cathode

[ShinSa]

Hi, just and update. I just got my cathode and the inverter from bgmicro and It's running perfectly. It's so bright!!

I purchased a plastic tube from home depot for 2 bux cut it so that it was the right size and then slipped the cathode inside. I then took a 2-4 pin adapter and cutoff the molex and wired it to the inverter wires.

Hooked it up to a 12V 4 pin and whola!!!

Everything took about 15 mins total.

Now I just have to wait for my window to show up.

 

[gaidin123]

You wouldn't happen to know what that tube was called exactly (like part # or what dept. was it in?)?

I think I'll be making a home depot run this weekend...

Gaidin

 

[jh0sken612]

You have to have a power inverter for PC cathodes?? I thought they would make them to run right off 3pin or molex?

So these would work without an inverter in my car?

 

[gaidin123]

Yes you do need an inverter to power the cathodes...The PC will push out DC current and it must be inverting it to AC.

Cars also supply DC voltage through say the cigarrette lighter so yes you will likely need an inverter there as well. The inverter for the cathodes is very small and you should be able to cram it anywhere (insulated of course) in your car or case.

Gaidin

 

[MoFunk]

When you get the cathode, what comes with it? Did you have to buy it all seperate? What was the total cost if you did. Thanks. The reason I ask is because I just bought a kit off a guy and it cost me $30 after shipping for the black light. So I want to see which is better. The kit came with everything I need.

 

[gaidin123]

The kits come with the cathode, protective tube, heatshrinked inverter, molex connector, switch.

When you make it yourself you need to buy the cathode ($7 for a normal one, $12 for blacklight), and the inverter ($7). ShinSa said that tube was $2, and insulation/heatshrink and molex connector or wire leads to a baybus should be effectively free so you have about a total of $16+shipping/tax so maybe $22 for a DIY? I got lucky and ordered a kit from lovermecases (they are amazingly slow in filling orders) for $20+tax/shipping before they raised their prices to $25...

For a blacklight homemade kit it'd probably cost you $26?

Gaidin

 

[MoFunk]

Thanks. Hmmm. So I am only paying about $4 more for the kit. Plus the kit that I found has cable ties, velcro strips, switch and a back plate that the switch fits in.

 

[ShinSa]

<< You wouldn't happen to know what that tube was called exactly (like part # or what dept. was it in?)?

I think I'll be making a home depot run this weekend...

Gaidin >>




It's called a "Tube Guard" part# 750658084012

They have it over at the lighting section next to where the flourescent lights are. You know, those long white lights people use in kitchen??? They have it in a 4' size so I cut it up into 4 pieces and will use the rest of the 3 pieces later.

You can always use the casing that came with the tube but light wont be as bright and I wasn't comfortable with the sturdiness of the case.

EDIT: Another idea is to use some clear flexible tubes they have over at the plumbing section. This will be more versatile since you can find the diameter that matches the cathode but the drawback is that it's flexible.