evilknieval69 Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 hello again i have a 12" green neon light that runs off a cigarette lighter for a car. i am wanting a moonlight for my tank and i am wondering if this would be suitable and also if i could cut the car adaptor off and wire it into a plug that i have?? if this is not possible then has anybody here made a good LED moonlight and would be willing to make me one ?? (at my cost of course) if anybody wants to do this please PM me Thanks **EVIL** :bounce: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanksman Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 .... also if i could cut the car adaptor off and wire it into a plug that i have?? I wouldn't do it if I were you - 12volt is a bit different to 240v. You could get electocuted or it could even wreck all your fish tank and gear. The word "fire" comes to mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted February 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 hmmmmm. ok maybe not thn....still interested in some one makin me one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Just plug it into a 12V DC transformer and you'll be fine. But green won't look very good, imo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 if i could cut the car adaptor off and wire it into a plug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted February 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 what it mite have worked........ :-? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 hold on still on the floor laughing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monaro1 Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 for about .2 of a second , if that long would make a good heater Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryanjury Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 It shouldn't be too hard to find a 12V power supply that will power it.. I know you can jimmy computer power supplies to drive car amps inside so it shouldn't be too hard to do your lighting or look around for a 12Vdc plug into the wall adapter for like a cordless drill or something like that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richms Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 Some of the car neons have the inverter in the ciggy plug, others have it at the end of the tube, so you need to be sure your not going to remove something vital. The old alcatel DB chargers were 12 volts, and everyone knows someone that has one of those stashed away somewhere. Otherwise go check out surplustronics.co.nz for something that makes 12v - I dont know what current the car neons need but it cant be much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilknieval69 Posted February 6, 2006 Author Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 ok i have given up on tha idea then....ur laffing at me sooooo....any body guna make me one for a price?? still keen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slappers Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 just go to DSE they will sort it out for you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rory Posted February 6, 2006 Report Share Posted February 6, 2006 i wired a couple of thoes things up to a 12v adapter and they are not very bright at all, your best bet is the LED option. Unless your neon is huge Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robert Smith Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 240/12V transformers can be bought from any hardware store for about $10. They're in the lighting section for the metal halide lamps. I learned an important lesson. Do not buy "electronic" transformers, go for the ol' lump-a-lead brick style. Although the "electronic" ones are much smaller and lighter and look high tech (plus they cost a few bucks more) they are actually an abortion! When you look at the wave-form they achieve a 12V DC signal by 'chopping' the 50Hz, 240V waveform. Basically they turn themselves on and off fast enough to fool a simple 12V DC system into thinking it's getting DC instead of a whole lot of really short pulses. That's ok for metal halides (which are dumb) but don't use them for anything else that has electronics inside, they don't work. You may notice written in small font somewhere that they are for "filament" lamps. The worst thing about them is they put out radio noise! My cordless phone went bananas whenever I went near my tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
misnoma Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 You probably want a "regulated" 12V power supply, otherwise if you don't draw the rated current, the voltage will be higher, and things go bad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newtman Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 go the acatel db!! :lol: i bought these- http://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=48896400 off trademe,they have resistors to work at 12v,so bring on the acatel charger i did indeed,they are wicked bright and make an awsome moon light!!! i wirered them up in paralell,and dam are they bright!!!,wouldnt need many for your whole tank, for what i want im going to have them placed 1 over every 20cm2. now all i need is a good way of mounting them over the whole tank :-? ....any ideas....? Tim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted March 9, 2006 Report Share Posted March 9, 2006 Hi Tim, There's a copper foil tape that is used for "Lead Light Windows" It's self adhesive, and comes in rolls from 3.5mm wide to around 10mm I think.. but I use the 7mm for routed slot car tracks... among other things OK:.. You can stick this tape to a board of any sort.. even hardboard.. or glass even. Draw up your circuit for your positive and negative lines so that you can get the anode leg on one side and the cathode leg on the other. Because you are doing them in pararell.. then you would only need the strips around a mil or two apart. Just peel the backing off the first part of the tape.. stick it on the beginning of your circuit and peel the backing off as you follow the circuit around. Ensure the tape is firmly stuck before soldering by running a Bic lighter (rounder side).. over the tape. This gets rid of any tiny air pockets and gives a great seal. The narrow tape "will" go around bends in the circuit.. but I suggest you just do square corners and add a bit of solder at the joints. Once the tape is in place... Just solder the legs on.. add the power.. and away you go. Look in the Yellow Pages for somewhere that does Stained Glass windows.. or Lead Light Windows... and they may have the tape. If you can't find any.. contact me and I will sort something out for you.... if you want to use this method that is Wouldn't bother trying to get the tape from the Model or slot racing shops.. as it will cost you three times the price. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newtman Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Thanks bill,i might see if i can track some down... my only other concern would be corrosion,being above saltwater in all, i supose if i had two strips runing the length of the tank and accross an end i would be able to position them close enough to what i want,and a smear of silicone over the solderd parts and heat shrink around the wires would do the trick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Sounds good Tim.. although I suppose the setup would be mounted "above" your normal cover glass.. in which case a thin smear of vaseline would prevent corrosion.. much like on car battery terminals. For some jobs I use the 7mm and split it in half.. (2x3.5mm).. I designed a splitter that does this almost automatically. How many metres do you need for the job..? I have a couple of rolls here.. and I can send you a few metres free gratis if you want. Just email me the details. Hope it goes well. Bill. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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