LED control circuit

[ZapTap]

So I'm still a beginner at designing circuitry and I'd like to give a shot at something that doesn't come with an instruction manual :p As you can see from my sig, I have an Antec 1200, and as you may know, it's quite an LED-laden case. I want to be able to control the light from the front panel but I need to work out the circuitry involved. I want to have a switch that turns off all of the LEDs and then a knob (probably a rheostat, no? Not sure of the difference from a potentiometer) for each "section" of the case, which I'll have to work out. I'd like to do most of this myself, so I'm not asking for someone to design me a circuit. But I'll use this threads to work on my plans and work out any kinks I come across. My first question is.. How can I get it so I have several LEDs powered by one of the knobs and then have all the knobs powered by the switch? I'm concerned about putting too much current through the lights. they're rated at.. 1.8-2.2 volts I believe but I'm not 100% sure.

[throcken]

Adding switches or rheostats won't increase current beyond what they'll take, rheostat will reduce current.

Since you seem to sort of want a challenge, basically think of it like this. Every LED has an in, and out. So everything will need to hook to the Kill Switch, and each potentiometer/rheostat will need power fed from the Kill Switch.
Oh, and I hope you have a drill and a soldering iron :)
Good luck, man :)

[ZapTap]

Adding switches or rheostats won't increase current beyond what they'll take, rheostat will reduce current.

Since you seem to sort of want a challenge, basically think of it like this. Every LED has an in, and out. So everything will need to hook to the Kill Switch, and each potentiometer/rheostat will need power fed from the Kill Switch.
Oh, and I hope you have a drill and a soldering iron :)
Good luck, man :)

So it would be possible to run all of the current through the killswitch on the positive end of the leds? and then have each rheostat powered off the switch and each set of leds powered off the rheostat?

[johan851]

You would want the group of LEDs in series with the rheostat, yes. It's confusing when you say "each rheostat powered off the switch" because rheostats aren't 'powered' and switches don't provide power. But I think I get what you mean. :)

[ZapTap]

You would want the group of LEDs in series with the rheostat, yes. It's confusing when you say "each rheostat powered off the switch" because rheostats aren't 'powered' and switches don't provide power. But I think I get what you mean. :)

Oh I have a horrible way of wording things. what I meant to say was

+ current > switch > rheostat > LEDs > - current

so by saying the switch powers the rheostat, I mean that the positive current flows through the switch to the rheostat

EDIT: I also noticed that I posted this under cooling and I can't help but question my motive for that. O.o I can report and request it to be moved, but what section is appropriate?

[johan851]

Yup, looks right to me.

Modding section, maybe?

[ZapTap]

Yup, looks right to me.

Modding section, maybe?

Yes that sounds perfect.

And thank you for that.. I'll look into designing the circuit when I find a program or something to do it with. I probably won't have a chance to design it until at least Sunday, and I'll need most input with specific circuits and with watching out for overvolting and whatnot.. I don't wanna pop all of these LEDs after all the time I spent hot gluing them in my fans :3

[ZapTap]

So I've decided I'll use one of those Bulgin Vandal switched (the locking kind) to control on/off. And then I need to figure out voltages and whether I'll need rheostats or potentiometers (rheostats right? what's the difference?) and then get the parts (hopefully all of of frozencpu since I need more LEDs) and get started.
I figure this is a good time to go about my other idea too.. I'd seen some cases with a small pcb on both the door and just inside the case, they have contacts on them that meet when the door is closed to allow a 'wireless' connection for the door fan. I'd like to implement something of this sort and include an LED on the door along with it, as well. And ideas on how to go about this or concerns about potential issues?

[mbentley]

Moved to Volt Modding & Circuitry.