I want to learn about neon

[ultramegabob]

I would like to learn about troubleshooting and repairing neon, what are some good sources for this subject? books, classes, websites? thanks!

 

[augie47]

Seems like that might be akin to wanting to be a dinosaur doctor
In these parts neon is quickly becoming:

http://www.ledneonflex.com/

 

[ultramegabob]

there is still quite a bit of neon in my area that people want maintained, and there is only one sign company in my area that works on it and they have made alot of people mad so they call the other closest company that works on neon which is 50 miles away. Today I checked some neon ballasts for line voltage, but I dont have any way to check the load side, I tested the tubes with a gas tube tester and think I found the bad tubes, but I still dont know for a fact that the ballasts are good. and I dont even know for a fact that the ballasts are the correct size in the first place, I just want to know more about it....

 

[MarkyMarkNC]

If you are going to be repairing neon lighting, you're going to have to find a good neon glass bending guy anyway. Go in and talk to them. Grill them for all the information you can get out of them. That's pretty much how I learned how to repair neon signs.

 

[Cavie]

Transformer sizes are based on glass diamiter and total lenght of the glass. Just like wire and total load. YOu can get a quick referance book from a neon sign shop. I have forgotten most of it that I used to know. Voltage input/output is listed on the transformer. They either work or they don't. if glass is broken, you simply jump out the broken piece and the rest will work and take the broken piece to get it repaired.

 

[wireguru]

LED is the big fad right now (like lumenyte and other fiber optic products in the early to mid 90s) but I think (and hope) neon is here to stay. It has a certain look that nothing else can recreate.

 

[dbaird]

Reply

Reply

here is some free info:
http://www.epanorama.net/links/lights.html#neon

 

[ultramegabob]

dbaird- thanks for the link...


I just went on another service call yesterday that involved neon, a section of neon was damaged when the EIFS/Dryvit was being repaired, sadly it was only a small section on the end of the side of a building where is really wasnt noticeable and the customer elected to just remove the section and disconnect the transformer for now, I also pulled the leads to the neon tube and caulked the holes in the building shut. But as far as being a Dino-Dr. this is two related service calls in as many weeks....

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

here is some free info:
http://www.epanorama.net/links/lights.html#neon

This is quite the link!

 

[brantmacga]

neon isn't going anywhere. think about how many neon signs are in your city; when they go down, are the owners going replace the entire sign or fix what's broken? anyone ever priced out a new electric sign? its not financially feasible to replace an entire sign because of a bad tube.