Wiring question...

[JKJudgeX]

I have very little electronics experience, but, I wanted to ask a quick question about arcade cabinet wiring...

When you're wiring up your microswitches, you connect all "common" together and feed that into the "Ground", I've gathered...  but, what do you do when you already have a loop, and you want to add a new button?

Do you guys just run one long ground wire, or do you segment it out and daisy chain it?  Do you leave a lot of extra space?

Just looking for some info.

[Ginsu Victim]

I just use male and female crimp connectors. I pull a female ground off a button, and plug a male connector into it, which has two wires coming off it with female connectors. I run one of the females back to the button, and the other to whatever new connection I've introduced.

[stan2323]

When you're wiring up your microswitches, you connect all "common" together and feed that into the "Ground", I've gathered...  but, what do you do when you already have a loop, and you want to add a new button?

This is what I did.  I ran all the grounds to a common buss bar then ran that to the interface.  If I want to add another I just add another wire to the buss bar.  I used black to the buss bar and red to the interface. 

[JKJudgeX]

Awesome replies and pictures, guys... thank you...

Can I get the right kind of wire/crimp connectors at a local radio shack or should I order that from the internets?

[DaOld Man]

yes, and yes.
I have also found connectors at auto parts stores, such as autozone or advance auto.
Since most of the stuff on an arcade cab is low voltage, you will be surprised how much stuff you can find at a auto parts store.

[DaOld Man]

You could also use piggy back connectors:

Link

[Jdurg]

VERY cool idea.  I may have to steal that for my CP build.   

When you're wiring up your microswitches, you connect all "common" together and feed that into the "Ground", I've gathered...  but, what do you do when you already have a loop, and you want to add a new button?

This is what I did.  I ran all the grounds to a common buss bar then ran that to the interface.  If I want to add another I just add another wire to the buss bar.  I used black to the buss bar and red to the interface. 

[DaOld Man]

I agree.. I too, may pilfer that idea..