SYSTEM PANEL CONNECTOR

WHAT IS A F-PANEL CONNECTORS?

• Alternatively referred to as the fpanel or front panel connector, the system
panel connector or system panel header controls a computer power
button, reset button, and LED’s.
• System panel cables are two wire cables that are color-coded to help
identify where they connect to the motherboard system panel connector.
• With most computer motherboards, the system panel cables are connected
directly to the motherboard.
 FPANEL CABLE COLOR CODE
• The black or white wire is the GND (ground) wire
• The colored wire is the powered wire.
• The cables, colors, and connections vary depending on the computer case
and motherboard you have, however, generally include the cables
 TYPES OF SYSTEM PANEL CABLES

• HDD LED (IDE LED)

- The LED activity light for the hard drive. This indicator is the light that flashes as
information is being written to and read from the hard drive.
 PLED (POWER LED)
• PLED (Power LED)
- The LED power light, which indicates when the computer is on, off, or in Standby.
 PWRSW (POWER SW)
• PWRSW (Power SW)
- Controls the power button that allows you to turn on and off the computer.
 RESET SW
• Reset SW - Handles the reset button to restart the computer.
 WHICH DIRECTION DO THE SYSTEM
PANEL CABLES CONNECT?

• The system panel cables are not keyed so can be plugged in any direction.
• Except for the LED cables, the system panel connector cables can be
plugged in any direction.
• If the LED cables are plugged in backward, the LED light will not work.
• Usually, with most modern motherboards, you can identify what cable goes
where by looking at the motherboard for a + and a - symbol.
• The colored wire (powered wire) would connect to the + symbol and a white
or black cable (ground) would connect to the - symbol.
• In the diagram example above, copied from a motherboard manual, you
can see how each of these cables connects to the motherboard.
• For example, in the top-left portion for the PLED (Power LED), the first pin is
PLED+, which indicates the colored wire side of the connector connects to
this pin.
• Keep in mind that how these cables connect vary depending on your
motherboard.
ANOTHER TYPE OF FRONT PANEL
HEADER