How to wire Underbody neons
03-08-2005, 06:45 AM
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How to wire Underbody neons
I dont personally have em on my Z, but Ive done them on other cars. Here is how to do them:
If you are using street glows, which is the most popular and easiest to find, there are two series (non-LED), Blue Series and Gold Series. The installation varies in an essential way for the two different series.
Common parts with the two series: mounting. In order to mount, you will notice there are circular strips around the tubes that say "mount here" or "clip here" or something like that. They also give you these circular plastic clips with a screw hole on the end. The obvious part is that the plastic clip goes around the tube where it says mount here. It has to be exactly on there though or the tube will break, because the tube is reinforced in that specific area to hold more pressure from the mounting clips. For the sides: the screws have to be drilled into the bottom of your car, preferably in an inconspicuous place, so they cant be seen while you are driving or parked. Use self-tapping screws, 3/4". You can just drill them in with the screw on the end, but I find it much easier to drill a guide hole with a drill bit first and then the screw just threads right in afterwards. When you are laying down under the car drilling the hole, wear goggles, because little shards of metal fly out from the hole and can get in your eyes. For the front and back: I usually disregard the circular plastic clips and use wireties around the "mount here" places on the tube. It is very hard to line the neon up exactly with somewhere to screw and still keep it inconspicuous in the front and back, so wireties give you more flexibility and still allow you to keep the tube immobile and held tight.
Here is where the two series vary. Each series comes with 4 tubes (2 long, 2 short) and a power box.
Blue Series: each tube needs to be run individually to the power box. They are powered individually.
Gold Series: the tubes connect to eachother in a circular pattern and only 2 connect to the box. If one goes out, they all go out. You create a sort of daisy chain.
Blue Series: you mount the power box somewhere in the engine bay, and it has 4 lines coming off of it (1 per tube). Likewise, each tube has 1 line coming out of it. You have to run each line from the tube up to the engine bay and yellow connector it to the respective line from the power box and crimp. BE CAREFUL OF THE EXHAUST!! IT WILL MELT THE LINES IF IT TOUCHES. I dont know how many times I have seen people saying "my neons dont work" and I look under the car and the wire is melted because it touched the exhaust. When running the wire, run it very carefully and wire tie it to things that will keep it safe distance from the exhaust. Do the same with all 4 neon tubes. After you have done this, you are not done yet, but almost.
Gold Series: Same thing, power box in the engine bay, but this one only has 2 lines coming out of it. All of these tubes have 2 lines coming out of them though. These are more difficult to hookup, but they are better quality. Brighter, last longer, more durable. Anyway, the pattern is pretty simple to understand, its a circle. The rear hooks up to left and right. The left hooks up to front and rear. the front hooks up to the box and rear. The box hooks up to front and left. left to box and rear. Again, yellow connectors, crimp, AVOID EXHAUST PIPES. Especially in a 350z, you have TWO pipes to avoid instead of just one.
Another common point between both kits: Aside from the lines that go to the tubes (either 2 or 4, depending on the kit) you will see 2 other lines, red and black. You can tell them apart because they will be thinner than the tube lines. These are remote and ground. Leave the remote for now, Ill address that in a minute. Focus on the ground. Simple enough-- the negative terminal on your battery is the easiest place. If it is close enough to your battery, crimp a ring connector onto the end of the wire and wrap it around the bolt on your negative terminal and thats all. If not, extend the wire and do the same. The remote line has to come from a switch. The on/off switch for the underbodies.
Switch- (non-light) has two wires to it, power and remote. The power line comes from the battery and mounts into the switch. The remote line goes from the switch to the underbody power box that you mounted somewhere in the engine bay. Im not gonna go too in depth into this because I did in the last tutorial when I discussed how to install Interior neons. Refer to that for installing a switch.
Hope this helps for those of you that want em.
If you are using street glows, which is the most popular and easiest to find, there are two series (non-LED), Blue Series and Gold Series. The installation varies in an essential way for the two different series.
Common parts with the two series: mounting. In order to mount, you will notice there are circular strips around the tubes that say "mount here" or "clip here" or something like that. They also give you these circular plastic clips with a screw hole on the end. The obvious part is that the plastic clip goes around the tube where it says mount here. It has to be exactly on there though or the tube will break, because the tube is reinforced in that specific area to hold more pressure from the mounting clips. For the sides: the screws have to be drilled into the bottom of your car, preferably in an inconspicuous place, so they cant be seen while you are driving or parked. Use self-tapping screws, 3/4". You can just drill them in with the screw on the end, but I find it much easier to drill a guide hole with a drill bit first and then the screw just threads right in afterwards. When you are laying down under the car drilling the hole, wear goggles, because little shards of metal fly out from the hole and can get in your eyes. For the front and back: I usually disregard the circular plastic clips and use wireties around the "mount here" places on the tube. It is very hard to line the neon up exactly with somewhere to screw and still keep it inconspicuous in the front and back, so wireties give you more flexibility and still allow you to keep the tube immobile and held tight.
Here is where the two series vary. Each series comes with 4 tubes (2 long, 2 short) and a power box.
Blue Series: each tube needs to be run individually to the power box. They are powered individually.
Gold Series: the tubes connect to eachother in a circular pattern and only 2 connect to the box. If one goes out, they all go out. You create a sort of daisy chain.
Blue Series: you mount the power box somewhere in the engine bay, and it has 4 lines coming off of it (1 per tube). Likewise, each tube has 1 line coming out of it. You have to run each line from the tube up to the engine bay and yellow connector it to the respective line from the power box and crimp. BE CAREFUL OF THE EXHAUST!! IT WILL MELT THE LINES IF IT TOUCHES. I dont know how many times I have seen people saying "my neons dont work" and I look under the car and the wire is melted because it touched the exhaust. When running the wire, run it very carefully and wire tie it to things that will keep it safe distance from the exhaust. Do the same with all 4 neon tubes. After you have done this, you are not done yet, but almost.
Gold Series: Same thing, power box in the engine bay, but this one only has 2 lines coming out of it. All of these tubes have 2 lines coming out of them though. These are more difficult to hookup, but they are better quality. Brighter, last longer, more durable. Anyway, the pattern is pretty simple to understand, its a circle. The rear hooks up to left and right. The left hooks up to front and rear. the front hooks up to the box and rear. The box hooks up to front and left. left to box and rear. Again, yellow connectors, crimp, AVOID EXHAUST PIPES. Especially in a 350z, you have TWO pipes to avoid instead of just one.
Another common point between both kits: Aside from the lines that go to the tubes (either 2 or 4, depending on the kit) you will see 2 other lines, red and black. You can tell them apart because they will be thinner than the tube lines. These are remote and ground. Leave the remote for now, Ill address that in a minute. Focus on the ground. Simple enough-- the negative terminal on your battery is the easiest place. If it is close enough to your battery, crimp a ring connector onto the end of the wire and wrap it around the bolt on your negative terminal and thats all. If not, extend the wire and do the same. The remote line has to come from a switch. The on/off switch for the underbodies.
Switch- (non-light) has two wires to it, power and remote. The power line comes from the battery and mounts into the switch. The remote line goes from the switch to the underbody power box that you mounted somewhere in the engine bay. Im not gonna go too in depth into this because I did in the last tutorial when I discussed how to install Interior neons. Refer to that for installing a switch.
Hope this helps for those of you that want em.
03-08-2005, 10:09 AM
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Re: How to wire Underbody neons
Originally posted by Srivero297
I dont personally have em on my Z, but Ive done them on other cars. Here is how to do them:
If you are using street glows, which is the most popular and easiest to find, there are two series (non-LED), Blue Series and Gold Series. The installation varies in an essential way for the two different series.
Common parts with the two series: mounting. In order to mount, you will notice there are circular strips around the tubes that say "mount here" or "clip here" or something like that. They also give you these circular plastic clips with a screw hole on the end. The obvious part is that the plastic clip goes around the tube where it says mount here. It has to be exactly on there though or the tube will break, because the tube is reinforced in that specific area to hold more pressure from the mounting clips. For the sides: the screws have to be drilled into the bottom of your car, preferably in an inconspicuous place, so they cant be seen while you are driving or parked. Use self-tapping screws, 3/4". You can just drill them in with the screw on the end, but I find it much easier to drill a guide hole with a drill bit first and then the screw just threads right in afterwards. When you are laying down under the car drilling the hole, wear goggles, because little shards of metal fly out from the hole and can get in your eyes. For the front and back: I usually disregard the circular plastic clips and use wireties around the "mount here" places on the tube. It is very hard to line the neon up exactly with somewhere to screw and still keep it inconspicuous in the front and back, so wireties give you more flexibility and still allow you to keep the tube immobile and held tight.
Here is where the two series vary. Each series comes with 4 tubes (2 long, 2 short) and a power box.
Blue Series: each tube needs to be run individually to the power box. They are powered individually.
Gold Series: the tubes connect to eachother in a circular pattern and only 2 connect to the box. If one goes out, they all go out. You create a sort of daisy chain.
Blue Series: you mount the power box somewhere in the engine bay, and it has 4 lines coming off of it (1 per tube). Likewise, each tube has 1 line coming out of it. You have to run each line from the tube up to the engine bay and yellow connector it to the respective line from the power box and crimp. BE CAREFUL OF THE EXHAUST!! IT WILL MELT THE LINES IF IT TOUCHES. I dont know how many times I have seen people saying "my neons dont work" and I look under the car and the wire is melted because it touched the exhaust. When running the wire, run it very carefully and wire tie it to things that will keep it safe distance from the exhaust. Do the same with all 4 neon tubes. After you have done this, you are not done yet, but almost.
Gold Series: Same thing, power box in the engine bay, but this one only has 2 lines coming out of it. All of these tubes have 2 lines coming out of them though. These are more difficult to hookup, but they are better quality. Brighter, last longer, more durable. Anyway, the pattern is pretty simple to understand, its a circle. The rear hooks up to left and right. The left hooks up to front and rear. the front hooks up to the box and rear. The box hooks up to front and left. left to box and rear. Again, yellow connectors, crimp, AVOID EXHAUST PIPES. Especially in a 350z, you have TWO pipes to avoid instead of just one.
Another common point between both kits: Aside from the lines that go to the tubes (either 2 or 4, depending on the kit) you will see 2 other lines, red and black. You can tell them apart because they will be thinner than the tube lines. These are remote and ground. Leave the remote for now, Ill address that in a minute. Focus on the ground. Simple enough-- the negative terminal on your battery is the easiest place. If it is close enough to your battery, crimp a ring connector onto the end of the wire and wrap it around the bolt on your negative terminal and thats all. If not, extend the wire and do the same. The remote line has to come from a switch. The on/off switch for the underbodies.
Switch- (non-light) has two wires to it, power and remote. The power line comes from the battery and mounts into the switch. The remote line goes from the switch to the underbody power box that you mounted somewhere in the engine bay. Im not gonna go too in depth into this because I did in the last tutorial when I discussed how to install Interior neons. Refer to that for installing a switch.
Hope this helps for those of you that want em.
I dont personally have em on my Z, but Ive done them on other cars. Here is how to do them:
If you are using street glows, which is the most popular and easiest to find, there are two series (non-LED), Blue Series and Gold Series. The installation varies in an essential way for the two different series.
Common parts with the two series: mounting. In order to mount, you will notice there are circular strips around the tubes that say "mount here" or "clip here" or something like that. They also give you these circular plastic clips with a screw hole on the end. The obvious part is that the plastic clip goes around the tube where it says mount here. It has to be exactly on there though or the tube will break, because the tube is reinforced in that specific area to hold more pressure from the mounting clips. For the sides: the screws have to be drilled into the bottom of your car, preferably in an inconspicuous place, so they cant be seen while you are driving or parked. Use self-tapping screws, 3/4". You can just drill them in with the screw on the end, but I find it much easier to drill a guide hole with a drill bit first and then the screw just threads right in afterwards. When you are laying down under the car drilling the hole, wear goggles, because little shards of metal fly out from the hole and can get in your eyes. For the front and back: I usually disregard the circular plastic clips and use wireties around the "mount here" places on the tube. It is very hard to line the neon up exactly with somewhere to screw and still keep it inconspicuous in the front and back, so wireties give you more flexibility and still allow you to keep the tube immobile and held tight.
Here is where the two series vary. Each series comes with 4 tubes (2 long, 2 short) and a power box.
Blue Series: each tube needs to be run individually to the power box. They are powered individually.
Gold Series: the tubes connect to eachother in a circular pattern and only 2 connect to the box. If one goes out, they all go out. You create a sort of daisy chain.
Blue Series: you mount the power box somewhere in the engine bay, and it has 4 lines coming off of it (1 per tube). Likewise, each tube has 1 line coming out of it. You have to run each line from the tube up to the engine bay and yellow connector it to the respective line from the power box and crimp. BE CAREFUL OF THE EXHAUST!! IT WILL MELT THE LINES IF IT TOUCHES. I dont know how many times I have seen people saying "my neons dont work" and I look under the car and the wire is melted because it touched the exhaust. When running the wire, run it very carefully and wire tie it to things that will keep it safe distance from the exhaust. Do the same with all 4 neon tubes. After you have done this, you are not done yet, but almost.
Gold Series: Same thing, power box in the engine bay, but this one only has 2 lines coming out of it. All of these tubes have 2 lines coming out of them though. These are more difficult to hookup, but they are better quality. Brighter, last longer, more durable. Anyway, the pattern is pretty simple to understand, its a circle. The rear hooks up to left and right. The left hooks up to front and rear. the front hooks up to the box and rear. The box hooks up to front and left. left to box and rear. Again, yellow connectors, crimp, AVOID EXHAUST PIPES. Especially in a 350z, you have TWO pipes to avoid instead of just one.
Another common point between both kits: Aside from the lines that go to the tubes (either 2 or 4, depending on the kit) you will see 2 other lines, red and black. You can tell them apart because they will be thinner than the tube lines. These are remote and ground. Leave the remote for now, Ill address that in a minute. Focus on the ground. Simple enough-- the negative terminal on your battery is the easiest place. If it is close enough to your battery, crimp a ring connector onto the end of the wire and wrap it around the bolt on your negative terminal and thats all. If not, extend the wire and do the same. The remote line has to come from a switch. The on/off switch for the underbodies.
Switch- (non-light) has two wires to it, power and remote. The power line comes from the battery and mounts into the switch. The remote line goes from the switch to the underbody power box that you mounted somewhere in the engine bay. Im not gonna go too in depth into this because I did in the last tutorial when I discussed how to install Interior neons. Refer to that for installing a switch.
Hope this helps for those of you that want em.
03-11-2005, 06:22 PM
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someone PMed me asking if I knew how to do them because they were interested, so I replied tellin em how to. In the process of replying, I saved the writeup and posted it up here.
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