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Sep 22nd, 2013, 08:05 AM
#1
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Sep 22nd, 2013, 11:40 AM
#2
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
The diagram means you have a bi-polar 2-color LED, or 2 LEDs lashed up to work like one. These need to be driven by a circuit designed for them.
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Sep 22nd, 2013, 01:31 PM
#3
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
Appreciated
In which case I think I will get the single LED version and use a separate indicator for the HDD.
Can you confirm whether I should use an inline resistor or not. I am led (pun intended) to believe my mobo will sort that out with its black smoke.
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Sep 22nd, 2013, 02:45 PM
#4
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
You need to look at the voltage of the signal and the type of LED. LEDs vary in voltage by color, it's just how they work. Usually a case LED already incorporates the necessary voltage dropping resistor or a slightly more complicated driver circuit.
That spec sheet for example mentions which models have a resistor built in and others where you must supply one.
See Choosing The Resistor To Use With LEDs
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Sep 24th, 2013, 05:40 AM
#5
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
I've been thinking about using the bipolar LEDs again.
I found an example circuit for driving bipolar LEDs which seems okay here.
Combining the above with google, the gimp and my lack of electrical knowledge I came up with this...
which shows the HDD circuit on the left and the PWR circuit on the right.
Am I on the right lines? I have enough information from the article to work out the resistors.
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Sep 24th, 2013, 06:22 AM
#6
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
You might even find such a thing for sale as a driver IC in a small package. Looks about right to me though.
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Sep 28th, 2013, 01:58 AM
#7
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
if i were building this, i would use a led with three pins. they allow individual color control but you can still use a simple circuit to control both like this image shows.
http://www.scienceprog.com/wp-conten...a_inverter.PNG in any case, all you really need is one tri-pin led and two resistors although you would have to be aware that the hard drive color would become the color the led is with both colors turned on. Be also aware that most bi-color leds will only accept positive voltage on one of the two color pins at a time.
Last edited by Lord Orwell; Sep 28th, 2013 at 02:03 AM.
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Oct 2nd, 2013, 07:40 AM
#8
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
Cheers.
I've gone and bought the components now for the above bipolar circuit, it is a little over the top for a flashing light but I'm enjoying learning about it.
I'm using a opto mosfet thingy for the relay. I'll post the result when I get round to sticking it all together.
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Oct 7th, 2013, 01:18 PM
#9
Re: Help with LEDs for power and hard disk access.
Job done.
Thanks for the input chaps.
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