Hello all....
I've already searched through the vast archives for information about this, but to no avail - hopefully one of you might be able to help me!
I have an old automotive lamp (12 volt), and I am looking to replace the LED used for HDD activity... is this possible? I'm pretty sure the voltages are different...
Anyone attempted this? Please let me know! Thanks!
Bryan
Full Version: 12 Volt Lamp?
The voltages are much different. The power LED is 3V or less.
You could get a resistor to cut the 12V down, minus the amount of that the motherboard puts out. (use a voltmeter/multimeter to test the LED's voltage.) Then tie the 12V line (including resistor) and the power LED line together. This will give you 12V total. Plug your lamp into that line, and you'll have 12V for it and it will go on whenever your computer does.
If that doesn't make sense, sorry.
You could get a resistor to cut the 12V down, minus the amount of that the motherboard puts out. (use a voltmeter/multimeter to test the LED's voltage.) Then tie the 12V line (including resistor) and the power LED line together. This will give you 12V total. Plug your lamp into that line, and you'll have 12V for it and it will go on whenever your computer does.
If that doesn't make sense, sorry.
It wont go, your lamp being 12V and the activity led(or any other led are 3.5V.
Your lamp will not have enough juice to light up.
Your lamp will not have enough juice to light up.
QUOTE (DevilMB3017 @ Dec 15 2003, 04:17 AM)
The voltages are much different. The power LED is 3V or less.
You could get a resistor to cut the 12V down, minus the amount of that the motherboard puts out. (use a voltmeter/multimeter to test the LED's voltage.) Then tie the 12V line (including resistor) and the power LED line together. This will give you 12V total. Plug your lamp into that line, and you'll have 12V for it and it will go on whenever your computer does.
If that doesn't make sense, sorry.
You could get a resistor to cut the 12V down, minus the amount of that the motherboard puts out. (use a voltmeter/multimeter to test the LED's voltage.) Then tie the 12V line (including resistor) and the power LED line together. This will give you 12V total. Plug your lamp into that line, and you'll have 12V for it and it will go on whenever your computer does.
If that doesn't make sense, sorry.
If I was going to do it that way, couldn't I just jury-rig a connection to one of the drive power connectors that come out of the power supply? (I'm pretty sure it's 12 volts...)
I guess there's no way to hook it up to show the HDD activity then...
There sure is...
Find out what resistors you will need to reduce 12 to 8.5. Get two of them. Connect them to two of the 12V lines from your PSU. (12V are Yellow on the 4-pin molex-style connectors)
Then connect one of the 12V lines with a resistor AND the line from your motherboards power LED line together and to the lamp. Connect the other 12V line with a resistor and the IDE activity LED line together to the second lamp. Connect ground (black lines) to each lamp. You'll be good to go.
Find out what resistors you will need to reduce 12 to 8.5. Get two of them. Connect them to two of the 12V lines from your PSU. (12V are Yellow on the 4-pin molex-style connectors)
Then connect one of the 12V lines with a resistor AND the line from your motherboards power LED line together and to the lamp. Connect the other 12V line with a resistor and the IDE activity LED line together to the second lamp. Connect ground (black lines) to each lamp. You'll be good to go.
Can I just hook up the + and - of the lamp to the molex connector? I have decided just to show the power ON status.....
Thanks!
Thanks!
yes. the lamp is 12 volts, the yellow and black wire from the molex are 12 volts.
Be shure to connect it to the PS tho plugging it to the mobo will kill the mobo
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