NEWBIE: Case connectors to Mainboard

  • Thread starter Wiley Q. Hacker
  • Start date
W

Wiley Q. Hacker

Hi all:

I'm working on putting together my first system. Almost done, with
considerable help from those on this forum. Many thanks.

One final question:

The Power LED connector from the case needs to be plugged into the
jumpers on the mainboard. However, the two "prongs" (sorry, can't
think of a better word, though I'm sure there's a standard) on the
mainboard are adjacent, whereas the wire from the case is 3-wide,
with a gap in the middle. Here's roughly what I'm talking about:

| ______
|-- | * |----------
|-- | * |
| |_*__|----------

Question is, can I just pull the wire out of the 3rd position on the
connector and push it into the middle one, and then plug the whole
thing into the mainboard? What's the right way to do this?

Thanks in advance.
 
B

Bob Troll

Make sure you don't have the wrong connector trying to plug on there.

Bob Troll
 
M

Marvin & Sue

Wiley said:
The Power LED connector from the case needs to be plugged into the
jumpers on the mainboard. However, the two "prongs" (sorry, can't
think of a better word, though I'm sure there's a standard) on the
mainboard are adjacent, whereas the wire from the case is 3-wide,
with a gap in the middle. Here's roughly what I'm talking about:
Click to expand...

I just finished "building" my first computer and the MOBO had two places for
the Power LED connector. There was a 2 wide and a 3 wide male connectors on
the board, and the connector from the Antec Sonnata case was 2 wire three
wide. I have no idea if it would make any difference to pull a wire out and
move it, but I would make sure there was no other connector on the board.
 
G

Groove

Wiley Q. Hacker said this...
Question is, can I just pull the wire out of the 3rd position on the
connector and push it into the middle one, and then plug the whole
thing into the mainboard? What's the right way to do this?
Click to expand...


What I normally do is carefully shave down one side of the triple plug with
a craft knife. This releases the metal insert which you then click into the
centre socket. Finally use your craft knife to trim off the remaining part
of the 3rd housing and you're done. PS: Doesn't matter which side you cut.
 
J

jeff findley

Groove said:
What I normally do is carefully shave down one side of the triple plug with
a craft knife. This releases the metal insert which you then click into the
centre socket. Finally use your craft knife to trim off the remaining part
of the 3rd housing and you're done. PS: Doesn't matter which side you cut.
Click to expand...

I typically use a very small screwdriver to release the metal insert,
then start cutting the plug down to two. Note that the cutting may
not be necessary. Sometimes the LED connection isn't adjacent to
another connection that's needed, and having the empty socket covering
a non-needed pin isn't really an issue.

Jeff
 
J

jeffc

Wiley Q. Hacker said:
Hi all:

I'm working on putting together my first system. Almost done, with
considerable help from those on this forum. Many thanks.

One final question:

The Power LED connector from the case needs to be plugged into the
jumpers on the mainboard. However, the two "prongs" (sorry, can't
think of a better word, though I'm sure there's a standard)
Click to expand...

Usually called "pins". Same thing.
on the
mainboard are adjacent, whereas the wire from the case is 3-wide,
with a gap in the middle. Here's roughly what I'm talking about:

| ______
|-- | * |----------
|-- | * |
| |_*__|----------

Question is, can I just pull the wire out of the 3rd position on the
connector and push it into the middle one, and then plug the whole
thing into the mainboard? What's the right way to do this?
Click to expand...

One of the 3 connectors if for the RPM sensing of the fan. If you don't
need RPM sensing, you don't need 3 wires. But you do have to make sure the
2 wires that get connected are the power wires, and you should note the
polarity. If you get the polarity wrong, the fan will spin backward.
That's OK if you can flip the fan around, but it won't work if the fan can
only go in one way.
 
J

jeffc

Bob Troll said:
Make sure you don't have the wrong connector trying to plug on there.
Click to expand...

It sounds like some sort of CD connector, or maybe a switch connector or
possibly even a speaker or light connector. From the fan connectors I
recall seeing, the 2 power wires were not separated with a gap in the middle
like that.
 
G

Groove

jeff findley said this...
I typically use a very small screwdriver to release the metal insert,
then start cutting the plug down to two....
Click to expand...

I must try that. That way is marginally less chance of damaging the insert.
But you kind of get into a habit with such details and never think of
alternatives.
 
R

Robert B. Clark

The Power LED connector from the case needs to be plugged into the
jumpers on the mainboard. However, the two "prongs" (sorry, can't
think of a better word, though I'm sure there's a standard) on the
mainboard are adjacent, whereas the wire from the case is 3-wide,
with a gap in the middle. Here's roughly what I'm talking about:

| ______
|-- | * |----------
|-- | * |
| |_*__|----------

Question is, can I just pull the wire out of the 3rd position on the
connector and push it into the middle one, and then plug the whole
thing into the mainboard? What's the right way to do this?
Click to expand...

You can do this, certainly.

Make sure that you have identified the correct header (that's what the
prongs are called) for the Power LED cable.

Also, on some motherboards there is an alternate Power LED header that will
accommodate the three 3-pin connector. Check your motherboard manual.

Note: You cross-posted to alt.comp.hardware.homebuilt. That newsgroup is
for people who design and fabricate their own computer hardware, although
you wouldn't know it from scanning the headers. :)

Followups set to a.c.h.pc-homebuilt accordingly.
 
W

Wooducoodu

ignore the rest, BigJim was right, pull back the little tab, the wire slides
right out and you can put but back in the center spot. just be sure to move
the right one because you probably only have extra space on one side for
that now empty side of the connector and the light wont go on if you're
forced to connect it the wrong way.
 
G

Groove

Wooducoodu said this...
the light wont go
on if you're forced to connect it the wrong way.
Click to expand...

Hehe Woody, you've just explained why I cut the empty bit off...

:)
 
W

Wooducoodu

but then what do you do when you want to put a new motherboard in that case
and it needs the 3pin connector? you almost always have space on one side to
leave the extra pin hanging over.
 
G

Groove

Wooducoodu said this...
but then what do you do when you want to put a new motherboard in that
case and it needs the 3pin connector? you almost always have space on
one side to leave the extra pin hanging over.
Click to expand...


A valid point. I've never had this situation arise as yet but it may be
worth reconsidering my technique in light of that possibility...
Thanks.
 
W

Wiley Q. Hacker

Thank you all for the tremendous response. I tried BigJim's idea. I
did manage to destroy the flap at one end, but the middle flap was
fine, and it worked, thanks to the great suggestions.

Out of curiosity, can you buy those little connectors retail? In the
Bay Area, for example, could I walk into a Fry's store and ask for
them? What are they called anyway?
 
C

Christopher Pollard

N

News

Hey Jeff

He is talking about the Power LED whick blinks when the hard drive is in
use.

He is NOT talking about a FAN LED!
 
J

jeffc

News said:
Hey Jeff

He is talking about the Power LED whick blinks when the hard drive is in
use.

He is NOT talking about a FAN LED!
Click to expand...

I sure don't know where I got the idea he was talking about a fan. I must
have had it on my brain from another thread or something....
 
M

~misfit~

jeffc said:
I sure don't know where I got the idea he was talking about a fan. I
must have had it on my brain from another thread or something....
Click to expand...

And, incidently, reversing the polarity of a fan won't make it run in the
opposite direction.
 

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