Underglow Help

Tomahwk · 10-26-2008, 03:06 AM

When I bought my car, I was told that it had red underglow, but the original owner had disconnected it. So I thought that I would have it reconnected by a professional, and have a switch thrown on there. So as I was cleaning my car the other day, I found there was already a switch for it. I opened up my hood, and connected the wire to the battery, and turned the switch on. Nothing. I then checked the fuses running down to the underglow. One of them looked like it was blown. It was an 8A fuse, but it was smaller than all the ones I could find at Home Depot, or Kragen. So I got one that was the same size but only 6 amps. So I then inserted the new fuse, and flipped the switch. The underglows come on for about a second, then just flash off, until I flip the switch off, then on again. Does anyone know why this is happening? Could it maybe be that the fuse is to small, but not blowing just turning off?

CactusWill · 10-26-2008, 03:12 AM

Sounds like a problem with your ballast, just like flourescent lighting. To illuminate gaseous lighting you need a properly functioning ballast to power it.

jayson_waltz · 10-26-2008, 03:29 AM

^ i agree it sounds like exactely what a flourescent light does when the ballast is going out

Bad99Olds · 10-26-2008, 05:46 AM

im kind of curious as well as ignorant. so ur telling the kid he needs to replace the ballast, or w/e it is that illuminates the neon?

cherrington17 · 10-26-2008, 08:34 AM

did the new fuse blow? if it did, you have a short somewhere. if it didn't, its a ballast issue.

Tomahwk · 10-26-2008, 11:02 AM

Can I change a ballast, if so where is it located?

cherrington17 · 10-26-2008, 11:42 AM

probably you can change the ballast.... and you'll have to find a bulb, and trace the wire back to where the ballast is. its not like its a stock item... its wherever the previous owner put it.

Tomahwk · 10-26-2008, 12:37 PM

Well, I mean would it be near the lights? Or it could be anywhere?

cherrington17 · 10-26-2008, 12:53 PM

could be anywhere. easiest way is to just trace one of the side lights. they are more centrally located, most likely shorter runs to the ballast.

clutch1 · 10-26-2008, 01:14 PM

A lot of neon tubes have a self contained ballast now days, disconnect 1 tube and see if the rest turn on. if they do, then you have self contained ballasts, if not then there's external ballasts (at least that's usually how they're wired up).

What I would do is just remove the kit altogether, just it connecting the tubes (or ballast, if you find one), directly to the battery, that way you can be certain you don't have a short, and then reinstall and you'll know where everything is.

Also, try bypassing the switch, there's a small chance it could be bad, just take the wire in and wire out and touch them together, see if they do the same thing then.

your fuse is DEF not too small. I have 2 underbody kits, 4 1' extensions, a plethora of cathodes, and a small army of LEDs everywhere, and I still only draw 7 amps with everything on. 1 underbody kit might draw like.. 1 amp, maybe 2, so that's fine.

Tomahwk · 10-26-2008, 03:19 PM

When I looked under the car today, there was a big piece of the tube missing. Do you think that would make the first set of neon work, which would make the others not work also?