How do I add LEDs to my Corsair K60 keyboard?

[huttala]

Hi!

I have an Corsair K60 keyboard on the way (that I got for free, yay), that I'm going to mod as much as possible.
So the first thing I'm going to do is change all the stems to clear ones, so I get ergoclears, thats easy peasy.

The other thing I want to do, but don't really know how to do is to add LED's to each key.
Does anyone know if the K60 has the same PCB and powersource for the LEDs as the K90 (wich is backlit)?

If not, how do I make this possible, I guess I could use the external USB that's on the back of the K60 as a powersource, but what do I add to it? How does it work with the keyboards that are backlit from the beginning? I'm not sure what to buy, so I can make the LEDs light up.

The LEDs I'm planning to use are white ones, with the following specs:
2.8-3.4V
20mA
5800mcd

And yes, I know this project will be a pain in the ass, but I've been trying out all the switches I could get a hold of, and finally found the right switches for me (ergoclears).

So now I just need to make a keyboard look the way I want, and I love the design of the K60, so here I am.

EDIT:
Ah, right.. I havn't got the keyboard yet, so I cant take pictures of the PCB, that's why I'm making this thread. So I can be as prepared as possible when the board arrives.

[rille]

Look here: http://www.babooforum.com.br/forum/inde ... 60-review/

The PCB has pads for LEDs. There are also pads for the series resistor (next to each switch/LED). Can you solder such small SMD resistors? Looks like 0603 (1,60 mm length).

You have to take low power LEDs (2 mA). Then you need only 210 mA (105*2 mA). The keyboard itself needs only 100 mA (regarding to the label) so you can use the power from USB. If you use LEDs with 20 mA you would need 2100 mA, way too much for an USB port (500 mA max.). You can also use a bright LED with lower current as specified. 5800 is IMHO much too bright. And than >100 of these LEDs. Do you want to use your keyboard as a lamp? Test the brightness before you have to change >100 resistors.

And you will also need key caps which let the light through.

[huttala]

Look here: http://www.babooforum.com.br/forum/inde ... 60-review/

The PCB has pads for LEDs. There are also pads for the series resistor (next to each switch/LED). Can you solder such small SMD resistors? Looks like 0603 (1,60 mm length).

You have to take low power LEDs (2 mA). Then you need only 210 mA (105*2 mA). The keyboard itself needs only 100 mA (regarding to the label) so you can use the power from USB. If you use LEDs with 20 mA you would need 2100 mA, way too much for an USB port (500 mA max.). You can also use a bright LED with lower current as specified. 5800 is IMHO much too bright. And than >100 of these LEDs. Do you want to use your keyboard as a lamp? Test the brightness before you have to change >100 resistors.

And you will also need key caps which let the light through.

Thanks a lot!

And yes, that might be to bright, does anyone have any idea what LEDs they use on the mechanical keyboards that are backlit? I'd like to have LEDs that gives a little bit stronger light then they do, since I'm not going to use transparent keycaps for the lighting.

About the resistors, I did solder that small resistors on my GPU when I did a voldmod, but I don't think it will be fun to do that on all the keys on a keyboard, but I guess I could use bigger ones like this:

And bend the legs so they fit the holes on the PCB?


And if I understood you right I can use the LEDs I have, but with lower current, say 2mA as you said, then the LEDs should light up at 580mcd instead, or doesn't it work like that?

I'm not going to use caps that let the light trough since I want the LEDs to light up the board, not the keys.
Like this (look at the alu base, not the keys):

[ripster]

Possible, but pretty cramped in there.

LOL the Italian site uses the Toms HW red switch animation from Lethal Squirrel at GH. I TOLD him he should have watermarked the pic!

[rille]

And yes, that might be to bright, does anyone have any idea what LEDs they use on the mechanical keyboards that are backlit? I'd like to have LEDs that gives a little bit stronger light then they do, since I'm not going to use transparent keycaps for the lighting.

You can use your ultra bright LEDs but set them to ~1...2 mA. For this you need a series resistor in the range of 1...2 kOhm. Just buy some different resistors and try how bright it is. I don't think that the brightness is proportional to the current. If you have the part number of the LEDs you can look for a dat sheet.

But keep the overall current in mind. The max. current per LED is 4mA (400 mA for LEDs + 100 mA for keyboard = 500 mA max. current from USB port).

About the resistors, I did solder that small resistors on my GPU when I did a voldmod, but I don't think it will be fun to do that on all the keys on a keyboard, but I guess I could use bigger ones like this:

And bend the legs so they fit the holes on the PCB?

There are no holes, SMD=Surface Mounted Device. A normal resistor is possibly too big. The pads have <2 mm distance, the case of a normal resistor (0207) is ~6,3 mm long, the smaller ones (0204) are ~3,6 mm long. They have also a much higher diameter (3,5 or 3,6 mm) so you could get problems with closing the case. I would buy a special solder iron for SMD (called Soldering Tweezers, e.g. these, you can also buy cheaper ones) and do it the professional way

[huttala]

And yes, that might be to bright, does anyone have any idea what LEDs they use on the mechanical keyboards that are backlit? I'd like to have LEDs that gives a little bit stronger light then they do, since I'm not going to use transparent keycaps for the lighting.

You can use your ultra bright LEDs but set them to ~1...2 mA. For this you need a series resistor in the range of 1...2 kOhm. Just buy some different resistors and try how bright it is. I don't think that the brightness is proportional to the current. If you have the part number of the LEDs you can look for a dat sheet.

But keep the overall current in mind. The max. current per LED is 4mA (400 mA for LEDs + 100 mA for keyboard = 500 mA max. current from USB port).

About the resistors, I did solder that small resistors on my GPU when I did a voldmod, but I don't think it will be fun to do that on all the keys on a keyboard, but I guess I could use bigger ones like this:

And bend the legs so they fit the holes on the PCB?

There are no holes, SMD=Surface Mounted Device. A normal resistor is possibly too big. The pads have <2 mm distance, the case of a normal resistor (0207) is ~6,3 mm long, the smaller ones (0204) are ~3,6 mm long. They have also a much higher diameter (3,5 or 3,6 mm) so you could get problems with closing the case. I would buy a special solder iron for SMD (called Soldering Tweezers, e.g. these, you can also buy cheaper ones) and do it the professional way

Aight, can I add just one LED with one resistor to see how bright it gets or how's the PCB wired, I guess that should work since some of the LEDs tend to brake, and the others still light up.

And about the small resistors, I just read on an Swedish forum that you can put some sort of paste on the plate and then use hot air to solder them in place, that should work right? If that method works I can add sereral resistors at the same time and the worktime would get a lot shorter.

[off]

You know, I *think* you can get away with normal (non-SMD) resistors in this 'case'.
PS Hutt: you're looking at soldering at the spots marked Rxx on the bottomside of the board for the resistors, and the usual spots inside the switches for LEDs.

If you consider that that plastic on the bottom left in this pic will fit inside the case (not sure, check when you have it in front of you), then that means that the height difference between the pcb there and the end of that plastic will be the height you have for you resistors- and considering that resistors are quite small (smd even more so ofc); I'd say it fits. Just clip off the legs halfway and once soldered subtly bend them towards the board in a way that doesn't hit any pcb metal, and you should be good to go.

As said though, try one first so you'll know a bit of what you can expectin the end before you go all-in.

[rille]

@huttala
Test the LEDs outside the keyboard. If you solder and desolder them or the resistors several times you can damage the PCB. You could also select the LEDs for same brightness.

If you solder with a normal heatgun you could damage the switches and other heat sensitive parts. I wouldn't do it.

[huttala]

Ok, so I've been researching about how to solder the resistors. So that's not a problem anymore, I know how to do and it seems like I can do it without expencive equipment.

Now I just need to find out which resistors to use, there seems to be different kind of SMD resistorst that are the same size and with the same resistance. So I'll just give you the URL of the biggest(only) place in Sweden that sells stuff like this, and it's in english.

What should I buy ? Some of them are really expensive (50€~ for 100) and some of them are pretty cheap.
If I have to buy resistors for 50€ and then LEDs for 50€ this mod seems kinda useless.
https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~se_en/elfa/in ... D+resistor

EDIT:
I found this: https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~se_sv/elfa/in ... &toc=19543

Seems like it covers everything, and the price is 5€~ for 100 of em, so thats like nothing. Would be awesome if those will work.

However, all the LEDs I can find seems to have 20mA current, so I don't know what to do with that problem.
I read that they won't turn on if they get less current than 20mA, but that cant be true can it?

[off]

re too little power, can very easily be true. can. depends on the led.

[rille]

At first you need the correct value for the resistors. If you have found it, you can take the cheapest resistors with the correct size (measure at the PCB) and +/-1% tolerance. The correct category in the shop is:https://www.elfa.se/elfa3~se_en/elfa/in ... ors,%20SMD. You can find the possible sizes here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surface-mo ... s.2C_sizes. I guess 0603 or 0805 should fit.

[rille]

I read that they won't turn on if they get less current than 20mA, but that cant be true can it?

It's simply wrong. The voltage has to be high enough but the current can be reduced.

Here you can see a diagram from a datasheet:


The lower the current, the lower the intensity (=brightness).

[off]

The lower the current, the lower the intensity (=brightness).

Thanks for correction/clarification.

[huttala]

Aight, I'm going to buy normal resistors at first, since that's what I can get from the local store. I'll connect LEDs on the 5V line of one of my MOLEX contacts, I guess this will work, since I'm assuming that the LEDs on the Corsair board (and every other board thats backlit) has paralell connected LEDs.


And the way I'm going to connect the LEDs to the 5V of the molex is like this: 5V -> LED -> resistor -> ground.

Please correct me if I got the logics the wrong way.

Oh, and this is just to try out the intencity of the LEDs, when I find the right resistance for the LEDs I'm going to buy SMD resistors and add them to the board.

[rille]

since I'm assuming that the LEDs on the Corsair board (and every other board thats backlit) has paralell connected LEDs.

As I can see the LEDs should be in parallel connection at the K60.

[huttala]

I just figured out another thing, the coltage from the powersource in the keyboard might be other then 5V, but if I do a test from the 5V molex I will get 5V.

If I get less voltage from the keyboard, then the LEDs wont light up as much as with 5V, right?
Damn, need to find my multimeter and check out the voltage on the keyboard when it arrives..

[off]

All depends on the led. If you're unlucky, you buy/bought leds that need 5V.
http://www.instructables.com/answers/LED-Voltage-Help/ check that, inc datasheet, to understand how to read those

[huttala]

All depends on the led. If you're unlucky, you buy/bought leds that need 5V.
http://www.instructables.com/answers/LED-Voltage-Help/ check that, inc datasheet, to understand how to read those

I only bought 50 leds for 4$ so thats np. And they are specified for 2.8-3.5v. So im going to need something to drop the voltage with as well, sigh.

[off]

re: 'sigh'
no, what you bought, at least the V-rating, seems good.

why?
because resistors do exactly that when they are in series with the led; part of the voltage is over the led, another part is over the resistor.
and all the current flows through both.

read up a little bit so you feel more secure with your soon to be brand-new board

eh, iI'll edit in more info; just a sec.

basics: *disclaimer, not necesarily worded right, or with the right terms*

Code: Select all

R=U/I   (or put in a different way, 'Ohm = Volt / Amp', aka 'Resistance = Voltage / Current')   [i]*cough*fix'd*cough[/i]
resistances in series add up:  
R1 + R2 = Rtotal

resistances in parallel add up to become less: 
1/R1 + 1/R2 = 1/Rtotal


a certain voltage over a single [u]series[/u] gets split up proportionally to the resistances in that series:
(a single example here)

R1         + R2         +   R3          = Rtotal   
500 Ohm + 500 Ohm + 1000 Ohm = 2000 Ohm

V1         + V2        +    V3          = Vtotal
2.5 V     +  2.5 V   +    5 V         = 10 Volt

A1         = A2        = A3             = Atotal
You calculate A by dividing 10 V by 2000 Ohm, so 0.005 A, aka 5mA; so:
5mA      = 5mA     = 5mA           = 5mA

In parallel is a different story, but suffice it to say that in that case instead of the voltages 'dividing' over the different components, the currents will divide over the different paths, but inversely proportional to the resistance of that path.

[rille]

I just figured out another thing, the coltage from the powersource in the keyboard might be other then 5V

Where should another voltage come from? There're only 5V from USB, so I'm quite sure, the developer used this. But check it with a multimeter to be sure.

[off]

Where should another voltage come from? There're only 5V from USB, so I'm quite sure, the developer used this. But check it with a multimeter to be sure.

technically absolutely not necessary as you probably are aware, conversion can take place; like a transformer in a car, or a powersupply in a pc.

[huttala]

Where should another voltage come from? There're only 5V from USB, so I'm quite sure, the developer used this. But check it with a multimeter to be sure.

technically absolutely not necessary as you probably are aware, conversion can take place; like a transformer in a car, or a powersupply in a pc.

This was what I was thinking about. And I want the same voltage at the 5V molex as I get from the keyboard, so I know what brightness I'll get when I put resistor X into the keyboard.

So just putting 2 LEDs in serial wont work, I need the same voltage from the MOLEX as I get from the keyboard. But I'll find my multimeter and check what voltage I get from the board.

[off]

hurhurhur

[rille]

The picture is a bit irritating because one LEDs will not draw 150 mA What is the "ton of chips"? The only thing which could be there is a circuit for brightness control.

It's easy to calculate the series resistor. Subtract the LED voltage from the supply voltage, e.g. 5V - 3.2V = 1.8V. If you want 2 mA just use R=U/I, so R = 1.8/0.002 = 900 Ohm. You can also use this online calculator: http://www.muzique.com/schem/led.htm.

I looked again at the pictures of the PCB. The K90 has a light control but the K60 will most likely not have the parts for it. I guess it's the missing parts (U2, Q2 ...) in the picture: http://i1208.photobucket.com/albums/cc3 ... 80x768.jpg. So you have to check where you have 5V and GND and route it to the PCB track of the LEDs.

If you have the board, make good pictures of the whole PCB and we can help you. And find your multimeter, you will need it

[off]

The picture is a bit irritating because one LEDs will not draw 150 mA What is the "ton of chips"? The only thing which could be there is a circuit for brightness control.
It's easy to calculate the series resistor. Subtract the LED voltage from the supply voltage, e.g. 5V - 3.2V = 1.8V. If you want 2 mA just use[u] R=U/I,[/u] so R = 1.8/0.002 = 900 Ohm.

I must've been fast asleep behind the wheel at that post a bit up... x''D claimed 'r=u*i'... sigh.
You say one led will not draw 150mA; not the ones you want ofcourse but they definitely exist- hence the text, 'all numbers from thin air'
And ton of chips means a collection of all the unknown crap that corsair put between usb/5v and the leds, could just as well be a very bad soldering contact.
Also, you can't really assume a usb port to actually be 5V, really does fluctuate between systems/houses etc, same with the specced max of 500mA; quite a few systems have issues providing that, sadly.
You can keep 5v supplied but remember to keep the total draw under 450mA just to be sure.


edit re below, tryyyying to keep my postcount in check a bit more:
Grats! Small victories can taste so sweet in the right context

[huttala]

I didn't get the board today...

But I will get some really highres pics when I do get it, and now I have everything I need for the LED testing (resistors, leds, molex connector, cables).

And I'll try to find the multimeter later today.

[huttala]

Fucking hell, I got a LED to light up!! Finally some progress.
Not on the keyboard tho, since I havn't got it yet, but atleast I got some 1kohm resistors and 5V from a molex connection.

I tok some pictures but it's nothing to see now, just two LEDs that light up. One with 160ohm resistance and one with 1Kohm resistance. The funny thing is that I can't see the differens of the LEDs, I think both of them light up just as much.

So I'm going with 1Kohm resistors since the difference was minimal and with 1Kohm I'm on the safe side with the current.

Yay! I finally know how to make this thing happend.

[huttala]

The keyboard is still missing... Don't know what the postal services here in Sweden does. It's the second time I get something sent without tracking and it's the second time the package suddenly "dissapears". Last time it was a Radeon 5850(when they were new and expencive).

Oh well, if it doesnt show up I'll just get an quickfire rapid and mod that board instead.

EDIT:
I spoke to the postal office in Sweden and they didn't send the keyboard, they forgot about it.. Sigh.. Well, it's on it's way now, guess I'll get it monday or tuesday.

And I got another board as well, a shitty Qpad MK-80 (xarmor) but I'll mod away everything stock from it exept the PCB.

[huttala]

I got the MK-80 today, and man it was a pain to remove the switches. The solder went trough the hole and on the other side of the PCB on all switches when I tried to suck it away from the switch.

I'm planning to change all the blue LEDs to green, and use white leds on WASD the arrow keys and number 5 on the numpad.

Heres some pics.












[/QUOTE]

[off]

I got the MK-80 today, and man it was a pain to remove the switches. The solder went trough the hole and on the other side of the PCB on all switches when I tried to suck it away from the switch.
I'm planning to change all the blue LEDs to green, and use white leds on WASD the arrow keys and number 5 on the numpad.

Gotta say hut, I like your style; second brand new board in a row that you're diving in to mod (well first is still to come in, but that's not your fault ).

But; please tell me, why desolder the switches when you want to get a ledswap done? Or is there somfin' you're not letting on?
Oh, also, how much did this q cost you delivered (seeing same country as factory/shop and all)?