Alright, I have a question. I just bought a Streetglow gold series undercar kit and laid everything out tonight. First of all, the wires aren't long enough to reach from the front all the way to the back with just the four tubes. My question or clarification is (as I am an electrical engineer) can I daisy chain two of the kits together, thereby keeping the overall intensity the same with 8 tubes and 2 transformers, while also increasing my overall length capability.

Putting the two transformers in series doesn't sound like a problem to me, but this is really the question I have. I know power sources like this can generally be put in series, and since the whole circuit is series the neons will still divide the voltage properly, and the current shouldn't increase any since it is in series.

I just want the more expert opinion of someone who has maybe tried this before or who may know more about the neon circuits than I do.

I would have some pretty bad unlighted spots with just the four tubes, and if I'm going to do it I would like it to be even all around.

Thanks ahead of time.

 

You're the electrical engineer, you tell us

Wiring up two kits doesn't sound like a problem since you would be using two transformers.

If the kit won't reach the battery, then just splice on some extra wire to make it reach.

 

I'm asking someone who knows more about the quirks of neon or the transformers for any insight to problems. I know about circuits, but I can't say I know anything about the requirements of neon or the internal workings of the transformers.

 

Well I have spliced 4 20" neons together into a cigarette lighter adapter and they we're barely any dimmer than with just one.

If youre two kit idea doesnt work, then you can just get a spool of wire and redo it.

 

Not positive but doesnt the transformer jump the DC in voltage to a higher AC out voltage. If this is the case then if you wire them in series you might goof up the transformer (the second will have an AC in) or the actual sine wave might get messed up and not power the neon well. I think I would just splice some wire in and have longer leads that run to one switch and then the battery.

 

That's what I wondered. I think it is a DC/DC transformer though. The only thought I had was that the transformer may not be able to be put in series with another transformer. I just thought it would be easier than buying a spool of wire. Oh well, maybe I should just do that anyway.

 

Couldn't you just hook each kit up individually?

Just run each transformer to the power source separately and buy some extra wire for $10 or so.

Just an idea.

 

Even if it is a DC/DC transformer, some of those little things can bump the output voltage up to 100-200 Volts which would probably not be too good on a transformer that is rated at 12V in. Some wire and connectors wouldnt be to hard to do. If you use some kind of connectors (soldering would probably be better since it will somewhat be out in the environment) you could put some dielectric (I think) grease on it to help prevent corrosion if your worried about that...