Lighted HDD on/off switch

[oun]

I'm trying to set up a lighted switch at the front of my case to turn an IDE HDD on and off. I've set this up before with an unlighted switch and it worked. BTW the HDD will only be turned off / on when the power is off but I wanted a lighted switch to show me the power status of the HDD once the PSU is powered on. I have searched like mad, but have been unable to find a 5V lighted rocker switch online or at an electronics store.

1.) Where I could find such a switch in red or amber? (I would want to buy 3)

I set this up before by cutting the red wire of a power extender and running that to the switch, and back to the extender. The switch was 12V but worked anyway. It has 3 leads. I never connected the middle one. I assumed this was a ground, and If I did connect it, it would go to the case.

Here's the simple wiring diagram (10 KB PDF) I'm envisioning.

2.) Does my wiring diagram (in step 3) look correct?

 

[Mohonri]

You probably want a switch that will switch both the 5V and 12V lines. Off the top of my head, you may be better off to fabricate your own. Have the switch disconnect both the 5V and 12V lines. Downstream from the switch, attach an LED (or whatever) to the 5V or 12V line, with the appropriate resistor. This way, if the drive has power, the LED will have power.

 

[oun]

Mohonri, as per your suggestion, I set up a working system with an unlighted switch and a separate LED. My 1st attempt didn't work (I assume because I had the resistor inline before the HDD). Here's the New wiring diagram that worked. Currently this just switches off the 12V line.

You probably want a switch that will switch both the 5V and 12V lines..

Do you know where I could get such a switch? I see from your post you're in NE Houston, I'm in SW Houston.
Radio Shack was no help. Is there something at Fry's? (I design signs for them, I did the Clear Lake "space station" location)

 

[2uantuM]

Yeah, having the resistor and LED in series with the hard drive dropped the voltage which is why it didn't work.

 

[Mohonri]

The second diagram is correct--keep it in parallel.

I know that radioshack has the kind of switch you want, 'cause I have a couple of them at home. <runs to radioshack.com to look for the switch> You want either a DPST or DPDT switch, so you can switch both the 5V and 12V lines. Something like this, this, this, or this.

Or you could just search and get a whole bunch of DPDT switches.

 

[oun]

Thanks all, that guy at radio shack seemed a bit confused. He recommend I get two switches .