Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: speeder on December 11, 2010, 01:15:05 pm
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Hello. I bought a couple of ultralux buttons and leds (5 V) from Ultimarc, a transparent trackball, and a SMD 3 Watt 5 Volt LED.
But now I have no idea on how to power them, and what electronics I need to make.
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It the leds are already set for 5V then you probably already have the proper resistor built in or provided with the LED. You do not need a special circuit or electronics just tap the 5V from one of your PC molex drive connectors. The red is 5V and the blk is ground. The yellow is 12V so do not use it.
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Erm... there are no wires on the led, I am talking about these ones (from Ultimarc): http://www.ultimarc.com/ultralux.html (http://www.ultimarc.com/ultralux.html)
And one that look like this (the SMD 3 Watt): http://www.led-display.cc/High-Power-LED/1A/LP3W-80-SERIES:-3-watt-high-power-LED.htm (http://www.led-display.cc/High-Power-LED/1A/LP3W-80-SERIES:-3-watt-high-power-LED.htm) << note it look LIKE this one, it is not this one exactly.
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Make sure to add a heat sink to a 3W powerled. Otherwise you will get a smelting accident (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mY-OXwjerBs#).
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That cooper plate: http://blog.agfgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/PICT0304-1024x768.jpg (http://blog.agfgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/PICT0304-1024x768.jpg) is sufficient? I never worked with THAT powerful LEDs (and I wonder if it will suffice to light-up the trackball).
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A 3W LED can often cause temporary blindness, so I'd hope it would be sufficient to illuminate a trackball. Special aluminum PCBs are made to act as heatsinks for those LEDs. Sparkfun, amongst other places, sells them in small quantities. If you use something else, you have to make sure that the slug on the LED (the heat transfer surface) is electrically isolated from everything else.
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A 3W is more than enough for a trackball. It compares to a 25 watt bulb.
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Erm... there are no wires on the led, I am talking about these ones (from Ultimarc): http://www.ultimarc.com/ultralux.html (http://www.ultimarc.com/ultralux.html)
No wires but there are connectors that you use crimp ons to connect to and connect those wires to your HDD molex connector
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Just noticed how I understood you phrase totally wrong.
You was talking about the red wire of the PC molex, not of the LED.
:/