# Turn off and on the led



## salvage-this (Jan 27, 2010)

I have a case with a nice window and great fans but I want to turn them off when I go to bed.  Is there any way to turn off the led and keep the fan running?  I leave work on the computer overnight to start again in the morning and I don't want to have my room lit up constantly.  I have been referred to websites that have a switch but I have to do the wiring myself.  I in no way consider myself good with wiring.   I found this Click to enlarge

Directron 2-Way Electric Toggle Switch w/ 4-pin Connectors to Control Fans & Lights

http://www.directron.com/switch.html

I think that this will do the job but I can't seem to find any proof that it will turn off just the led.  

Does anyone know if this will work or any other good ways to have the led be on a switch?  I don't want to disable then permanently,  just be able to control when they are on.


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## ScottALot (Jan 27, 2010)

I'm 99% sure you can't turn off just the LED with the average fan, but there are fans out there that feature that switch.

I'm also 99% sure that switch is meant to control fan speed and light (CCFL for example) brightness.


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## Euklid (Jan 27, 2010)

LOL, nope! Nothing you can do, except replace the fans, or cover the window up
by taping paper to the case.

Blue LED's are ridiculously bright. I have alarm clock that has a blue LED screen. I 
have to cover it every night because it makes my room way too bright. 

LED fans were one of the things I _definitely did not want _when I was building my 
computer for exactly that reason; my computer sits in my bedroom, and sometimes
I leave it on at night.


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## Flaring Afro (Jan 27, 2010)

You might be able to rewire them with a switch in between maybe. Guess you can't really cover them up since that would stop airflow.


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## Analizer (Jan 27, 2010)

If you are not using your computer during night and you want them to be switched off, unplug your PSU cable or switch your power supply off at the back of the computer. If motherboard is not getting electricity the fans won't either.


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## awildgoose (Jan 27, 2010)

Analizer said:


> If you are not using your computer during night and you want them to be switched off, unplug your PSU cable or switch your power supply off at the back of the computer. If motherboard is not getting electricity the fans won't either.



But the OP said he (or she) leaves their computer on at night time so it is ready to be used (well I assume ready to be used I guess).

You could buy and just replace the fans with non-LED ones or as another poster said, you would to cover up your side panel. That really would not be a issue if you cut a hole or a series of holes so that the side panel fan could get airflow too.


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## Cams (Jan 27, 2010)

It is possible, I just dont know if you can do it on all LED fans. The new Cooler Master 690 II Advanced has an LED fan down in the front that can be swtched off and on (the leds only) but still runs the fan. I believe it is a 140mm blue led fan.

On second thought I dont see any reason why it wont work on almost all led fans. The leds get their power from wires, so just cut and reroute said wire to a switch. 

Summary. Yes it is doable but you have to do some extensive wiring.


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## Ihatethedukes (Jan 27, 2010)




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## salvage-this (Jan 27, 2010)

Thank you for all of the ideas.  I have narrowed it down to a few things.
I am most likely going to put a black or gray mesh screen on the inside of the window making sure that I don't interrupt the flow of air out of the side panel.  Hopefully this will dampen the blue glow from inside.  I was also thinking about rewiring some the electrical for the fans so that just the power to the led is on a switch like what Ihatethedukes said.  The last thing that I have considered is to just suck it up and if it is too bright,  either live with it or buy new fans.

Thanks again for the ideas!


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## Twist86 (Jan 27, 2010)

Why not just snip the LEDs off and buy some cathodes? You can turn those on and off and its pretty much the same effect of lighting your case


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## Flaring Afro (Jan 27, 2010)

Actually, is your case clear? If not just disable the leds in the fans and get like a 6" neon and put it in and wire it to the psu and put a switch in. lol


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## ScottALot (Jan 28, 2010)

Twist86 said:


> Why not just snip the LEDs off and buy some cathodes? You can turn those on and off and its pretty much the same effect of lighting your case



Bravo, genius!


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## G25r8cer (Jan 28, 2010)

Twist86 said:


> Why not just snip the LEDs off and buy some cathodes? You can turn those on and off and its pretty much the same effect of lighting your case



True that

Cold Cathodes put out quite a bit of light

OP: Or you can hook them up to a fan controller and turn them down at night

When led fans are hooked to a fan controller and turned down the brightness goes down also


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