Dumb LED cable + - question but gotta ask!

gizmo1990 · 5 Apr 2008 at 10:59

I've been having huge problems getting a new rig up and running and just want to double check I haven't been really daft.

Could someone confirm to me that the LED cables, the ones that connect power, hd lights etc to motherboards, when coloured white and yellow, yellow denotes live and white is earth?

strelly · 5 Apr 2008 at 11:08

I never really go by colour.

I usually refer to the manual or just plug them in, and if they dont work flip the plug around.

I will not matter which way you plug in a LED, as its a diode and will only work in one orientation.

jonas123 · 5 Apr 2008 at 11:10

not sure if this is correct but if you look carefully at the plug, there is a little arrowhead on the plug in line with one of the wires. I think that is earth (and i think that is the white one too)

ExRayTed · 5 Apr 2008 at 11:19

Normally works that way,yes.Having said that I've had motherboards and cases that don't always follow that.All I can suggest is trying the power leads both ways.If it doesn't work,try shorting the power jumpers on the motherboard with a screwdriver.If the motherboard still won't power up I reckon you've got a duff motherboard.

mrochester · 5 Apr 2008 at 11:29

The power and reset cables will work whichever way around you put them. The LED cables have to be the right way around for them to work, although you'll do no damage if you accidentally put them on the wrong way around first.

gizmo1990 · 5 Apr 2008 at 11:58

Thanks guys.

I tried the screwdriver shorting method and finally finally got the board to power-up. Only had a cpu and memory installed so won't know if its fully working yet but at least thats a positive sign!

Looks like it does matter what way around the cables are and I had done them incorrectly. Trouble is the chassis's interface manual must have got them round the wrong way as I followed that..

fya, this is a hoojum cubit 3 chassis which doesn't have a power on button. It starts as soon as its plugged in.

ExRayTed · 5 Apr 2008 at 13:48

Glad you got it working

It's the only part of building a pc that constantly irritates me.Why can't manufacturers come up with a simple standard is beyond me...what's wrong with a pre-moulded plug for the front panel?

mrochester · 5 Apr 2008 at 13:52

ExRayTed said:
Glad you got it working

It's the only part of building a pc that constantly irritates me.Why can't manufacturers come up with a simple standard is beyond me...what's wrong with a pre-moulded plug for the front panel?

Exactly... they managed to come up with a standard plug for USB after first starting out with individual pin connections. So why they can't do the same for the front panel buttons and LEDs is beyond me. The best silution I've seen so far is Asus Q-Connector which is a moulded block you connect the wires to outside of the case, and then it only fits in one way onto the front panel connectors on the mobo.

Blackhawk47 · 5 Apr 2008 at 14:00

mrochester said:
Exactly... they managed to come up with a standard plug for USB after first starting out with individual pin connections. So why they can't do the same for the front panel buttons and LEDs is beyond me. The best silution I've seen so far is Asus Q-Connector which is a moulded block you connect the wires to outside of the case, and then it only fits in one way onto the front panel connectors on the mobo.

yeh i agree.

had the same problem. i had to use tweezers and all sorts taken them in and out. really fiddlely if you know what i mean. i must have spent an half hour during build figuring it out. but the manual is usually quite helpful with these things. so now i always look through the manual and glance for anything that is different/special which i need to take a more detailed look at.

Werewolf · 5 Apr 2008 at 15:11

mrochester said:
Exactly... they managed to come up with a standard plug for USB after first starting out with individual pin connections. So why they can't do the same for the front panel buttons and LEDs is beyond me. The best silution I've seen so far is Asus Q-Connector which is a moulded block you connect the wires to outside of the case, and then it only fits in one way onto the front panel connectors on the mobo.

Those quick connectors are a wonderful invention, especially when you're building a machine in a fairly cramped case.

I'm amazed that more manufacturers don't do it, and that there isn't a standardised connection you could just plug into (although I guess the case manufacturers might run into some difficulties if they had to run all the front panel connections together, given the placement of lights/switches on some cases).