Cold Cathodes

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 18:14

Hey, i recently bought some Cold cathodes. It uses a molex to power. It came with a switch and when i use the switch to turn it on/off 1 out of 5 times it turns my PC off... I don't understand... A bit of help?

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 18:23

BeQuiet L7 530W PSU running 2 HDD's, HD 5770, 1 Fan, Phenom II x4 840 with stick cooler. So you think my PSU is maxed out?!

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 18:32

Ok so i'm guessing it's the switch? so either let them stay on or keep them off. At the moment i have them outside my case until i get my Zalman Z9+ Case. Will i damage them if i keep them when my pc is on?

EDIT: Same case as Andy

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 21:28

Anyone else got any advice?

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 21:58

Yeah it shuts off when the pc is off but the CCFL's came with a switch. The switch is connected to the molex power. When i flick the switch to turn my CCFL' on or off most of the time my pc shuts off.

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 22:05

Phenomenologica said:
The best solution would probably be just to leave them on whenever the computer is on, but that shouldn't happen. Have you tried contacting whoever sold you the tubes and asking?

Yeah waiting for a reply. Can i leave them on for a long period of time? Like about 8 hours?

tidusjar · 16 Jun 2011 at 22:43

andy_mk3 said:
The cathodes I use on my desk are on for hours and hours at a time, it does them no harm

No idea where the name 'cold' cathode comes from though, they're far from that

Yeah i noticed myn was on for about an hour earlier and they was hot haha.

tidusjar · 17 Jun 2011 at 13:49

Trollslayer said:
Sounds like a startup surge. If they are on when the PSU is switched on it will limit startup surges but after that it may treat the surge as a short circuit and shut down to protect itself.
Try leaving the switch on and let the PSU deal with the startup.

Thats what i was thinking, They are fine when i just leave them on, but flick the switch and most of the time it shuts down.

tidusjar · 17 Jun 2011 at 15:12

I have another switch, but I know NOTHING about eletronics. Someone draw me up a quick guide?

Heres a small diagram of just the power.