Lighted Fan Light Switch

Have one of those lighted fans in your computer?  They are cool but the light is on when the fan is running and the intensity varies if you use a speed controller.   Wish you could slow down your fan without losing your lights or just turn out the lights with out turning off the fan?  In this Instructable I will show you how to do just that.

Step 1: Tools You Will Need

The tools we need are pretty basic...
A soldering iron and solder we need an old USB cable and an E-xato knife. I used a USB cable because of the size of the wires. They need to be small enough to feed under the motor housing of the fan.  Just cut off the ends and remove the outside casing.  This will leave you with four wires, two of which we will use.  The black one and the green one.

Comments

[Wally_Z]

Could I get a schematic or something so I can understand this a little better? Great 'Ible except I don't understand were to cut and solder wiring. Please send me a schematic or explain it to me. Thanks in advance.

[nin9liv9s]

hey, what if i'd like to put all leds of 6 fans in 1 switch is this possible? Do I need a tpst switch? thanks.

[the seaker]

Yes it is possible. you just have to wire each fan in this same way, then attach all of the black wires to one side of the switch and all the green to the other. you can use just about any switch you wish for this task. It would be easiest with 6 fans to take the 6 black wires solder them together to one wire and do the same with the green and connect the single wires to the switch.

[ContraptionMaker]

If you guys are interested, I made a, well let's call it a mini power strip, that you could plug in many lights or fans. There are two banks to plug lights into, one for one set of lights and one for anothe set of lights. Hooked up up to a DPDT center off switch. In my case I could turn on all the blue lights or just the UV instead, or you could turn them off completlly.

[the seaker]

could you go into more detail on your "mini power strip"? im trying to get an idea of what you mean, maby upload some pics in your free time? Thanks

[recordmasta001]

Btw its LEDS not LCDS - but nice structable!

[ContraptionMaker]

Thaks, fixed the "LCD". It was a late night :)

[Bluedove2897]

And theres another error it's Thanks not Thaks lol!

[ContraptionMaker]

Hey Bluedove, it's "there's" not theres ROFLOL

[zack247]

i cant wait for the instructable on how to add leds, the lighted fans are quite expensive! great instructable, 5*s

[ContraptionMaker]

Hi Zack, Glad you like the structable. As far as the fans go, not sure where you buy them but check here. They have fans starting at $1.99 up to $14.99. I do some case mods and have bought a lot of parts from them.