Installing new momentary pilot switches

Andreas W said:

So I thank all for the help I have gotten and I will go pick one up when I have the opportunity since there is no rush mainly also because I am not sure where I want the switches yet, and will mark this thread as solved. And then later on if the switches work as intended I will upload another picture in the "show your rig" thread

You're welcome. :)

Cool, looking forward to the pics.

The switches in the guide you looked at were likely single pole double throw. There would be three contacts, a normally open (NO), a common (C), and a normally closed (NC). With the switch in its default state the common contact is connected to the normally closed contact and the normally open contact has no connection. Flip the switch and they reverse. The normally open contact is now connected to the common contact and the normally closed contact is now not connected to anything. The common contact would be the center contact. If you were using this switch you would use the normally open contact and the common contact. Momentary switches don't latch when you switch them. When you release the lever it goes back to the default position. The switch in the picture is likely a single pole single throw switch. There would only be two contacts. A common and a normally closed "or" a normally open contact. If its a normally open switch the two contacts are only shorted when the switch is depressed, and an open circuit when released. Thats what you want for power and reset switches on your case. It doesn't matter which wire goes on which terminal if there are only two. I used single pole, double throw, momentary pushbuttons on my case mod. I just ignored the (NC) normally closed contacts.

alphanumeric said:

The switches in the guide you looked at were likely single pole double throw. There would be three contacts, a normally open (NO), a common (C), and a normally closed (NC). With the switch in its default state the common contact is connected to the normally closed contact and the normally open contact has no connection. Flip the switch and they reverse. The normally open contact is now connected to the common contact and the normally closed contact is now not connected to anything. The common contact would be the center contact. If you were using this switch you would use the normally open contact and the common contact. Momentary switches don't latch when you switch them. When you release the lever it goes back to the default position. The switch in the picture is likely a single pole single throw switch. There would only be two contacts. A common and a normally closed "or" a normally open contact. If its a normally open switch the two contacts are only shorted when the switch is depressed, and an open circuit when released. Thats what you want for power and reset switches on your case. It doesn't matter which wire goes on which terminal if there are only two. I used single pole, double throw, momentary pushbuttons on my case mod. I just ignored the (NC) normally closed contacts.

Wow, this was a really good explanation, and yes I read on the mnpctech site from that guide that 1 button from him could be used as both power and reset because of that connector in the middle, you could just not use a cover with it which for me gets pointless since it looks way better with a cover on

To use a single switch for both it would have to be a three position switch otherwise it would be like holding the power or reset button down. The PC would just keep power cycling on and off. You would need a switch that was open circuit to both contacts when centered. I didn't bother rewiring my reset button, I left the original case button for that. What I did was add two switches to the upper blank cover for my top 5.25 inch bay. Pressing either one powers up my PC. I have a bad back and didn't like bending over to power up my PC so I added two top mounted buttons. They are spread far apart one on each end of the black bay cover. From my chair all I have to do is find the top corner of my case and press the button. I put one on each side just in case I move my tower to the other side of my desk. I could also easily wire in the reset button latter on if I want. I'll just swap out one of the black switches for a red one.

Ya I am also going to locate these switches on the top of the case since I use the 800D so its a tad to big to be on the desk, still trying to figure out where I should place them, atm the ideal location would be on the right side of the chassi next to the 3 top fans but I am still not sure, and if I want them in a different place I would need longer cables or an extension cable, how ever it turns out I will be happy have never used the usb or headphones jack on the front and my case is older then the newer 800D ones so those parts can not be screwed off like the ones I found a youtube video for. But it will be nice to get rid of it because its quite a bunch of cables that just hang there.

Got 1 question thou how good is it to use extension cables or should they be avoided as much as possible?

It doesn't really matter how long the cables are going to the switches. Its not going to affect how they work. I just used a cable I scrounged from an old case that went to the recyclers. It even says PWR on the connector. I mounted my switches in the plastic blank bay cover because it was a convenient place. I can easily remove them or move them to another case if I upgrade. My switches mount in a square hole and that was a lot easier to do in the soft plastic. I debated whether to actually mount them in the top of the metal part of the case but decided against it. I would have probably lost the use of my top 5.25 bay anyway because of the length of the switch body, so why bother.

Yeah I still don't know what to do, easier to do it in the bay but I have something else in mind that concern the whole front. But I will figure something out, only problem is that I don't got a massive amount of money from the little work I do so things moves around slowly when it comes to the custom things with the computer

I can relate to that, I end up buying computer parts in dribs and drabs most of the time. I have a very limited income so new computer parts are way down on the list. At one time I had a good stock pile of parts but they slowly grew outdated and of little use in todays PC's. Still, I'm happy with what I have and it lets me play the games I like, so it could be worse. :)

alphanumeric said:

I can relate to that, I end up buying computer parts in dribs and drabs most of the time. I have a very limited income so new computer parts are way down on the list. At one time I had a good stock pile of parts but they slowly grew outdated and of little use in todays PC's. Still, I'm happy with what I have and it lets me play the games I like, so it could be worse. :)

Yeah, as long as I can play the games I like it's all good for me, but lately growing tired of playing games so its all good, I just hope the parts I have last in till I have money for new ones, but that will hopefully be some more years since I try to keep the heat in check, max temps I have when the computer is at 100% load is 70c with my O.C, only issue I have is my graphic card it runs a bit hot for me but its max temp is still OK, its just the idle temps I don't really like, lowest idle temp my 260 got is 45c, and buying a after market cooler for it is almost as costly as buying a new card

I'm not into overclocking. The trade off isn't worth it to me if I break something and then can't afford to replace it. To each his own though, it sounds like you have a handle on it.