A reed switch is an electrical switch operated by an applied magnetic field, here’s a simple how-to on using one to turn on a computer.
20 thoughts on “Reed switch computer turn-on”
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Magnets in close range to sensitive electronic components…ya, that seems smart.
I like the idea, but yeah, I don’t know how comfortable I would be having to stick a *magnet* near my computer whenever I turn it on.
wrap the wires around the reed switch – nice electronic know how
what ever happened to a good old soldering iron?
I love the idea though… If you really wanted to, you could disuise the switch in your keyboard or something… Place the magnet on the num-lock light and presto… a little safer no magnets near your precious data.
You could use the unused pairs on ethernet to mount the switch inside a router or something too…
Relax. With the shielding on most computers, it would take a fairly powerful magnet in close proximity to the hard drive to degauss it. Remember; inverse square law.
For a less obvious turn on you can use a ring with a magnet on it and just press your knuckles, and thus the ring, over the reed switch and use your thumb to turn the computer on.
security through obscurity, tsk tsk tsk!
A magnet this small will have a very fast vanishing field. It’s a dipole so if I recall correctly it will decrease in 1/r^3 (not 1/r^2).
Despite what the commentary says it would also work through non magnetic metals, like aluminium.
I have a reed switch (connected to a relay) in-line with the fuel pump on my Jeep.
No fridge magnet on the dash = Jeep starts (loud) but only runs for 30 seconds.
Fridge magnet on the dash = Jeep runs
Poor man’s car alarm.
PS: To anyone thinking they can steal my Jeep now, replace dash with actual location of reed switch ;-)
Would be better if you modded the PSU along with this. For most this would be the ATX power supply. Just do what he did but put inline of the wire connecting pin 14 (green). Of course the magnet would have to stay there durring operation of the computer.
What about a circuit to switch on the PC via IR remote
(e.g. using remote from TV card or Creative Audigy, etc…)
The circuit would need to take power from the 5VSB pin of the ATX PSU making it more complicated than a simple read switch, even more so if it was to respond only to 1 button on a specific remote.