Neon lights in the cockpit
#1
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Neon lights in the cockpit
OK for the last couple weeks ive had my 4 neon black light tubes in my car and ive been trying to install them. I had them wired directly to my battery to a switched and then spliced off to the 4 lights, but it turned out my wires would heat up super hot when id turn the switch off because all the power was being stopped.
i had to take all the wires out and now im trying to figure out the best spot to power my lights from, any suggestions? im thinking im going to have to wire it from my stereo, but if there is something better someone, please give me advice. Email me at AParshall04@hotmail.com or msg me on here or post back on this thread. I'm sure theres a lotta other guys who wanna put lights inside their car, its a pretty popular thing to do these days. Thanks.
-Alex
i had to take all the wires out and now im trying to figure out the best spot to power my lights from, any suggestions? im thinking im going to have to wire it from my stereo, but if there is something better someone, please give me advice. Email me at AParshall04@hotmail.com or msg me on here or post back on this thread. I'm sure theres a lotta other guys who wanna put lights inside their car, its a pretty popular thing to do these days. Thanks.
-Alex
#2
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That is pretty weird. I think its gettin hot during use and not after its off. Power do not flow if theres no ground connection, so it would be pretty imposible for power to by still going after the switch is off. Would suggest you get a higher gauge cable. Make sure you got your connections right too.
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Originally posted by AParshall04
I'm sure theres a lotta other guys who wanna put lights inside their car, its a pretty popular thing to do these days.
I'm sure theres a lotta other guys who wanna put lights inside their car, its a pretty popular thing to do these days.
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Originally posted by droideka
**** yeah, man! Besides popularity, they just ****ing ROCK! WOO HOO!
**** yeah, man! Besides popularity, they just ****ing ROCK! WOO HOO!
back on topic, if it is something you want to do......try a heavier guage wire and consult a car audio shop OR order teh illumination kit that comes optional on the Japanese 350Z....I have it and it's subtle and nice and is rarely concidered "Rice"
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i was kind of half joking about how the lights are so popular, most of the guys on this site are a lot older than me (im 18). anyway, im still working on powering the lights, ive tried the wires that connect to my stereo, didnt work, i assumed red was power, black was ground. But ive changed my speakers also, and if any of you have done that, you noticed that power was not red, and ground was not black.
So here's my new question for you expertZ, does anyone know which color wire to the stereo is power and which is ground? that would be a tremendous help. Thanks!
So here's my new question for you expertZ, does anyone know which color wire to the stereo is power and which is ground? that would be a tremendous help. Thanks!
#6
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I would not suggest running of the stero's wires. Should a seperate wire from the battery to the lights (use a higer gauge cable like 8 or 6 awg) If you tap into the stereo's speaker (Looks like 14 or 16awg cables) You going to run the risk of a fire (seeing how the current wires are heating up) That thin wire most likely will not support both light and stereo at the same time.
Look at the How-to posted on the top of this forum to run a wire from the battery into the inside. Also make sure you add an inline fuse to that cable so you don't blow your lights or the battery.
You can ground it on any exposed metal on the car's body.
If you must know what color wire powers the stereo (I hold no responsiblity if you short or burn the wire) Its the yellow one with the red strip (its thicker than the rest) Ground is the antenna (theres a green wire attached to it), but use the big ground near the top (under the 3 gauges, it has a big copper wire on it) Thats a better ground point than the green wire.
Look at the How-to posted on the top of this forum to run a wire from the battery into the inside. Also make sure you add an inline fuse to that cable so you don't blow your lights or the battery.
You can ground it on any exposed metal on the car's body.
If you must know what color wire powers the stereo (I hold no responsiblity if you short or burn the wire) Its the yellow one with the red strip (its thicker than the rest) Ground is the antenna (theres a green wire attached to it), but use the big ground near the top (under the 3 gauges, it has a big copper wire on it) Thats a better ground point than the green wire.
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Thanks a lot, i think ill consider using heavier gauge wire first instead of the stereo. i dont have extra money to spend buying another 350z if i blew this one up.
A little off topic, but alphared i was wondering if you have any recommendations for grounding kits. There are a lot of generic ones that supposedly fit the 350z, but is there any specific brand you think is better than most? Thanks.
A little off topic, but alphared i was wondering if you have any recommendations for grounding kits. There are a lot of generic ones that supposedly fit the 350z, but is there any specific brand you think is better than most? Thanks.
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#8
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10 or even 12 gauge should be PLENTY of wire for this.
can you describe how you have it wired? you may find your switch is not rated to handle the current going through it. thus the idea is that you run it through a relay that is rated for the current. could go into detail, but explaining electronics in text never works.
but anyway, even assuming you go straight through positive battery-switch-neon-negative battery. that would light it up, assuming the neon is rated for 12-14.4volts of course. and 10gauge wire would support the power just fine, and when the switch is off, there is 0power going through the circuit meaning it wouldnt get hot at all.
maybe you can explain how you have it wired, your definitly missing something, if its getting hot when the switch is off, as that would indicate current is still flowing(possibly straight from pos-neg BAD!)
can you describe how you have it wired? you may find your switch is not rated to handle the current going through it. thus the idea is that you run it through a relay that is rated for the current. could go into detail, but explaining electronics in text never works.
but anyway, even assuming you go straight through positive battery-switch-neon-negative battery. that would light it up, assuming the neon is rated for 12-14.4volts of course. and 10gauge wire would support the power just fine, and when the switch is off, there is 0power going through the circuit meaning it wouldnt get hot at all.
maybe you can explain how you have it wired, your definitly missing something, if its getting hot when the switch is off, as that would indicate current is still flowing(possibly straight from pos-neg BAD!)
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Pics?
I am interested in doing this as well, but would like to see some pictures of a completed install to see if it would look the way I hope it would. Anyone have any interior neon pics?
-Chrismcagle
-Chrismcagle
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