Ok........so, I've noticed the DIY cathode bandwagon.........and who am I to resist jumping on? But....I wanted something unique.........not just flip on a switch, lights come on.....flip off the switch, lights go off. So I had the big fat bright idea that MY light setup would have some options.....like flashing, and more importantly, pulsing with the music. So, I bought a a little computer LED kit that had a circuit board and control module for doing just this........detecting music, and triggering the lights. So, it took a bit of cutting, stripping, splicing and wiring to hook all the cathode tubes (4 of them) up to this circuit board. And...on top of that........it took me a while to realize that this cicuit board used a variable ground........NOT a variable power lead.....to control the pulsing of the lights. I kept hooking up the cathodes to the 12v lead from the circuit board, and grounding them directly to the chassis. And what did I get? Flashing? Pulsing with the music? NO!!! I got a steady light. WTF?

Hmm.........maybe the power lead isn't variable. Maybe its the GROUND that's variable. DUH! Yep.........that was it..........after I grounded everything through the circuit board, I realized the lights responded properly to the setting (ie, flahsed, pulsed with music, etc). I could grab power from anywhere......as long as I grounded through the circuit board.

Ok......so I got that much figured out. Now.....its time to mount the circuit board in a convenient place such that the control switch is readily accessible. But......those little solder points on the back of the circuit board are just asking for trouble. So, taking this into consideration.........I cover the back of the circuit board with electrical tape. Buuuuuuuut..........those little solder points were just a bit too 'pointy' to be subdued by a mere strip of electrical tape. They managed to puncture the tape while I was securing the circuit board...........touched some metal under the dash..........and VOILA...........magic smoke everywhere!!! YAY!!! Circuit board number one FRIED!

So.......I go pick up another circuit board. This time.......I take no chances........I go nuts with the electrical tape. I even top the electrical tape off with a piece of 1/4" foam weatherstripping. Those little solder point ain't getting through THAT right? Right! So.....thinking I've got everything under control.......I hook everything back up. At this point..........the entire light setup includes four 12" cathode tubes....two LED ligth bars each including 6 LEDs........plus two LEDs for the cup holders. Total.....4 cathodes........14 LEDs.........all grounded through this little circuit board made for a computer.

Does it work? Hell yeah it does! Lights flash when I set them to flash...pulse when I set them to pulse. Done right? Cool right? NOPE! I clean up my tools.....put everything away. Return to my car........satisfied and ready to head to my girlfriends house........open the door. What do I smell??? Magic smoke! Do the lights turn on? OF COURSE NOT!!!! Circuit board number two FRIED!!!

Do I get another circuit board? Um........no! At this point.......I've realized what I should have realized to begin with. This tiny little circuit board is not built to handle the current of all those lights combined. Those things just pop like an underrated fuse.

So........what do I do you ask? I say.........screw fancy pants light modes............and go with the "ho-hum" lights on/lights off switch. I scrap the circuit board idea........and wire up that simple on/off switch that came with the cathodes in the first place. Wire everything back up. Does everyting work? HELL YEAH!!! For about 3 minutes. What else could possibly go wrong you wonder???!!! Well.........my cupholder LEDs MELT. That's right...........they MELT. WTF? Ok......so I yank the cupholder LEDs. I'll tackle that task later. But everything else is cool now right?

Have you not gotten the hint yet? NO.....EVERYTHING ELSE IS NOT RIGHT!!! Two of my cathode tubes are now significantly dimmer than the other two. Why? Well......jostling the cables around, their intensity increases and decreases. Cause? Crappy wiring. Culprit? ME! Sorry.........I guess I don't do the best wiring job when all 6'3" of me is twisted into a pretzel to fit my entire upper torso under the front dash.

So.........tasks to be completed still:
1. Pull the dim cathodes, and rewire........indoors........sitting in a chair........at a table.........with decent lighting...........so I can do a decent job.
2. Find out what the hell went down with those stupid cupholder LEDs......and fix that little problem.


When all is said and done......what will be the result?
Two 12" blue cathode tubes under front foot wells.
Two 12" blue cathode tubes under front seats.
Two blue LEDs in cupholders.
Two blue LED light bars (6 LEDs a piece) flanking my sub box in the rear cargo space.


I have a feeling I'm the only one that has encountered this kind of trouble with something as simple as installing some interior lighting.

KiL

 

sorry to hear about that man. mind me asking if the circuit board you were using was for computer related add-ons? Cause if it is I don't think that it can take 14volts which alternators usually puts out when engine is on. just keep us posted and again sorry to hear your busy day of troubleshooting.

hubert

 

The board is for computer apps..........but its rated at 12 volts...........and 12 volts is what my multimeter was reading when I tested the power lead I was going to tap into for powering my lights. I don't think its a voltage problem........i think its a current problem. This circuit board is made to power ONE LED light bar (6 LED bulbs).........not 4 cathodes, 2 LED light bars, and 2 LEDs.

KiL

 

Check out this post https://www.scionlife.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=8040

This is what im going to get and i just picked up my blue cothodes tonight, im going to put 2 under the dash 2 under the seats and 2 in the back


Mark

 

Thanks Mark. Thats definitely a better set-up than I had going. That may be something for me to tackle in the future. But right now........I need some recovery time. The frustration has my brain fried...........and the akward positions I was in has my spine fried as well. At this point.........my main objective is just to get those two cathodes rewired to get a consistent intensity out of them............and figure out why my cupholder LEDs are melting. After that.........I may decide its time to jump back on my original plan to have them sound operated. Who knows.

KiL

 

Did you run for power in the lower center dash plug?

What type of led are you using? Try a Varad led they have good products and i think you can get a set of two for cheap off of ebay


Mark

 

The unit refered to by Mark is mine and it is sound activated. It's $19 at Best Buy and meant for that application. You may want to pick something like that up since thats what it's for.

Also when you said that you metered the wire and it gave you 12volts, did you have the car running at the time? It makes a big diff. That module I got states that it can handle 12 NEON tubes or a max draw of 5 amps. The CCFL 's that I ordered from www.svc.com only draw 5mA for dual 12" tubes and inverter. That means you can hook up like 1000 of those damn things, if I am correct with my math. Someone let me know if this incorrect please.
These are the ones I got.

 

you can use relays. that way, power is independent to each light.
sid

 

this is why i sell a kit.

 

KiL: one thing i noticed when doing my cathodes in the trunk - was that you must leave the cables running from the cathodes to the inverters the length they come out of the box - if you try to extend them, the high voltage drops too much and the lights will appear dimmer, or almost dark.

i had originally used 1 inverter and ran lengthened wires from the inverter across the trunk to my 2nd tube - and found the 2nd tube was so dim it almost looked off - so i added a second inverter and ran the 12v across the trunk to the 2nd inverter and then plugged the tube to that and it fixed the problem - as well as adding a 2nd port (they were dual inverters) so i could add 2 more tubes later.

so what i'm trying to say is, you need to have the inverters close to the tubes, and run your 12v leads to the inverters themselves to make sure the tubes are all evenly lit.

did that make sense? i hope so - hopefully it'll help hit me up if you have any questions, i'll try and help out if i can with pictures and stuff of my setup.

- Brian

 

the kit is definately the way to go

 

sure if you want to spend $100 randode's kits are awsome, pre-wired and with great instructions, it's literally a 10 minute install with his setup! - if you're not mechanicly inclined, or too lazy to DIY then they're for you.

- all the cathodes in my ride (4 tubes in trunk, and 2 under the hood) cost me a total of $26 in parts and a few hours of my time, i'm the kind of guy that likes to figure out how to make things work on my own, it just doesn't feel the same when you just bolt something on i think there's nothing better then a saturday afternoon with a few brews relaxing and making a cool new mod work!

- Brian

 

yah, i did mine myself. i don't know if you'd call it relaxing tho :? I do have the satisfaction of knowing that i did it myself...i guess....but like KIL said, i also had the backache and headache to show for it too

heres my post

https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...135&highlight=

 

i agree, i love the feeling of a DIY. i did almost everything myself to my integra that i could. if i couldnt, that meant i broke something and payed someone to do it or it wasnt done.

i just hooked up a kit i got a compusa for like $20 (spendy in MN) i was experimenting in my civic untill i get the box. its super easy, just time consuming to get it the way you like...which i'm sure everyone here has done. not sure about you guys, but i recommend soddering the stuff together, like extensions in cables and to the switch. i didnt the first time and now i've decided to go back, rip it open and sodder everything.

 

adam, when your ready, we will turn on your light show via your remote. Bill

 

But how much fun is THAT randy? Geeze. If I bought your kit........then I wouldn't have this nice story to tell everyone.

Bill: cool.

KiL