Cold Cathode Lighting

[addict]

Does anyone know if its possible to have a dimmer on cathode lighting? I bought a dimmer at Home Depot and had no success. I also spoke with someone at Radio Shack and he said the Lights are so low voltiage that they cant be dimmed. Not sure how much I can beleive anyone at Radio Shack. Would it be possible to use a fan speed adjuster for case fans?

[jaeger]

Short answer is no. You would need to put the dimmer in between the transformer and the light for it to concievably work. More than likely, all you'd end up doing is making sure the light couldn't turn on.

However, victory through low tech. Go get a sharpie permanent marker of the appropiate color and color the ccfl as dark as you want.

[ilovetheusers]

I believe that cold cathode works on a similar principal as fluorescent lights (I may be wrong). Electricity is used to excite gas to a state in which it glows. You can actually set up a dimmer for this sort of thing but you would need a special ballist to do it. I have no idea where you would get one for cold cathode though and it may not even be made. I.E. - refer to Jaeger's post. Ain't gonna happen, use a magic marker.

[PeLiGrOsO]

see if you can get an ideal from here

[Outcoded]

Only way to dim a strip light is to slow the frequency of the electrical supply it's being provided. Or put a filter over it.

[addict]

Thanks for the repleys, looks like I'll be giving the magic marker a try. Hope someone will come up with a cheap simple product to do this.

[addict]

Originally posted by Outcoded
Or put a filter over it.

Any idea where a filter could be purchased, and if they can be purchased. Any Idea on how much light would be droped with different filters.

[Platypus]

http://www.modthebox.com/review167_1.html

[ilovetheusers]

Not 100% certain how "safe" this would be but reynolds makes colored wraps. Wrap enough and get the desired color and darkness.

http://www.reynoldskitchens.com/reyn...wrap/index.asp

[Rockafella]

Yes you can dim cold cathode tubes. I just did it last week using a thermal take case that has the 4 knob fan controllers. If you hook the cold cathode tubes into one of the speed controllers you can dim the light as you please. trust me it works. Being that the knobs are reostats that control voltage it will do so for the cathode tubes. I would assume that any fan controller would work just fine. it doesnt take much of a turn to dim it either.

[addict]

Thanks Rockafella, I've just order and Vantec Fan Controller. I have my fingers crossed!!

[Rockafella]

let me know how things work out.

[addict]

I installed the Dimmer and its not working. I installed the dimmer between the power source and the ballast and the light would not come on at all. Not sure how else it could be installed. I did test the dimmer with a fan and it was working properly.

[Rockafella]

Ok i used the dual 13" cold cathode tubes that has a little power supply. the fan controller was labeled FAN1, FAN2, and so on. It also had 2 plugs that said power supply. plug a plug from the power supply into the fan conroller socket that says power supply. then plug the power from the cathode tubes into one of the fan controllers. it didnt take much turn to make it dim. this is exactly how i hooked it up and it worked just fine. the tubes also had a separate switch that you still had to turn on manually but tha was no big deal to me.