Optipac and Illuminated Trackball

[Lothar]

Hey all...been lurking here for a month or two, first time I'm posting.  
I'm wiring my control panel.  I have the OptiPac which I'll be using via the USB interface.  I also have the Happ 3" Trackball and the lighting kit for the trackball.
My Question:  Does anyone know if I can tap the +5v on the OptiPac to light the lamp for the trackball?  I'm not sure how much "juice" the USB port will supply, and I don't want to burn anything out, but it would be very convenient if I could.
Thanks in advance!
~Lothar  (of the Hill People)

[Sasquatch!]

Unless I'm wrong, doesn't the Happ lighting kit use 12V bulbs?

[Lothar]

D'OH!  You are correct, they are actually 14v, but that information was not on the packaging...<sigh> been a long day - sorry for the irrelevant post    
Where the heck did I come up with thinking they were 5v???
~Lothar (of The Hill People)

[Sasquatch!]

Not that you asked, but I just have a 12V/GND pair coming off my PC power supply, and it works fine.  

[OSCAR]

Also don't forget that arcade power supplies only supply either 5VDC or 12VDC, and sometimes 3.3VDC.  Every arcade-related electrical product (besides monitors) operate on one of these voltages, as far as I know.

So even if the lamp supplied with the Happ t'ball lighting kit is rated for 14V, the intent is to connect it to 12V as that is what's available in a real arcade cabinet.

[Lothar]

I'll tap into 12v off the PC power supply (as was suggested - thanks Sasquatch!).  
In the light of day, I realize that I was thinking 5v, because that's what the LED harness taps into off the I-Pac.

Thanks to everyone who posted!  I remember from my RadioShack days (waaaay back when) that "12v DC" is usually 14.4v when mesaured with no load, but thanks for the reminder Oscar!  

~Lothar (of The Hill People)

[GSXRMovistar]

Whilst on the subject, could you maybe use the the +5v on the optipac to light a few bright LEDs and use this to light the trackball?

Reason i ask is at present i'm just building a self contained CP (inc trackball) and i don't have a power source to light it. The only cables i want coming from the unit are the USB/Keyboard ones, i'd prefer not to use an external power source.

Cheers

[GSXRMovistar]

*Bump* Anyone?

[slug54]

Whilst on the subject, could you maybe use the the +5v on the optipac to light a few bright LEDs and use this to light the trackball?

Works great! This is how I lit my Trackball. Just use an appropriate current limiting resistor. The LED's should last for many many years and you won't have the heat build up under the trackball like you might with a lamp.
 
                                       Slug54

[GSXRMovistar]

Thanks slug I'll take a trip to Maplin at the weekend and see if they can help me out with a few blue LEDs.

[Lothar]

Good luck with that GSXRMovistar!
If you do get the LEDs and resistor this weekend, could you post the information on the type of LED(s) and the appropriate resistor you used?  I'm very interested in doing the same thing myself....maybe a trip to my local RadioShack is in order.

~Lothar (of The Hill People)