Reviewed by Barry Little - June 18, 2008

Manufacturer: Lamptron

Model Number: HUMMER

Price: $19.95 (U.S.)

You’ve loaded your rig with two or more video cards in SLI or Cross Fire with plenty of fans to keep things cool. Or you’ve installed enough lighting to make Vegas look like it was in the middle of a blackout.  Now you’re wishing there was a quick, easy and affordable way to turn it all off when you really don’t want or need any of it. Well, there is—the Lamptron HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus.

About Lamptron

Lamptron develops and markets the next generation of high performance computer peripherals using the latest technology that enables a new level of interaction between the end-user and their personal computer. Products developed are through a combination of proprietary technology, innovation and ergonomic industrial design. There are three principal business sectors:

   1. PC Gaming products

   2. PC Silence products

   3. PC Modding products

Products are designed and developed by our experienced Research and Development Department. Our engineering and R&D staffs specialize in user analysis, material control and industry design. Lamptron not only has expertise in product easy-to-use and product design, but we also plays a vital role in the enhancement of production efficiency and marketing analysis. We are constantly developing new products and technology to meet market demands and to generate new markets for our innovation products.

Our Global success is attributed to three basic visionary attributes:

   1. Continue to offer innovation products which means the products are in the highest quality and innovation.

   2. Providing our global partners with a level of service that is consistent with our premium product range.

   3. Helping our global partners grow, through reliable service, quality products, flexibility and co-operation, this simple philosophy has allowed us to build long standing relationships with global distributors.

Package and Contents

In these inflationary times there are few if any companies that aren’t trying to minimize costs, and Lamptron is no exception. In fact, Lamptron has taken quite a unique approach in keeping their packaging costs down when it comes to the HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus and another Lamptron product.

The  HUMMER  ships in a box with a black glossy finish and a photo of the black anodized aluminum version of the baybus surrounded by a green glow (the HUMMER  is also available in a natural, brushed aluminum finish). I should point out that the glow around the HUMMER  on the box is merely a marketing embellishment for illustrative purposes—the baybus has no LED illumination, as we’ll see later on in the review. Before you cry “Foul!” I should also point out that nowhere in the HUMMER’s features or specifications that are listed on one side of the box, does it say that it is an LED illuminated baybus. You will find that the box next to the “HUMMER” model-name, and the appropriate box under “Color Available,” has been marked. Nothing unusual in that, until you look on the back of the box and see what would be the front box panel for Lamptron’s other 5-port Military Switch Baybus—the FAN-ATIC. Look on the opposite side of the box and you’ll see features and specs for that particular baybus as well.

In the event that you missed the aforementioned boxes that were checked that tell you which model and color baybus is inside, Lamptron has placed a see-through plastic window in the top flap of the box, where the unit is clearly displayed, to avoid any confusion or doubt as to which one you’re actually buying. Sure, it might be a bit unusual and confusing at first glance. But you’ll have to admit  it’s certainly a creative, one-of-a-kind approach in eliminating the expense of printing two separate and individual package designs.

Of course, creative dual-purpose product marketing doesn’t mean much if the product isn’t adequately protected from the hazards and rigors of shipping it from Point A to B. Contrary to its name, the HUMMER is hardly as tough as its four-wheeled counterpart. Which is why Lamptron sandwiches the HUMMER between two blocks of thick, plastic-coated foam, with an even thicker piece at the bottom of the box.

Inside, you’ll find the HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus, with a package of screws and five Molex adaptor cables—one for each switch on the baybus. What you won’t find is an instruction sheet on how to connect the switch cables to the HUMMER and install it in an available 5.25” drive bay inside your case. But Lamptron figures most modders—the audience for this product, already know how to do all of that. Still, some sort of printed instruction sheet for the benefit of someone who has never turned a screwdriver on a computer before in their life who might want to install the HUMMER, would have made the kit seem more complete.

The HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus

Measuring 148mm x 42mm x 80.8mm, the Lamptron HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus is made of rugged CNC milled aluminum. The hair-line brushed finish comes in natural aluminum (silver), or the anodized black that you see on the review sample here. Five chrome-plated steel military toggle switches extend from the faceplate, with elongated slots between each switch that act as windows for the thick sheet of green acrylic sandwiched between the faceplate and backplane/mounting bracket.  As I mentioned earlier while HUMMER has no illumination capabilities on its own, any illumination inside the case will shine through the window slot. How bright depends on the source of the illumination.  At each corner of the faceplate, Allen-head screws keeps the entire assembly solidly secure.

Each switch has a 100W rating that can support just about any 12v device inside your PC that you can think of. The HUMMER’s switches act as an On/Off toggle to whatever is connected to them, and do not permit any voltage variation adjustments. As a result, if you have a rather noisy, high speed fan in your case running at 2,500 RPM and you would like the ability to adjust the fan to lower RPM (and noise) settings—like 1,500, 1,000 and 500 RPM for example—the HUMMER’s switches can’t do that. You would only be able to turn the fan on where it would run at its maximum rated RPM (and noise)—or off. To keep costs and complexity down, Lamptron has taken what is essentially a 9.5” long  Molex extension cable with a male Molex on one end, female on the other, split the yellow wire in half and installed clips on each end to connect to the HUMMER’s switches. The connectors have plastic sleeves to prevent any possibility of metal-to-metal contact and shorting something out. Simple, but effective.

Unlike some switch baybus units in its price range which use a lot of plastic in their construction, it’s safe to say that the HUMMER would have no trouble surviving a drop on the floor. The construction, weight and feel of the unit certainly brings images of its namesake to mind.

Installing and Testing

You’ll need a 5.25” drive bay free in your PC’s case to install the HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus. Most baybus units do not have a mounting bracket that spans the entire length of the drive bay, and the Lamptron HUMMER is no exception. If your case has a drive bay that requires screws to secure a device in it, then it’s no problem. However many of the latest cases have drive bays that use what is commonly known as a “tool-free” mounting systems that utilize a “slide ‘n lock” or “lever-lock” mechanism. This is great for a full-length 5.25” device as it allows quick installation and removal without needing screws and the obligatory screwdriver. But it can be problematic for many baybus devices, including the HUMMER. The problem is, the baybus bracket may not extend far enough into the bay for the locking mechanism to engage against it.

The extent to which this is a problem varies with each case and baybus. On the Cooler Master Stacker 830 NVIDIA Edition tower case used in this review, you can unclip the tool-free drive bay latches and use the conventional screw hole mounting underneath. A good thing, since the Stacker’s tool-free latches were unable to secure the HUMMER properly in the drive bay. However, you must consider the specific design of your particular case before plunking down your dollars for the HUMMER, and be prepared for a little “Plan B” cobbling if needed.

It’s always a good idea to test any baybus before you go through the hassle of installing it, connecting everything and tidying up all the wiring—only to find that something doesn’t work. I decided to unclip the four 120mm fans from the Stacker’s Side Fan Tray and hook them up to the Lamptron HUMMER, with some 3-pin-to-Molex fan adaptors.

The first order of business is getting the switch cables connecting. Since Lamptron didn’t include any instructions, it probably doesn’t matter which of the yellow switch cables—the one from the male Molex and the one from the female Molex—goes on which pole on back of the switch. When in doubt, be consistent I always say. So I connected the wire from the female Molex to the upper switch pole, and male Molex to the lower switch pole, for each switch.

One thing I noticed, was how snugly the connectors fit. On one hand, it’s a good thing, because you want to avoid loose connections from poor connections that can cause problems. On the other hand, the connectors were just a bit too snug, and I accidentally broke one of the clips off the back of the switch trying to get the wire on (well I hadn’t used any colorful language while working on a computer in awhile, so now was as good a time as any to get back in practice). If you run into a similar situation with the HUMMER, you can avoid making the same mistake by taking a small screwdriver and prying the wire clip open a bit—not so much that it won’t be secure, but just enough to get it on without any undue force.

Once I got the switch cables connected, I plugged the fans into male end of the switch cable, the female ends into some free Molex cables on the test system’s power supply and powered-up the system. The HUMMER’s switches turned each fan on and off without incident. Once I removed the tool-free locking clips, bolting the HUMMER into the Stacker’s drive bay was the easy part. Cable management is always the biggest chore, particularly when you’ve got a cluster of Molex cables to deal with. I recommend that after you’ve connected the switch cables on the HUMMER that you bundle and wire tie them to make them neater and more manageable before installing it in your case; then take it from there. Naturally, the design of your case and the specific devices you connect to the HUMMER will play a major role in the amount of effort required in tidying things up.

Conclusion

Overall, I was impressed with the quality and design of the Lamptron HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus. The heavy-duty, quality aluminum construction is a big plus compared to other baybus devices with a healthy dose of plastic in their diet. And there’s no denying the rugged coolness of those big toggle switches with a solid, reassuring feel that you just can’t get from a smaller, cheaper switch—or one made of plastic. And the 100W per-switch rating insures that the HUMMER is more than up to the task of powering up multiple 12v accessories that use 4-pin Molex connectors, in your rig.

In a growing market of “me-too” PC mods where blue has become the “beige” that dominated PCs of years gone by, the green acrylic windows of the HUMMER are a refreshing change—and a welcome addition for any NVIDIA-themed rig. The lack of illumination is good for those who prefer a more subtle touch, while those who prefer a little more bling can use their case lighting to backlight the windows.

Drawbacks? The HUMMER isn’t widely available in the U.S. channel as of yet, though that’s likely to change soon (keep an eye out on FrozenCPU.com and Performance-PCs.com). Mounting it in tool-less case bays could be a problem. Of course, that’s never stopped a modder with a little creativity, determination, a drill with a good set of metal bits and a Dremel. Nevertheless, it’s something you should be prepared for, just in case (no pun intended). And don’t forget a small screw driver to loosen up those wire clips a bit, unless you’re prepared to give the darker side of your vocabulary a good work-out. Another thing to look out for, is if your case has a front panel door. Happily, the door on the Stacker case used in the review cleared the HUMMER’s toggle switches, which protrude 0.75” from the front panel. You may not be so lucky with your particular case. Check the clearance specs in your case’s manual or on its website, or break out the tape measure. A printed instruction sheet, even though a good portion of the HUMMER’s intended audience probably won’t need it, would be nice for newbie modders and PC enthusiasts. Finally, if you need a baybus that can adjust the level of case lighting, fan speeds, or any other device that requires a similar adjustment, then you’ll want to invest in one with a bit more flexibility than the strictly-on-or-off HUMMER.

With a suggested price of $19.95 (U.S.), if you need a stylish, rugged yet affordable way of powering on and off the accessories and devices in your rig, the Lamptron HUMMER 5-Port Military Switch Baybus is a good choice.

Barry’s Rigs ‘n Reviews would like to thank Rita Wang of Lamptron for providing  the sample for this review!