Define R4 Mini Mod

[Expo]

I have a quick question about the define r4. I'm going for a black and red colored schemed build and want to the use the black r4. The only thing is that power button has a blue LED. I have seen people change it before, but I dont know how to do it. So what would I need to change the LED and would it be fairly easy since im relatively new to building computers and modding them. 

[lorekeeper]

well it should be relatively simple, the biggest issue is going to be getting to the led itself- im not familiar with the R4 so i cant tell you how easy / hard that may be, however once you can get the old LED out it should be as simple as splicing the ends of the new led to the existing power connector. Note: getting at the LED may require some slight modding/cutting deppending on whether its even accesible or not. This is really on a case by case basis though so the best thing to do would just be to take a few hours and fiddle with it. Best of luck.
edit: you may also have to resize the hole in which the LED sits in if you cant find one of the same size

[onionring]

just don t plug the led, way easier...

[Expo]

well it should be relatively simple, the biggest issue is going to be getting to the led itself- im not familiar with the R4 so i cant tell you how easy / hard that may be, however once you can get the old LED out it should be as simple as splicing the ends of the new led to the existing power connector. Note: getting at the LED may require some slight modding/cutting deppending on whether its even accesible or not. This is really on a case by case basis though so the best thing to do would just be to take a few hours and fiddle with it. Best of luck.

edit: you may also have to resize the hole in which the LED sits in if you cant find one of the same size

How big of an LED should I buy?

[lorekeeper]

sorry for the long response time, and again it depends on your case.

id say your best bet would be to pull it out then purchase a new one using the old one as a model

[Expo]

sorry for the long response time, and again it depends on your case.

id say your best bet would be to pull it out then purchase a new one using the old one as a model

Alright thanks, i plan on buying all my parts for my pc soon. Ill let you know how everything goes

[InfiniteStratas]

Hey, have you checked out this thread http://www.silentpcreview.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=66059. Please post back because I'm also interested in doing a mod like this.

[ztmj96]

OP, have you managed to change the LED? I own a R4 Arctic White (Red LED) and I might be getting a R4 Titanium Grey (Blue LED) for another build. I want to exchange the LEDs on both cases to suit the colour theme and so I've been doing research to mod it. Have you been able to do so?

[KamiKatze]

@Expo

@ztmj96

 

I have the R4 in Black and i changed the LED to red. You have to pop off the front cover and fizzle out the LED. Cut it. Then solder any 3 mm red LED onto the wires. Re-use some of the old shrinkwrap to isolate the wires when you're done. Then glue the LED Back into place.

 

It looks over 9000!! times better than with the blue LED.

[Expo]

@Expo

@ztmj96

 

I have the R4 in Black and i changed the LED to red. You have to pop off the front cover and fizzle out the LED. Cut it. Then solder any 3 mm red LED onto the wires. Re-use some of the old shrinkwrap to isolate the wires when you're done. Then glue the LED Back into place.

 

It looks over 9000!! times better than with the blue LED.

Do you have some pictures so i could see what it looks like?

[KamiKatze]

Do you have some pictures so i could see what it looks like?

 

 

Sorry, no glammer shot, just a quick pic i took with my crappy phone cam.

[Expo]

Sorry, no glammer shot, just a quick pic i took with my crappy phone cam.

Sweet that looks nice with the red in the front. Also for the case lighting what did you use. 

[ztmj96]

@

 

Wow, it looks exactly like the way I want. Must I use a solder? Because I might not have the equipment for it. Would any other way work?

[KamiKatze]

Sweet that looks nice with the red in the front. Also for the case lighting what did you use. 

 

I used a Phobya LED strip 120mm. I layed it from the top back around the front to the bottom. fyi the cable for the Phobya strip is 30 cm long, which is short. I think Bitfenix makes similar LED strips.

 

 

@

 

Wow, it looks exactly like the way I want. Must I use a solder? Because I might not have the equipment for it. Would any other way work?

 

Try to ask a friend with a soldering iron to help you. I wouldn't just tie the ends together because it might cause a loose contact and short circuits. I'd recommend proper soldering and some old shrinkwrap around the soldering spot. You could google other ways to do it but soldering is pretty much the only way to go.

[ztmj96]

@

I'm trying to switch out the LED right now. There are 2 cables connected to the power LED. I hope you know what I mean. Am I supposed to pull them out by force? There aren't any good guides I can follow online..

[KamiKatze]

@

I'm trying to switch out the LED right now. There are 2 cables connected to the power LED. I hope you know what I mean. Am I supposed to pull them out by force? There aren't any good guides I can follow online..

 

Those two wires are plus and minus. The original LED is glued in pretty tight, don't try to pull it out. i used a small screwdriver and pushed against it. It broke off along with the glue that was used to attach it. as far as i could tell, nothing else broke off. then i just cut off the old LED and began soldering. Be careful which cable is conected to which. Plus and Minus do matter with a LED. I re-used some of the original shrinkwrap to cover up my soldering and used some fast drying epoxy glue to put my LED back (very flimsy).

[ztmj96]

Those two wires are plus and minus. The original LED is glued in pretty tight, don't try to pull it out. i used a small screwdriver and pushed against it. It broke off along with the glue that was used to attach it. as far as i could tell, nothing else broke off. then i just cut off the old LED and began soldering. Be careful which cable is conected to which. Plus and Minus do matter with a LED. I re-used some of the original shrinkwrap to cover up my soldering and used some fast drying epoxy glue to put my LED back (very flimsy).

 

Ah.. thanks a lot I managed to do it now it looks awesome!

[KamiKatze]

Ah.. thanks a lot I managed to do it now it looks awesome!

 

Nice, congrats. post a pic if you can.

[ztmj96]

@

 

I exchanged the LED wires of my two R4 so now it looks like this  (Apologies for the poor quality)

 

 

[KamiKatze]

@ztmj96

 

whoa, nice job. congrats

 

I also thought about sticking my MSI batch there but i think it spoils the clean-ness that the R4 has. Dunno what else to stick it to though.

[ztmj96]

@ztmj96

 

whoa, nice job. congrats

 

I also thought about sticking my MSI batch there but i think it spoils the clean-ness that the R4 has. Dunno what else to stick it to though.

 

Thanks! I was OCD enough to use a ruler, haha. The badge added to the colour theme, so I went ahead with it. I like that fact the MSI has it. Do you know if ASUS ROG provides one as well?

[KamiKatze]

Thanks! I was OCD enough to use a ruler, haha. The badge added to the colour theme, so I went ahead with it. I like that fact the MSI has it. Do you know if ASUS ROG provides one as well?

 

Yep, ruler is the only way to do it.

Naw, havn't seen anything like this in any of the Asus unboxing so far.