Stupid Question, but I need to ask it

[Cook1]

I'm probably going to get heckled for asking this, but I simply don't know!

Ok, I know how to wire a rocker switch pretty straight forward, has two prongs. BUT, on a LED rocker switch which has three prongs how do you wire it?

 

[Matthias99]

Can you define an "LED rocker switch" more precisely? I'm not exactly sure what you are talking about.

 

[Cook1]

Here's a Link

 

[Crizza]

I'm guessing 2 power leads and one ground.

1 each for the switch and the led itself... not sure though

 

[Bobthelost]

It'll probably be fairly simple, the top and bottom pins won't be able to contact each other ever, what you do is connect the +ve lead to the middle pin, and then the -Ve to either the top or bottom pin depending on which way you want it to operate.

Probably. But i don't see a techsheet on the site and can't be bothered to google the part no.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
It'll probably be fairly simple, the top and bottom pins won't be able to contact each other ever, what you do is connect the +ve lead to the middle pin, and then the -Ve to either the top or bottom pin depending on which way you want it to operate.

Probably. But i don't see a techsheet on the site and can't be bothered to google the part no.

I'd say the same. That's usually how switches like that work; it's connecting the 'top' to the 'middle' in one position, and the 'middle' to the 'bottom' in the other.

 

[Bobthelost]

Yeah, but thinking on it then how'd the led get power? They don't work with inverse polarity.

 

[Matthias99]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Yeah, but thinking on it then how'd the led get power? They don't work with inverse polarity.

Either you connect ground to the top/bottom and a positive voltage to the middle, or positive voltage to the middle and ground to the top/bottom. In one position the LED will light, and in the other it won't.

 

[Bobthelost]

nevermind, i need a drink.

 

[LED]

Originally posted by: Crizza
I'm guessing 2 power leads and one ground.

1 each for the switch and the led itself... not sure though

That about the jist of it...fairly simple and easy to check...

 

[Cook1]

But here's the thing, which I can't check right now...only two wires red and white. If there were three then I could see where that would come into play.

Oh and I have tried to google it with no real help...thus the stupid question

 

[LED]

Look @ the Case wires for the Power LED and then it can be tapped into it

 

[SexyK]

What are you trying to control with the switch?

 

[Cook1]

Originally posted by: SexyK
What are you trying to control with the switch?

Just some cath lights. At the moment I have it rig'd so that the switch does work, just the blue led in the front doesn't light up (which is the reason why I bought them).

 

[Texun]

The package should have some kind of markings, but if it doesn't I would verify the circuit in open\closed conditions with a cheap multimeter.

 

[Cook1]

Originally posted by: Texun
The package should have some kind of markings, but if it doesn't I would verify the circuit in open\closed conditions with a cheap multimeter.

There was nothing on the package to indicate...that would be too easy huh? And I'm afraid I don't own a multimeter

 

[Cook1]

Maybe not as stupid as I once thought!

 

[Bobthelost]

Guess not

 

[Cook1]

Originally posted by: Bobthelost
Guess not

I know I haven't been doing this do stuff to your own case thing for very long. But I don't understand how to wire it when there's two wires coming from the cath kit, red + white, and there's three prongs on the rocker...I mean I can wire it so you flip the rocker and it turns on and off, but the LED light doesn't go on when the cath is on...which is the whole point of the LED rocker switch!

 

[Bobthelost]

Try connecting it the other way around.

 

[mezrah]

did google search...found Link...there's a picture on there describing setup, not sure if it helps.

 

[Cook1]

Originally posted by: mezrah
did google search...found Link...there's a picture on there describing setup, not sure if it helps.

Thanks, that does help some. But it does make me ask more questions (well not more but the same almost).

Could I splice into the wire that isn't the power and split it between the 2nd and 3rd then?

 

[JimPhelpsMI]

Hi, Two pin switches are called Single Pole Single Throw (SPST). They only make and break one circuit. 3 pin switches are called Single Pole Double Throw (SPDT). They can make and break two circuits or transfer a signal from one circuit to another. A 3 pin can be used as a 2 pin. Just use only 2 pins. If this doesn't answer your question then be more specific about what you want to do. Luck, Jim


EDIT: Forgot to mention: There are no stupid questions only stupid answers. Jim