Adding PC Floodlights!

[TheGreatSatan]

So I wanted my PC to be really bright, but cathodes will never do enough, so I'm making flood lights instead. I bought 12V 20 watt mini flood lights on ebay for about $3.00.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/flood.jpg

Using my test PSU I was able to learn which was ground and which was power. I have no idea why it wasn't marked??? The ground side I markered in black.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010627.jpg

These are jumpers. Most PC enthusiasts should have at least a few around. Otherwise they're really cheap at Radio Shack.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010621.jpg

Just force them on the polls. Like this:

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010629.jpg

Then use an old molex cable separating the 12V (Yellow) and ground (black) cables. Connect the ground to the black side as you markered in earlier, and the yellow to the other.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010635.jpg

Then power up.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010636.jpg

My basement was pitch black.

http://www.pcmodhouse.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/p1010637.jpg

Imagine how bright a PC would be!

Pros:

Extremely bright
Easy to wire
Cheap addition

Cons:

This thing gets pretty hot after just a few minutes, so have a fan near it.
20 Watts is a lot of drain on a PSU so have a good 500 watts and more than one 12V rail. This bulb should not share a rail with anything else.

[xmastree]

Using my test PSU I was able to learn which was ground and which was power. I have no idea why it wasn't marked??? Because it doesn't matter?

How did you determine which was which? I suspect it would light up either way.

[TheGreatSatan]

I tried the wires on both sides till it lit. And it does matter.

[Drum Thumper]

I'm curious, why didn't you go with LEDs?

Regardless, this is a pretty damn cool application.