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IndustryArena Forum > Maintenance in General > Maintenance DIY Discussion > Wiring up an Illuminated toggle switch
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Apr 2003
    Posts
    95

    Wiring up an Illuminated toggle switch

    Hello group, First I am not an electrician but can do basic things with wiring. I thought this project would be simple to do but I am running into a little problem. I am trying to run a computer fan and have it connected to a illuminated toggle (rocker) switch that is connected to a walwart for power. I can get the fan to run but I cannot get the led light to come on when I turn on the switch. I have have watched several videos on youtube that was close to what I was wanting to do but still no success.

    I am using a DC 12V 0.18A computer fan, A Rocker Switch 2 Position, Illuminated from McMaster-Carr (p/n 7395K38) and the walwart is TRIAD switching mode power supply p/n WSU120-1000/model: WS2U120-1000/input: 100-240V1~50/60Hz/0.4A MAX/output: 12.0V = 1.0A, McMaster-Carr p/n 70235K96.

    On this switch all connectors are silver and the ones I watched videos from has one connector gold to tell which one is ground. My switch has on one side at each connector "la" "l" "lb". When the switch is on, the power goes through the "la" and "l" connectors. So "la" gets the positive wire from the walwart. "l" connects to the positive wire on the fan and "lb" gets the negative wire from the fan and walwart. This will run the fan turning it off and on but the light will not light up on the switch. What do I need to do?

    Sorry for the long post but I really appreciate the help.

    Eric

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2018
    Posts
    1516

    Re: Wiring up an Illuminated toggle switch

    Bear with.....
    You don't think of it as needing both + & - going to it for the fan.
    Example, you only use 1 wire for switching on a 2 pin ie: Gnd- is directly connected from supply to fan & only the + goes through the switch.
    So + in and + out.

    With a 3 pin It's similar with + in and out for switch & fan. But this time the Gnd- is connected to both the fan and the switch in parallel (this gnd is to operate the led).

    Think of it like this image.
    Power + from supply goes into switch (con1).
    Power + comes out to fan (con2).
    Gnd - goes from supply, into fan & into switch in parallel (con3). This gives the led a circuit.

    You just need to figure out which is which and wire like this.


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