Would it be possible to hook up my power button like this?

[mikef208]

The power button on the front of an ATX case, would it be possible to rewire it so that iw would work with a switch, like those used in baybuses?

 

[jaybert]

no....not in an ATX case...well, not in the sense you could jsut hook up the switch and have it work

 

[Noriaki]

No...
you'd have to flip it down then up to turn it on. Then down/up again to turn it off.

 

[mikef208]

Could you elaborate a little further, i understand a little of how the switch works, but obviouslty not enough.

I mean, you press the button and the computer comes on, that seems easy enough. If you hold it in for like 5 seconds it shuts the computer off.

 

[Soccerman]

with ATX power supplies, you need only a momentary surge of electricity going through the wires to start and stop it.. (though the BIOS can take 5 seconds as off, if you so configure it that way).

therefor, if you used a lightswitch type thing, and directly wired it, all you need to do is flick it on and then off quickly..

 

[yakko]

You can get momentary switches which do not stay in the "on" position. To keep them "on" postion you would have to hold it just like an ATX power button.

 

[Soccerman]

hehehe..

my favourite way is the simple hotwire trick!

take one wire with one hand, and the second wire in your other hand..

there we go. now all you have to do is touch the two ends together momentarily!

I do it like I'm lighting a match! it's fun!

 

[Noriaki]

Well yes a momentary switch would work...but how would that be better than a regular button?

Mikef208:

To turn on the ATX supply, you need the switch on very briefly.

If you leave it in the "on" position, flicking it to the off position won't shut the thing off.
You need another brief surge to get it off.

So you'd have to flick it off, then on, then you'd get your surge.
So you'd have to flick it twice every time to turned it on or off.

ATX power is designed for a momentery switch/button, not a toggle.

 

[mikef208]

Okay thanks Noriaki, I don't know what i was thinking when I posted that last night. I must not have been thinking at all. I knew that it only used a brief surge of power, so I must have forgotten that a switch would provide continuous power. Sorry, it was late.

 

[JRock]

u know what i use for a power switch... my trusty flathead screw driver my comp is in a cardboard box.