THE NEON TUBES
the color
The neon tubes
are hand-blown by the artist.
The color of the neon tube is determined by 3 factors:
1. The glass:
Clear or colored
glass. The colored glass gives deeper and richer colors and require
more skill in bending.
2. Powder
coatings inside the tube:
These are phosphorescent
powders that glow specific colors when excited or stimulated by certain
UV wavelengths of light given off by the gas when lit.
3. The
gas:
There are six
gases one can use in a neon tube. Only two are bright enough to be used
commonly:
neon: lights orange-red
mercury (with argon or neon): lights light blue
Other gases less commonly employed are:
argon: lights pale lavender
helium: lights a pale peach color
krypton: lights pale silver
xenon: lights pale deep blue:
The color of the
gas interacts with the glass and powders to determine the final color
of the tube
life
expectancy
The life span of
a neon tube can be expected to be 20+ years although this may not be the
case for every tube. The tubes generally need to be replaced rather than
repaired if bad or broken. Neon tubes are fragile but not overly-so.
"Snaking"
Sometimes the light
in a tube moves in a corkscrew or worm-like pattern. This is called "snaking" and is a normal but transient sign of a new tube. It always stops within
days or weeks especially when turned on and off a few times. Unfortunately,
it cannot be made permanent even when desired. (QuickTime
movie of "snaking" - a large file for fast internet connections
only)
Maintenance
Cleaning
The metal is usually
aluminum. The silver aluminum has been coated with multiple layers of
clear polyurethane coating which is applied after the aluminum is hand
brushed or ground to create the reflection patterns. The colored aluminum
is coated with multiple layers of either opaque or translucent paint then
over-sprayed with multiple clear coats to provide depth. These finishes
should provide stable color to last for years with minimal maintenance.They
are designed only for indoor use. The translucent colors will fade if
exposed to direct sunlight for a long period of time.
When cleaning,
the pieces should first be unplugged and the tubes allowed to cool to
room temperature. They can then be cleaned by using a soft cotton cloth
(a T-shirt is ideal) dampened with water. Paper towels are too abrasive
and may scratch the finish. For troublesome grime buildup or smoke etc.,
a glass cleaner can be used. Do not apply solvents of any type to the
aluminum as they may damage the finish. Frequent dusting is recommended
using a soft clean paint brush or feather duster.
Turning Off & On
In general, I recommend that the neon be left on all of the time instead of turning it on and off each night. Since the neon requires very little power to light up (much less than incandescent lights), it presents a minimal cost in power consumption. The exception to this would be if one is expecting to leave the neon off for an extended period of time. The reason for this is that the electronic transformers that power the neon, like all electronic devices, suffer their most "wear and tear" when they are turned on after being powered down. When the transformer is turned on it is subjected to the power surge associated with the process and this tends to be hard on the electronics. Another consideration along these same lines is that I recommend the neon be turned off during storms if your local power grid is subject to power outages. The power surges associated with power outages can be harmful to all electronic devices including neon transformers, computers and audio-visual equipment.
TRANSFORMERS
Neon tubes light
up when the gas within the tube is "excited" by being bombarded
with high-energy electrons. The collision between electrons results in
light: the same phenomenon as lightning in the sky. The transformer functions
to "transform" either 110 Volt 60Hz (AC current from standard
wall outlets) or 12 Volt DC (battery-type current) to a form which has
higher energy.
There are 2 types of transformers that are used in the neon industry.
The old-style transformer characterized by "beer-sign" transformers
which are bulky and very heavy - they put out high voltage/low frequency
electricity to light the tube. They often "buzz" when on, causing
interference on television or telephones and have no safety features.
I rarely use them in my work.
The other type of transformer is electronic in nature and puts out high
frequency electricity (20,000 Hz and above) to light up the neon. This
is the type I use in almost all of my work. They are lightweight, compact
and quiet in operation. They should not interfere with television or telephone
reception as the old-style may. In addition, they have safety features
which allow them to shut off if overloaded or if they detect a faulty
tube.
The transformers run warm when on but should not be too hot to touch.
If for some reason this is detected, turn the piece off (unplug). If the
tubes flicker on and off, this is usually a sign of a faulty transformer
and it should be unplugged. When necessary, exchanging a faulty transformer
is a simple process.
The transformers have manufacturer's warranties of 1-2 years. The life
span of these transformers is not really known, having been on the market
for only 10-15 years or less. Many transformers of this style have been
in use by the artist now for 10+ years without problems.
MISCELLANEOUS
SHIPPING:
All of the sculpture is shipped fully insured. The pieces require
careful packing and crating before shipping. For insurance reasons, we must use third party packing and shipping. In New Orleans, we have used the Wooden Box
Shipping Co. (504.568.0281) for more than 10 years with great success. In San Francisco, we have recently begun to use the Packaging Store (415.558.8100) and have had no problems so far.
TOXICITY:
The gases in a
neon tube are all inert and completely non-toxic. When mercury is used
in a tube, its toxicity is equal to that of a mercury thermometer. There
is not enough mercury to represent a health hazard if transiently exposed.
Nevertheless, any mercury droplets released from a broken tube should
be cleaned up and disposed of.
ELECTRIC SHOCK:
Even in the worst
scenario, a direct shock from the high voltage end of a neon transformer
is usually only an unpleasant experience and not a serious threat as the
transformers are designed with maximum current output limitations. None
the less, it is best avoided. Any repairs should be performed by an experienced
neon technician.
It is not uncommon to experience a faint buzz or crackle when touching
a tube or sculpture. This is normal and harmless. If a sculpture or tube "bites" or is otherwise particularly unpleasant - unplug the
piece and notify the artist. The 110V plug/cord demands the usual care
and precautions of any electrical device.
ELECTRICAL CONSIDERATIONS:
Power Consumption
Neon is the most
efficient form of light available - it does not consume large amounts
of electricity. My sculptures operate at a level between 30-150 watts
depending on the piece.They can be safely left on 24 hours/day at minimal
expense if desired. The transformers plug into standard grounded electrical outlets
Foreign/Overseas Clients:
Transformers are available to match with any country's electrical type including 220V. A nominal handling charge to switch transformers will be applied. Sculptures have been shipped to Europe without incident multiple times in the past by the artist.
TROUBLE SHOOTING:
If a sculpture fails to light for an unknown reason, first unplug it, wait 60 seconds and plug it back in. This will reset the transformer if it shut itself down as a result of detecting a power surge, a safety feature built into the transformer. If this does not solve the problem, the next step is to determine if the problem lies with a power supply, the transformer or a neon tube. The process of elimination for this may not be possible unless one has backup components to check with.
The exception to this will be if a sculpture has multiple neon tubes powered by a single transformer. When this is the case, one may see all of the neon tubes except the faulty one light up briefly when the sculpture is plugged back in after a 60 second off time. When a faulty tube is suspected in such a case it may be possible to bypass the suspect tube in the wiring of the neon tubes which should allow the rest of the tubes to light up normally, confirming the suspect tube to be at fault.
If one ever experiences any problem with a sculpture it is generally best to simply unplug it and and contact the artist (800.209.6667).
REPAIR:
Most works have
exact patterns of its neon tubes reproduced on a sheet of mylar which
is clamped to the back of the sculpture. In the event of a faulty or broken
tube, this pattern can be removed and taken to any local neon shop or
returned to the artist for replacement. Installation of the new neon tube
can be done by any local neon shop and should be done only by an experienced
neon technician (although the average individual can often be led through
the simple process by phone with the artist if desired).
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