Hey all.
I'm trying to install my neon underglow kit but am somewhat electrically challenged.
Here's what I got:
4 tubes (all individual, not connected)
Transformer (2 thick black wires from the bottom, a skinny red and black from the top)
Switch (3 wires coming from it, a short black one and 2 long red ones).
Now I can mount the tub es, no problems there, and I get the jist that each tube connects to each other.. but here's why I get lost.
I have the transformer mounted near the battery but I don't know what to do with it now. Does one of the skinny wires connect to the battery and the other to a ground? An then the 2 thick black wires are the connectors for the tubes?
If so, how then does the switch come into play?
I'm really looking for some help here.
I lost the original instructions, but found a close webpage:
http://www.all-neon-car-lights.com/how-to-install-neon-under-car-lights.html but it's still not totally clear.
Does anyone else have a Plasmaglow neon kit that can help out?
It would be greatly appreciated.
If I can get my camera working, ill take a pic of the transformer and the switch...
...welcome to Crazy World...
Here's what you do.....
All the tubes wires get connected to each other to make a circle of wires and tubes. So the rear tubes gets connected to the side tubes. The side tube to the front tube. Then you will have two black wires, one from the front tube and one from the side tube. Connect that to the transformer's black wires.
The transformer
should get automatically grounded when mounted on metal. The spots where the screws go should be metal and make ground with the screw.
The red wire goes to a positive through a swtich.
Hope this helps,
Jay
Yes I mounted my streetglow transformer on the fender well where my stock intake used to be. Use the red wire and you may have to crimp extra on to mount a switch where you want it, then run the red wire to the positive battery terminal.
MAKE SURE AND FUSE IT!!
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Madjack wrote:Like I said before, building an engine like ours (2.2 or 2200) is a painstaking chore , since there is so few custom made parts. It's frustrating to me too, but that's what I like about doing this engine, it's the challenge.
sweet, thanks a ton!!
just 2 more little tidbits... where can i attach the short black wire from my switch? i don't think it's long enough to run into the engine compartment, is there anywhere inside that i can ground it or is that even necessary if the transformer is grounded?
and then where do i put the black wire from my transformer? can they just hang free with electrical tape on them or something?
and you said i should fuse it... my question: fuse what?
Of the 2 red wires coming from the switch, there is a built in inline fuse on one of the red wires... should the fused wire be the one that connects to the battery or the one that connects to the transformer?
thanks again.
...welcome to Crazy World...
Quote:
where do i put the black wire from my transformer?
I misunderstood in your finrst post. Just take the thin black wire and attach it to one of the srews that you will hope fully use to mount the transformer. It needs a ground, and any metal part of the car is a ground.
Quote:
should the fused wire be the one that connects to the battery or the one that connects to the transformer?
The fused wire (from the switch) should go to the battery or another 12V source. The wire without the fuse (from the switch) should go to the red wire on the transformer.
Jay
ok, i'm now sure of everything except one last part... the short black wire (i assume another ground) from the switch? where this this go? another metal part of the car?
sorry for all the questions but I want to get this right, and also not shock myself
refresher: tubes connect to each other with 2 black wires left over for the front and 1 side... these connect to the 2 large black wires on the T-former.
The red wires from to T-former connects to the unfused wire on the switch.
the black T-former wires is ground by touching the metal screws that hold the T in place.
that leaves only the red fused wire from the switch, which connects to the battery.
and then the short black wire from the switch, which goes.... ?
...welcome to Crazy World...
Is there a little LED or a light on the switch?
Jay
yea, it looks like a lighted switch
...welcome to Crazy World...
rangeviper wrote:yea, it looks like a lighted switch
Okay... in this case it needs to go to the ground.
But there is a catch. What will happen is that if power flows through the switch (when you turn it on), it will use the black wire to light up the switch. The catch is that I don't know what voltage the light in the switch is.
- If it's a 12V bulb, then it will be fine
- If it's a 2V LED with a resistor then it will be fine
- If it's a 2V LED without a resisitor then the light will get fried the first time you turn it on.
Usually it's a 2V LED without a resistor. The plus side is that you don't need to hook up the black wire by the switch if you can live without the switch lighting up. You could probably go down to radio shack and ask them for a resistor to bring down 12-14V to 2V. That's if it's the LED without the resistor.
Jay
i bet its fine.. i have hooked up lighted switches out the yin yang and never blown one up. OH! and when you ground to metal, make that bare metal. Painted metal doesnt do the trick.
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98' Pontiac Sunfire SE
Yea, I don't much care if the switch itself is lit as long as my tubes are working
Bare metal eh? What if I unscrew a bolt or something, sick the wire in place and just screw the bolt back in? It's then secure so it wont be getting loose and is touching metal all around.
Thanks for all the help guess, 'specially you Kub.
I'll post pics once I get this bad boy set up on the weekend.
...welcome to Crazy World...
Yea, I don't much care if the switch itself is lit as long as my tubes are working
Bare metal eh? What if I unscrew a bolt or something, sick the wire in place and just screw the bolt back in? It's then secure so it wont be getting loose and is touching metal all around.
Thanks for all the help guys, 'specially you Kub.
I'll post pics once I get this bad boy set up on the weekend.
...welcome to Crazy World...
sorry for the double post...
one last q... these 2 red things came in the package... any idea what they are and if i need them..
here are pics (i had to set up a website just for this, haha):
http://www.angelfire.com/clone2/rangeviper/cavalier/
...welcome to Crazy World...
oh, zip ties work way better then any mounts they give u... in my opinion.
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98' Pontiac Sunfire SE
those red thingys are commonly referred to as piggyback connectors. you put the two wires you want to connect in that side by yside and crimp it closed. DONT USE THEM they suck and if your lucky they will keep a good connection for a few months. trust me they suck. M.E.C.P. certified professionals are taught not to use them.
