Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: Rantlers on May 28, 2024, 04:13:29 pm

Title: PAC Drive w/ 12V LED Buttons Problem (Dim lighting)
Post by: Rantlers on May 28, 2024, 04:13:29 pm
Hi, wondering if someone could guide me in the right direction.  I'm having an issue with the brightness of my 12V LED buttons, they're very dim when running LED Blinky.  The program recognizes all the buttons individually as expected, but I can't figure a way to increase the brightness (for the record they look incredibly bright when connecting +/- to a direct power source).  Things I've tried:


The buttons: https://www.diyretroarcade.com/collections/arcade-parts-buttons/products/one-piece-design-28mm-led-12v-illuminated-buttons-switch-for-arcade1up-machines (https://www.diyretroarcade.com/collections/arcade-parts-buttons/products/one-piece-design-28mm-led-12v-illuminated-buttons-switch-for-arcade1up-machines)

Wiring setup: positive side daisy-chained directly to a 12V source and the ground wires connected to the individual terminals as recommended in the "Advanced Connection Methods" on Ultimarc's page.
Title: Re: PAC Drive w/ 12V LED Buttons Problem (Dim lighting)
Post by: lilshawn on May 29, 2024, 11:43:09 am
your controller may be trying to drive the LED's on a floating ground... since the controller effectively switches the negative of your LED's to it's ground to "turn them on" ... you need to make sure your controller and your LED's power supply are sharing the same negative rail. you may have to tie one of the negative power leads from the power supply to the controller/computer ground or shield so they are switched to the same ground potential difference. (and not just the negative ground potential of the computer the controller is attached to.)
Title: Re: PAC Drive w/ 12V LED Buttons Problem (Dim lighting)
Post by: Rantlers on May 29, 2024, 08:57:00 pm
Quote from: lilshawn on May 29, 2024, 11:43:09 am
your controller may be trying to drive the LED's on a floating ground... since the controller effectively switches the negative of your LED's to it's ground to "turn them on" ... you need to make sure your controller and your LED's power supply are sharing the same negative rail. you may have to tie one of the negative power leads from the power supply to the controller/computer ground or shield so they are switched to the same ground potential difference. (and not just the negative ground potential of the computer the controller is attached to.)
You're incredible, thank you so much!  I simply touched a ground lead from the power supply to the USB terminal on the PAC Drive and the lights lit up like a Christmas tree.  Now just trying to figure out how to make a "cleaner" more permanent solution.