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5V/12V Switch

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fletch

Member
Joined
Jul 31, 2002
Location
Euless, TX
I just put a couple of 92mm intakes into the side of my case, and I would like to quiet them down. How do I go about wiring a switch to flip them between 12V and 5V? I have a switch where I can switch the voltage over easily, but I don't know if I can use the 5V ground for 12V and vice-versa? Any posts on this already / tips on how to make this? Thanks :)
 
OK here are some pics (these are the 7-12 Volt pics)

SwitchBack.JPG


7-12VSwitch.JPG


StealthSwitch.JPG


Wiring1.JPG


Wiring2.JPG


On this last pic, the left side molex is from your power supply, and the right side is going to your fan.

Go down to Radio Smack and buy a 3 pole switch. Mine had poles for two seperate circuits so you could create two circuits from the one switch, say on circuit to switch from 5 to 7 volts and then the more common one of 7 to 12 volts.

7-12 Volt Switch:

Basically when you make a 7-12 volt switch, you want the yellow or hot lead to be common between both circuits (think of the yellow 12V as your hot lead). The yellow lead will not be attached to the switch, it passes right through to the output connector where the yellow lead would normally be. You then solder your red and black leads to either end pole of the switch (think of the red and black as your ground........either 5 or 0 volts).

You'll then solder a black lead from the center pole of the switch to the ground lug of your molex connector.

5-7 Volt Switch

Basically when you make a 5-7 volt switch, you want the black lead to be common to both circuits, so we're doing the reverse of the above, and now your ground is common, not your hot lead. Your black lead will pass through and your red and yellow wires will be soldered to each end of the switch.

You'll then solder a yellow lead from the center pole of the switch to the yellow lug of your molex connector.

Sorry, I forgot to take pics before I hot glued the connections so they wouldn't short out. Hopefully this helps.
 
Sweet, thanks for the help. I've got a switch of that sort lying around somewhere, so I'll get to work on it.
 
Finished :)
Now for pics (sorry for the lack of lighting, my digital camera is cheap and has no flash... - and the numbers got messed up somehow...) :

photo_photo.aspx

The labels 1,2, and 3 are:
1. Rheostat controlling 80mm fan on SLK800
2. On-Off switch for 80mm fans in front of case
3. 7V-12V switch for 92mm fans on side of case

photo_photo.aspx

Side of my case showing the 92mm fans I just put in yesterday. The lower one is pretty much aimed at my video card, the other one is aimed towards my heatsink.

Thanks for the help with the switch, it works great :)
 
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Errr. The wiring went weird. The front intakes were running 5V, and the on-off switch was dumping another 12V, so they were overvolted at 17V. Fixed it all - all my fans save the heatsink fan are on the 7V-12V switch now. It makes a huge sound difference, and raises my load temp by 4C when all the fans are on low, which isn't too bad...
 
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