I'm currently working on modding a connection panel (usb, firewire, mic, headphones) to somewhere else, and I'm eliminating all the excess plastic surrounding the connections. The mic and headphone connectors were connected to the usb and firewire section by a white wire, which (while i have no/little wire knowledge), doesn't make sense...

If it were black, i could see a them sharing a common ground wire, but i have no idea what wire i severed...any ideas?

Got a photo?

I hoping this wouldn't be just another of my question threads that go unanswered...thanks for that, hopefully a picture will help give answer...


Now, before I got to it, the white wire was connected through the plastic to some part of the usb/firewire section...

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If we knew where it went, it would make a lot more sense.

Remember: colour codes are a suggestion only. Earth could be white too.

I have this big SSI PSU that uses NONE of the conventional colours, I think because it's trying to indicate which connectors are on which +12 rail.

Quote: Originally Posted by Hak Foo If we knew where it went, it would make a lot more sense. Remember: colour codes are a suggestion only. Earth could be white too. I have this big SSI PSU that uses NONE of the conventional colours, I think because it's trying to indicate which connectors are on which +12 rail.

Well, what I know right now is that it went into the usb/firewire part, can't be any more specific than that since they are both covered in the plastic/epoxy stuff...but what other than ground would be shared by both mic/headphones and usb/firewire?

All I know is that the wire went somewhere into the plastic, to the right of the usb in the picture, where the plastic kinda juts out more...

It's hard going since I want to cut the plastic out, but don't want to cut any of the wires (again) but they are kinda spread out inside of the plastic...

I don't know if this will help, but I had a plastic "combo-connector" too, in the case I'm working on.

The thread post is here.



As you can see, my "combo-connector" didn't include a Firewire port. It included the 2 USB ports shown, and 2 audio ports (pink mic in and green audio out). I removed the green audio output in the above pic. I can also tell you that there were 2 audio leads (removed in the above pic). Both had yellow & white wires inside, and one of them included a black ground wire. After they go into the motherboard connector end, which is 10 pins but only 7 are used, 5 separate mobo connector wires come out of the connector; red, orange, yellow, white and black.

The black connectors are labeled: black = ground; red = mic in; orange = mic power; yellow = R out (right); white = L out (left).

I didn't mess with the USB cables at all, I left them intact from the combo-connector end with the USB ports, to the mobo connectors on the other end. I can say that the mobo connector end has 2 sets of 4 wires each, colored red, white, green & black (in that order in the connector). It's also a 10-pin connector with the 2 ends opposite the 2 red wires being empty.

My combo-connector didn't include a Firewire port. I'm not sure what that white wire you're referring to, is. My best guess would be a ground for the Firewire port, if your other wires match up with my description.

Thanks for the mostly helpful post there Coel! I just don't understand why there would even be a shared wire, let alone what it could be...

Without saying what I'm doing, I'm really proud that I figured a way to move a panel"combo" connector from a popular case with seemingly no other good place to put it, to the perfect place to put it....Hopefully I'll get this done...

edit: Darn my inability to rep anyone...

Well, a bit more choppin' and cuttin' and I'm pretty sure that the wire was connected to the metal of the double usb connector...don't understand why the ground is shared between the sections since the ground is part of the each of the wires anyway...

Quote: Originally Posted by Gzim Well, a bit more choppin' and cuttin' and I'm pretty sure that the wire was connected to the metal of the double usb connector...don't understand why the ground is shared between the sections since the ground is part of the each of the wires anyway...

Cool. Well, moving the combo-connector to somewhere of your own design and choosing is way more pimpin' than just painting the existing one. And it gives you room for creativity and flexibility. As far as the white wire going to the metal housing of the USB connectors, maybe that's how ALL USB connectors are? I mean, almost nobody ever whittles away the plastic surrounding most USB connectors, but I dug through my bin 'o' spare wires and found these items.

One is a 4-port PCI-slot-style USB bracket (with the typical plastic-enclosed connectors), the other is a plain circuit board with USB housings soldered directly to it. Indeed, if you follow the traces on the circuit board from where the pins of the black ground wires are soldered, they are directly attached to the USB housing itself.

So at least we can confirm that USB housings are grounded by their outer metal casings or shell.

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Alright, thanks for the help, it's just that I'm planning on putting the ports in a very space limited
spot, and I need to minimize their footprint...Although, I do have a bunch of extras that my mobo included...I'm mostly concerned about making the cut just perfect for the connectors...I'm not quite the best with a dremel...or doing anything at all...or finishing...