Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: wiring everything to one power switch...help!  (Read 8703 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« on: July 19, 2003, 02:01:43 pm »
i want to be able to turn everything in my cab on all at once.  this includes, my marquee light, computer, and monitor.  what is the best way to wire all this together without getting real complicated?  ideally, i would love to wire the power button and reset button to my coin door.  i have 22 gauge wire, can i do this the same way i wire my controls with switches, or is it something totally different?

Dr. J

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 112
  • Last login:November 26, 2004, 05:53:01 pm
    • DrJsArcade Cabinet
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #1 on: July 19, 2003, 04:23:44 pm »
There are more complicated, but in some ways much cooler ways to do this, but I'll share what I did.

  I bought a surge protecter from lowes that looked simple to open up.  I then soldered a ground and switch wire to the metal prongs of the switch that was built into the surge protecter.  Then I connected those to a flip switch that I bought at radioshack.  Basically, all I did was extend the length of the wires to the on/off switch that was already on the surge protecter.  
  Next I plugged in all my goodies to the surge protecter inside the cabinet, and ran the single power cord out the back.
  Finally I set my motherboards bios to reset on a power failure.  This made me nervous at first, but I found that there is no problem in doing this at all as long as you power down properly after installing or changing software.
Good luck, and don't get shocked  :)  (I didn't)

1UP

  • Token Junkie
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2081
  • Last login:November 11, 2014, 01:37:18 am
  • Yes, that is a joystick in my pocket.
    • 1UPArcade
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #2 on: July 19, 2003, 04:52:51 pm »
I still think the best and easiest way to do this is the relay method.  All you need is a power strip, a power relay (one that can handle around 9-10A at 120-240V) and a hard drive power plug connector (you can use either an old y-splitter, extension, or a crimp-together kit).  All these parts should be available at Radio Shack.  Basically, you wire the switching contacts of the relay to the ground and either the 5V or 12V lead on the drive connector (depending on the needs of the relay).  Then you wire the power contacts to the cut ends of one of the wires running to switch on the power strip.

Now you just plug in the drive power connector to the PC's power supply, and voila!  Whenever you startup or shutdown the PC, anything plugged into the power strip will also turn on or turn off.  This gives you a graceful exit from windows, and guarantees youo won't be turning off the PC in the middle of a drive write.  If youo want, you can also run an extension pushbutton to the power swtich of the PC, and mount it anywhere you want to on your cab.  This is safer than using a switch connected directly to the power strip, because you dont' have to worry about 120V going through your body if you don't fully insulate your switch contacts...  :o

Free resource for building your own rotating control panels!

My other job...


hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2003, 04:56:55 pm »
well i understood dr. j's thing more than 1up's, yours sounded really confusing...no offense!  :)  but anyway, could i take your method dr. j and wire that all to my coin slot?  so when i push the button, it turns on everything?

and a side note....i have a soldering iron but have never done any soldering at all.  hell, i dont even know what it does!  does it heat the wires or something?  or what.  i have no clue.  enlighten me!

RedSquirrel

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 224
  • Last login:September 18, 2003, 12:07:55 pm
  • I'm a llama!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #4 on: July 19, 2003, 07:24:16 pm »
well i understood dr. j's thing more than 1up's, yours sounded really confusing...no offense!  :)  but anyway, could i take your method dr. j and wire that all to my coin slot?  so when i push the button, it turns on everything?

and a side note....i have a soldering iron but have never done any soldering at all.  hell, i dont even know what it does!  does it heat the wires or something?  or what.  i have no clue.  enlighten me!

Soldering Iron ... basically you get some solder and you melt it onto connections. example - you have two wires that need to be connected. Just make the wire bare, and melt solder over the top of the two ends. Voila, you hopefully have now connected both together with solder.

BobA

  • Trade Count: (+14)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5943
  • Last login:July 11, 2018, 09:52:14 pm
  • What Me Worry?
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #5 on: July 19, 2003, 07:36:37 pm »
well i understood dr. j's thing more than 1up's, yours sounded really confusing...no offense!  :)  but anyway, could i take your method dr. j and wire that all to my coin slot?  so when i push the button, it turns on everything?

and a side note....i have a soldering iron but have never done any soldering at all.  hell, i dont even know what it does!  does it heat the wires or something?  or what.  i have no clue.  enlighten me!

With Dr. Js method the switch or button at your coin door would have to handle the full 120V load and would have to be fairly hefty and the wires would also have to be heavy to handle the load.  No regular coin door button or switch will work for this.

With 1 ups method you are only providing a low voltage signal to your MB to power up all the AC powered pieces in your cab.  The computer is plugged into power all the time and used to switch the relay.  After the relay is properly wired only low voltage wiring is used at your coin door.  In this case one of the switches on the coin door can probably be wired to turn on your PC which in turn will power up all the other units.

BobA

Dr. J

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 112
  • Last login:November 26, 2004, 05:53:01 pm
    • DrJsArcade Cabinet
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #6 on: July 19, 2003, 11:16:02 pm »
  You would need to figure out how to make the coin door connect and disconnect the two wires for on/off.  I used a flip switch from radio shack and mounted it on top of my cabinet.  I'm sure they would have a push button type of on/off at radio shack that you can use.  
  It does need to be able to handle 120v in the US.  That is still a very small switch.  Mine is about the size of a nickle.  
  To make sure it handled the power I used speaker wire.  If you look inside the surge protector though, they only used 18 or 16 gage wire, so speaker wire was overkill.
  The risk of getting shocked isn't bad at all.  Just don't have the thing plugged in when you're working on it.  Wrap any exposed wire in electrical tape.  When you test it out, have all exposed wires covered and tucked away.  This would go for 1-up's as well.

  Soldering's not bad at all.  Just practice a little first.  As said above, get two bare wires (or wire directly onto the metal inside the surge protector).  Tin each side separately.  That means you heat the wire with the soldering iron and then melt a little solder onto just that wire.  Then you press the two wires together and just touch it with the soldering iron enough to melt the solder.  They should melt together.  Let it cool and give it a little tug to test it's strength.  
  If there's any chance of bare wire touching any other metal or wires wrap it in electrical tape.  

  I like 1-up's relay method, but this has been working for me just fine.  Though to start up and shut down in win98 you'd need to figure out how to make the same power button do both.  In winxp this is easier because the computer goes through the proper shut down even by hitting the power button on the case.  

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #7 on: July 19, 2003, 11:33:38 pm »
well thanks for the tips guys, but i think this is a little over my head.  after reading all this, i have no idea where to start or what to do.  sorry, but i guess ill just have to do it all manually.

Dr. J

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 112
  • Last login:November 26, 2004, 05:53:01 pm
    • DrJsArcade Cabinet
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #8 on: July 19, 2003, 11:38:15 pm »
Never hurts to try (unless you do get shocked :o) .  I didn't know jack about carpentry, electronics (other than computers) or much of anything really.  I just tried out a lot of crap, and got a lot of ideas from other people on these boards.  

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #9 on: July 19, 2003, 11:57:23 pm »
well ill think about it, this is my first cab, and i too dont know crap about wiring and all that.  although i did wire my cp, i didnt have to mess with a soldering iron or anything.  so this may just have to wait till later on or something.

kspiff

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 544
  • Last login:February 02, 2016, 09:15:36 pm
  • Love of the game, baby.. love of the game..
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #10 on: July 20, 2003, 12:07:21 am »
<waits patiently for someone to whip out a full-color diagram 8)>
k-spiff

taz-nz

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 147
  • Last login:June 12, 2019, 10:12:13 am
  • If all else fails burn the manual!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #11 on: July 20, 2003, 12:10:24 am »
Any easier way to do 1UP's idea is to buy a pre-made PC water-cooling Pump Relay Switch Kit form Swiftech, like the one picture below:



It comes with everything you need, no soldering required, just cut the plug off the end of a  power-board ( surge protector what ever you want to call it.) and wire connect the wires where the pump cable would normal go as pre the instructions in the kit. Plug it in the wall and into the PC power supply and your all go.

Swiftech sells them for $17.25 US from there online store, or you can buy it from an computer store that stocks swiftech products.

rampy

  • *shrug*
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2910
  • Last login:March 02, 2007, 11:32:16 am
  • ...as useless as a JPG is to Helen Keller
    • Build Your Own PVR
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #12 on: July 20, 2003, 12:44:19 am »
...Or you can go to fricken SEARS and buy a power switch thingie that turns everything on in your cabinet, when you turn on your PC.

Is the SEARCH function broken on the board?!

Sorry if I seem agro but this is the billionth time this has come up.

anyways... if you're averse to operating a soldering iron and wiring up a simple relay switch... get one of these and a surge strip to two and you'll be in business for 20 bucks...

There are fancier ones you could order for a little more online... but this will do the trick.  Relays work fine... but if you want to go down to the store and walk out with a ready made solution... well there you go.

*shrug*

Rampy

Vectoraster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 64
  • Last login:November 19, 2020, 12:55:33 pm
  • You *are* starting to annoy me.
    • The VectoRaster Network
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #13 on: July 20, 2003, 12:33:06 pm »
i dont know crap about wiring and all that

Niether do I.  Someone a long while ago posted these instructions http://home.bendcable.com/werstlein/ to this forum.  I followed them (anyone can do it - they're easy) and it does exactly what you're asking for.  Give it a try.  It's cheap. >VR<

JustMichael

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1438
  • Last login:September 27, 2015, 01:19:40 am
  • Mmmmm!! Cheesecake!!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #14 on: July 20, 2003, 06:29:58 pm »
What I did was make a switchable ac outlet inside my cab.  I bought a 15' heavy duty extension cord (my cab didn't have a cord).  I chopped off the end you plug stuff into (not the end that goes into the wall).  I then connected the neutral wire (white usually) to the neutral side of the outlet (usually says white) and the ground wire (bare copper) to the ground on the outlet (green screw).  I took a 8' piece of romex (household wire) and connected the hot (black usually) from the extension cord to the white wire in the romex cable.  I connected the other end of the white wire to one tab of a 125V 15Amp rocker switch (doesn't matter which of the two).  I connected the other tab of the rocker switch to the black wire of the romex cable.  I then connected the other end of the black wire to the hot side of the outlet.  I then used one of those outlet testers from Radio Shack to verify I had hooked up the switched outlet correctly.  Now when I flip the switch, the outlet inside the cab has power.  Since everything is plugged into this outlet, it all comes on when I flip the switch.

grafixmonkey

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 743
  • Last login:October 16, 2010, 08:16:50 pm
  • must... tear self... away from... Tron...
    • My graphics/arcade/circuits site!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #15 on: July 20, 2003, 07:05:58 pm »
well i understood dr. j's thing more than 1up's, yours sounded really confusing...no offense!  :)  but anyway, could i take your method dr. j and wire that all to my coin slot?  so when i push the button, it turns on everything?

and a side note....i have a soldering iron but have never done any soldering at all.  hell, i dont even know what it does!  does it heat the wires or something?  or what.  i have no clue.  enlighten me!

If you consider doing it with a relay, you can do it with quick disconnects and no soldering at all.  All you need is to find the right relay, then put two wires from the prongs of it to your 12v connector in your PC (yellow and black) using quick disconnects, then put wires from two other contacts in between one of the wires in an extension cord or power strip.  Then long as you don't plug a toaster and a hair dryer in the outlet, it'll work great.
-----------
-- See my grafix, circuits and cab on my
-- new arcadey page:  http://www.bkgrafix.net

TalkingOctopus

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1722
  • Last login:Today at 02:36:19 am
  • @!#?@!
    • My Arcade
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #16 on: July 20, 2003, 07:56:52 pm »
The easiest and most expensive way is to buy one of these:

Bits Limited Smart Strip
http://www.bitsltd.net/smartstrip/home2.htm

For about 30 $, you can have a power strip that turns everything on for you.  Now if only, I had a tv that would automatically power on after it has lost power...

Kevin Steele has a review posted and he seems to like them:

http://www.retroblast.com/smartstrip.html

Good luck!

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #17 on: July 20, 2003, 09:42:45 pm »
okay, im at a sucky computer right now, so i think ill have to wait till tuesday to really read over all that you guys said.  seems like the pre-made stuff is the way to go for me.  ill read more on tuesday!  

NatasNJ

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 53
  • Last login:December 19, 2003, 04:10:03 pm
  • I'm a llama!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #18 on: July 20, 2003, 10:36:34 pm »
Just ordered one of those smart strips..   I will post here when I get it and let you all know my thoughts.

I needed a new surge protector/power strip anyway..

:)


1UP

  • Token Junkie
  • Trade Count: (+4)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2081
  • Last login:November 11, 2014, 01:37:18 am
  • Yes, that is a joystick in my pocket.
    • 1UPArcade
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #19 on: July 21, 2003, 12:32:20 am »
well i understood dr. j's thing more than 1up's, yours sounded really confusing...no offense!  :)  but anyway, could i take your method dr. j and wire that all to my coin slot?  so when i push the button, it turns on everything?

and a side note....i have a soldering iron but have never done any soldering at all.  hell, i dont even know what it does!  does it heat the wires or something?  or what.  i have no clue.  enlighten me!

It might sound complex but it's not.  It's a total of 6 solder points (4 for the relay, 2 more for the PC button extension.)  There was a link somewhere to how to do this.  However, if you don't have any idea what a soldering iron is, FOR GOD'S SAKE you really shouldn't be playing with 120V until you get a little electrical savvy!  Then you might have some idea of what to do with the relays.  Sorry, I don't have the link and I don't feel like drawing a schematic, it was a mistake for me to try to help out here...

BTW, all you have to worry about with low voltage is that nothing gets shorted out, you don't have to go crazy with the electrical tape just to make sure you don't fry yourself.  With 120V you do, and so you cna safely mount the switch just about anywhere you want...

Free resource for building your own rotating control panels!

My other job...


hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #20 on: July 21, 2003, 10:29:24 am »
well im not electrical savvy, and im sorry that i'm not...but i figure i could find out some stuff on this board.  sometimes its hard to get somebody to actually sit down and tell you step by step what you need to do, but ill eventually find that person who is nice enough to do so.  maybe one night in the chat room somebody can lend me a hand :)

JoeB

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 628
  • Last login:July 29, 2025, 05:37:14 pm
  • NES Fanatic
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #21 on: July 21, 2003, 11:47:57 am »
Here's a different idea:

This is how I'm doing it, and I got the same amount of stuff (plus power inverter to run car-amp for speakers!)

4 prong switch, located at the top right corner of the cabinet.  110v and neutral connect to it.  (after going through fuse, and filter, etc).
From there, it goes to a power distro block (1.99$ if that).  This is nothing more than a bunch of prongs all connected together.  You connect your PC, monitor, marquee, etc.. to it.

You set your computer to auto start on power restore.

Now, when you flip the switch, power goes to the distro block and sends power to all other devices..

very simple, no??

Popcorrin

  • Trade Count: (+2)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 858
  • Last login:March 06, 2022, 11:11:43 am
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #22 on: July 21, 2003, 12:01:14 pm »
1UP I was curious how you have power running to your pc.  Do you have it set up where power comes into the cabinet on one power strip that has the pc and another power stip plugged into it.  This 2nd power strip being the one that you have switched via the power relay??

JoeB

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 628
  • Last login:July 29, 2025, 05:37:14 pm
  • NES Fanatic
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #23 on: July 21, 2003, 12:09:32 pm »
Here's a picture of it.  It's a modified version of what www.therealbobroberts.com has for non-MAME machines.  (Go there for great arcade advise!)

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #24 on: July 21, 2003, 12:11:46 pm »
Any easier way to do 1UP's idea is to buy a pre-made PC water-cooling Pump Relay Switch Kit form Swiftech, like the one picture below:



It comes with everything you need, no soldering required, just cut the plug off the end of a  power-board ( surge protector what ever you want to call it.) and wire connect the wires where the pump cable would normal go as pre the instructions in the kit. Plug it in the wall and into the PC power supply and your all go.

Swiftech sells them for $17.25 US from there online store, or you can buy it from an computer store that stocks swiftech products.


i was just looking back over this solution...this seems the easiest to do.  however, how would i wire this thing to my coin slot?  would i just quick disconnects or something?  and when i cut off the cord on the surge protector...how am i supposed to fuse the wires from this relay to that protector?  electrical tape???  yes im clueless, but have a heart...you were once clueless too :)

rampy

  • *shrug*
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2910
  • Last login:March 02, 2007, 11:32:16 am
  • ...as useless as a JPG is to Helen Keller
    • Build Your Own PVR
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #25 on: July 21, 2003, 01:15:23 pm »
hulkster... if you are that uncomfortable with the specifics... you should probably go with the sears solution... (or the bios power up after failure solution)

(you shouldn't wire that thing up to your coinslot, fyi...)
*shrug*

rampy

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #26 on: July 21, 2003, 01:37:48 pm »
*sigh* your probably right.  this being my first cab...i think im getting in way too over my head with this wiring to the coin door thing.  im sure once i complete my cab, and maybe down the road ill start to learn enough to take on that project.  whatever i do the first time will be so cool for me, and this will just be an upgrade...maybe for my second cab a few years down the road ;)  

hyiu

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1481
  • Last login:August 29, 2014, 05:36:15 am
  • too many games... too little time....
    • www
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #27 on: July 21, 2003, 04:25:18 pm »
well.... mine is VERY SIMPLE.... might not be the best way... but VERY simple....

all I did is plug everything to 1 switch and turn it on.....

ok.... then for the computer.... when you boot, you press that F1 or Del or whatever to go to that setup....
(if it is new enough...)
there should be a power tab....

you can select resume on power on... (or something like that...) There are also other options like start computer on space bar press or something.....

once that is set.... whenever you turn on the power supply... (which will turn on EVERYTHING.... monitor, speakers, lights,... etc), then computer will also automatically boot....

ok... when exit, I'll have to go to windows (I'm using XP...), shutdown, and wait for the computer to turn itself off... then shut off that switch (which will shut down EVERYTHING...)

of course... if you're using dos, or using some older mobo which don't have that option, you might be out of luck....

but for this method, I basically don't have to do anything...

hope it helps.... :P
Another Brilliant mind ruined by education....  :p

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #28 on: July 21, 2003, 07:49:29 pm »
Strange that this should come up --

I'm waiting on the UPS man to deliver my SmartStrip (it looks like they screwed up, and it might be tomorrow instead)

Anyway, the "mini-review" on my site is by Andrew Lattof -- he was the one who pointed them out to me after the power strip I used, the @Power, was discontinued.

http://www.retroblast.com/smartstrip.html

I ordered a SmartStrip for the MAMEframe II, and I'm going to be doing a full review of it this week...if UPS ever delivers it, that is!

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

EggZilla

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 78
  • Last login:January 17, 2004, 04:44:20 pm
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #29 on: July 22, 2003, 01:02:12 am »
I actually have the Bits Ltd. strip and I must say, I love it. It has a simple function, sure, but it carries it out exactly as I'd hoped it would.

Now, all I have to do is hack my PC power to an external pushbutton (mounted cab-top, for as much retro-accuracy as possible) and it'll feel just like powering up a normal arcade cab.

Incidentally, I've looked all over both online and at the two Sears nearest me, and it seems that the Craftsman strip you mentioned, rampy, and haven't had any luck at all finding it. I fear it may no longer be a standard item.  

Hope this helps.

Eric
Like a bird on a wire,
  Like a drunk in a midnight choir,
   I have tried, in my way,
      To be free.
          - Leonard Cohen

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #30 on: July 22, 2003, 07:18:02 am »
Now, all I have to do is hack my PC power to an external pushbutton (mounted cab-top, for as much retro-accuracy as possible) and it'll feel just like powering up a normal arcade cab.

I actually just disconnected the power & reset switches from my PC case and re-routed them over to the coin door (I wanted a lockable power switch -- I have kids, you see  ;) )

That said, I know a lot of motherboard support a "keyboard power-on" option, and you can define what key powers on the cab. If you've got an IPAC controller you could set up a "shift" key combo to turn on the cab (which is what I think I'm going to to with my next cab).

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

Spaced Invader

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 585
  • Last login:July 15, 2008, 07:27:49 am
  • Resistance is... probably a good idea.
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #31 on: July 22, 2003, 09:40:25 am »
Just want to thank everyone who posted here. I was going to use the "resume after power failure" feature in my BIOS but didn't like the two step shutdown process (windows/cab). Now, I see there is a much better way (several actually). Since I'm not affraid of working with 110v, I'm going to take 1UP's advice and go with the relay method. It provides for an elegant startup/shutdown solution and more importantly, it's cheap!  ;D

Thanks Again!!!
All Your Base Are Belong To Us!

Sprucemoose

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 271
  • Last login:March 23, 2009, 03:56:10 pm
  • You Spent How Much?!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #32 on: July 22, 2003, 09:45:13 am »
Quote
I've looked all over both online and at the two Sears nearest me, and it seems that the Craftsman strip you mentioned, rampy, and haven't had any luck at all finding it. I fear it may no longer be a standard item.  

I just bought the sears craftsman strip a few weeks ago.  Its not with their other powerstrips, but next to the powertools.  It works great and its $20

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #33 on: July 22, 2003, 02:08:37 pm »
Now, all I have to do is hack my PC power to an external pushbutton (mounted cab-top, for as much retro-accuracy as possible) and it'll feel just like powering up a normal arcade cab.

I actually just disconnected the power & reset switches from my PC case and re-routed them over to the coin door (I wanted a lockable power switch -- I have kids, you see  ;) )

That said, I know a lot of motherboard support a "keyboard power-on" option, and you can define what key powers on the cab. If you've got an IPAC controller you could set up a "shift" key combo to turn on the cab (which is what I think I'm going to to with my next cab).

Kevin

so you wired the power and reset switches to your coin door?  how?  this is...i think...what im trying to do.  

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #34 on: July 22, 2003, 02:19:17 pm »
I just hid the power & reset switches inside the coin door (although I have heard of people using the coin return buttons as power switches).

Here's a pic:



Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #35 on: July 22, 2003, 02:22:03 pm »
i see, so did you take off the litte black plastick thingy's off your motherboard wires.  hmmm, that doesnt sound very clear...um...let me rephrase...did you just take out the power and reset switches off your case (with wires still connected to mobo) and then just mount them on the inside?

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #36 on: July 22, 2003, 02:27:32 pm »
i see, so did you take off the litte black plastick thingy's off your motherboard wires.  hmmm, that doesnt sound very clear...um...let me rephrase...did you just take out the power and reset switches off your case (with wires still connected to mobo) and then just mount them on the inside?

I just extended the wires that connect to the mobo. It's a simple splice -- I cut the mobo connector wires in half, soldered in more wire in the middle to extend the length of the cables, and presto! I could then put the switches on the other side of the cab while still plugging them into the motherboard.

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #37 on: July 22, 2003, 02:29:40 pm »
ah yes, good ol' soldering...hmmm...im shying away from soldering, so i guess i cant do what you did unless my mobo cable will reach.

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #38 on: July 22, 2003, 02:36:09 pm »
You actually don't need to solder -- you can just splice the wire together (twist the ends together and tape with electrical tape)

It won't be as durable as a soldered connection, but it'll work (or use those little 'twist caps' that hold wires together!)

Just to clarify, I cut the wires about midway, with the black mobo connectors on one end and the switches on the other

Kevin
« Last Edit: July 22, 2003, 02:38:14 pm by kevsteele »
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #39 on: July 22, 2003, 02:39:16 pm »
okay, well i just opened up the front of the computer im going to use...and was looking at where the wires are connected to the power button.  and i have a question, how do i go about disassembling this thing?  the power button and reset button i mean...from the front panel?  do i just peel off the solder stuff?  i assume that glue looking stuff is solder.  (dont hate cuz im ignorant about that :) )

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #40 on: July 22, 2003, 02:42:02 pm »
I was lucky -- I unscrewed one screw and a little metal mounting panel came off with both switches still installed.

Does it look like clear glue on the switches? It's not solder, then, but some silicone 'goop' used to hold the switch in place. You should be able to remove the goop and the switch fairly easily.

Some switches have pop-off or clip-on housings, others are screwed into place with a front nut. You'll have to look closely to figure your particular case's method.

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #41 on: July 22, 2003, 03:01:15 pm »
okay, here are some pics that will help show you what im doing... http://www.geocities.com/hulkamania013/mame2.html   i hope those work.  anyway, i was thinking...if you look at the pic of the inside of my coin door, that little red peg poking through (thats the coin door eject thingy im pushing withmy finger)...if i just unhooked the power button fromthe front of my computer, then attached the red peg to my power button...that would be an easy way for it to work wouldnt it?

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #42 on: July 22, 2003, 03:06:53 pm »
It should work -- you'd need to find a way to secure the powerswitch so that the coin eject post pushes it, but other than that it should be fine (just don't try to eject a coin while you're playing a game  ;)

Kevin
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #43 on: July 22, 2003, 03:20:12 pm »
okay, thanks man.  so i can just tear off the goopy stuff, i guess its that silicone stuff you talked about?

KevSteele

  • Trade Count: (+3)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 941
  • Last login:January 20, 2025, 11:29:37 am
  • Retrogaming Media Mogul in Rehab
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #44 on: July 22, 2003, 03:25:55 pm »
Yup, the goop's the silicone, and it's just there to hold the switch in the hole.
Kevin Steele, Former Editor and Publisher of RetroBlast! and GameRoom Magazine

hulkster

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2382
  • Last login:September 05, 2021, 04:27:59 pm
  • HulkaMAMEia is runnin' wild!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #45 on: July 22, 2003, 03:35:11 pm »
okay, thanks for the advice.  ill just remove that stuff and try to make it so that the coin buttons will push the power buttons....so now all i have to do in order for this power button to power the entire thing, is to get one of those power strip thingys (the special ones) that have a main power plug.  so that my computer powers up first via the power switch depressed by coin door, and then everything else follows. is this correct?  if so, what would you recommend for the power strip?

DarkKobold

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1040
  • Last login:June 18, 2013, 11:31:23 pm
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #46 on: July 22, 2003, 03:55:30 pm »
1up: I'm majoring in Electrical Eng, so I should probably know this, but I don't. (So much for all my education $$$)

Doesn't looping back to the power strip cause a dangerous 120V power loop, with no fuses, etc, back to the PC's powersupply? Wouldn't this create a dangerous situation? Or does the relay take care of this issue? We never did any relays in class, so I have no idea what they actually do. Also, doesn't that require that the PC have independent power from the power strip? (therefore, requiring an addition power strip?)

-------------------------------------
My games: Tapper, Asteroids, Cocktail-MAME, Tron, ROTJ, Tempest, Star Wars (not working)
My wants: Warlords Cocktail

grafixmonkey

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 743
  • Last login:October 16, 2010, 08:16:50 pm
  • must... tear self... away from... Tron...
    • My graphics/arcade/circuits site!
Re:wiring everything to one power switch...help!
« Reply #47 on: July 25, 2003, 12:46:59 pm »
I saw someone mention splicing...    

Don't splice wires that are carrying 110 volt house current without using either solder, or the twisty-cap things.  (twisty cap things are great, they're all over my house.)  If the unsecured wires gradually pull apart, which they probably will, it could start a fire.  I once saw an extension cord plug that had a loose/thin/bad connection in it explode when it was plugged in, leaving the plug in the wall socket and sending the cord a couple feet away from the wall (and leaving black marks on my fingers.)

Also, if they don't do that, when the wire connection starts getting thinner the wire can get red hot, melt the insulation, and burn stuff, if you've got a decent amount of current going through.  (like a PC and some incandescent cab lights pull.)
-----------
-- See my grafix, circuits and cab on my
-- new arcadey page:  http://www.bkgrafix.net