PC Power switches

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MikeMania

n00b
Joined
Dec 9, 2008
Messages
13
Hey guys

So I have a Dell computer and I need to replace the power switch with another. I see there is only two wires leading into the switch which seems simple enough. But as all things do, there may be more to the picture. I'm just wondering if its fine to just buy a momentary switch at radio shack and solder the two wires onto it. Or are PC power switches unique?

Thanks!

oh and btw, this may be too obvious, but if i cut the wires and touch them... i can turn the pc on and off right? Is it cool to do this?
 
Yes, you can use almost any momentary switch and it will work, theres nothing special about it.

I would not suggest cutting the wires and stripping them and turning the computer on and off without a switch. just seems to be a really bad idea.
 
If you are wanting to be cheap there is nothing wrong with creating your own "switch" by touching the wires... It is essentially acting like a "switch".... But, I wouldn't recommend it either.

Can't you find anything in your house that you can hi-jack a switch from?
 
Of course it won't be permanent in the case I cannot find a switch that fits my needs, i may need to modify the existing switch. It will only be much easier for me to do this when its not attached and at the same time I need to use my computer.

anyways, thanks for all the help!
 
I dont know what these guys are talking about telling you not to touch the two wires together. Making contact is exactly what a momentary switch does, and the exact same thing is what happens when you touch two bare wires together. The current flowing through the power switch is so low it cant hurt you or the computer. Anybody who works with pcs knows you can test your computer simply by touching the two mobo headers with a screwdriver....
 
cheezit:
No offense, but I don't think anyone said "do not do that" The comments were suggestions and recommendations.

Did you even read the posts? We have already mentioned exactly what you restated.
 
cheezeit said:
I dont know what these guys are talking about telling you not to touch the two wires together. Making contact is exactly what a momentary switch does, and the exact same thing is what happens when you touch two bare wires together. The current flowing through the power switch is so low it cant hurt you or the computer. Anybody who works with pcs knows you can test your computer simply by touching the two mobo headers with a screwdriver....
Click to expand...

But do you really want 2 bare wires just dangling in your computer?
 
I think a better temporary solution is to remove the power switch leads and just short the two pins (a small screw driver works well) when you want to start the PC, that way there will be no accidental touching.
 
Zero82z said:
Why not? They don't carry anything near what would be considered a significant current.
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I hope this is sarcasm. Because having your computer turn on and off every time you bump the wires is a bad thing... :rolleyes: Its not a safety issue for the person running the computer, its just bad for computer itself.
 
Direfox said:
I hope this is sarcasm. Because having your computer turn on and off every time you bump the wires is a bad thing... :rolleyes: Its not a safety issue for the person running the computer, its just bad for computer itself.
Click to expand...
It's only a bad thing if the two wires come into contact with each other. Otherwise, it doesn't matter. And anyway, it would be pretty silly not to place the wires in such a way that they wouldn't accidentally come into contact.
 
Zero82z said:
Why not? They don't carry anything near what would be considered a significant current.
Click to expand...

Because lets see, you touch them together to start the computer.. if they come into contact with anything else it might short something out?

Maybe if they touch together again, it will shut down your computer.. or randomly start your computer.

Unless that is what you want.

edit: If you are going to place them in a way they won't contact each other and spend that time doing that.. why don't you just do it proper and get a power switch.
 
bigconig said:
I think a better temporary solution is to remove the power switch leads and just short the two pins (a small screw driver works well) when you want to start the PC, that way there will be no accidental touching.
Click to expand...



I did this myself - worked great for a couple weeks till I got my case.
 
just pick up a cheap momentary switch from the shack, take a couple of spare wires, (I believe I used 22 AWG and your good to go...

if you look around you can probably find these items cheaper at HD/Lowes/Autozone etc...
 
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