Neons installation help

[bob_gti]

I bought a pair of 9" neons to put under my dash - infront of the passenger seat and driver seat, and also bought a switch for them.
I need an explanation on which wires in my GTi i should use and how to wire everything up. I know the basics but thats all..
Any help will be appreciated

[m4x1mu5]

i just got the lil cheap ones that go into the cigarette lighter, with a switch on it! they do a good joband have all the wires tucked under hidden away!

[Shazlic]

Just run power wire from battery and earth out the ground. Its what i did when i was into fast and the furious under car neons

[bob_gti]

Mine go into the ciggarette lighter too but i wana cut them, connect them to one switch and hide all the wiring. So do i have to literally have wires running from the battery to the switch then to the neons? Isn't there a way to use the ciggarette lighter by cutting the wires and splitting them into 3 (1 for each neon and 1 back to the ciggarette lighter) ?

[Percy]

If you still want to be able to use the cigarette lighter then give this a go.

[mattman]

as above ^^^
find the power wire at the back of the cig lighter connect a wire to that then run that wire to a switch the run another wire from the switch to your neons as for the earth connect them to the earth with on the back of the cigi lighter.

note cig lighter works on acc.
then flick the switch and feel hektic

[Powered_by_Suzuki]

....or forget about the cig lighter and trace the wiring from the interior light to the fusebox, tap into that so when your doors open your lights come on. When you switch the light over to full on, the neons are illuminated too...

[Pauly]

Or not bother because neons are for queers...

[Maximum]

Or not bother because neons are for queers...

I'm sure absolutely everyone has done it at least once

[bob_gti]

I think il just have the neons connected straight to a switch as in Percy's diagram but i might look into connecting my dome light to my doors later on. Is the 10A fuse, between the switch and the cig lighter, necessary? Also, should i have a specific thickness of wire running?

EDIT: lol @ Percy's description of the pic - "The thing that looks a bit like a dick with leads on it is the cigarette lighter"

[bob_gti]

Did it successfully, thanks guys!

[*JD*]

There is another way were u can hide the wiring by connecting it to ur headdecks power and earth and have it run into a switch so all u got is the switch showing that's it

[BenHaste]

There is another way were u can hide the wiring by connecting it to ur headdecks power and earth and have it run into a switch so all u got is the switch showing that's it

The cigarette lighter method would have all the wires hidden too...

[*JD*]

Yer it does but u can wire the switch into ur dash easier

[BenHaste]

If you think so.

[*JD*]

Yer that's my opinion but everyone else has there opinions

[bob_gti]

connecting to the deck might hide them a little more, but im happy they way they're hidden at the back of the cig lighter, thanks for the idea though

[Hertz]

All this talk about running neon's off other sources isn't what I would recommended, sure neon's don't use much current, but you start asking for trouble if you permanently tap into a power line that wasn't designed for it. I will however relent on the cigarette lighter option, that's okish.

Anyway!

Best way to do it is to tap into your power feed for your sound system (directly off your amplifier for the easiest termination) or cigarette lighter. Use an automotive relay, and have it switching on and off via your door switches, this is what I do, and it creates a nice mood lighting effect when you open the doors

[bob_gti]

My initial plan was to have the neons turn on whenever i open the door, but my dome lights door switch is not working for some reason ! Theres a + and a - in the dome light and nothing else

[Hertz]

Yeah the door switches are pretty s**t to be honest, they wear out like any mechanical part, they are pretty cheap to replace.

[bob_gti]

Which part wears out though? I think my wires are the poblem but i dont know how i can tell :s

[Hertz]

Well when you open your door(s) does the interior light turn on, do it a dozen times to get a good check of the door switch, if the light doesn't turn on the switch will need to be replaced, it won't be the wiring, it pretty thick and very unlikely to snap.

If you stand outside your open drivers door, and look down and to the left, you'll see a black rubber nipple (which also wears out btw!) simply pry that off and you'll have access to your door switch, from memory you need to pull on the switch, and with a pair of pliers squeeze in the two tabs on the side and push out, it will have two wires connected to it.

[bob_gti]

I don't think its the switch because my alarm beeps when the door is open, so does that mean it can only be the wiring ?