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Switch for RAM LEDs

A

Avrithor

Weaksauce
Joined
May 30, 2008
Messages
123
I'm looking at this RAM LED kit. It has an expansion slot plate with a knob on it that selects different effects and presumably includes an "off" state. However, I think it'd be good to also have a switch on the front of the case to also just turn it on and off. If I wanted to wire it to a toggle switch, would this wiring illustration be correct? I haven't wired a switch before but it's my understanding that for molex the black wire is the ground and the red is power.
 
It's close, but has a very big flaw. The black wire should not touch the switch at all--it should run directly from the molex to the LED strip. The way you have it currently, if it touches the switch, when you flip the switch "off", it'll create a short circuit between 5V and GND. Your PSU is likely to notice and shut itself (and the rest of the computer) off, so it's not necessarily dangerous, but certainly not a desired behavior.
 
Aha. I'm sure the "ground" contact on the switch would be used in some applications but I wouldn't have known to avoid it in this scenario (which is why I ask). Thanks.
 
this is not precisely accurate, and your picture leaves some questions.

The label on the side of the switch lists 'power', 'acc', and 'ground'

Power would be power in, from the PC power supply molex.

Acc would be the switched accesory, in this case, the ram LED kit.

Ground would be the ground for the light in the switch that illuminates it when it is on (or off, or whenever there is power, depending on the switch).

It is very unlikely that that switch will short power to ground with any supported switch position.

However, Mohonri is also correct in that you don't need to bring Ground to the switch for it to work as a switch.
 
I wonder if the emi from the pwm could cause some kind of data interference... seems like ram would be an area I would want to be as electrically noise free as possible.
 
agent420 said:
I wonder if the emi from the pwm could cause some kind of data interference... seems like ram would be an area I would want to be as electrically noise free as possible.
Click to expand...
There's not enough current or switching transients to cause any emi in the RAM, methinks. Keep in mind that the inside of a computer is already a very noisy place from an electrical standpoint.

@Wiregeek--you're right. I misread the schematic, and the way it's shown, it won't connect Vcc to ground.
 
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