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Main => Main Forum => Topic started by: caver01 on January 15, 2009, 09:47:24 am

Title: Wiring button LEDs +5v to NC on microswitch???
Post by: caver01 on January 15, 2009, 09:47:24 am

I have read a bunch of threads regarding some interesting wiring techniques for button LEDs making use of the microswitch. In most of these, the builder is interested in having the LED light up when the button is pressed. My question is the opposite. I am building a portable cocktail style cab with lighted buttons that I'd like to have on normally, and they just go off when a button is pressed. Since the LEDs need +5v and a GND, I figured, why not use the NC terminal on a microswitch which should go to common GND when the button is NOT pressed? Then, run a single +5v from the mobo to each LED.

Some background info: My microswitches will all be wired to an I-PAC 4, so that's where my ground is going to hook up to. My concern is putting +5v from a mobo molex through the LEDs (and resistors of course) to the ground used by the I-PAC. Will this damage the I-PAC? Do I need to put diodes anywhere to isolate it? Any thoughts?

Thanks everyone for a great site. I am excited to build my first cab!

Title: Re: Wiring button LEDs +5v to NC on microswitch???
Post by: caver01 on January 18, 2009, 02:00:21 am

Is there nobody who has tried this? I guess another way to ask it is: Can I wire my pushbutton LEDs using +5v from the power supply molex to the GND on my I-PAC4? That's basically what is going on here through the NC terminal on the microswitches.