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Installation help for Neon lights - why wont it work?

Discussion in 'Interior' started by axo, Jan 12, 2004.

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    axo Guest

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    Installation help for Neon lights - why wont it work?

    Hey Guys (& gals),

    I need help installing 2 - 8" neon sticks. I bought an inline fuse and joined it all up to the battery, hooking that to a switch. From the switch, i have joined a wire to the two neons which i have wired the (+) together. The (-) wire, i have connected to the metal body. But none of this seems to work!
    The neons wont light up. :( If i use the cig adaptor it comes wit, all works fine. I tested the wiring with a normal little light globe, and that works.
    So why wont the neons work? :? The two neons are both from AERPRO. Dun know if its avail in the u.s. im from australia :D . Any help would be appreciated.

    Cheers
    axo, Jan 12, 2004
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    1337Rolla oh my

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    Welcome! You may be using too thin of wiring. I think those lights have a ballast, so they may need a surge of power to start.
    1337Rolla, Jan 12, 2004
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    axo Guest

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    im using 10amp wiring wit a 10amp inline fuse. could it be that i need a transformer, which was part of the cig adaptor?? If so, how else can i get them to work? buy a new transformer? i think ive screwed my two adaptors over.
    axo, Jan 12, 2004
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    1337Rolla oh my

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    The only other thing I can think of is that you have the lights in series rather than parallel. This would make both light up dim. If they work in the cigarette lighter then their transformers are built in to the lights. The cigarette lighter port on the car is just a wire to the battery with a fuse.


    Series: battery ---- light#1 ----- light#2-----ground

    Parallel:
    battery----light#1--------ground
    battery-----light#2-------ground
    1337Rolla, Jan 12, 2004
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    WebMasta33 Guest

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    You probably have too much resistance because they're wired in series. Try parallel.
    WebMasta33, Jan 13, 2004
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    axo Guest

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    nah, they were wired in parallel. The transformer's in the cig adaptor, not in the neons. They cheapo compact Aerpro 8" neons which i got for $8 AUD each. Damn, what can i do? Only one of my transformers work.
    axo, Jan 13, 2004
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    serial277 Guest

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    It's definitely the transformer. Those 8" sticks from StreetGlow and the like have the transformer built in to the cigarette lighter adapter. Go pick you up some neons from a computer store. The one's they use inside custom computers have the transformer built in already and should work fine for any application, especially on/off switch install. Plus there are more selections; plasma, water-effect, strobe....
    serial277, Jan 29, 2004
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