Cold Cathodes (Need Help Wiring Two 12" Cathodes)
04-08-2006, 04:13 PM
#1
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Cold Cathodes (Need Help Wiring Two 12" Cathodes)
Ok, as you can see in the pictures below, i just got my cold cathodes today and im dieing to get them in the footwells to see how they look. Ordered the chatodes from www.case-mod.com If someone with wiring experience or someone who has already done this mod could please help me out, it would be greatly appreciated.
Here is what i want to do: Put one cathode in each of the front footwells and wire them both into where the dome light is wired.
Questions: How do i know which of the two wires comming out the end of the cathode is positive and which one is negative since they are both white colored wires???
Do i need to cut the little plugs off the ends of the wires comming out the end of the cathodes???
What Size Gauge of wire will i need to get so i can run the wiring all the way to the to where the dome light is connected.
Idk, i just need to know exactly what i gotta do.
Here is what i want to do: Put one cathode in each of the front footwells and wire them both into where the dome light is wired.
Questions: How do i know which of the two wires comming out the end of the cathode is positive and which one is negative since they are both white colored wires???
Do i need to cut the little plugs off the ends of the wires comming out the end of the cathodes???
What Size Gauge of wire will i need to get so i can run the wiring all the way to the to where the dome light is connected.
Idk, i just need to know exactly what i gotta do.
04-08-2006, 04:20 PM
#2
It has been recommended not to mess with the white side because the voltage is high and changing lengths will cause the voltage to change so the brightness will not be the same. The white wires just plug into the inverter, and they can only plug in one way so you dont have to determine which is postive or negative. Its the wires from the molex connectors you have to worry about.
Second, if you have an old power supply you can cut off one of the molex connectors and use it to tap the dome so you can plug in and remove easily. That is what I did.
Another thing, you cant or it will be VERY hard to use 1 cathode for both sides. I dont know of anyone that has done it. The wires are not long enough to leave the inverter in the middle and mount the cathodes.
Second, if you have an old power supply you can cut off one of the molex connectors and use it to tap the dome so you can plug in and remove easily. That is what I did.
Another thing, you cant or it will be VERY hard to use 1 cathode for both sides. I dont know of anyone that has done it. The wires are not long enough to leave the inverter in the middle and mount the cathodes.
04-08-2006, 04:47 PM
#3
slobalt defender
I extended one of mine, keep the end white plug, and use 16ga wires to expand it. It will make the light output a bit dimmer though.
04-08-2006, 05:32 PM
#4
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So basically i have to connect both white ends of the cathodes into the inverter which is the blue box in the pic and then the red and black wires plug into the other side of the inverter comming out of it. I would then need to cut the red and black wires towards the end of them and then get some 16 Gauge wire and connect it to the ends of the black and red wires and then tap into the dome light with the other end of the extension wire correct??? I dont care if the lights are a little dimmer cuz i dont want them super bright. Do they loose that much output or not much????
I just now understood how the cathodes wires are not long enough to put one on each side, SO HOW WOULD I DO THAT THEN, i thought the 16 gauge extension wire connects to the black and red, no???? Or is that 16 gauge extension wire supposed to connect into the white cathode wires and then get some other type of extension wire to connect to the black and red???? I WANT TO GET THEM IN SO BAD, but this is my first time doing a mod like this. Need assistance ya kno.
I just now understood how the cathodes wires are not long enough to put one on each side, SO HOW WOULD I DO THAT THEN, i thought the 16 gauge extension wire connects to the black and red, no???? Or is that 16 gauge extension wire supposed to connect into the white cathode wires and then get some other type of extension wire to connect to the black and red???? I WANT TO GET THEM IN SO BAD, but this is my first time doing a mod like this. Need assistance ya kno.
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04-08-2006, 06:10 PM
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wow i just did a search and found a thread wit 6 pages, and thats the one im talking about
try doing a search jesus..
and for the fact i did do this mod but i dont want to bother explaining it for you
try doing a search jesus..
and for the fact i did do this mod but i dont want to bother explaining it for you
04-08-2006, 06:37 PM
#9
slobalt defender
you can use 16ga to extend on both ends, cut the white wires in half, and then splice a new wire to each one and connect it back to the original plug and remaining white wire. You also use 16ga to extend the pos/neg wires as well.
04-08-2006, 10:00 PM
#10
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Hit up http://www.oznium.com/forum/. The site and forum does mods with computer cold cathodes into cars among underbody stuff. Oznium sells cold cathodes for really cheap, and the owner of the site is a great guy who ships his stuff the next day and makes personal calls when there's problems with the order. (He also rocks a custom red Highlander on hydraulics!)
If the white wires aren't long enough, you'll need to buy another inverter. I'd actually suggest getting another set of cold cathodes and keep the two extra tubes as spares because they're chepaer.
If the white wires aren't long enough, you'll need to buy another inverter. I'd actually suggest getting another set of cold cathodes and keep the two extra tubes as spares because they're chepaer.
04-09-2006, 12:31 AM
#11
Originally Posted by HockeyMan0920
I extended one of mine, keep the end white plug, and use 16ga wires to expand it. It will make the light output a bit dimmer though.
04-09-2006, 03:22 AM
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Originally Posted by hzm82
1) Remove the passenger fuse box panel.
2) Run the wires.
3) Locate the harness with four wires. (The one with the red ciricle around it in the pic below) and unplug it (dome light and map lights should no longer function now).
4)Slice the 12V plug off the neon lights and locate the positive and the negative wires. The wire with the white line should be the positive and the clear wire should be the negative (this is for 54 Studio 10" neon lights, if you aren't sure, disasemble the 12V plug and see which is the positive and the negative)
5) Use the wire taps to connect the positive wire of the neon light to the white wire w/ blue line on the harness.
6) Wire tap the negative wire on the neon light with the black wire w/ white line on the harness (look close and make sure it's the black wire with the white line, not just the regular black wire)
7)Secure the wire taps (circled in blue in the pics)
8) Plug the harness back in and see if the lights work.
9) Clean up and tuck the wires away and use the wire ties to secure the neons.
2) Run the wires.
3) Locate the harness with four wires. (The one with the red ciricle around it in the pic below) and unplug it (dome light and map lights should no longer function now).
4)Slice the 12V plug off the neon lights and locate the positive and the negative wires. The wire with the white line should be the positive and the clear wire should be the negative (this is for 54 Studio 10" neon lights, if you aren't sure, disasemble the 12V plug and see which is the positive and the negative)
5) Use the wire taps to connect the positive wire of the neon light to the white wire w/ blue line on the harness.
6) Wire tap the negative wire on the neon light with the black wire w/ white line on the harness (look close and make sure it's the black wire with the white line, not just the regular black wire)
7)Secure the wire taps (circled in blue in the pics)
8) Plug the harness back in and see if the lights work.
9) Clean up and tuck the wires away and use the wire ties to secure the neons.
post #35 in the thread.....cmon i got this one out of typing "Cathodes" u spelt it right so...........
never knew bout the dimming.......arg..
04-09-2006, 01:38 PM
#13
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i dont want it to be very bright anyways, i just want both cathodes to give a nice suttle lighting effect in the footwells. If its that badly dim after doing it that you hardly see any light in there, then ill just get new cathodes, but whatever its worth a try.
04-09-2006, 10:09 PM
#15
DRINKING HAS A ME PROBLEM
Originally Posted by t0ast
If the twelve inchers turn out to be too bright, you can get six inchers from oznium.
04-10-2006, 08:12 AM
#16
Originally Posted by dvsxlt247
i dont want it to be very bright anyways, i just want both cathodes to give a nice suttle lighting effect in the footwells. If its that badly dim after doing it that you hardly see any light in there, then ill just get new cathodes, but whatever its worth a try.
04-12-2006, 01:24 PM
#18
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if i use a wire tap to tap into the wire for the dome light, and i dont do it right and take the wire tap out, will the original dome light still function even though it will have a small opening in the wire????
04-12-2006, 02:52 PM
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Ok, good news, i was able to extend the white wires comming form both cathodes and i also extended the black and red wires that go into the inverter. I taped into the dome light wires and wala, it worked like a charm. I also want to let you all know that the cathodes are not any dimmer what so ever at all. There exactly the same brightness as they were before i extened the wires on them so i think there are some INFORMATION corrections that need to be made on this mod. Im porbably going to make another post that explains everything about doing this and whats fact and whats fiction because i have heard 10 different stories about this cathode mod as far as the cathode not being fully lit or dimmer etc so im gona correct alot of those things other have mentioned. I'll post pics later tonight.
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