How to hook up lights or fans to a PC Power supply

You want to power the lights on your coin door or run a DC fan to cool your MAME cabinet? The following information should help you understand this concept.

Required parts:

PC Power supply
Power Y-Splitter or power connector from an old processor fan
Light bulbs between 5 and 12 volt (if they are not already in the sockets on your door) to put into your coin door look at the original ones or the socket for size. (you can get these at any radio shack)
Quick disconnects usually .250 instead of .127 used on all other cabinet connections
A few feet of scrap wire
Wire nuts
Electrical tape

Standard Y-Splitter (available at Radio Shack or any computer store)

The reason I use the Y-splitter is so you don't cut the original power supply wires. You may have to use it for something else some day so why ruin it. The setup is very simple.

1. Cut off one of the female ends of of the y-splitter

2. Determine how many volts your light will require by the markings on the bulb (5 or 12 volts may be more or less use the closest it will work fine)

Refer to the chart below to determine which wires you will need eg. a light bulb is 12 volts use the yellow and either black ground wire

Pin / Wire Color / Signal
1 / Yellow / +12v
2 / Black / Ground
3 / Black / Ground
4 / Red / +5v

Attach 2 scrap wires to each of the wires you selected on the splitter with the wire nuts and tape over it to make sure it stays connected. Make sure the wire is long enough to reach your lights without pulling even with the coin door opened all the way

Attach the appropriate quick disconnects to the end of the wires and hook them the the contacts below the light sockets.

Now you have light coming from your reject buttons when ever you power on the PC.

You can also use this method to hook up fans or other things that need 5 or 12 volts of power like Lusid's mouse to happ optical board hack, an Optipac with no Ipac to provide power, a happ serial connector for trackball, or a light for a translucent trackball.

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