Circuit Design: Transformer (or Inverter?)

[jrod5000]

Hey guys, I have a pretty simple project, but there a few unknowns. Perhaps you can help me.

The gas and brake pedals in my car are neon and glow when appropriately powered. They came with a transformer (or so the included literature calls it) to convert the car's 12V DC to the power requirements of the neon pedals. The transformer no longer works and I'd like to build a replacement.

From the limited amount of information I've culled from the web, the transformer steps up the voltage from 12V to something really high. (I know that the large under-the-car neon tubes get about 9500V.) I'm guessing these pedals require a few hundred volts, though I'm not sure, and probably a half amp. It's possible that this transformer also converts the current to AC, but again I'm not sure.

I'm new to circuit design, but I have strong electrical knowledge.

Can anyone suggest a circuit that would meet my (unspecific) needs? It would be nice if it had a mechanism for fiddling with the output voltage since I'm unsure of the required amount for the pedals to begin to glow.

 

[Klaus]

Maybe its the way you wrote it but this begs the question: why whould anyone want glowing pedals in their cars??
I mean, who's going to see it? Somebody with their head down between your legs??

Beside that, I would be very uncomfortable to have several hundred volts on the loose *inside* the car.

I must be getting old, reading about weird stuff like that here and wondering the sense of it.

Klaus

 

[jrod5000]

HAhahaha, yeah, I know it seems kinda silly. It is for show. Several companies market neon pedals (and all sorts of neon items, including neon stick shifts). It's a fairly popular thing amongst us younguns.

 

[Sebi]

First You need to know, what is this exactly, because for neon lamp need high voltage, depending from tube size about 3...5kV, but for coloured fluorescent lamps need only 60...120V.

 

[jrod5000]

the packaging calls it "electroluminescence" for that neon effect.

**broken link removed**

**broken link removed**

instructions for installing the particular one i have is here: https://www.performancestyleattitude.com/support/1058_series/1058_series_01.htm

what i need is a circuit that can convert my car's 12V DC into something to power the pedals.

 

[grim]

it's not just a transformer, it's an inverter/high voltage supply. I the same thing on my electro luminicant dash, and HID headlights also runn at the same sort of voltage

you are probably best going back to the supplier for another one.