Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Arcade Collecting => Miscellaneous Arcade Talk => Topic started by: portugese pirate on January 16, 2011, 09:15:46 pm

Title: momentary power switch
Post by: portugese pirate on January 16, 2011, 09:15:46 pm
hi I want to hook up momentary led power switches to the outside of my jukebox and my mame arcade, without hacking the pc cases to much........I also want them to be illuminated. Please give suggestions on the methods and also the most economical button choices that I may have.......................ty in advance
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: SavannahLion on January 16, 2011, 10:11:02 pm
You want like a momentary rocker or....?
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: portugese pirate on January 16, 2011, 10:33:50 pm
a pushbutton.....but like i said I wanna keep the pc cases as close to functional if i decide to switch them out .......ty..................................would this work ...................hxxp://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360296413802&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

and how would i get to light it up
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: SavannahLion on January 17, 2011, 12:21:25 am
Sure, if that's what you want.  :dunno

To get it to light up, these type of switches almost always have separate contacts for the LED itself. So it's a simple matter of finding a 12 volt source and taping into it. For a PC, you could tap into the molex power connectors used for the hard drives. If you don't want to butcher the cabling, buy a simple extender such as the one you can find at NewEgg (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812530005&cm_re=extension-_-12-530-005-_-Product) for a couple of bucks and cut that up. Then use the pinout diagram (http://pinouts.ru/Power/BigPower_pinout.shtml) to determine the correct wire to tap into (use a multi-meter to be safe).

Personally, I would get a 5v LED and draw from the 5v line. But whatever you want to do.
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: portugese pirate on January 17, 2011, 01:10:40 am
ok......Im having a hard time finding a 5v button...any suggestions..............and also how do i tie this in with power switch or harness in the pc case......is there a harness for that?..............ty once again
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: SavannahLion on January 17, 2011, 03:16:22 am
ok......Im having a hard time finding a 5v button...any suggestions..............

http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/ (http://groovygamegear.com/webstore/)

http://www.ultimarc.com/ (http://www.ultimarc.com/)

Both are awesome. You will also probably find one for sale by one of the resellers in http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/board,2.0.html (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/board,2.0.html)

Quote
and also how do i tie this in with power switch or harness in the pc case......is there a harness for that?..............ty once again

The links above may provide such a harness. I don't know about that. Personally, I would just get an extender and cut it apart to tap into the 5V line. I'm always cutting those bastard connectors for the floppy and HDD drives off my extra fans so that's where I get my connectors from. You can buy power connectors from that link I gave you to NewEgg in my last post. It's about $3 or so.

To tap into the PC switch. You'll probably have to splice into the power switch inside the case. I'm sure there are harnesses for that as well. I don't know. I just splice into my leads or take the button off entirely. 1/2 my PC's aren't even in cases anymore. My server sure as hell isn't.
Title: Re: momentary power switch
Post by: Garza on January 19, 2011, 03:24:32 pm
I used Dorman - Quick Splice from my local Checker auto store. They are used for Electical. get the red ones for 22+g. I also used termal wire connectors male and female so I could  have a qucik dissconnect for my computer. Hope that helps!  :cheers: