LED Fan switch

[Dawelio]

Hey guys,

So I was wondering if you guys perhaps know of any way to control the LEDs on an BitFenix Spectre Pro LED fan?.

The fan comes with a small cable, that you can then connect to an selected BitFenix chassi, in order to turn the LEDs on or off on the fan itself.

Now I was wondering if you can buy some kind of a small switch, to then mod onto a chassi to get the exact same funtion?.

Kinda something like this:

I have included 2 pictures that show the connector itself (apologies for the picture quality, it was rather hard getting the camera to focus on the small connector for some reason).

Thanks,
Chrazey

 

[NickOmega]

As long as you have a power source you can very easily do what you're asking.

 

[Dawelio]

As long as you have a power source you can very easily do what you're asking.

Sorry, but I'm not following?...

 

[Davva2004]

Any simple single pole rocker switch will do. When the + and - are connected, the LED is on. You do not need to supply any extra power to the fans.

 

[Dawelio]

Any simple single pole rocker switch will do. When the + and - are connected, the LED is on. You do not need to supply any extra power to the fans.

Okay, now I apologize if I may seem dumb here, but I've tried doing some research of my own here... Will these work you think?:

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare-fran-(till)-bla-belysning-p36062

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36131

Since I'm not sure what these "1 pole" or "2 poles" mean really?...

Also, will I need to strip the cable itself, which the bottom, 2nd, pic is showing to the switch itself? Since I reckon that that particular connector won't fit with a switch?.

 

[AlienALX]

If you want a push button they need to be "latching" and not "momentary".

1 pole means you can switch one thing. 2 pole means you could switch LEDs and say a fan from the same 12v supply.

 

[Dawelio]

If you want a push button they need to be "latching" and not "momentary".

1 pole means you can switch one thing. 2 pole means you could switch LEDs and say a fan from the same 12v supply.

So you then mean like this:

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36117

Ahh okay, so what I'm after is a 1 pole, not 2 poles? If I got it all correctly?...

 

[NickOmega]

Sorry, but I'm not following?...

Sorry I wasn't particularly clear. What I mean was that if you have a power source to route through the switch, such as a molex, then you can very easily wire the LEDs to be controlled by the switch

Wouldn't a molex powered fan hub serve the purpose if using more than 1 of those fans? That could be fitted with switch in-line i'd imagine but it'd be kinda ghetto in my mind with molex connectors soldered to the switch.

[PSU] {molex extension} Switch {molex extension} [Fan Hub]

 

[Davva2004]

So you then mean like this:

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36117

Ahh okay, so what I'm after is a 1 pole, not 2 poles? If I got it all correctly?...

That's exactly what you need. Doesn't even matter which wire goes to which pin either.

 

[Davva2004]

Sorry I wasn't particularly clear. What I mean was that if you have a power source to route through the switch, such as a molex, then you can very easily wire the LEDs to be controlled by the switch

Wouldn't a molex powered fan hub serve the purpose if using more than 1 of those fans? That could be fitted with switch in-line i'd imagine but it'd be kinda ghetto in my mind with molex connectors soldered to the switch.

[PSU] {molex extension} Switch {molex extension} [Fan Hub]

You're overcomplicating it a bit, the fan already provides power to its own LEDs the extra wire just lets you turn the lights on and off by joining the wires. No extra power needed.

 

[NickOmega]

You're overcomplicating it a bit, the fan already provides power to its own LEDs the extra wire just lets you turn the lights on and off by joining the wires. No extra power needed.

Oh ok, being a standalone header like that I didn't think the LED would be powered and I didn't think to look into it.

 

[AlienALX]

So you then mean like this:

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36117

Ahh okay, so what I'm after is a 1 pole, not 2 poles? If I got it all correctly?...

Yes that is a latching switch. You don't have to use rectangular ones though.



Look at the side of the shroud. There are two round switches that are lit up. They are called latching switches. IE when you press them they click and stay depressed, keeping the circuit closed. When you press them again they come out and click again breaking the circuit (and thus turning off the LEDS). One of them I use for the LEDs in the rig if I am not in the mood and the other is for the strip lights in the shroud.

So if you go to Ebay or what not just search for latching switch. Momentary means just that, they will only work when you keep them pressed in (the same as a PC power button for example).

 

[Dawelio]

So you then mean like this:

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36117

Ahh okay, so what I'm after is a 1 pole, not 2 poles? If I got it all correctly?...

That's exactly what you need. Doesn't even matter which wire goes to which pin either.

Yes that is a latching switch. You don't have to use rectangular ones though.



Look at the side of the shroud. There are two round switches that are lit up. They are called latching switches. IE when you press them they click and stay depressed, keeping the circuit closed. When you press them again they come out and click again breaking the circuit (and thus turning off the LEDS). One of them I use for the LEDs in the rig if I am not in the mood and the other is for the strip lights in the shroud.

So if you go to Ebay or what not just search for latching switch. Momentary means just that, they will only work when you keep them pressed in (the same as a PC power button for example).

Well... Okay... Zhite.... :huh:... So these won't work then? Since it's easier to drill a hole for them, rather than a small squareish one for the one in the link above.

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare-fran-(till)-bla-belysning-p36062

https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...strombrytare/strombrytare-1-pol-on-off-p36131

Btw, Alien, thanks for that awesome explanation... Really explained it so that even I understood it all ^_^

Also, those black/blue GPU cables look damn fine dude

 

[AlienALX]

Mate I can't read that *translator*

The first one is momentary. You need latching. So whatever word you use for momentary type latching (whatever that is in your country)

Just translated both. No mate, they are momentary (both) so won't work.

 

[Dawelio]

Mate I can't read that *translator*

The first one is momentary. You need latching. So whatever word you use for momentary type latching (whatever that is in your country)

Just translated both. No mate, they are momentary (both) so won't work.

Are you kidding me?... Now I understood what you described above, but now I don't really quite get what to look for in a switch, that makes them "latching" lol. Since they all look and say the same...

You think this will do then?: http://www.biltema.se/sv/Bil---MC/Bil-tillbehor/Bil-el/Strombrytare/Tryckstrombrytare-2000016448/

After some searching, I think I've found one (IF the above doesn't work?): http://elektronik-online.se/vippstromstallare-2-pol-till-fran-svart-svart

 

[AlienALX]

When I ran the translator on that page they were called momentary switches dude. I searched the site for latching (in English) and nothing came up haha. The first switch I am not sure about, but looks horribly cheap. The second one looks better..

I use those vandal switches.. Like this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Metal...hash=item23641a667a:m:mStqum-6DI-PMxCg2ahTK_Q

I would search Ebay there are plenty of places in Hong Kong who ship all over the world

 

[NickOmega]

The only way I can think to explain is using car comparisons.

A momentary switch, is only active when you are pressing it, as soon as you take your finger off the circuit is broken again. Think of it like a car horn.

A latching switch stays in the last position, so when you push it in it will stay "pressed", until you push it again to break the circuit, like a hazard light switch in a car.

The last one you linked is a rocker switch which will also work.


Edit: I just realised you weren't asking the difference you were asking how to tell what type they were, sorry if I came across as condescending.

I'll second the ebay suggestion, there are lots of latching vandal switches that will work well AND look good, but bear in mind that illuminated ones will need a power source if you want them to light up.

 

[Dawelio]

When I ran the translator on that page they were called momentary switches dude. I searched the site for latching (in English) and nothing came up haha. The first switch I am not sure about, but looks horribly cheap. The second one looks better..

I use those vandal switches.. Like this.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/12V-Metal...hash=item23641a667a:m:mStqum-6DI-PMxCg2ahTK_Q

I would search Ebay there are plenty of places in Hong Kong who ship all over the world

Honestly, to me, they look the same dude? :huh:... I know now what I'm after, but doesn't exactly say it in plain text in the description lol.

The only way I can think to explain is using car comparisons.

A momentary switch, is only active when you are pressing it, as soon as you take your finger off the circuit is broken again. Think of it like a car horn.

A latching switch stays in the last position, so when you push it in it will stay "pressed", until you push it again to break the circuit, like a hazard light switch in a car.

The last one you linked is a rocker switch which will also work.


Edit: I just realised you weren't asking the difference you were asking how to tell what type they were, sorry if I came across as condescending.

No worries dude, I was just wondering what you meant by it all, due to my original question. So no worries there

So you said this will work?: http://elektronik-online.se/vippstromstallare-2-pol-till-fran-svart-svart

But what I don't get though, is with all of the ones I've linked, IF you press it in, it will stay there, untill you press it again and it will pop out again.

So it's like an 1 and 0 switch, just that the button has 2 stops in it's travel distance, to indicate that it's on or off.

 

[NickOmega]

But what I don't get though, is with all of the ones I've linked, IF you press it in, it will stay there, untill you press it again and it will pop out again.

The mechanism you described of it staying in when you press it, then popping out when you press it again, is a latching switch. A momentary switch pops out as soon as you take your finger off

I think the problem is that we're using a browser translation for the links you're providing and in the translation to English the items say "momentary".

I've gone through each word separately and none translate to "momentary", the closest is "spring return".

I even tried using google translate to find the Swedish for latch and latching/locking but can't see them anywhere in those listings.

I think what you are looking for on the listings is "icke återfjädrande" like in this one: https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...trombrytare-1-pol-on-off-bla-belysning-p36141

Honestly though your best option is going to be ebay, if you search for "latching switch" there are a lot of listings

 

[Dawelio]

The mechanism you described of it staying in when you press it, then popping out when you press it again, is a latching switch. A momentary switch pops out as soon as you take your finger off

I think the problem is that we're using a browser translation for the links you're providing and in the translation to English the items say "momentary".

I've gone through each word separately and none translate to "momentary", the closest is "spring return".

I even tried using google translate to find the Swedish for latch and latching/locking but can't see them anywhere in those listings.

I think what you are looking for on the listings is "icke återfjädrande" like in this one: https://www.kjell.com/se/sortiment/...trombrytare-1-pol-on-off-bla-belysning-p36141

Honestly though your best option is going to be ebay, if you search for "latching switch" there are a lot of listings

Okay, then I see... As when you previously described "momentary" as in a power button, I understood what it meant.

Basically, it shouldn't just pop back up after you've pressed it down. But rather like a wall light switch, when you press it on either side, the light turns on and when you switch it back the opposite way, the light turns off.

Well "Latching" is basically "Låsning" in swedish. The reason you don't find it, is that the word contains a letter which the english alphabet doesn't have. Which is the letter " å ".