Incorporating Illuminated Toggle Switches

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hi,

i'm building a project using an arduino uno to control MAX/MSP. One of the things that i'm doing is using a series of toggle switches to operate switches and send bangs within MAX. The toggle switches I have are illuminated ones but they need 12v to light them up and the 5v fed from the arduino isn't enough. Is there a way of lighting them without damaging my arduino? If i had a separate 12v supply connected up to the switch would it go straight to ground or would it go through to the arduino digital input pin?

Thanks,

James

2

If you want the lights under the arduino control then you have to have a transistor to switch the 12v supply just like a motor in this:-
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Workshop/Motors_1.html