Anybody know anything about neon signs?

[miked]

Scored a neon open sign at work today. From what I can tell the bulbs are fine as they light up dim and occasionally light up fully for about a second. Any ideas of what the problem could be? Maybe open it up and give the insides a nice cleaning?

[cookie monster]

Can you load some pictures of it. I can show them to foxhounds dad he works at a sign company and may be able to help.

[miked]

I haven't opened it yet. Just got off work and not really up for it tonight. I can probably get some inside pics tomorrow though. Sorry for the lousy quality too, my laptop died and I'm limited to the crap forward facing camera of my nexus 7.

[flojocabron]

Dont drop them.

They are technically unfixable if dropped.

Glass Breaks and its goodbye sign! You have to remold the glass and add neon gas again. Not worth it!

Each type of neon gas changes over time. So each neon sign is different.

Take care of them cause they're fragile.

[Hobie-wan]

I believe that might mean that the ballast is going bad since it still lights every now and then.

[sonic2041]

I believe that might mean that the ballast is going bad since it still lights every now and then.

That's what I would guess.

Does anybody know if neon tubes can actually go bad over time?

[Hobie-wan]

Does anybody know if neon tubes can actually go bad over time?

I think if they're plain neon (or other mixed gases) they won't as long as they don't leak. Ones with flourescent coatings to make other colors that the gases can't by themselves might. But I'm not sure. Hopefully someone else is.

[cookie monster]

foxhounds dad said it could be the transformer going bad on it.

[miked]

Damn, looking at the price of a new one on eBay and they nearly cost as much as a whole working sign.

I might just sell if off if that's the case. Especially since that might not be the problem. Thanks for the help though guys.

[cookie monster]

Damn, looking at the price of a new one on eBay and they nearly cost as much as a whole working sign.

I might just sell if off if that's the case. Especially since that might not be the problem. Thanks for the help though guys.

There is a nice one going of in 20 minutes on ebay it is at 20.00 and 15.00 to ship