WANTED: Misc used computer parts

I am planning on building some little 5v LED spotlights for my Halloween display and wiring/powering them with old computer parts. Specifically, I need:

* Male USB connectors- If you have access to a lot of old USB mice or keyboards, I'd love to take about 20 off your hands so I can re-use the cable and plug.

* USB hubs- I can pick them up for cheap off ebay, but free is better... If you have a bunch in the scrap pile, i'd love to take them off your hands.


So if you have access to a parts pile and are willing to give some of it to me, PM me!

Sorry fresh out of that stuff

Dug through the attic at lunch and found 9 no longer needed items with male USB connectors on them, so I am almost half way there on them. Also dug out an old ATX power supply.

The plan is to wire the USB hubs up to the 5v outs on the ATX power supply for my power station. Each spotlight will consist of a 10mm blue LED mounted inside a 45-degree PVC elbow, with about 10 inches of PVC pipe as a riser. I will then solder a 100 ohm resistor to the LED (to drop the voltage at the LED down to 3v), add about 30 feet of wire, and put the male USB plug on the end. Plug each spotlight in to a hub port and I am good to go.

Before wiring in the resistor, I'd test... 30' of wire will act somewhat like a resistor. It looks like most blue leds are between .03a an .075a. Depending on the gauge of wire, that'll be about .1-.3v drop. Cat5 is 24g. http://genuinedealz.com/voltage-drop.html

Thanks for the advice... These are the LEDs I ordered. I'm thinking once I get all the parts together, it may be a good idea to walk across the street to talk through my idea with my electrical engineer neighbor. :D

Eh... they didn't tell you the amperage or the birghtness? I'd definitely run it down to 3v and hope they don't melt :D

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Originally Posted by goofygrin

Eh... they didn't tell you the amperage or the birghtness? I'd definitely run it down to 3v and hope they don't melt :D

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Yeah... I'm taking a chance there... I found it was difficult to find 10mm blue LEDs from a source that can get them to me in time to have these built by Halloween without paying a more than I am willing to spend. Pretty much all the 10mm blues I saw (that were 2 expensive or took a month to get here by boat) were all listed at 3v @ 20ma. I am hoping these will be the same and that is where I came up with the 100 ohm resistor. I guess if the wire adds more resistance, it will add a safety factor. LOL

I have 2 mini towers you can have. The only thing they are missing are the hard drives, so if you needed the power supplies, USB parts, etc its all there.

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Originally Posted by Titus

Yeah... I'm taking a chance there... I found it was difficult to find 10mm blue LEDs from a source that can get them to me in time to have these built by Halloween without paying a more than I am willing to spend. Pretty much all the 10mm blues I saw (that were 2 expensive or took a month to get here by boat) were all listed at 3v @ 20ma. I am hoping these will be the same and that is where I came up with the 100 ohm resistor. I guess if the wire adds more resistance, it will add a safety factor. LOL

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Spoken like a technician, not an engineer :D

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Originally Posted by Rebel

I have 2 mini towers you can have. The only thing they are missing are the hard drives, so if you needed the power supplies, USB parts, etc its all there.

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Thanks, but I already harvested what I need from towers that I had. Just need the male USP cords and hubs now.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by goofygrin

Spoken like a technician, not an engineer :D

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::Bleh::


(Its actually the project manager in me... too many times telling my team "it's not in the budget, but if you can make it work without costing us anything, go for it")

Oh no, don't get me wrong. Engineers will tell you how it's supposed to work. Technicians actually make it work.

Hackers make it work when the technician said it was unpossible. Just don't ever touch it.

OK... I ordered the hubs I needed off of Ebay for cheap. If anyone has a big spool of wire taking up room in their garage, I would be happy to take it off your hands... Cat3, Cat5, etc... I am not picky... just want a lot of it!

Hey! Was wondering how everything worked out - and if you have any video!

It worked out great... I will get some video of everything tonight.