Q: What electronic transitions take place within the atom to give off the light and certain spectra?Q3

 A: Transitions take place in the atom when the electrons change in value due to the effects of collision.  

Electricity is introduced Into a neon tube through electrodes (a glass capsule with imbedded wires that lead power from the outside to the inside of a completed neon tube, which is otherwise sealed) at either end. 

As the electricity travels through the tube it causes the atoms inside to collide into one another. These collisions result in the rearrangement of the electron altering their value thus resulting in ionization, a point in which an atom is positively charged. It is at this point that we are able to see the illumination of a particular element. 

As far as its spectra, gases such as neon, argon, helium, xenon, and krypton as well as the "liquid metal", mercury are found to produce the desired glow and colors. Any combination of these gases can be used to achieve a spectrum of lighted results. 

Please visit  hyperlinks located (above) on our neon facts page for more detailed information on the various gases used in neon production.

Q: Can I get my beer sign repaired? I purchased beer sign but it was not shipped well and the corner on the L is broken.  Is this sign totally no good now or can it be repaired.Q4

Yes, a local neon shop or sign company can fix or remake a broken part of any neon sign; though, many shy away from beer signs due to the high risk of breaking it again during disassembly or reassembly, as well as, the inability to match certain colors as many beer sign manufacturers use their own brand of surface coating to achieve a unique look. I wouldn't even mention the words beer and sign to a bender because odds are they will be reluctant to accept your sign for repair.

A sign person may be more willing to fix your beer sign if you are brave enough to trace the unplugged sign (make a pattern of the broken piece), by placing the sign flat on its face and carefully outline the broken part as it relates to the rest of the sign and its frame. Then, only after you have a reliable rendering carefully unwire and remove the broken pieces and take them along with your pattern for repair, not the entire sign. (Warning: Be aware that there is probably a small bead of mercury that can fall out while you are removing the broken parts so be sure to work over paper or other material so that you might track any mercury spill. Consult your local law for proper disposal).

Q: I'm using a 15,000 transformer to light up 60 feet of 15mm neon filled tubes what could cause an electric discharge when you touch the glass of a neon tube and then touch a near by object of metal?Q5

A:  A neon sign is high voltage. Although the electrical charge is contained within the glass tube, it tends to omit a strong electrical field called a corona. This Field is not dangerous coming off of your sign but care should be taken to avoid metal to glass contact. 

Because neon is high voltage, electrodes and any exposed wiring should be properly insulated with UL Listed materials. UL listed caps are used to cover electrode wires and properly rated conduit enclose the wires that run through high voltage cable (GTO) .  All GTO splices should be done within listed splice enclosures only. No exposed wire should be visible anywhere on your sign.

 
Q: I have a friend who has a neon sign. He gave it to me in hopes of repairing it. It has 2 wires coming off of it. It has a wire at each end, and is about 3 ft in length. I know a little about electricity, but nothing about neon. Is there a way to tell rather or not I need a ballast, and if not, rather or not the sign is 120 or 220 volts, and if it is 120V which end of the sign I would need to connect the positive to.   

A: You do need a transformer. You must determine how much juice you will need to power your sign. Power is measured in high voltages called secondary volts (secondary because it steps up your- primary, 120 household current to high volts needed for neon).

Transformers for neon come in increments from 2000 -15000 secondary volts.  

We choose the correct transformer by figuring the over all length, the diameter, and the color of the glass.

Q: How can neon be produced by a chemical reaction?6

A:  The type of reaction that you are referring to is more like an atomic reaction, though many other factors and elements are combined to achieve the affect of a brilliantly lit neon sign. 

• First there is the glass AKA silica. We start with 4' rods of hollow glass  tubing in varying diameters. We mainly use a lead based glass because it is more tolerant in high temperatures and it becomes malleable easily and stays that way for a short period of time, enough to work into a pattern.
   

• For Color, there are pigments that can be incorporated into the glass or pigments annealed onto the outside of the glass tubing. There can also be phosphor coatings inside of the glass tube. These coatings are in powder form and the combination allows for a large range of color options.
    

• Once the neon words or designs are completed electrodes are added, They serve as a pathway to allow electricity to travel inside a finished neon element.
  

• All air is vacuumed out of the tube and impurities are essentially burned away with temperatures that reach  400 degrees or above. 
  

• Once the glass is cool we place one or more types of gas inside. Neon, argon, and sometimes helium for cold temperatures.
  

• When using argon gas a tiny bead of mercury is placed into the finished unit  to make it illuminate brighter.
  

• We seal in all of the wanted elements, gas, mercury, and phosphates then introduce electricity in through the metal leads on the electrodes that were placed on opposite ends of the neon tube and  then the action begins. We now have the perfect environment for controlled chaos.
  

• There are high voltage electrical wires that connect a transformer to one end and leads to the electrodes that we placed on the neon tube. One on each end.  The electricity travels through the tube at astronomical speeds. The opposing electrodes bat the electrons back and forth like a hyper tennis match. In this environment the electrodes are bound to collide BOOM! It is in this instance that you see the argon or neon glow. You are seeing the result of the many explosions that happen when positive electrons collides with a negative electrons.

• Multiply this activity to infinity or the amount of time your neon is plugged in and there you have it a constant and brightly lit neon tube.
  

 

Q: "How much does it cost to repair a broken section on a neon sign?" Q8

A: It depends on your location and the market in your area. Calling several companies in your area to explain the nature of the problem for the best estimate. 

My price for repair can start at $129.00  for a border tube and one trip. In this case the client measured the tube so only one trip was necessary to replace it. (This service is extended to existing customers with a prior contract). 

Other factors that may effect your costs are travel to pick up a broken sign, dismantling the sign and reassembly, replacing the entire unit vs. splicing an area of glass on (due to mercury contamination shops vary), and the replacement of parts such as wiring, transformers, etc.  

Q: If a neon sign in a store window is blue, does it really contain neon? Explain Q9

A:  The term neon is used broadly to describe lighted signs, as well as, it's the name of the gas used to achieve the red we see in red signs. 

There are traces of neon gas used in blue (argon filled tubes) and like colored "neon" signs, but the prevailing and dominant gas is argon which is used to achieve a dull bluish glow. Because argon filled tubes is so dull mercury is needed to brighten argon filled tubes. 

Helium gas is also used in varying doses inside of blue and like colored "neon" when the argon filled tubes are used in cold weather regions as argon loses it's intensity under these conditions.

Q: For longevity...is it better to turn the sign off every night OR leave it on 24/7??