Power Source Question

[BradZ]

Just picked up a few blue neons at a cheap price, i got 3 7 inch neons and one 24 inch for $40 so i figured why not. They are going to be put in my mates car (vx) yes i know its for the wrong team, but i cant see how it makes a whole lot of difference. Plans are to mount the 24'' in the boot, above the folded down centre to light up the subs, problem is they guy i bough them off has cut off the ciggy lighter adaptor part.

My question is where would be a good place to wire this neon to, needs to turn off when the key is switched off.

Thanks in advance.

[cs123]

If you're running a sub/amp down there you should have access to switched power already. Just mount a terminal block and wire up the neons in your, sorry, your mates car to it.

I am not sure if those neons introduce any electrical noise or if you need a filter. I suppose you will find out.

I hope you enjoy Fast and Furious 5

[BradZ]

No doubt this is some sort of a swipe at my age?
Double meaning in a few of those sentances.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by BradZ

No doubt this is some sort of a swipe at my age?
Double meaning in a few of those sentances.

No mate, just neons ain't my thing.

I hope between the gentle dig there was something that can help you. You should have power there, just tap into it.

[BradZ]

Yeah well, P platers, nuff said.

I thought of that, but then the neon stays on all the time..
Even when the amp is off.

[cs123]

Originally Posted by BradZ

Yeah well, P platers, nuff said.

I thought of that, but then the neon stays on all the time..
Even when the amp is off.

You would have two power sources to the amp, one permanent 12v and the other switched. If not the amp will be powered on all the time.

if on the odd chance there is no switched power then you need to tap into the fuse box and run a wire down to the boot. The less pretty way is to use a scotch lock and just splice into the wire (after the fuse) and run it down. I'd probably at least fit a small in line fuse as well to protect the circuit.

[BradZ]

As far as power goes, it has ground, rem, and power.
And its not on all the tikme because it has a little fan that runs when its on..

[HULK EF]

can you tap into the 12v wires for the boot light? thats what i did 8 years ago on a previous ride..
Turned off when the boot was shut or car locked.. and turned on apon opening the boot lid..

[BradZ]

Yeah can do that no worries, but thats not the effect we want.
Already have a 12'' LED strip in there hooked up the ciggy lighter, reckon it looks sweet.

Would be doing that, but the 24'' has no plug. Might just tap it straight into the ciggy lighter..

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by BradZ

Yeah can do that no worries, but thats not the effect we want.
Already have a 12'' LED strip in there hooked up the ciggy lighter, reckon it looks sweet.

Would be doing that, but the 24'' has no plug. Might just tap it straight into the ciggy lighter..

Are you talking about a cig lighter socket in the boot, or the one in the dash?

If youve already got a cig lighter socket in the boot, swap it for a double socket from supercheap or wherever and refit another plug on the light. Or just tap in to that wire like you said.

The power wire being referred to by cs123 on the amp, would be the REM (remote). It actually switches the amp on/off, the heavy gauge wiring feeds the amp to amplify sound. A pre circuit if you like, or a relay. you might want to consider the current draw on that though, as the amp pre-circuit may be much lower than the light. basically, in all but a severe short, one device not be protected as the fuse might be too big.

[hiper]

a mate of mine said he tapped into the wires that light up the gear selector (auto)
now his neons are on wherever the dash lights up (parkers/headlights are on)
not sure if thats what you are after.

if it was me id want them to be on when headlights are on (ie. night time) but also when i wanted them to be on (second switch somewhere)

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by hiper

a mate of mine said he tapped into the wires that light up the gear selector (auto)
now his neons are on wherever the dash lights up (parkers/headlights are on)
not sure if thats what you are after.

if it was me id want them to be on when headlights are on (ie. night time) but also when i wanted them to be on (second switch somewhere)

You can buy a 3 way switch. Heaps of people use them for spotlights, off/on with highbeam/or on by themselves.

[LTDHO]

You can usethe trigger wire for the amp.
Persanally I would use amp trigger to turn on a relay.
Let relay handle the lights.

[BradZ]

Wait, so if i tap it into the REM, and earth it in the boot, it'll be on and off with the amp?

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by BradZ

Wait, so if i tap it into the REM, and earth it in the boot, it'll be on and off with the amp?

If the source of the rem power is the head unit, it will switch on and off with the amp (actually the head unit).

BUT, there will be issues with power draw. The power to turn the amp on, is small, its just a relay in the amp to then switch open the fat gauge wiring system. Ive never tried, but I would say it might fry the head unit, or at least keep popping the fuse if you power the light itself off the head unit.


If I was going to use that, I would only do it with a relay. As in feed the relay with 12v (to actually power the lights, that cig lighter socket in the boot sounds good for it, if its fused at the other end), and then plug the relay to trigger from the head unit. Not directly to power the lights. I would just remove the cig lighter fittings from both lights (the light already there, and the new one) and run them off the cig lighter socket already there. Id trigger that relay off the amp like said above.