Wiring Trackball RGB LEDs & Coin LED using LED rocker switches -- Sanity Check!

[tjarcade]

Hi All,

I'm close to posting a project announcement and am very excited, but right now am working on wiring up my CP and am feeling a little out of my element. 

I have next-to-no wiring/electrical experience and no experience with LED rocker switches that have three connectors (+, A, and GND).   

I'm planning on using four of these switches--three to select which color(s) to use for an ultimarc trackball RGB LED lighting set-up to mount under my U-Trak, the fourth to power a Groovy Game Gear faux coin slot credit button.

Would you please check out this crude wiring diagram and let me know if you think it's right and/or offer any suggestions, advice, etc.  Thanks much in advance!

[DaOld Man]

Do you have a link to these switches? Or a diagram that shows how they hook up?

[PL1]

Question #1 - Why do you want to switch the coin button light?  Seems like that should be always on when the cab is on.

Question #2 - Why do you have "AC" labels?  The trackball and coin button LEDs run off 5v DC power per GGG and Ultimarc.

Your switches may be like the one in this diagram.
(The switch is the rectangle around 6, 7, and 8.  NL = Neon Lamp)



If the switches are for 115 VAC, the LED (or neon lamp) probably won't light properly because the resistor between 6 and 7 is the wrong size and will drop the voltage too low.

+1 on DaOld Man's request for link/Part #/diagram/spec sheet/manufacturer.  Too many versions to be sure otherwise.


Scott

[tjarcade]

Question #1 - Why do you want to switch the coin button light?  Seems like that should be always on when the cab is on.

Question #2 - Why do you have "AC" labels?  The trackball and coin button LEDs run off 5v DC power per GGG and Ultimarc.

+1 on DaOld Man's request for link/Part #/diagram/spec sheet/manufacturer.  Too many versions to be sure otherwise.

Thanks for your replys, Da Old Man & PL1.   Here's a little more info.

Answer #1 - I'll probably leave the coin light on all the time, but since I was wiring up 3 other switches, figured 1 more wouldn't hurt in case the coin light ever bothers me (probably won't, but figured having a switch for it wouldn't hurt).

Answer #2 - The "AC" labels in my diagram should probably have been "Acc" to be clearer, as I've seen in other descriptions (actually says "A" on the switch itself); it's for Accessory, not AC as in alternating current.

Here's a link to the switches I bought (includes clear close-up pictures of labelling) with some description.  I hope it helps.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380443361327?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

This link (see second switch down) is what I was referring to when I was planning & drawing the wiring diagram.

http://www.oznium.com/forum/topic18145

[BobA]

Switches shown will not work to switch the ground to turn on the RGB LED.  The acc supplies 12V power to the accessory device when the switch is on and the Gnd is the return for the LED which lights when the switch is on.  The plus terminal must be supplied 12V power.  You can get the switch to work by switching grounds but the LED in the switch will not light because it is not supplied power with the proper polarity.

[DaOld Man]

Yeah, what Bob said.

[tjarcade]

Thanks BobA! (& DaOld Man too)

I'm definitely a Newb to this stuff, so had to read what you wrote several times and think, and think some more 

But, I think I get it.  Tell me if this is right...  the trackball RGB lights setup has to use ground interrupt switching, however the LED switches I have require power-interrupt (if that's the right term) in order to light the switch LEDs.  i.e. no dice!

But, I can use these switches as ground interrupt if I want (using the + and Acc prongs to interrupt the ground) since that's where the actual switching takes place, and ignore the labelled GND on the switch, which really exists to light the switch's LED.  Doing this would mean the switch LEDs wouldn't light.  Do I have all of that right?

A follow-up question... is it possible to have some kind of LED switch that actually lights (cause it would be cool    ) with the ground-interrupt setup that the trackball LEDs have?  It seems maybe not, but what do I know? 

[BobA]

You have the idea correct.   Your terminology about either power interupt or ground interupt is good.   Don't know of any switch configurations that will do exactly what you want.  You could use the switch as intended to switch power and use the power to control a 12V relay that would switch the grounds to your LEDs.   This would add an extra component but would give you what you want.

[AndyWarne]

Agree with the above. Here is another diagram of this type of switch, from our U-HID board manual.

With some types of switch it might be possible to dismantle the switch and separate the LED connection from the switch so its a separate device.

[tjarcade]

Really appreciate the feedback 

While I'm tempted to look into a relay, I may decide to let this go and just wire up the switches as ground interrupt and forget about the switch LEDs.

Thanks again! 

[tjarcade]

Thanks a lot, guys, for your help... finally completed the project...

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,123017.0.html