this is the ordeal .. i am looking at making myself a led lamp connected to a molex connector (using the 12v line ) i have two questions really ... 1) the led has these specs .. Code: Color: White Lens Color: Water Clear Viewing angle: 15 degree intensity @ 20mA: 10.000 mcd Forward Voltage: 3.2 - 3.5 Volt Forward Current: 20 mA Wave Length: n.a. and @ a 12v line .. which resistor is best ??? 470ohm ?? question number 2 .. i was thinking of mounting a molex jack on the outside of my case so i could plug the lamp in and out at wil ... but would it be safe to unplug/plug in the molex connector whilst the pc is running ??? (i am thinking NO ... ) txs for any help in advance greetz, M0RPH3US
I'm not an electronics person, but for Q2. Because I got a dodgy molex connection somewhere, the line with all my lighting and 3 of the case fans turns off, so I have to fiddle about with the molex (whilst the machine is on), the stuff powers back and I don't have any problems, I guess its safe if its for case fans and lights, but not for hardware like the HDD.
I'd stick a switch on it, i hate messing with molexes especially when they don't want to mate immediately, you go jiggling with it. That's not good....
Usually yes, but if they're being pluged into or pulled out of a device that's drawing alot of current you may connect/disconnect connect/disconnect the contacts with the device, making small surges and pretty blue sparks. Not good.
i was thinking of passing it through an audio jack ... for easy pluggage ... and power supply is like this ... PSU ||-----||-----|| \/_____\/____|| molex molex __|| ||-----||-----|| ||-----||-----|========> all lighting and fans (power goes to a self soldered pcb \/_____\/_______________which ditributes power to all casemodding stuff hdd's and **** ...________(software controlled offcourse txs to acrimonious who doesent want to finish the damn thing ) when i talk about audio jack i mean this ..
I would watch using audio jacks for power, they have a tendancy to short stuff out when you plug it in. Hence why you hardly ever see balanced 1/4" stuff in professional sound systems, and never on mic channels. It would temporarily short out phantom power when you plug/unplug something. Making all the other microphones pop. Ive never had any trouble plugging and unplugging molexes live. Expecially if it is LEDs since they don't have a major inrush of current, it won't be a problem.
If you only need 12v you could use a 3-pin fan header connection(you could also put 5v on it also, but you won't be able to use it for a fan. Or maybe a mini-din connector (the kind used by P/S2 connectors). This may be harder to find, but there are mini-XLR connectors that are commonly used on wireless mics. Pretty much any connector that has an array of pins rather than 1 pin with segments will work for you. Now that I think about it though, a mono 1/8" jack should work for you (stereo will work you just can't use the ring) because then the tip will be far enough into the connector that it won't be touching the shield connection at the same time. Just be wary of using it, if you are connecting it and the computer resets, you probably need another type of connector.
here's my 2cents, IMO you'd be much much better having it connected via either the real mouse connecter (on the back of the mobo), or a USB port, i have a USB mouse so i cut the cable off my old mouse and used it power something similar to yours and it works fine, USB would be good as they are MADE to be taken in and out all the time but im not sure how many Volts they have. if you were going to use a Molex, i'd wire it in permanenly and run a cable out of your Pc with a switch on.
I'v also witched normal IDE-drives, from hd to cd-rom, to another hd, and back to the first one, not a problem, have done it many times.. allthou the computer has switched of once ot twice, and windows have frozen a cupple of times, but it vas ok again when rebooted.... hmmm.. thinking that this may be the reason that my PSU is kinda strange atm...
You are lucky my friend, regular IDE drive don't like it when you pull the power on them. There have been instances of chips on the boards exploding when you pull the power. If you still wan't to do it, go ahead, just don't cry if it breaks.
i have always done that.. connect ide drives to a molex when the psu is on.. i just have one accident.. 1 drive fried that way haha but i got another in return
The plugs and sockets Vigfus recommended are the best ones to use I have 2 on the back of my PC, both are separatly switched and the 12V one is a different size to the 5V one so you can't plug a 5V item into the 12V rail and blow it up
