View Full Version : Cold Cathode Help (EXCELCIER!?)
DBryden
01-31-2006, 10:26 PM
So i bought 2 pairs of cold cathodes for my 3000gt, and i'm more retarded than i thought i guess...
when i had blue cathodes for my cougar, they were computer cathodes, 12v, etc...so i bought the same thing in green...
before i just wired to my trunk light in the coug so when i opened it up they turned on...i did the same thing w/ the green ones in the 3000gt and it's not working...
i have them hooked to the inverter box, and pos/neg coming out...what could be going wrong!?
bgred619
02-01-2006, 02:31 AM
do you have a meter and check the conections if they are good might be bad convertor/tubes
Excelcier
02-01-2006, 04:39 PM
You're right.. they are brainless. Step one. Take them out of your car and plug them into the computer to verify that they actually work. Step two, pop the hood and run the +12V and ground wires directly to your battery ( in the proper polarity ). If those both work, grab a meter and make sure you're connecting it to wires that actually supply +12V / GND.
DBryden
02-04-2006, 04:40 PM
I did all that...I tested both pairs in my comp before cutting the molex connectors off, then I tested them on the battery to make sure they'd work in the car...both worked, bright as hell.
I'm wiring them to the trunk light, so they turn on only when the trunk opens, and I tested that before i just shoved wires in there, it's putting out a steady 13.6 volts.
The only thing I can think of is (since the stock wires for the trunk light weren't marked on the small harness for the bulb) MAYBE I put positive to negative and negative to positive...i'm not exactly sure how that would work in this situation, but would that blow the inverter somehow?
If that's the case, just for future reference could you tell my why it would blow? I have no idea lol. Also i'll just put out a couple bucks for a new inverter.
Excelcier
02-04-2006, 05:10 PM
The simplest idea is to never assume anything in a car... bad idea! I never wire anything without using a voltmeter first. Always test every wire with respect to ground to see what voltage is there. If you test one and there is no voltage and you suspect it's a ground then change the meter to test continuity from a known ground ( like the battery terminal ) to the suspected ground and see if it's got contenuity. Never try that if there is any voltage difference from the known ground.
I know for a fact that the trunk circuit switches the ground, not the positive so you may very well simply have them wired backwards.