Computer cathode lights?

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

So i bought some fan controller for my computer a while back and it came with two free 12" cold cathode blue computer lights.

I was wondering if i could use these to light up the footwells of my driver and passenger areas in my car.. I figure the car is 12v and so is a computer right? I also have what the company called a "glow inverter" that was used to make my blue gauges work, and it had a bunch of extra connectors. the connectors aren't the same as the one on the cathode lights, though somewhat similiar, but i was wondering if i could wire into that instead of splicing new wires..

[VendettaV6]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

yes you can wire them up, google it and you will find your answer.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

I'm not having any luck with google. I'm not exactly sure what to google.. Cold cathode in car doesn't work, or any combination of install cathode car etc..

anybody have a link maybe? i'll keep searching..

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

well, so much for that idea. I was trying to figure it out yesterday, but then ran out of time, i thought i would leave the tubes on my seat and try agin today, but i wasn't thinkigna bout it, and put something on my seat, and when i lifted it up, i noticed i broke one of the cathode tubes.

So i have one. Is there somewhere i can put just one where it wouldn't look stupid? otherwise, where can i get the actual cold cathodes made for cars?
will it hook upto my glow inverter?

[ArticRider]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

I used to have CCL's in my car. They were decent, but no longer my style. The CCL's should've come with some sort of transformer that takes 12V as input. Wire the converter/inverter/transformer to a 12V source. The reason why you need it is because the CCL's take more voltage to light up. That's what the transformer is for. It's output is some higher voltage, which the CCL's use. Add a switch if necessary, depending on where it's wired to.

Here are some pics when they were in mine...I got a bunch for cheap(I think $6 for a pair way back...2003?) with my PC as well, so I had a variety of colors:

[ArticRider]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

BTW, I originally got the idea from this guy's picture. Forgot what forum he was from or who he is...

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

the controller it came with is made for my 3.5" floppy drive. it is a fan controller that just happened to come with some CCLs so i cant use that thing for my car. My gauges however came with a "glow inverter" that gives the gauges the right amount of current, i was wondering though if that would be the right voltage for the Cold cathodes too, since there are extra connectors.

[ArticRider]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

Not sure, you'd have to check what the CCL's need to power them.

[TheGr8Schlotzky]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

are those cragar wheels? what size are they? i was thinking about getting some cragars. They look nice. Where did you get your cathodes?

[ArticRider]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

^ Not my car, but they look like cragars or Torque Thrust II style. I forgot where I got my CCL's from... some cheap place on the internet where they sell a bunch of case stuff(power supplies, fans, cooling, etc.). Case mods I think they were called?

[bah]

Re: Computer cathode lights?

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