Cheapo Neon lights

[Breadfan]

Just thought I'd give a heads up, might have mentioned this before but anyway...

Walmart has some really cheap 12volt neon lights now...atleast the one in northern va does...they're 10inches long, come in blue, green, red, or purple, and cost $9.96.

For my case I had to cut the casing a bit, becuase they have a control board that adds about 3 inches of length. I rmeoved the control board, insulated it, and mounted it elsewhere...that leaves the switch assembly in tact, etc.

The neat thing is that the actual tube is in another clear tube. This puts air between the tube and the outside of the actual light, so in effect, that air acts as a thermal buffer. My case temps didn't not rise at all. Plus, its already wired for 12v, so just solder it to a connector and you're good to go.

Thought it was a good deal considering I've seen neon tubes for 20+shipping...thoght I'd pass that along...

Mike

[Oni]

I tried neon. It burned out 2 and a half weeks after I got it (and after getting ripped off by some ******* on eBay as well to get it). I've gone Cold Cathode now.

[Breadfan]

I'm not an eBay fan. Ever check out the guitar section? Things are either going for more than what their worth, or they have these no name cheapo's that are built outta some dudes garage, lol...

If you ask me its a place where you'll find some pretty bad business people and some raw deals...not saying good people don't go to eBay, but alot of shady people sell things and try to rip others off...

Mike

[pogue1000]

hey went to walmart today and we got them in big indiana :)
i have some cold cathodes coming in.. but thought i might play with this.
what did u do cut the wires and solder it to a molex connection?

[pogue1000]

so on the neon, is the wire with the stripe on it the ground.

also, could u explain what you soldered it to, cause i was looking the connector has the yellow, 2 blacks (ground) and a red (power)

thanks, i am not the greatest at wiring :)

[trdsw20]

they have the same neons over here in northern Cali

[pogue1000]

my cold cathodes will be here tomorrow so guess i will just wait on them :)

oh yeah, these neons are also sound activated

[mw521]

I did a thread on this but forgot where I put it. Search for "sound activated neon " thread. the strip is on the positive wire.:beer:

[pogue1000]

thans mw521 .. i found it :)

will have to play a lil tomorrow after work :)

[Mr B]

Hi,

What dept at Walmart...electronic, I'm assuming, right??

[Breadfan]

Sorry, didn't check up on this thread and missed some questions.

To solder to the molex I took and cut one of those molex pass throughs off an old dead 50mm fan I had, then just stripped the two fan wires and soldered them onto the neon's wires (after cutting off the cigarrette lighter adapter)

I found them in the car section, actually with the car audio stuff. Right next to the gun rack in my local walmart. :)

Depending on your case you'll probably have to cut the end off where the circuit board is...its not too hard though. I left the factory switch on it, b/c I can turn it to sound activated if I want...and turn it off.

Not much of a point using the sound activated though unless you watercool :) Its funny watching it try to activate to the "beat" of your fans!

Hope this helps.
Mike

[Rezman5]

They are sound activated?? Cool...but I guess they will be on all the time with all my fans going, lol. Anyway, it doesn't matter, I have gone Cold Cathode, and will never go back :)

[reidroach]

whats the difference between normal nen lights and cold cathodes?
thought they were the same...universal terms

[natopotato]

Not much of a point using the sound activated though unless you watercool Its funny watching it try to activate to the "beat" of your fans!

jUZ TURN DOWN THE SENSITIVITY NOB FRIEND OF MINE HAD THEM UNDER HIS TRUCK AND THE BEAT THING WORKED [U KNOW ITS LOUD UNDER A TRUCK] ANY WAY ITS HELLA KOOL KUZ WHEN IM PLAYEN COUNTER STIKE AND SHOTS ARE FIRED OR BOMBS OR WATEVER MY LIGHT BLINKS
PRETTY SICK

BY THE WAY IS COLD CATH BETTER???

[Darrenct]

I'm not trying to be rude, but CAPS LOCK IS THE ENEMY...
and I'm off to Wal-mart tomorrow. Modding sucks on a college students budget!

[reidroach]

DOH!!!!!!

[GravY]

ARgghh, I wanted to pick some up today also, but I look out my window and well, 3in of the white stuff already, going to be gettin around 6-8+.. and we have barely had any snow this year, so I haven't put the ol sand bags in the back of the truck.. going to hold off until tomorrow.. =/

Im in for some fun driving to work..

[foxforcefive]

Cold cathodes are better than neon. Smaller, cooler (some), brighter, and last longer.

I've got a blue cold cathode in mine and it is bright as h3LL.

My .02

BL

[nookie]

sorry newbie here. i was looking at the cold cathodes too. but does it come with a on/off switch or are all of them sound activated?

[Darrenct]

Welcome to the Forums Nookie.

Every sound activated light I have ever seen has an on/off switch. If you wire it in to the PC right, you will never have to use the switch... It will turn on when the PC turns on.