Motherboard & Case problem

T

towert7

2[H]4U
Joined
Dec 18, 2003
Messages
2,930
Hello, I have two quick questions.
I have a lian li PC75 case, and for the Power LED wire is a three pin connector, but my motherboard (Tyan Tiger K8W) requires a two pin connector.

1) What would happen if i connect the +V wire to it, and left the ground wire off(right now, that's the only way it would fit)?
2) is there an adapter that could turn a 3pin connector into a two pin? I want to avoid any DIY wire jobs or suturing.

Also, my case came with no instructions, and for the connectors to the Power LED, Power Switch, etc... it does not say which are +V and which are -V.
Most cables have a white cable, with a colored cable. The speaker cable is red and black. On the black plastic connectors there is a little arrow on i belive the white wires (not sure which on the red and black one). Does anyone know for sure which is +V and which is -V(ground).

~Thanks
 
1. Only connecting one end of an LED won't work, you need to connect both power and ground for it to light.

2. I've never heard of one. I assume you mean that the 3 pin connector has 1 pin with a wire in it, 1 pin connector with no wire, then another pin with a wire in it? So the middle one has no connection? If so, why don't you *carefully* use some wire cutters and snip right down the center of that middle one. It should break in half easily, leaving 1 pin with 1 wire on each side, and some of the middle part that will still be attached to each end piece. Then, just turn the side with some of the middle part on it out (so that it doesn't interfere with any other pins on the header) and connect the two pins individually. No adapter needed. Make sure you split it right down the middle/empty one so that if any plastic snaps off it won't be one of the two ends. I've done this before, it works pretty well and is easy to do. On the very off chance that one of the ends does break, places like radio shack will have pin header things that you can resolder the wire to, which will be just like new.

Finally, LED's do have + and - ends, but the good news is that it won't hurt anything if you hook it up the wrong way, it just won't light up. It takes a much higher voltage than your computer puts out to hurt an incorrectly wired LED.

Hope that helps.
 
Thanks for the info. You are correct, its a pin, empty space, and another pin. I have a few spare connectors not from the case which i might try out first to see if that works, its sounds like a very good idea.

~Thanks
 
99.99% of the motherboards out there use a 3-wire connector for the power LED. It keeps the noobs from hooking a switch up to the LED "port" and shorting it out.

I suggest rechecking your manual and seeing the proper connection for your LED.
 
Oh ive checked it a million times. Its just a two pin connection on the motherboard. I looked on the mobo, in the instructions, in the instructions online, will all revisions... its a 2 pin connection.

Its a Tyan Tiger K8W S2875 for dual opterons....
 
Maybe take a multimeter and measure the voltage of the two pins that are supposedly supposed to be for the LED, if they are correct (I don't know the voltage they are supposed to be) you could swap one of the wires into the middle connector of the LED and plug it into the motherboard like that. There's a possibilty of shorting it out I'd suppose though.
 
pins.gif

mobo.gif

Again, its a Tyan Tiger K8W. Maybe server motherboards just use two pins for Power LED?

I used a straight edge razor and was able to split it into two pieces, and that worked. I started it up and the power LED worked.

I also figgured out which cables were +V and which were Ground. So far everything is working out. Now i just have to add software.

~Thanks again.
 
cool, glad you got it working. I had to do that at work not too long ago, had to make a custom pin header for a board we were using. Fun stuff. Enjoy the comp.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top