LED light mod

[Spec_Ops2087]

How do you change the LED lights in things like lets say your HDD light, power light, and the laser mouse light and where do you buy the actually light itself??

thanx

Spec

[Darrenct]

You can buy LEDs at radio shack... Just cut the wire to the old LED and solder the new ones to it.

Remember, leds only work 1 way. Make sure you attach positive to positive, and negative to negative.

[Darrenct]

Sorry for the numerous posts. I'm having probs w/ my webspace, so I can only get one pic per post.

If you can't solder, use an old pin connector... I've used 3-pin fan clips, jumper wires, anything. The one in the pic came from the wires that connect the CD-ROM to the Audio.

[Darrenct]

OK, one more. This is if you do your mouse. You have to be able to solder. Open it up and take it apart. It's not at all complex inside. Use the soldering Iron to remove the old LED. Solder a new led(or a clip for a new LED) in to place. Put it all together and you've got a changed mouse.

Be Very Careful Soldering on a Circuit Board If you put too much pressure on a terminal, It will cause the printed circuit to come off the board. At that point, your buying a new mouse.

LED brightness is measured in MCD... For a mouse, you should
get a LED that is at least 2400 MCD

This picture is of my Logitech mouse Circuit board after I finished the Led swap. The LED was originally Soldered in to where the wires now go. The Wires lead to the clip in my previous pic.

[H2gO Flasher]

look Mum no solder

http://www.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/156451_thumb.jpg

http://www.trademe.co.nz/photoserver/156453_thumb.jpg

would have to be the easyiest & quickest mod I've ever done

*blue on- blue off - blue on- blue off*

:eh?:

[Darrenct]

Some leds will be easy to change without soldering. However, In my opinion soldering is the most reliable way to connect two wires, pins, etc... There is also a lot higher of a variety of mods that can be done with soldering. It's not like it's hard to do or anything.

[Arkaine23]

I get old spare heatsinks and fans at Goodwill for $1 to $2... they have a computer center here. Leds can be found at radioshack or Fry's. I am about to install a blue led to replace my green "power" led. Because blue leds generally need more voltage to be as bright as other colored leds, I'm plugging it into a molex connector @ 12v, but with a 680 ohm resistor. (The led I bought had the ratings for resistors to use listed for various voltages) I just took a dead 40mm fan, and ripped the wires out of its base and soldered the led on. I have a duct that I painted the inside walls chrome... guess I'll stick my old green "power" led at the end of it so the light can be seen outside the case.

HDD leds are different... you have to find the blinking kind.

I've been meaning to ask this awhile... on molex connectors, there's red, black, black, yellow wires... The blacks are both grounds? The yellow is 12v? The red is 5v?

The reason I ask is that there are 5v leds out there....

I think finding a bright enough blue led for a mouse would be hard... but I bet green would work just fine.

[Darrenct]

Actually, I found a 2600 MCD Blue LED at the "Shack". It worked perfectly in my mouse. The Radio Shack I went to was a small one too. Most people haven't been so lucky though. I know you can find them at online stores though.
Right now I've got a 10,000 MCD Green LED in it, and it looks awesome.

[PsycoPhreak]

Originally posted by Arkaine23

HDD leds are different... you have to find the blinking kind.


Actually, HD leds are the same, its the signal from the drive to the motherboard that makes them blink with drive activity....:D

[Oni]

Originally posted by Darrenct
If you can't solder, use an old pin connector... I've used 3-pin fan clips, jumper wires, anything. The one in the pic came from the wires that connect the CD-ROM to the Audio.

That is the most interesting and innovative way to attach LEDs that I've ever seen. You get a 10 for originality, my friend. I wish I had thought of that . . . Stupid solder burns . . .

[Darrenct]

Yah, I wanted an easy way to swap LEDs in my mouse. I knew if I soldered directly to the PCB to many times, I would break it eventually. Then I saw an old fan lying around... tried using the clip and it worked great.

I still solder the wires from the clip though, but that is only because I love Soldering:D

[donny_paycheck]

Dont forget to use a series resistor if you're putting it in a new place where there wasn't a LED before, like lighting the case logo. LEDs need around a 220(5 volts)-470(12 volts) ohm resistor to run without burning out. At $2.50 a pop, blue LEDs are pretty pricey.

For a mouse/keyboard/etc. it doesn't matter since there were LEDs there in the first place.

[Tecumseh]

Not all LEDs are spec'd the same. Especially if you are changing
one color for another the brightness may not be what you want.
Match specs if possible. If you don't know the specs, try testing
the existing and new LEDs first. IF possible make a temporary
connection be for the soldering.

[Oni]

the LEDs I have in my system are bright blue ones from RatShack. Their rated @ 1,000 MCD, which is plenty bright for my liking. I also picked up some chrome housings for them. They really kick ass! I don't have access to a digicam for a bit, so no pics till then, unfortunately.

[Arkaine23]

I put a 2600mcd blue led in my logitech mouse, but its not bright enough. Not enough voltage I guess. I'll try a green.

[Darrenct]

Originally posted by Arkaine23
I put a 2600mcd blue led in my logitech mouse, but its not bright enough. Not enough voltage I guess. I'll try a green.

Interesting... I used a 2600 from the shack in mine, and it worked great.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

Originally posted by Darrenct
You can buy LEDs at radio shack... Just cut the wire to the old LED and solder the new ones to it.

Remember, leds only work 1 way. Make sure you attach positive to positive, and negative to negative. That picture isn't necessarily accurate. On my red LEDs, the small piece inside the glass is positive and the large piece is negative. On the blue ones, it's reversed.

When you take the LED out of the package, one wire will be longer than the other. The long one is positive. I think that side of the LED has a flat spot as well.

[Crazy Jayhawk]

Originally posted by Arkaine23
I put a 2600mcd blue led in my logitech mouse, but its not bright enough. Not enough voltage I guess. I'll try a green. Get one of the white LEDs. They work well, and they have a slight bluish tint to them.