Wiring LEDs to a fan's PCB

[RnRollie]

Interesting... i would assume that in mass production everything would be there on the PCB, except the LEDs...
Then again, maybe they really produce enough fans that shaving off $ 0.01 worth of resistors per fan does justify a dual production line...

Anyways, wonder how this will turn out... because there is something interesting going on when doing voltage control (from MB header) on LED fans.... The LEDs brighten & dim with the fans speeds if the circuitry is done "on the cheap" .
Which kind of sucks

This is why it would be easier/better to just wireharnass a bunch of LEDs together in series using clear thin speaker wire (less "ugly" as traditional black/red) and a molex to the PSU.
http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00RBMEjAvJpcqF/Oxygen-Free-Copper-OFC-Clear-Speaker-Wire.jpg

 

[skorpien]

RnRollie, I thought about that too. I was thinking in terms of trying to use as little wire as possible to make wire management easier, but I think it's unavoidable wiring them using an external source. That would also allow me to switch the LEDs on and off at will if I want. I have some black 26AWG wire so I'm hoping I'll be able to wire and test them this weekend.

m0r7if3r, I apologize if I've wasted your time. Your advice was greatly appreciated but I just can't actually use it since I can't take the darned things apart.

I have a Bitfenix LED power hub that I'm planning to use with a switch to control the fan and CPU waterblock LEDs. It has terminals for 12V and 3.3V so using resistors isn't necessary. I'm also going to drill holes for the LEDs through the frame rather than use the ones that exist. I think I prefer the look of the LEDs parallel to the blades (like most LED fans today) rather than shining through them from behind.

 

[m0r7if3r]

Interesting... i would assume that in mass production everything would be there on the PCB, except the LEDs...
Then again, maybe they really produce enough fans that shaving off $ 0.01 worth of resistors per fan does justify a dual production line...

Anyways, wonder how this will turn out... because there is something interesting going on when doing voltage control (from MB header) on LED fans.... The LEDs brighten & dim with the fans speeds if the circuitry is done "on the cheap" .
Which kind of sucks

This is why it would be easier/better to just wireharnass a bunch of LEDs together in series using clear thin speaker wire (less "ugly" as traditional black/red) and a molex to the PSU.
http://image.made-in-china.com/2f0j00RBMEjAvJpcqF/Oxygen-Free-Copper-OFC-Clear-Speaker-Wire.jpg

I worked production for a little bit (as a temp...I hated that job). When we didn't need part of the machine's functionality, SOP was to just not load the part of the machine that wasn't needed.

I'd bet their production is as simple as that. They just do different runs on the same machine, one with the resistors/LEDs loaded, and one without...just my thoughts

m0r7if3r, I apologize if I've wasted your time. Your advice was greatly appreciated but I just can't actually use it since I can't take the darned things apart.

You can do this without taking them apart, just so that you're aware. If you don't want to do it, it's fine, no skin off my back (I enjoy the process anyways, maybe it will help someone in the future).