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Psilocin Dreams
PerpetuallyContaminated


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 187
Last seen: 5 years, 7 months
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Modifying a cold cathode light kit?
#7558687 - 10/25/07 10:49 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I just bought a cold cathode light kit for my fruiting chamber, it's supposed to be used to light a PC case and it plugs into the power supply. Does anyone know how I can modify this so I can plug it into a wall?
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trendal
J♠



Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: Psilocin Dreams]
#7558701 - 10/25/07 10:52 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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A transformer/bridge will work for you. Add a capacitor (like 1000pF at 35V) and your golden!
The transformer can be any kind that will drop you down to 12V from the line voltage (I assume it's 12V that the light needs).
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Psilocin Dreams
PerpetuallyContaminated


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 187
Last seen: 5 years, 7 months
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: trendal]
#7558830 - 10/25/07 11:27 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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OK thanks... I'm not really sure what all that means though, I don't know much about this kind of stuff. Can I buy this crap at radio shack? How much will it run me? How do I install the transformer bridge and the capacitors to it? Thanks.
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Diploid
Cuban



Registered: 01/09/03
Posts: 19,274
Loc: Rabbit Hole
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: Psilocin Dreams]
#7558893 - 10/25/07 11:42 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Seems like you're going to a lot of trouble to light your fruiting chamber.
These are fungi, not plants. Any kind of light will do the trick, including a $2 night-light you can get anywhare.
-------------------- Republican Values: 1) You can't get married to your spouse who is the same sex as you. 2) You can't have an abortion no matter how much you don't want a child. 3) You can't have a certain plant in your possession or you'll get locked up with a rapist and a murderer. 4) We need a smaller, less-intrusive government.
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trendal
J♠



Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: Psilocin Dreams]
#7558900 - 10/25/07 11:43 AM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Hmm....can you follow a schematic?? I could post one for ya...
You should be able to get it all at Radio Shack and it shouldn't cost you more than $10.
What you need to know: -what voltage does the light take (does it hook up to the red or the yellow wire in your PC) -what mA rating the light is (it will be printed somewhere on the light - look for mA)
What you need: -a "power transormer"...it must have a primary rated for 120v and a secondary rated for whatever the voltage of your light is (note that you'll probably only find 12v and 6v....use the 6v if you light takes 5v). It also has to provide enough mA to safely cover what your light takes (I have a little 12v, 450mA one that cost me a few dollars). -a "diode bridge"...make sure it is rated for at LEAST 12v, and can handle the current draw for your light (the mA rating) -an electrolytic capacitor....1000pF at 35v should do nicely
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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trendal
J♠



Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: trendal]
#7559753 - 10/25/07 03:50 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I just realized I made this ridiculously harder than necessary 
Just find a "wall wort" - one of those power plugs/packs that just about everything uses now. The black things that take up more room than you have around you receptacle.
Get one that's for the right voltage, and supplies enough mA and you're golden!
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Psilocin Dreams
PerpetuallyContaminated


Registered: 08/03/07
Posts: 187
Last seen: 5 years, 7 months
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: trendal]
#7559891 - 10/25/07 04:35 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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The lights connect to a small blue box, on the other side you connect the wires. The ends of the wires are molex connectors for your power supply, and only a red and black wire go into the actual box, but the molex connectors have black red a yellow.
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TripityDooDaDay
Prick


Registered: 09/14/06
Posts: 2,046
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: Psilocin Dreams]
#7559940 - 10/25/07 04:52 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I'm guessing the small blue box contains a transformer and or adapter circuit of some sort. Seems odd that it takes a red, black, and yellow wire. The black is ground. The red is 12 volts dc positive and the yellow is 5 volts dc positive. The simplest and cheapest thing for you to do would probably to get an old computer power supply and use it. I come across those free easily.
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TripityDooDaDay
Prick


Registered: 09/14/06
Posts: 2,046
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: TripityDooDaDay]
#7559964 - 10/25/07 04:58 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Just noticed that you said the yellow wire is NOT used. Still if you don't know the amperage requirements for the lights or how to determine what adapter to buy, and how to determine which is the positive wire on one when you do get it, you would save a bit of headache and perhaps money too by just rounding up a used pc power supply.
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trendal
J♠



Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: TripityDooDaDay]
#7559976 - 10/25/07 05:03 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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I'm guessing the small blue box contains a transformer and or adapter circuit of some sort. Seems odd that it takes a red, black, and yellow wire. The black is ground. The red is 12 volts dc positive and the yellow is 5 volts dc positive. The simplest and cheapest thing for you to do would probably to get an old computer power supply and use it. I come across those free easily.
That's backwards....red is +5v and yellow is +12v 
And a PC power supply is over-kill here...he doesn't need the amps put out by one.
A wall-wort is perfect for what he needs! Ranges around +5v and at least a few hundred mA are common among them.
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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trendal
J♠



Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: Psilocin Dreams]
#7559991 - 10/25/07 05:08 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Just get a wall-wort that is rated as close to 5v as possible (don't go over 6v). I expect that light uses no more than a few hundred mA...which any good sized wall-wort should provide.
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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TripityDooDaDay
Prick


Registered: 09/14/06
Posts: 2,046
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Re: Modifying a cold cathode light kit? [Re: trendal]
#7560007 - 10/25/07 05:15 PM (16 years, 3 months ago) |
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Quote:
That's backwards....red is +5v and yellow is +12v
Oops. Yeah. That always did seem backwards to me. I guess because I work on aftermarket automotive electronics for a living and computers only for fun.
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