Main > Main Forum

Help me install a LED Power Switch on my ATX PSU please!

<< < (3/4) > >>

slapaham:
Hi Randy

Thanks for the post. I will take some photos tomorrow of the project. You're spot on with most of what you have said though. The project case is TIGHT so I have removed the case from the ATX. It is a standard PC ATX and isn't like an arcade PSU.

Anyway, as I said before, I'll take some photos (best way I reckon! ;)) so that is far clearer as to what I want to achieve!
 :cheers:

slapaham:
Okay, here's a photo! :)




The bit mounted is the 3-pronged 'kettle lead' socket for the power cable. The colours of the wires going to it are actually blue and brown NOT green and black like I said before.

When it comes to powering a power LED, I will probably just buy a molex extender and cut the end off and either wire it to the 5 or 12v (which ever it requires!)

Ed_McCarron:

--- Quote from: slapaham on April 18, 2010, 08:35:37 am ---Okay, here's a photo! :)




The bit mounted is the 3-pronged 'kettle lead' socket for the power cable. The colours of the wires going to it are actually blue and brown NOT green and black like I said before.

--- End quote ---

Ah.  Blu/Brn/Grn is European power cord colors.  You -are- messing with the mains side of things.

The green/black combo we were all fixating on is what an ATX power supply uses to power itself up.  You leave the mains power on, and switch the low voltage.

In your case, Brown is the hot wire.  Technically, you COULD switch this lead and make it all work, but if you've got the low voltage option on the ps, why not use it?  Can you take a pic of the end of that spiralwrapped bundle of wires?

And, yes, a lot of PC PSU's switched hot and neutral, I assume that was purely a safety thing incase the outlet was wired wrong -- if the polarity was reversed, you'd be switching the neutral and I could see it causing some problems in the right circumstances.

slapaham:
OK, this is starting to make a little more sense to me now... finally! :banghead:

So what you're saying is I have 2 options... either to install a switch on the power cable (brown, blue, yellow/green) side of things, or, I could install it on the black and green cables on the ATX connector (which is at the end of the bundled wires you were referring to).

It would be more preferable for me if I could install the switch on the brown, blue and yellow and green cabling for positioning, etc.

As this switch is mains-capable - would it be suitable for the job? -
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360215105349&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT#ht_2682wt_941

It has an LED built in... and 4 prongs according to the auction description. I take it 2 of these prongs would be wired to Live and Earth to complete the circuit to power the ATX on and off and the other 2 prongs would be for powering the LED?

Sorry if I'm getting confused again but I'm pretty new to switches and simple circuits. :P

lilshawn:
the reason i say that you should use a double pole switch is because there is a chance that:

a: the wiring in the wall socket is incorrect
b: the wiring in the plug (especially if it's been replaced) is incorrect
c: the cabinet wiring is incorrect.

any ONE of these wiring errors can result in a switched live and neutral wire.

most manufacturers attach the neutral of the mains voltage wire to the chassis, so in case of a short, the circuit breaker in the house blows instead of the metal case of your supply becoming hot (energized) this becomes especially true with 2 wire plugs (non-grounded)

should any of the above (a,b,c) be incorrect, disconnecting what you THINK is the "live" wire via a switch, would leave the case energized with "live" electricity. and touching it would suck. Bad. Like REALLY bad, since now you are the powers return to earth ground.


you may switch only the live wire to break the electrical connection to your power supply, but be aware there is a risk involved.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page

[*] Previous page

Go to full version