Car Lighting
Installation
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FlowLighting Cold Cathode Light Kits
Forget traditional neon - cold cathodes offer a stronger glow for your car lighting design, but at a fraction of the cost of the standard neon lighting kit. These amazing kits include two cathode tubes in your choice of colors, and a dual output transformer to make them run like a dream.
Easy to install and packing a punch that you won't expect, these dual cathode lighting kits come in 12" and 4" lengths and a variety of colors.
Each tube consists of glass contained inside a protective acrylic tube, and is guaranteed not to break unless the surface they're mounted to flexes and bends. This amazing, inexpensive lighting option features standard polarity protection, for added protection against burn-out. The transformer is housed in a 3.25" x 1" x 0.75" black plastic safety housing.
Hook your cold cathodes up to our Oznium.com switches for an even better effect, and you can have the entire package, ready to install, for under $10!
Create the sort of custom glow that your neighbors will be talking about - get stuck into the Oznium.com range of cathodes today!
FlowLighting Cold Cathode FAQ's
How many cathodes does this kit come with?
1 cathode kit consists of: 2 tubes, and 1 transformer (with a red and black power wire). The 12" kit looks like this, and the 4" kit looks like this.
What exactly is a cold cathode?
A cold cathode is a lamp very similar to a neon lamp. The light comes from a small round neon tube (2.6mm diameter) powered by a transformer. The transformer is designed to use 12 volts DC, and output approximately 650 volts AC that is needed to power the cold cathode.
What is the difference between cathodes and neon's?
The main difference is in the light output and cost. Cathodes are much brighter and less expensive than regular neon accent tubes. Cathodes are a better value.
What are the cathodes made of?
The cathodes are made of glass with a protective acrylic tube around the glass. They will not break as long as they are mounted to a surface that prevents flexing and stress on the tube.
Do the lights get hot?
The glass and ends of the lamp do get a little warm, so they should be installed so that they do not touch any material that might be flammable.
Can the cathodes be used outside?
Yes, but you should first seal the tubes and transformer with a silicone sealant and possibly a few layers of electrical tape. Alternatively, You may consider using our Flexible LED Strips which are already waterproof.
Can I extend the white wires past the transformer?
While it is possible, we do not recommend extending the white wires past the transformer. The cathodes may dim and flicker from the loss of voltage. If you want a cathode on each side of the dash, just buy two complete sets. You can however, extend the red and black power wires to reach the battery, or other power source. If you need to extend the cathode tubes past the 11 inches, we suggest you buy either an extra set of cathodes, or buy an extra transformer.
How long are the white wires?
The white wires are 11" long. So that means, you could put the 2 cathode tubes about 22" apart from each other.
Are the red cathodes really red? What about the orange cream?
The newest style cathodes are quite red. The orange cream cathodes are not very orange, but more white with a hint of orange.
When hooking the cathodes up, does polarity matter?
It matters, but nothing bad will happen if you accidentally reverse the positive and negative wires. The transformers have built-in polarity protection.
How many amps does a cathode kit use?
Each cathode transformer draws about 0.7 amps of power at 12 volts.
How do I install the cathode kits in my car?
Please read this comprehensive topic in the Oznium Forums.
✓ Keep it clean. Do a professional install
Put the finishing touches on your install with one of our fancy on/off switches. Keep everything safe with an ATC fuse and inline fuse holder.
Another great product - you may also be interested in
Piranha LED BarFor a great alternative to cathodes, try Oznium's brand new 10-inch LED Piranha Bar. Using LED technology, they are super bright, super durable, and made to last. You won't have transformers to deal with. They hook directly to your 12 volt power source. They've got the same, if not more brightness than a 12 inch cathode tube. Wide 120 degree angle light output.
Slightly more expensive, but this "cannibal fish" is well worth it!
Customer Questions?
Our customers have asked 65 questions about this product.
→ Read common questions and answers.
Reviews
RANDOM BURNOUTS | Mar 04, 2010
Reviewer: Tony (FL)
I have had some of these last, but sooner or later either the element splits at the middle, or the transformers blow. They are extremely temper mental! Although, I have heard that the transformer and cathodes run great off of approximately a 10v power source, but they are "compatible" with a 12v power source. I highly recommend forking out the extra couple bucks to get the flexible LED strips. I will say though that Oznium's customer service was INCREDIBLE and they replaced all of the burnt out bulbs, but I eventually got sick of replacing them.
Great Product and Service | Mar 01, 2010
Reviewer: Andre Watson (Chapel Hill, NC)
I bought 2 white kits, one for the trunk and one for the footwells. The only complaint I have is the small length of white wire from the cathodes to the transformer. The install in the foot wells would have been much easier with longer wires. However, the quality is great! I love the output in both the floor and the trunk. I had a transformer blow in the footwell and Oznium sent out a replacement (extremely fast) no questions asked! Great product, great company! I always get my lights from them and can't wait for them to expand their line!
Cathodes good, transformers bad | Jan 30, 2010
Reviewer: Ed N (Piscataway, NJ)
The blue cathodes I purchased have excellent color consistency. Each 12" tube does a great job illuminating an automotive footwell. Two 12" tubes also can provide illumination behind the television in a home entertainment center. The unique design of the tube and the outboard transformer allows for flexible installation, but it would be nice if the acrylic tube ends offered some mount points.
The transformers are not suited for automotive applications. Mine lasted a week in the car before they died; Oznium quickly shipped a replacement (thank you!). The transformer is inadequate for a noisy 13-16vDC automotive voltage load. For several months, I have ran the new transformers from mains power using a 7.5vDC adapter (measured output is 10vDC), and I've had no problems. I would be happy to pay up for a more heavy duty transformer if one became available.
I have Oznium LED products lighting up my car now, and I am much happier keeping the cathodes indoors.
very bright | Jan 02, 2010
Reviewer: devon walters (Bend, OR)
i got two kits, one with green and one with blue cathodes. even though 1 transformer broke and 1 blue cathode wire broke they were BRIGHT! i just hooked them directly into a home ac adapter and they are awsome!
Always loved these | Oct 05, 2009
Reviewer: Anthony (Cheektowaga, NY)
Bought a few kits and they've been great. Bought one recently and one of the bulbs was much dimmer than the other. I notified Oznium and they sent a whole new kit free of charge! I'll be buying more kits soon!
no lie best customer service | Sep 13, 2009
Reviewer: ryan D (Chattanooga, TN)
I ordered the cold cathode interior lights for my 08 focus.I installed them and they looked great.2 days later the transformer blew on me.I emailed oznium and no questions asked they sent another one free of charge and they are working great.Cheap doesnt neccisarly mean a skimp on quality
Great set of lights. | Jun 27, 2009
Reviewer: Collin Lohnes (Bridgewater, Canada)
These cathodes looks amazing and are definitely bright. Easy to install too. I recommend them for any interior lighting.
Great Product, very bright | Jun 02, 2009
Reviewer: KAJ (KY)
I purchased a sets of cathodes about a year ago, use them all the time. They work great and are very bright. I was very impressed with the fast shipping and great customer support.
Love these things | May 30, 2009
Reviewer: Austin Walker (Mineral Wells, TX)
Got love the cathodes from Oz, They always work like a charm and are very bright.
Bright Highly Reccommend Gets PPL's Attention | May 19, 2009
Reviewer: Dylan Wood (Coventry, RI)
Oznium.com is the only stop for cold cathode kits. I bought about 5 kits now and they are bright i bought 2 for my engine bay and three in my car very bright and great customer service check out my action shots on the page link below!!!!!! Oznium is the best site for auto mod lighting!!!!!!!EVER
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2631820/3
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