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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: emb on August 25, 2012, 12:27:48 pm

Title: Powering LEDs without LED controller
Post by: emb on August 25, 2012, 12:27:48 pm

I currently have my eye on these LED pushbuttons for my next MAME build, a cocktail cabinet:
http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/led-pushbuttons/550-led-convex-arcade-pushbuttonwhite-led-convex-arcade-pushbutton.html (http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/led-pushbuttons/550-led-convex-arcade-pushbuttonwhite-led-convex-arcade-pushbutton.html)

They are powered off of 12v LEDs. I have no need to do anything fancy with the pushbuttons except for lighting them all up when the system powers up.

I assume when wiring them up to the 12v wire on my power supply I would need a current limiting resistor? If so, what resistor value should I be using.

Otherwise, does anyone know if there is a pre-made harness for this? It would be nice to do as little soldering as possible.

Title: Re: Powering LEDs without LED controller
Post by: Nephasth on August 25, 2012, 01:21:52 pm

Those LEDs already have the appropriate resistors to hook them directly up to a 12V source.

Title: Re: Powering LEDs without LED controller
Post by: PL1 on August 25, 2012, 01:34:05 pm

Good news.  The setup you describe requires no soldering.

The LED buttons from Paradise have the current limiting resistor built in.  It's hidden inside the red plastic LED holder shown here.
(http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/1124-large/red-12-volt-led.jpg)

The LED terminals on the socket use .250" QDs.

Bryan recently added something called the "EZ harness (http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/jamma-harnesses/677-ez-led-wiring-harness.html)" that has two .250" daisy chains with 14 connectors each, spaced 6" apart.  One chain for power, one for ground.

Add a hacked power extender/splitter/fan molex cable to connect to your power supply molex and you're good to go.

If the buttons look too bright on 12V, they run just fine on 5V, too.

Also, Paradise has just added the full line of these black-rimmed buttons (http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/led-pushbuttons/676-yellow-black-rimmed-convex-led-lighted-arcade-pushbutton.html).  Very cool looking.  My only caution on these is to get white LEDs (http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/button-leds/520-red-12-volt-led.html) to go with the yellow buttons.  The "yellow" LEDs look more like the orange in this link (http://www.paradisearcadeshop.com/en/led-pushbuttons/234-led-convex-arcade-pushbuttonwhite-led-convex-arcade-pushbutton.html) IMHO.  I only mention this because you linked to the yellow translucent buttons -- which Paradise ships with white LEDs.   ;D


Scott