LEDs vs. Cold Cathode Kit

I did a search for this but couldn't find anything regarding it. I want to put lights under the dash in my Scion tc but I don't know which one to go with. Will the 9.5" LEDs put off the same amount of light as the Cathodes, or at least a compareable amount of light?

The LED's will have a different hue and be a bit more harsh then cathodes from what i have seen. But i ran single 9.5's under the dash of my focus with no issues of brightness and what have you.

LED will be more durable and easier to place. Cahotdes a bit harder because of the transformer, more of a soft glow, and quite a bit more fragile.

What color are you looking to run? For red I'd go with the flex strips and do 3 per side, for anything else I'd go with cathodes. Cathodes to me are better in the footwell because they are more uniform and even. They throw light everywhere while LEDs will always be directional to some extent.

My entire floor board lit up with the one strip i put down there. Pink was hard to pull off with 1. Red and such you will need more but the others i ran 1 and was more than fine.

i had blue cathodes in my footwells. i loved them.
but then i got my blue leds, and the leds put the cathodes to shame with the color.
the leds were much more rich in color

so i would say leds

i have a 19" flex strip in each of my footwells and it's so bright that I can't drive with them on. I can see the light during the day.

Personally, I'd go with a 19" flex strip in each well.

Cathodes break too easily, are much harder to mount, and you'd probably have to buy a set for each footwell anyway due to the very short distance they can be spread apart.
I had all cathodes in my car to start with but replaced every single one of them with leds....will never buy another set of cathodes for myself.

There are arguments for both sides:


Cathodes:
Good:
-very bright
- uniform light
- Brighter than LED strips
- Less expensive than LEDs

Bad:
- fragile (especially under dash where feet go)
- requires transformer
- sucks up more power than LEDs
- the light isn't the pure color of LEDs (i.e. red is more pinkish in tint)

LEDs:
Good:
- low current draw
- most setups are very durable/robust
- pure color output
- easy to wire use by taping into just about any 12v+ and ground

Bad:
- Expensive compared to cathodes
- Light output is usually more focal than cathodes.

Cathodes don't glow as bright when they are cold in winter, and you're not supposed to hook them to a dimming circuit as this can damage the transformer. I too have made the transition from cathodes to LED strips and couldn't be happier!

Cyber Knight wrote:

Cathodes don't glow as bright when they are cold in winter, and you're not supposed to hook them to a dimming circuit as this can damage the transformer. I too have made the transition from cathodes to LED strips and couldn't be happier!

That was my big thing. It takes a few minutes for cathodes to light up in the winter. This small little detail drove me crazy during the winter! Other than that, I think cathodes are great if you find a place where you won't break them.

Cathodes in my mind are not only older technology, fragile, but more temperamental (quite sensitive to conditions). LEDs are alot more versatile, do not require a transformer, plus with the recent breakthroughs LEDs are becoming cheaper, more efficient, and soon they will be used everywhere.

Cathodes have good application, and will still beat LEDs in a very small number of setups Example: Ambient lighting steup mounted so close to the reflecting object (which is also glossy), you can see the actual LED bulbs reflecting along with the glow... I saw this fatal lighting mistake at The Water Club, a hotel I was at recently. In this sense, Cathodes would've been a better choice.

Luminescence FTW!

The best direct LED bulb replacement out there right now: http://www.ccrane.com/geobulb/index.aspx

They don't have any out quite yet, but I might get some when they get them in stock. Oznium needs to hurry and make some. I've got a feeling OZ has some on the design table.

I had blue cathodes in my car, switched to blue flexi strips and have never looked back since. Don't get me wrong, the cathodes looked good, but not as good as the flexi strips. They're not significantly more so might as well get them. Plus much easier to install because they are transformer-less.

Guess I am the only one that still loves my thodes. Thode floorboard glow > led floorboard glow imo. Much cleaner softer glow which I love.

I don't think that Cathodes are brighter than LED's... per foot, the LED's are much brighter...

mx107marlin wrote:

I don't think that Cathodes are brighter than LED's... per foot, the LED's are much brighter...

True. But with me brighter isn't always better. A smooth, clean, soft glow is much nicer looking imo. Especially for floor boards. Leds are fantastic for many applications. And many love them. But I have loved and had no problems with my thodes and I am a believer if it ain't broke don't fix it. So I shall stick with what I have till I break them or something.

cathodes vs. Led is a battle that will never end imo.

i have always used leds. i have never used Cathodes before

but in would use leds they are worth it

Thanks for all of the info everyone. I think I'm set on going with LEDs. The cathodes are cheaper, but I don't want to deal with a transformer and I don't want to have to worry about the power consumption and heat output.

Or them breaking...

go with the flex strips for sure.

I have blue 9.5" flexs under my dash and my front seat for the rear compartment....4 in total and it gives off plenty of light

Easy to wire up and easier to mount as you can bend them, Thodes were a little harder to mount in my friend's stangs and would get kicked frequently