Can Anybody Help with a Neon Light Setup?

[BigBlue66]

Hey Gang,

I caught the modding fever awhile back. Just installed a window mod and dressed up my wiring. My kid calls and tells me that Walmart has neon light kits for automotive use. It’s just a standard 12volt light tube.

So I buy a slim 9” and 5” light tube. I tried to hook up the 9” light tube last night. No go. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong. I can tell you what I have already done though.

First, my kid said to use the red wire from the molex connector to the positive wire of the light tube. I reminded him that the 12volt wire is the yellow wire and the red wire is the 5volt wire. Right? Anyway, I humored him and hooked up the positive wire from the tube to the red wire and the negative wire from the tube to the black wire. No go. Next, I tried using the positive wire to the yellow lead and negative to black. Still no go. So then my kid said I needed an inline fuse on the positive side. The cig lighter adapter that came with the kit had a 5amp fuse and a On/Off switch in it. So I hooked up an inline fuse holder and used the fuse from the kit. I didn’t mess around with the switch though. So then I got to thinking that I don’t really need a fuse because I don’t have a switch, except for the main power source. The light should come on as soon as I hit the power button, right?

Help me out here guys. I’ll be the first to admit that electricity is not one of my strong points.

TIA BB66


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This message has not been edited by BigBlue66.

[d03boy]

Just keep connecting wires together until it works or you get electricuted, that's what I do!

Actually don't...

...d03boy

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[david eaton]

BigBlue. Your right in principle, the positive side of your light connects to the yellow, and the neg to black -- BUT, these lamps have quite a startup surge. Thats why they need a five amp fuse. Normal running current is less than 1amp. Possibly your PSU can't deliver the amps needed. What's the rating on the +12 volt line, and what are you running of it? HTH

David

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Any system, however complicated, if looked at in exactly the right way, will become even more complicated.

[BigBlue66]

Thanks for the replies so far.

My power supply is an Antec PP-303XP. On the 12volt rail, it's rated at 15amp max and .8amp min.

I just talked to my kid and he said he used the transformer that was inside the cigarette adapter to make his work. No doubt it's like an inverter or something. So back to the drawing board.

Cheers.

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This space reserved for highly intelligent observations and witty remarks.

This message has not been edited by BigBlue66.

[david eaton]

Yup, sounds right. The only lamps of this type I've used had the inverter in the lamp itself, but if it's in the plug, then you'll have to dismember the plug, so that you can connect the inverter in circuit. Life's a b***h sometimes ain't it?

David

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Any system, however complicated, if looked at in exactly the right way, will become even more complicated.

[BigBlue66]

Got it! She's purty now. http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

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This space reserved for highly intelligent observations and witty remarks.

This message has not been edited by BigBlue66.

[rond36]

When you remove the inverter the wire coming from the tip of the plug is 12V+(hook to yellow) the one coming from the side contacts is 12V-(hook to black). My inverter has blue(+) and black(-) wires between the inverter and the bulb. If you remove the inverter from the lighter plug be sure to insulate it because it has capacitors on the circuit board and can give you quite a shock. ZXmods (http://www.zxmods.com/products/productmaincoldcathodepage.html) sells heat shrink tubes for inverters and has all of the other parts for neon and cold cathode tubes. They also sell windows designed for the Antec SX1030 and 1040 towers (http://www.zxmods.com/products/productmaincoldcathodepage.html).
I modified one of the red white and blue neon lights(18" long bulb 6"of which is red 6"white and 6" blue) that they sell at Wal-Mart. It has the inverter in the case with the bulb I removed the tube that covered the bulb and part of the case surrounding the inverter, switch, and sensitivity control(this light blinks to the sound of music). If I remember right your case is the Antec SX1030 or SX1040 this bulb fits perfect in the back left corner of the case mounted vertically and held in place with self adhesive wire clamps.

P.S. Sorry I was late http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/rolleyes.gif

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[This message has been edited by rond36 (edited 04-07-2002).]