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Keyboard LED MOD - Guide by Nuwanda


Disclaimer: This how-to guide is presented for informative purposes only. PowerOptionz.com can not be held responsible for damages resulting from anything that you may decide to do to your hardware. We also can not and will not be held responsible for injury to your self or others as a result of attempting any of the things that are shown on this site.

So you have a radical new theme to your PC? Finished putting on a nice shiny coat of paint on that case of yours? What about the accessories? Still have those ugly green LED’s on that keyboard of yours? That’s where I step in. In this guide, I’ll show you how to hook up some new good looking LED’s to that keyboard to go along with your theme!

This is a very simple, yet very attractive mod which will cost you less that $2-3.

Parts Required:

    1. 3 X - 3mm/5mm LED’s (Blue, Red, Green, UV)
    2. Soldering Iron
    3. Solder
    4. Screwdriver

Flip the keyboard over and locate the screws. My keyboard had 15 screws, all in visible areas so locating the screws was not a problem. Now is a good time to plug in your soldering iron, and let it heat up. Take your screwdriver and start unscrewing all the screws one by one. Remember to keep all the screws in a safe place, and to separate the different sizes so that putting it
back together won’t be a problem.


Once all the screws have been removed, take off the back plate and locate the PCB on the top left corner of the keyboard.
There will be a screw or two holding it down.




Unscrew those screws and lift the PCB to reveal the LED’s and other components. The LED’s will be mounted on standoffs as
shown in the picture below.



This is where your soldering iron and your soldering skills are put to the test (sort of!). Turn over the PCB and de-solder the
first LED. Make sure you do not place the iron on the PCB for long periods of time or else, the soldering iron will burn right
through it!



Once that is done put in your LED’s. If you are using 3mm LED’s, then use the LED standoffs from the old LED’s. In my case, I was using 5mm ones and so didn’t require it. Remember to put the long lead of the LED through the hole with the + sign! Do the same with the remaining LED’s and when you finish, it should look something like this (sorry for the blurry pic).



Screw the PCB back in place. Adjust the electronic pad (sheet), so that it is aligned properly with respect to every key and the
also the PCB – Very Important step.



Screw the back plate in place and turn your keyboard over and get ready for some serious Oooooh’s & Aaaah’s from your
mates!

 

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