How do I switch LEDs?

[Wiseass]

I want to swich out the LEDs on my keyboard, drives and lights on the box, I'm going to get the blue LEDs from radio shack or online, but I want to know if there's anything extra I have to do to swap them out? Or is it just a matter of removing the old one and soldering the new one in it's place? Are there any detailed instructions out on the web somewhere or someplace that I could see some pics?

[vimal]

LED's are biased - so you have to solder them in the correct way. Most LED's have one side of the base slightly flattened, so you can use that for orientation. For the LED's that you buy, the longer lead is generally +, while shorter lead is -.

If you're not sure which is + and - on an LED, just get an AA battery (or any other 1.5V battery), two wires, and touch the ends to the LED leads. One way it will light up, one way it won't.

Good luck - sounds like a cool mod (especially if the room lights are dim or off - blue LED's look a lot better than any other color)

[Wiseass]

cool thanks for the tip..I'll be sure to post some pics once I get it done..

[firebat45]

i did the exact same thing to my logitech elite keyboard, replaced the anemic green with powerful blue LEDS. All i had to do was dissassemble everything, unsolder the old, and solder then new in. The only problem: My LEDs are so bright they blind you if the keyboard is pointed towards you, which in my case is when the little legs are up. Good thing i prefer them down. Took me about 20 minutes, and it does look cool, each LED casts a 1 foot diamater or so circle of blue light on my ceiling when it is on.

[winterhavok]

Be careful of the keyboard map though, if it uses "suction cups" for the keys you will need to place them in the exact position or the keyboard will not work, I had this problem when I was cleaning the junk out of the tray of my Micro Innovations keyboard.

[Lunar_Lamp]

You mention blue LEDs, I was looking for some today, but they all seem really expensive compared to normal LEDs. Anyone have any tips for where to go to buy them for a UKer?

[andyl33t]

www.maplin.co.uk

[Paradoxmaker]

Keep in mind that green LED's generaly use less voltage than Blues, or whites.

As an example, on the keyboard I use, i changed the green LED's out and put UV ones in their place. The caps lock and number lock look and work fine but the scroll lock (whick I never use anyway) did not provide enough power to light the UV LED without also changing out the resistor for it. In the end I just left that one green because it wasn't worth the trouble.

All in all changing LED's is simple and fairly straight foward as long as your comfortable with soldering. I have changed the LED's in my computer, the monitor, speakers, CD drives, Floppy drive, mouse, and a window modded HD. I also constructed a 10 LED chasing array that is built into my mousepad.

It is worth it in the long run to have a computer set up the way you want.

BTW check Ebay for LED's I bought 100 UV LED's for $10.00 and I also got 50 pink and 50 aqua ones for about $15.00

[SavageBasher]

Blue. :D

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v189/SavageBasher/KeyboardBlue1.jpg

[threeme2189]

very cool.....i hate the standard green ones.

[Susquehannock]

Guides ..............

http://www.virtual-hideout.net/guides/keyboard_led/index2.shtml

http://www.themodfathers.jolt.co.uk/?page=&action=show&id=6128