I have started to have problems with the signs that I regularly produce. Its a standard window neon sign, neon mounted to a plexiglass backer, with an electronic window transformer. I have started to recieve calls that these signs are going out after a couple of months of use. Has anyone had any experience with electronic transformers, or can offer any advice to this problem, thanks
Well, thats a story in itself, originally we used ventex, then we started to have some problems so we switched to TFT. Continued to have problems, so now we are using France's Eneon, and still having problems. Right know we are in a very tight situation because we cant figure out what the problem is, any help would be great, thanks
If you've tried 3 different brands of trans. and are still having problems I doubt it's the trans. I would start looking at your processing criteria and then the installation. Will need a LOT more information to help out on this one. Simply telling us that you're having problems with 3 different trans. brands isn't going to do it I'm afraid.
Absolutley! 3 transformers tells me there is a problem somewhere else. Look at all aspects of the sign that could be a casue. Neonitself, wiring, installation, anything is possible to cause failure, even what the neon is mounted on. Still more information would be needed to help!
I found one problem,( and TFT techs. confirmed this ) .If you try to put a number
of trannys on one service(15 amp) or plug into a loaded service, this will trip it's
built in breaker, or even fry the trans.
well, upon further review we have confirmed that the problem was not in fact the transformers, but in fact our neon pump/procedure. We started to get some signs back and noticed that our glass looked like it was about 20 years old. Brown bends, grey streaks thru the glass, and black electrodes. From what I understand the electronic transformers multiply the efects of the improperly pumped glass. So bad glass would last alot longer on a magnetic trans then it would on a electronic trans, at least this is what I'm being told from various manufacturers. If any one out there has had any similar problems or input, I would like to hear about it, thanks Clancy.
Improper pumping would definately be a casue to have your neon fail. Are your filling the tubes to the right pressure? Processing them up to temperature?, etc... A lot needs to be looked at here to nail down the cause. The grey streaks sound like contaminated mercury whic would in turn tell me that the tube was not processed up to temperature or the pumping system is dirty or weak and not pulling all the impuritites out fast enough. I would take a close look at your whole processing operation and take each step and examine it to see where things have gone wrong or if equipment if failing. Hope this helps!
my problem is transformer is burnt out of 240 volt dc supply. how should i make this power supply manually. how to find out transformer rating in ma or amperes?. i planed to choose primary 240 volts transformer and secondary 160-170 volts after rectifing i will get 240 volts near by but how to find out current rating of transformer in ma or amperes ?. thanks reply me soon
Those electronic transformers seem to have a problem if any part of the transformer or output leads comes in contact with any grounded metal surfaces. They are also much more picky on the processing of the tube. You can have neon that appears to work fine on a regular transformer but not on an electronic. When this happens the tube is contaminated. I had this problem once a while back when a tank of argon was almost empty and was under a vacuum for a long period of time. The tank had leaked and because it was under a vacuum it drew in a small amount of contaminants. Took me a while to figure it out as I cursed the transformers.
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