Hacking Power On Switch for Dell

[sc1103]

I know that the Dell Systems use a proprietary connector to power on...anybody have one hacked to an arcade power on switch they'd consider selling? Id do it myself but I dont trust myself w/ somethin like that

[SirPeale]

You're saying you can't connect two wires together?

[sc1103]

You're saying you can't connect two wires together?

Wow...I'm stupid then...sorry the only thread I saw got over my head...but thats probably because I was half asleep or somethin...I'll have to take a look at this then.  SOrry about that 

[cholin]

You're saying you can't connect two wires together?

Wow...I'm stupid then...sorry the only thread I saw got over my head...but thats probably because I was half asleep or somethin...I'll have to take a look at this then.  SOrry about that 

Many people here will be *more than happy* to sell you two wires attached together

[Goz]

The green and any black wire touching should turn the power supply on.

[SteveJ34]

You're saying you can't connect two wires together?

Wow...I'm stupid then...sorry the only thread I saw got over my head...but thats probably because I was half asleep or somethin...I'll have to take a look at this then.  SOrry about that 

I think the issue he is wrestling with is a function of Dell having a proprietary molex connector on the motherboard that is not clearly documented so determining which two pins actually lead to the power switch is not as striaghtforward as normal motherboards.

Which model Dell do you have?

[sc1103]

Ehh...it's a dell dimension xps T650r
Intel Pentium 3 648 mHz

Moderators feel free to move this to another Board, as it is not pertinent to a B/S/T board

[Dougmeister]

I'm in the same boat.  I have a Dimension P3-733.  The molex has eight sets of pins that go to the MB.  I can trace four (4) back to the power-on switch.

I thought about soldering wires to the backside of the printed circuit board that holds the existing switch, bu my soldering skills aren't that great.

Then I read about splicing the wires, but I'd have to strip them first, and they're all kinda small and bound together in that stupid ribbon cable...

Then I read about randomly shorting out the pins on the MB to see which ones turn on the computer.  It seems like that could hurt something, though?  Anyway, if you found those, THEN what would you do?  Jam extra wires up inside the existing molex and force it on?

[cholin]

Shorting out the pins wont hurt anything, because its just connecting two wires, like a pushbutton does.  What do you think happens when you press the ON button?  Answer:  It shorts those two pins.

[Keller888]

I just got finished doing this exact same thing last night.  I have a Dell XPS 450, and i wanted to extend the power switch up to my control panel.  I simply soldered two wires under the Dell switch, and ran them to a button under my control panel.  It works perfect.

[Dougmeister]

Shorting out the pins wont hurt anything, because its just connecting two wires, like a pushbutton does.