how do custom switches work?

yogai · Post by **yogai** » Sat Mar 05, 2005 7:18 pm

I'll start by announcing myself as a true noob. Now that that's out, I would like to know how the momentary contact switches for power/reset work. Mainly I would like to know what you need to make your own momentary contact switches, where to get the wires/headers/switches, and how to put the stuff together. I want to build a case and I'd like to know how all this works. Hopefully this way I can avoid ripping a set of power/reset buttons from an old case. I've looked for hours to find tutorials or pictures of how to assemble those molex headers and the wires and stuff, but no luck.

Aside from that, maybe someone knows of a vendor that makes switches?

Thanks yogai

niels007 · Post by **niels007** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 4:21 am

Radioshack should sell about 100 different monmentary contact switches, all doing basically the same. They are normally "open" (no current can move through), and when you press them, they close, making a small current run through them, triggering 'reset' or 'power'. Most buttons have some sort of spring in them so when you let go they go back into 'open' position again. They should also sell those small 'headers' to connect them to the mobo.

You do need to know how to solder though. If you don't, I really recommend you start practising, its a hugely handy skill to posess

Pay them a visit, It should all become clear

wsc · Post by **wsc** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 9:42 am

None of the radio shacks I've ever been to have had the right kind of connectors needed to plug into a motherboard's header. However places like Jameco and Digikey have the connectors. Look through the interconnects section of Jameco's site. Make sure to get the matching female crimp pins to go alond with the connectors. Jameco also carries really fancy stainless steel switches that are often used in botique computer cases and audio gear... I think they're about $20 each

But it will make your case look pretty swanky

sthayashi · Post by **sthayashi** » Sun Mar 06, 2005 5:00 pm

I use Digikey, but I often am getting a lot of stuff from there at a time. If all you want are parts for wiring up switches, Futurlec may be better for you.