Anyone know anything about connecting cold cathodes?

[Nooyawkah]

I have a cold cathode kit from PC Mods http://pcmods.com/details.asp?ProdID=137

I broke the bulb so I tried to order another one. PC Mods doesn't show replacement bulbs on their website and that damned company never answers the phone and usually doesn't respond to e-mail.

I then ordered this from ZX Mods http://www.zxmods.com/products/productccmodtubes.html

I can't seem to connect the two to make the bulb work. The inverter is still in the case and it's plugged into the power supply with a 4-pin molex. And it's also connected to a toggle switch. The replacement came with a 3 pin plug that won't fit into anything. I have a 3-pin to 4-pin fan adapter but it won't work with that. It seems like it's not meant to fit into it.

I put in the 2 URLs so you can see things much better than I can explain them. Any help appreciated but remember that my knowledge of electricity is less than none.
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[Ghost_Hacker]

Here are better pictures of the invertors you have. First the ZX one ( which i assume you don't have)
Caseguys review (http://www.caseguy.com/reviews/zxcc/zxcc.html)
Virtual-hideout review (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/articles/cc_kits_shootout/image22.jpg)


Here's a pic of the PCMOD invertor:
Virtual-hideout review (http://www.virtual-hideout.net/articles/cc_kits_shootout/image38.jpg)


As you can see in each case the cold tubes connect to the invertor not the power supply. (the invertor changes the 12v supply to whatever the tube uses)So, the first thing to look at is if the cold tube's connector can fit into the invertor you have. If not, then I would guess that the ZX replacment is only meant to replace thier cold tubes because it is designed to fit only their invertor.


Good Luck http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/smile.gif


By the way the full article I used to research what your kit looks like can be found here:
http://www.virtual-hideout.net/articles/cc_kits_shootout/



[This message has been edited by Ghost_Hacker (edited 03-29-2002).]

[YODA74]

Hmm, PC Mods is a good company They may take three or four days to answer your questions by e-mail that is all company's policies, usually I have gotten a result within 24 hrs.As far as there phone they have always been there when I have called. No company that I know of sell replacement bulbs,If the connectors do not work you can always cut the connectors soldier and use butt connectors and shrink tubing,or make a bus terminal.Becouse of clumsyness Pls.don't knock a good company becouse they are a heck of a lot better than some fly by night Auction house.

------------------
Death has come to our windows.

-- Jeremiah 9:21
(undoubtedly a Biblical reference to a Microsoft product!)

YODA74@windows-sucks.com

[Nooyawkah]

"Becouse of clumsyness Pls.don't knock a good company becouse they are a heck of a lot better than some fly by night Auction house."

Are you saying I'm clumsy? You must have a way to see me through the monitor 'cause clumsy is my middle name. Now that that's out of the way, I'm glad you've had good experience with PCMods. I've called them maybe 5 times over a number a months and four times I received the same recording "our mailbox is full." I couldn't even leave a message. And the one time I did get through they never called me back. As for e-mail, 4-5 days in conservative. Out of maybe 5 e-mails I've gotten 3 responses, eventally. And the one time I wanted to return something it took a half dozen e-mail messages back and forth for them to cough up an RA number.
I've dealt with Accessmicro, Googlegear, ZXMods, Xoxide, S-RSystems PUICorp, and others, and I'm glad to say my experience was positive with each of them. I think that does give me a right to knock the company.