geekhack
geekhack Projects => Making Stuff Together! => Topic started by: ojrask on Mon, 07 August 2017, 07:00:20
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I received some MX Lock switches a while back. Otherwise installing would be straight-forward, but I can't seem to figure out how to solder a LED into it.
Most switches I've seen have four LED pinholes along the side, but 99% of the time the LEDs just use the two middle ones (that are right in the center of the switch):
| |
v v
+--------------+
| o (o o) o |
| ------ |
| | | |
| ------ |
+--------------+
But now with the lock switch the LED is positioned off-center and it would use two pinholes from the edge:
| |
v v
+--------------+
| (o o) o o |
| ------ |
| | | |
| ------ |
+--------------+
Most if not all common PCBs only support the pinholes that are in the center of the switch.
I took a peek at a Gateron switch I had handy and it has a small cavity between the switch top and base where you could bend the LED pins to take a curve into the center or edge pinholes. The problem with the lock switches I received is that there is no cavity there to make this happen, you're forced to use the pinholes in the edge.
If I were to try bending the pins under the switch (between the switch and the PCB) the pins would make contact and short the circuit.
How could I go around this and solder a LED into the off-center position on the switch, on a PCB that only has holes that align to the center of the switch? Or am I out of luck with this without a very custom PCB?
I can try and take some photos of the switches when I get home if that helps explain the situation more.
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Photos are always helpful.
Could you add a couple holes to the PCB (without damaging any traces, or if damaging them, re-route those as well), and route wires for the LED underneath?
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You can (in theory) cut the bottom of the switch to allow for bending the legs to make it fit. I'd suggest using an SMD-compatible bottom to make this easier.