Ipac with LEDs..

[Telnets]

Hey guys, Ive done a few searches on the forums and havent been able to find answers so im hoping someone could help me out. I apologize if its been posted before, if so, please let me know..

Im trying to build a console, and using the IPAC2 controller board.. I dont know a lot about electronics and such, but I know enough to setup the board properly with arcade buttons ect. Thats pretty straightforward..

However, my goal right now is to add LED buttons, and have them light up when the button is depressed, and off again when the button is resting..  I was told that if I add a seperate 5v source of pwer (in this case it would be a USB hack) for the LEDs, that i would be able to chain the Positive to them, and connect each LED negitive to the same terminal as the switch, like the picture below..

Does this seem right?


Also, my ultimate goal woudl be to have the buttons connected and lit ALL the time with say, 2v, and then when pressed they would go up to 5v... is that possible with the Ipac board somehow? Is there someone that would be able to explain that to me in a very noob way, or draw me a wiring diagram i could follow.. im good at following directions

Thanks guys!

[AndyWarne]

Your diagram would work for lighting the LED when the button is pressed.

I cant think of any way to dim the LED when the button is not pressed, using simple wiring. If you apply 2V to the LED it would also apply it to the I-PAC input which would cause a switch closure to be registered.

[Vigo]

Your diagram would work for lighting the LED when the button is pressed.

I cant think of any way to dim the LED when the button is not pressed, using simple wiring.

Not sure where the LEDS are going, but maybe couple the on/off LEDs with a 2nd set of LEDs that are always dim and on a separate circuit, perhaps?

[Telnets]

Hi Andy,
You are actualy the one who helped me out in getting this far, I just didnt want to bother you again through email as Im sure your a busy guy!  Thanks for your reply!

While I have you, the external 5v source in my diagram.. can i take that from the LED header you have on the board? I saw on your site that you have a wiring harness for LEDs that fit on it, and i see it has a gnd and +5v pins.. would it be alright to take that and use it to light my leds instead of a source from elsewhere?


Vigo
A second LED is something i was thinking about and would certainly work Im just not sure if i can fit a second LED in the button itself.. the buttons im using are not the ones in the pic, as this project isnt actualy for an arcade at all its for a friend who lost his ability to use a keyboard do to health reasons (affects his dexterity) so I am building him a new custom keyboard with larger buttons so he can get back onto his computer...

My ultimate goal is simply to have the keyboard lit up, and when a button is pressed it lights up even brighter to indicate its been hit..  I was hoping there was an easy solution like, i could feed the LED 2v and when its hit, it provides another 3v to it or something like that but i dont think thats the case.. I may need to just incorporare a seperate LED inside the button to be lit all times, and then use the diagrab above to mount an LED to the board above the button to indicate its status or something..

or find a button that can accomidate 2 leds for space under the cap

[AndyWarne]

Yes you could take power from the header.

[dkersten]

Just guessing here, but adding a diode and a resistor (enough to give you a dim light) between the cathode of the LED and the ground should give you what you want.  When the button isn't pressed, the LED still gets enough ground to light up a little (depending on the resistor chosen), and the diode prevents the ground from completing the button's circuit.  When the button gets pressed, the cathode side of the LED sees full ground and lights up all the way.  Does that make sense?

edit - To clarify, a resistor between ground and the cathode side of LED, a diode between cathode side of LED and ipac button terminal.  When the switch is open, the 5v from the ipac terminal can't flow to the ground connected to the cathode but current can flow from the cathode side of LED toward ground (through the resistor) making it light dim.  When the button is pushed, the current will flow through the switch to ground and the LED will light fully.  The diode prevents the ipac terminal (which is 5v when the switch is open) from grounding through the cathode side of LED.

[Malenko]

translucent buttons with low level lighting inside the CP box. Then wire up your LEDs.

[Telnets]

Just guessing here, but adding a diode and a resistor (enough to give you a dim light) between the cathode of the LED and the ground should give you what you want.  When the button isn't pressed, the LED still gets enough ground to light up a little (depending on the resistor chosen), and the diode prevents the ground from completing the button's circuit.  When the button gets pressed, the cathode side of the LED sees full ground and lights up all the way.  Does that make sense?

edit - To clarify, a resistor between ground and the cathode side of LED, a diode between cathode side of LED and ipac button terminal.  When the switch is open, the 5v from the ipac terminal can't flow to the ground connected to the cathode but current can flow from the cathode side of LED toward ground (through the resistor) making it light dim.  When the button is pushed, the current will flow through the switch to ground and the LED will light fully.  The diode prevents the ipac terminal (which is 5v when the switch is open) from grounding through the cathode side of LED.

I really want to know what your saying.. but im just not that bright when it comes to electronics.. (see what i did there?!?! ) this is my first real project where im doing things on my own..

any chance you have a drawing i could reference to? im pretty good visually..

i mean i THINK i know what you mean.. but just not 100% certain. Andy has mentioned that the controller card will trigger a button press when it detects 2v.. i was hoping i could just run 2v through the LEDS and a button press would increase it by 3v to complete the 5v.. but he said it would still register a press at 2v so that idea wont work..

Im thinking for my friends project here, i may just not be able to get him dual lit LEDS.. and may just need to skip out on the affect, and just light the LEDs manually with an external source

[KillerQ]

Old thread, but, do you still have this diagram? What was your ultimate solution for the the led to light when pressing the button? I知 trying the same thing as we speak!

Thanks.

Hey guys, Ive done a few searches on the forums and havent been able to find answers so im hoping someone could help me out. I apologize if its been posted before, if so, please let me know..

Im trying to build a console, and using the IPAC2 controller board.. I dont know a lot about electronics and such, but I know enough to setup the board properly with arcade buttons ect. Thats pretty straightforward..

However, my goal right now is to add LED buttons, and have them light up when the button is depressed, and off again when the button is resting..  I was told that if I add a seperate 5v source of pwer (in this case it would be a USB hack) for the LEDs, that i would be able to chain the Positive to them, and connect each LED negitive to the same terminal as the switch, like the picture below..

Hi! Old thread, but, do you by chance have this diagram? What was your ultimate solution? I知 trying the same as we speak. Thanks!!

Does this seem right?


Also, my ultimate goal woudl be to have the buttons connected and lit ALL the time with say, 2v, and then when pressed they would go up to 5v... is that possible with the Ipac board somehow? Is there someone that would be able to explain that to me in a very noob way, or draw me a wiring diagram i could follow.. im good at following directions

Thanks guys!

[PL1]

What was your ultimate solution for the the led to light when pressing the button? I知 trying the same thing as we speak!

Try diagram #3 below.

For a single-color LED button like this, the LED connections are the two vertical 0.250" "stirrup" tabs on the LED socket. (right side)


The LED holder hides a current-limiting resistor so that part of the circuit is already taken care of.


You can verify the polarity of the LED using the diode check function on your multimeter.
- LED will light dimly when the red lead is on the anode (+) tab and the black lead is on the cathode (-) tab.
- I usually orient the LEDs so the cathode is next to the large black tab on the LED socket.  Black tab==>black ground wire.

You'll need a 5v power supply that can provide 20mA per LED.
- 12 LED buttons can draw up to 240mA ==> give yourself some wiggle room and use a power supply rated for at least 300mA.
- Daisy-chain the 5v on the LED anode (+) tabs.  (red wires)
- You won't be daisy-chaining the LED cathode (-) wires for your setup.


You can keep the wiring a bit neater if you make Y-cables.
- First leg with a female 0.250" QD for the LED cathode (-) tab.
- Second leg with a female 0.187" QD for the microswitch NO tab.
- Third leg either wired directly to the IPac input with a long wire or wired to a male 0.187" tab on a short wire that connects to a wire leading to the IPac.

Diagram #3:
- When the button isn't pushed you've got 5v on the LED anode and 5v from the IPac input on the cathode so the LED is not forward biased.  The LED does not light.
- When the button is pushed, ground is applied to the IPac input which triggers the related output and ground is also applied to the LED cathode which forward biases the LED.  The LED lights.




Scott

[mahuti]

In linux, I think you can also achieve this with only software using LEDSpicer. LEDSpicer has an input plugin which can have actions tied to it (such as lighting LEDs) and also has default lighting levels.

 LEDBlinky might be able to do it on Windows... not sure about that.

[KillerQ]

Thank you! So, for scenario #3, does my mock up seem like the proper translation? Here: https://imgur.com/a/YQqB07a

Thanks!!

What was your ultimate solution for the the led to light when pressing the button? I知 trying the same thing as we speak!

Try diagram #3 below.

For a single-color LED button like this, the LED connections are the two vertical 0.250" "stirrup" tabs on the LED socket. (right side)


The LED holder hides a current-limiting resistor so that part of the circuit is already taken care of.


You can verify the polarity of the LED using the diode check function on your multimeter.
- LED will light dimly when the red lead is on the anode (+) tab and the black lead is on the cathode (-) tab.
- I usually orient the LEDs so the cathode is next to the large black tab on the LED socket.  Black tab==>black ground wire.

You'll need a 5v power supply that can provide 20mA per LED.
- 12 LED buttons can draw up to 240mA ==> give yourself some wiggle room and use a power supply rated for at least 300mA.
- Daisy-chain the 5v on the LED anode (+) tabs.  (red wires)
- You won't be daisy-chaining the LED cathode (-) wires for your setup.


You can keep the wiring a bit neater if you make Y-cables.
- First leg with a female 0.250" QD for the LED cathode (-) tab.
- Second leg with a female 0.187" QD for the microswitch NO tab.
- Third leg either wired directly to the IPac input with a long wire or wired to a male 0.187" tab on a short wire that connects to a wire leading to the IPac.

Diagram #3:
- When the button isn't pushed you've got 5v on the LED anode and 5v from the IPac input on the cathode so the LED is not forward biased.  The LED does not light.
- When the button is pushed, ground is applied to the IPac input which triggers the related output and ground is also applied to the LED cathode which forward biases the LED.  The LED lights.




Scott

[PL1]

So, for scenario #3, does my mock up seem like the proper translation?

If it works, you're doing it right. 


Scott

[KillerQ]

Haha, well, I値l try it out tonight.

[KillerQ]

Boom! https://imgur.com/a/GcO2uLs

[KillerQ]

https://imgur.com/a/EFA3jJC