for is actually pretty simple to setup. find the power button leads, and run them to the 3 switches you want in a line. I would probably go key switch, military styled cover switch... and then finally the momentary big red button.

If you want lights to come on in steps that will be a bit more tricky, but not bad at all. I would use dual pole - dual throw switches that also control the lights.

There is an always on power rail from the powersupply... however you would have to tap into the wire that leads to your motherboard to access it. I would go with the wall-wart as well if appearance and plug space is not an issue.

[halcyonforever]

Ok... I can't post pictures from work either but here are some shopping links...

I know radio shack sucks but it is quick and easy and you can walk in almost anywhere in the US.

Military style flip switch (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2062493&cp=2032058.2032230.2032278&parentPage=family)

now the catch is, this switch is a SPST. which will work for just the inline power, but not for toggling an indicator status light. But the switch can be removed from the cover (or you can buy the cover seperately at another store) and used with a simmilar style switch, such as.. this DPDT toggle switch (http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2102475&cp=2032058.2032230.2032278&parentPage=family) One contact moves the power circuit one step closer to completion, the other turns on an indicator lamp...

For a DPDT keylock switch I found this keylock switch from Jameco (http://www.jameco.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001&productId=588297)

You can rig up a pretty cool setup with a those and some well marked LED's