Introduction: RGB LED Computer Case Lighting (magnetic)

By My website: Ebike-Builders.com
About: Ebike-Builders.com is the DIY e-bike information hub of the internet. The website offers e-bike build logs, a blog and a forum for builders. If you want to build your own e-bike, look no further.

I wanted to make my own custom pc case lighting because there isn't something like this on the market that has a reasonable price. To make this project you will only need to know how to solder and you don't need any knowledge on electronics. I think the project turned out really well and I am pleased with the result. On the pictures the leds may look a bit dim, this is due to the camera brightness controll. In real life the lighting looks even better!

Step 1: The Parts and Tools

You will need to buy some parts for this project. I used the site Aliexpress to buy my parts, if you can find simular parts elsewhere it's fine to. I used the following parts:

Rigid RGB LED strips: http://nl.aliexpress.com/item/5pcs-lot-RGB-LED-Bar...

Magnets: http://nl.aliexpress.com/item/100pcs-Disc-Rare-Ear...

RGB Controller: http://nl.aliexpress.com/item/Free-shipping-1PC-DC...

Super Glue

Small wires (Breadboard cables for example)

Solder

Female molex connector

Step 2: Soldering Molex to RGB Connector.

Strip the 12V power cable of the RGB controller as well as the yellow and black wire on the molex connector. The other two wires on the molex connector you can cut off. Connect the BLACK wire from the 12V power cable to the BLACK molex cable, you can do this by twisting the wires together and putting solder on it. Do the same thing only now for the RED 12V power cable and the YELLOW molex cable. To insulate the wires you can use heatshrink or electrical tape. You now have an molex to 12V RGB controller power adapter.

Step 3: Cutting the LED Strips

You will need to decide how much LED strips you will use and where you want to place the LED strips. The LED strips can be cut at certain point, see image. The strips must be cut in the middle of the four silver contact points.

Step 4: Soldering the LED Strips

To solder the LED strips you need to first put solder on each of the silver contact points. Next you will need to cross wires between the led strips you want connect with eachother. It's important to connect the + contact point to the other + contact point, the A contact point to the other A contact point, the B contact point to the other B contact point and the C contact point to the other C contact point.

Step 5: Attach Magents on LED Strips

To attach the magnets on the led strips you will need to put dots of super glue on each led strips. Than just simple let the magnets fall on the super glue dots. When the glue dries the magnets are in place. The amount of magnets you will need per strip depends on the lenght off the strips.

Step 6: Connect RGB Controller to RGB Led Strip

Strip the power out cable from the RGB strip, when you have stripped the cable you will see four smaller wires, strip those as well. connect the white wire to the + connection point on the led strip, the blue wire to the A connection point on the led strip, the red wire to the B connection point on the led strip and the green wire to the C connection point on the led strip.

Step 7: TEST

Plug the female molex connector into the molex connector of your PSU, use the remote to turn on the LED strips. If everything works correctly attach the strips to your pc.