*pics* *I challenge YOU!* Where would you put CCFLs in this case?

[MichaelD]

Linkage

I'm wracking my brains here, guys; I need assistance. I want to put two CCFLs in the above case. (Lian Li PC-65). I was hoping to fit two 12" bulbs in there, but I'm thinking I might be limited to the 6" size.

Where would YOU put them? Some placement rules:

1. They can't easily be seen when looking thru the window.
2. They cannot impede installation or removal of the mobo/memory/PCI cards

I'm thinking one up top, next to the cooling fan on the top panel of the case and the other on the floor of the case, as close to the window as possible. If you look at the pics, it really looks like 6" only lights.

I appreciate your help.

 

[leeperpsu]

dude i'd put a red cathode in the top behind the metal shroud thing.

and i'd put a blue one on the floor as close to the windowed side panel as possible.

i almost guarantee 12" will work fine.

and the contrast between the two color lights will look awesome. its how i have mine set up. the upper part of the case is bright red and the video card stops the red light from reaching the floor. so the blue light lights up the bottom half of the case and stops at the video card. its really cool looking. just my 2c.

 

[MichaelD]

That sounds really nice!

Two questions, please:

1. :camera:s?
2. I am 99% sure that the wires in a "dual light kit" won't stretch from a midpoint to top and bottom. IOW, the wires going from the inverter to the lights aren't long enough. Do you have two separate inverters, or did you work something else out?

Please tell me more!!

 

[erikistired]

extension wires for the lights!

i'm getting to the point that i might just do a CC fan in the back (i've got a chieftech matrix so i have that option with 4 freakin fan bays!). i've heard they put out great lighting and it's in the open so it'll get the whole case. i dunno. decisions decisions.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: fisher
extension wires for the lights!

i'm getting to the point that i might just do a CC fan in the back (i've got a chieftech matrix so i have that option with 4 freakin fan bays!). i've heard they put out great lighting and it's in the open so it'll get the whole case. i dunno. decisions decisions.

Unfortunately, the only place I've seen (and i've checked a LOT of sites) that carries the extension cables in SVC and they have been OOS for a week, and don't expect any for at least 3 weeks, per an email from them.

I thought about the CC fans but I want to put my fans on a rheobus/controller and when I lower the voltage to the fan, the light will dim/go out. I want complete, separate cooling and lighting. Picky bastard, ain't I?

 

[erikistired]

actually i'm looking at the directron kit and it seems the power for the fan and light are seperate. i'll let you know on that. i saw the extension someplace else, one of the sites listed in the first thread of this forum.

 

[mechBgon]

The top/bottom idea sounds good to me too Remember that there probably won't be 12" of room in the top when you've got a PSU intruding from the rear and maybe an optical drive coming in from the front, however.

Another option would be to put one in the bottom and one vertically up the rear wall. The vertical one would feed light between any PCI/AGP cards you have, to eliminate dark spots. Perhaps red at the bottom, blue up the rear?

 

[MichaelD]

Rats! I really wanted to do a top/bottom install. :| I knew I should've gotten the 6" kit. But then again, it is more expensive than the 12" kit, which I really don't understand...less "product" should be cheaper.

I got two of these; one blue, one red. Should look cool in a black case w/a window.

If space permits, I'm mounting all four tubes. That probably won't work, so I'll just split the kit. One red and one blue tube...I'll use the other kit somehow...maybe in my truck stereo! *rice-rice-baby*

 

[erikistired]

extension cable for ccfl

here's the catch. 2x cable = 3.00. shipping = 7.47. ouch.

 

[MichaelD]

Originally posted by: fisher
extension cable for ccfl

here's the catch. 2x cable = 3.00. shipping = 7.47. ouch.

Nice find, Fisher. I went looking on FrozenCPUs' site to see if maybe I could cancel my SVC order and get the lights and cables from them. NOT! :Q They want $25 for the same kit I just bought for $6.

RE: extensions. I read here that extending the wires from b/t the inverter and the tube changes the load and therefore the color. I'm not an EE, so I can't argue...

Q. Can the wire length from the cold cathode (ccfl) to the inverter be extended? A. Generally speaking, no. The inverters have a pre-determined output when the length of the wire is extended it will change the load and significantly reduce the light output. Wire length is normally maximized at about 7-8 inches.

 

[erikistired]

interesting find. good information to know. i ordered a blue ccfl fan from directron, we'll see how it goes. and yeah, the fan kit from frozencpu was more expensive than directron.

 

[leeperpsu]

well i am EE and i can tell you that thats a load of crap. theres no way adding another foot at the most will change the load. you need hundreds of feet to change a load through a wire. don't sweat it mike the guy who told you that must not be a EE.

you'll probably need to use dual inverters to have enough space to run both lights with one being on the top and one on the bottom. i only use one because i have a metal brace going accross my case 3/4 the way up for support. i just hid my light behind that bar. i'm sure you'll figure something out

 

[jswjimmy]

2 cathode's top bottem

 

[drewdogg808]

i have the same case....one 12" fits up top, the other will squeeze in the bottom. if you don't open the panel too much, you can attach up to 4 on the panel itself, just out of the window's way.

i have 4 cold cathodes, but after going with watercooling, i don't have much room and never really used the lights. they just sit in my drawer.

i would have to go with 6" or 4" for them to fit well the way i want.

 

[MichaelD]

leeperpsu

Cool; a real EE! *me bows to your ultra superior mathematical skills* Thanks for the real deal info. That is good news, b/c now I can hook it up the way I want.


drewdog808

It's comforting to hear from someone with the same case. I have been looking at the side panel as a possible mounting location. That would work...but that's going to be a last resort as I'm not used to having wires attached to the door. I'd probably rip everything to shreds everytime I took the side panel off.

This is my first foray into the CCFL world; The 6" kit was almost twice the price of the 12" kit, so I got the big one. CCFL isn't exactly necessary for the PC to run...so I'll get it right eventually.