Need some general advice on case lighting

Purple ones emit light entirely within the visible spectrum, so they emit more visible light than a UV cathode, which emits some within the invisible UV spectrum and some within the (highest frequency, shortest wavelength) purple visible spectrum. Thus, pure purple is brighter because it gives off all visible light.
 
[Tripod]MajorPayne;1030652215 said:
Purple ones emit light entirely within the visible spectrum, so they emit more visible light than a UV cathode, which emits some within the invisible UV spectrum and some within the (highest frequency, shortest wavelength) purple visible spectrum. Thus, pure purple is brighter because it gives off all visible light.
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hmm....u made it as clear as black n white...:)

I had a good hard look at about 200 modded systems yesterday, and picked out several systems' pics to serve as examples....

have a look at this...

122lx7.jpg


I wont say its *absolutely outstanding*, but its something I am trying to achieve...

this is the same system (above one), but with the window opened up:

123oq4.jpg


so I think I will need at least one UV...either a visible light one, or a UV one....to go with an LED fan...

Here are my aims:

  1. To light up UV components properly, but not make them too bright, as I think that has a negative impact...
  2. To provide a light inside the casing, with a 'gradient' effect...that is light is brightest to one end, and gets slightly dimmer as we go to the opposite end (like in the above example)...this gradient can be either vertically or horizontally...like in the above pictures...
  3. To provide more cooling (through fans)

OK, since I do have UV reactive stuff in my case (PCI slots, CPU seat, RAM slots, round cables, wire sleeving, etc..) I think I definitely need to get UV light in there....

keeping the above points in mind, I have come up with 4 different configurations....they are all written as one below....please suggest me which one I should go for.....

(1 LED fan) or (2 LED fans)
(1 UV CCFL with 1 visible light CCFL) or (2 UV CCFLs, like this one)
 
too bad those AC Ryan overboost UV's are out of stock, id buy them right now!!! grr! come on performance pc, get them in stock!
 
I, in the past, have found that visible cathodes really overwhelm UV cathodes, because UVs put out both weak visible light and a small amount of UV light. If you have bright (also high frequency, short wavelength) blue cathodes, the small amount of UV glow from components you will get is going to be cancelled out by the blinding effects of the multiple visible-light cathodes.

In my opinion, 1 to 2 visible cathodes (especially blue ones) should be enough, if they are well-placed and bright enough. 1 to 2 UV cathodes, depending on brightness and coverage, should also light up your components well. I can't ever see anyone needing more than 4 standard 12" cathode lights. Any more would seem to present lopsided power draw and a whole lot of clutter inside the case.

EDIT: LED fans are great, as long as they are of decent quality and the bearings don't hum or grind because the manufacturers concentrated more on the pretty LED's than the actual function of the fan. I like good-quality LED fans.
 
[Tripod]MajorPayne;1030653069 said:
I, in the past, have found that visible cathodes really overwhelm UV cathodes, because UVs put out both weak visible light and a small amount of UV light. If you have bright (also high frequency, short wavelength) blue cathodes, the small amount of UV glow from components you will get is going to be cancelled out by the blinding effects of the multiple visible-light cathodes.
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Good point :D

[Tripod]MajorPayne;1030653069 said:
In my opinion, 1 to 2 visible cathodes (especially blue ones) should be enough, if they are well-placed and bright enough. 1 to 2 UV cathodes, depending on brightness and coverage, should also light up your components well. I can't ever see anyone needing more than 4 standard 12" cathode lights. Any more would seem to present lopsided power draw and a whole lot of clutter inside the case.
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totally agree with you...in fact having more than 2 12" Cathodes is an overkill....

so the question is, do you think 2 UV lights are enough to illuminate the UV components in my case, and to provide a decent amount of visible light (for lighting up non-UV stuff)..?? Or is it better to get at least one visible light cathode is there too, along with the UV cathodes, just to be sure that non-UV stuff is not left out...??
 
When I used CCFLs, before I moved to my Lian-Li case and just couldn't be bothered with them because I was more concerned about wire management and performance (plus it was inside a cabinet), I had 2 blue cathodes and I used one UV cathode for a while. In my case, which was a mid-tower, I found that 3 cathodes was plenty, with a possibility to squeeze in a fourth, but at that point it's just overkill.

If you want your UV stuff to be the emphasis, then use 2 UV cathodes and place them carefully so that the UV-reactive components get the most coverage, and then accent with one visible light cathode (color of your choice; I like blue, of course) at the top of the inside of the window. I think that's where you're going to get the most visible light coverage.

If you want visible, colored light to be the center of attention, use 2 visible light cathodes, one at the top of the window and one at the bottom. Then, you can place the UV cathode right next to one of the visible ones if you can't find another place, or you can put it vertically to one side so it covers top to bottom.

It all depends on what effect you're going for. If you want cool, glowing colors and not an overwhelming bright glow, make UV your emphasis. If you want the visible light as the center and the UV-reactive components to be a nice touch, then use more visible cathodes.

EDIT: I was just going to add that I think putting them immediately above or below the edges of your window on the inside of the side panel is absoultely ideal placement, regardless of your intended effect. That way, the light shines directly on the components, but you aren't staring at plastic tubes or looking directly at the cathode bulb. This placement gives you good, direct lighting without the "staring at a light bulb" effect, and you can hide the wiring along the inside of the side panel.
 
some good advice there.....

so you are saying that I should get either 2 UV CCFLs with 1 visible light CCFL, or 1 UV CCFL with 2 visible light CCFLs...

if I prefer to go with the UV effect side (2 UV CCFLs, with 1 visible light CCFL)...but i am a bit worried that blue and yellow might now mix :eek: ....no sure on this though :confused:


other than that...how would you say i put the CCFLs...horizontally (standing on left and right sides of the case) or vertically (placed in a horizontal manner, at the top and bottom of the case)...??
 
Are you saying you'd use a blue light and the UV components would glow yellow? That would mix just fine, actually. The blue would be the dominant light because it's direct lighting and the components would just appear yellow.

In that case, I think I would probably put the blue cathode at the top of the windowed side panel. I'd put the UV ones on the bottom and vertically on the side of the window. That will get you the best distribution of visible light, while you'll still get good UV coverage, especially if your UV cathodes are of good quality, like the ones others recommended on the first page. All of those are of pretty good to excellent quality.
 
ok then...so that wraps up the CCFL part...

now i have another issue too....

the 2 LEDs should be LED based or CCFL based ? Whats your take on that ?
 
I hope you're talking about LED fans, because that's what I'm going to answer.

If you're using LED fans, then definitely go LED. That's the best fan lighting system I know of.

If you're talking about trying to get some sort of UV emission out of LEDs, I'm not sure. I have no experience with UV LEDs. I would go cathodes, just because they are tubes, so they are longer by nature and will give you good light coverage. LEDs tend to just be blindingly bright if you look directly at them, but they don't always give off a lot of strong, direct light. Computer LEDs, that is.

Consumer LEDs used in headlights, flashlights, and traffic lights are, of course, a different story.
 
No no, you got me wrong dude ;)

I am saying that I need to put in 2 fans in my casing....so the question is, should I put in 2 LED Fans (with LEDs on them), or two CCFL fans (with 1 or 2 CCFL rings in them).....which ones are overally better?
 
I like LED fans, and I'm reasonably sure that they're cheaper than CCFL fans, which are much more complex. Plus, LED fans will draw less power because CCFLs are surely more demanding than LEDs.

In addition, LED fans are more durable than CCFL fans, because if you crack a CCFL tube, you're screwed. LEDs are much harder to break, other than shorting out, and if you short one, you still have between 1 and 3 left, depending on the original number. LED fans all the way.
 
Susquehannock said:
An inverter is needed for CCFL tubes. Converts the 12V power to the high voltage (low amps) required to run the light tubes.

Most CCFL kits come with cheesy plastic inverters which are known to get hot. Sometimes this causes a fire.

Here is one from a system I built for a friend a couple years back.

burnt2vr7.jpg


Fortunately I was there when things heated up & could smell plastic burning. Left alone that inverter may have caused some serious issues.

Metal cased inverters will not burn near as easily. Plus that are sealed air tight so there is no oxygen to burn.
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Wow that scary. Come to think of it, I have a plastic inverter in my computer (though I rarely turn the cathodes on anyway... waaaayy to bright for my eyes).

You think I place the inverter in front of my 120mm intake on the bottom of hdd cage that it'll keep it from getting to hot? (if I ever decide to leave them on for an extended period of time)
 
ok, LED fans it is then...plus another major advantage of LED fans is that they require no inverters :D...so no mess like the one in the above post :D

ok, I have come up with 3 configurations, based on what people are telling me...

Design 1:

1001531nm0.jpg


Design 2:

1001531ox1.jpg


Design 3:

1001531kx8.jpg


Choose one...
 
I like design one as well, although I would switch the top UV cathode with the blue one. I think that will give you better visible light coverage with your one cathode, but you'll still get good UV coverage if you have one on the bottom and one on the side.

Also, I'm not sure I made my placement point well. What I meant was to adhere them to the inside of the removable side panel, not necessarily on the brackets in the case. That way, you can still smoothly fit the panel on, but the cathodes will be completely hidden and not obstructed.
 
[Tripod]MajorPayne;1030662278 said:
Also, I'm not sure I made my placement point well. What I meant was to adhere them to the inside of the removable side panel, not necessarily on the brackets in the case. That way, you can still smoothly fit the panel on, but the cathodes will be completely hidden and not obstructed.
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hm...i dont quite get wat you mean...what you mean drawing your idea in this template picture?:

1001531ag9.jpg
 
The cathodes will fit perfectly the way ahmadka puts them also the case will slide in with no problems.
img1898sn9.jpg
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What I meant was, that if you were to remove your side panel and place it out-side down, you would see the inside of the panel and where the window is attached to it. I was suggesting that you mount your CCFLs to the inside of the panel itself, right above the window.

cathodeswp2.jpg


(ph33r my l33t MS Paint skills!)

Like that. But, I see that your case does not provide a ton of room around the window on the panel itself. Your plan for mounting them will do just fine, except that I would put the blue on top and the UVs on the side and bottom.
 
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