led switch

[taintedplay]

I have a led switch on the front of my case, and i want to hook up my cold cathode to it. Currently my cold cathode has a pci bracket with a switch on it. The new switch has 3 prongs on the back of it, which wire to i put where?

this is the back of the switch
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im guessing the middle is ground, and either side is positive?

[Luke122]

Could be.. take a multimeter, and test it out in each position. That will also tell you the voltage passing through it.. then you'll know if it's enough to drive the ccfl.

[taintedplay]

i dont have a multimeter. should i just connect it and see if it works?

this switch :http://www.petrastechshop.com/spblilrosw.html

this cold cathode http://www.petrastechshop.com/lo12ducocaki4.html

ideally i want to plug in three of these cold cathodes in, but one works for now

[crazybillybob]

On most switches you have the following:

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ON Com ON

What's that mean it means that if you want the switch to turn on the "light" when the switch is in the up position you attach the + wire from the power supply to the middle and + (red) wire to the "Light" on the top "ON".... If you want the "Light" to come on when the Switch is in the down position you attach the + wire from the power supply to the middle and + (red) wire to the "Light" on the Bottom "ON"...

Now The fact that you have an LED in the switch changes this a bit because one of those terminals is Ground...With out more info, I can't tell you much more because there are too many switches out there and not all are hooked up the same.
What I'll do is give you some general info and let you decide what to do!

If your going to play with the Electrical side of your PC spend the $10 and buy a volt meter.

As a general rule you should NEVER, EVER, EVER have both the + and - of a Load (Light) going to a switch Like this... Only one side of the Light (either + or - you pick.... I recommend + because it's safer) should go to the switch, the other side should go back to the power supply. the Only time that it's safe to have both leads of the load on a switch is if it has 2 or more rows of connections (also called double or multi-Pole switch).


Good Luck!

CrazyBillyBob

[halcyonforever]

I've also seen a simmilar prong setup for lighted SPST switches sharing a common cathode. One is for the built in light, the other, the switched load, third is the common cathode for both.

I had a switch like this built in to a shoulder mounted rocket laucher but I wired the hot lead to the annode from the light not the switched power and ended up with a un-expectedly live weapon once loaded. During preparations for a test fire it went off unexpectedly when the trigger got bumped, the rocket ignited and shot about 200 feet before going through a window and exploding inside. The charge was a packet of flash powder so all it did was make a lot of light and smoke, but the guy in the room crapped his pants. (My major is film, this was a "working" prop for a war film)

[taintedplay]

well theres already a switch built into the cold cathode, (pci) and i just want to change out the switches. Could i just cut the two wires from the original switch, and put ground in the middle of the new one and + on either the top or bottom?

[halcyonforever]

It may be just a SPDT switch as overkill for a single circuit but I would still recoment a voltmeter as an investment, this case probably isn't enough to blow anything but it is hard to run on guesswork.

[crazybillybob]

Ok based on the pic's at the site linked.
The illuminated switch isn't an LED it a light bulb. Also the switch leads are numbered (Diagram Here (http://us.st12.yimg.com/us.st.yimg.com/I/yhst-65556269779593_2012_43187370))

1 : goes to the + on the cold cathode kit
2: is the + input from the PSU
3: goes to Ground.

If you can figure out how the PCI switch is wired up you should be able to cut the wires off and reconnect them to the new switch.

This should get you off in the right direction. But as always, I and TBCS are not responsible or liable if these, or other directions lead to damage or destruction of equipment, injury, bodily harm, electrocution, or death! If you don't feel comfortable doing something get a professional!


CrazyBillyBob