Anyone Know What One of These Is?

[Itigeezer]

Hi,

I was called to a job because the living room lights wouldn't work and to my surprise found these bulbs (see attachments) installed around the perimeter of the room in a false ceiling recess.

Obviously the bulb in the picture is blown and blackened, but on the bulbs that appear good you can see mercury deposits at the ends.

I have made the customer aware of my concerns over what I believe to be either: Mercury Vapour, Cold Cathode or Neon Tubes installed in a domestic property.

There is no stamp on the bulbs with an type/id No. and both the tennant and landlord can offer no additional info as to when and who installed them.

I have taken them to two merchants so far and either doesn't have a clue what it is, so I thought I'd rely on the knowledgeable folks on EF.

Main questions: What type of bulb is it? What/if any are the related regs to domestic properties?

 

[Pete999]

Part of a neon sign

 

[uksparks]

Yes definitely part of a neon sign, you would be better off going to a sign maker of neon sign specialist.

 

[snowhead]

They work at 2000 to 15000 volts depending on the total length of the tube string.

Go to an independent NEON specialist and get them to come out and look.

If they are going to put back in service the transformer(s) may need changing.

Blackened doesn't mean the tube has gone.

And yes they have Mercury in, same as Fluorescent lamps and Older Teeth fillings.

 

[Guest111]

defo a neon tube,and in my opinion not something I'd be happy with in a domestic environment.

 

[Rockingit]

You quite often find them recessed into ceiling plinths in hotel ballrooms and places like that, maybe someone just decided they liked the look. You can get LED replacement for it now.

 

[Robotstar5]

Maybe they had a visit from one of the "pimp my house" type TV programs that were in vogue some years ago?

 

[ayjay]

find the trannys-- the output voltage is lethal-- bin the lot
i took a transforner home once and put 2 stakes down into my lawn livened up-- all the worms came up but the flowers died
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8KZu0ECeMNk

 

[Itigeezer]

Thank you for all the replies.

You've all confirmed what I was thinking. I'll be telling the landlord if he wants me to replace with led's I will, but as far as me working on the neons then I won't be doing so.

I'd love to find the transformers, but the tennants were not keen on me ripping the bedroom up. Oh well, if they want lights back on then they won't have a choice really.

thanks again,

 

[Lucien Nunes]

If they are going to put back in service the transformer(s) may need changing. Blackened doesn't mean the tube has gone.

Agreed. Black ends aren't necessarily a failure, tubes are reliable, perhaps more so than some transformers. As it has a phosphor coating it's not actually neon (which is orange) but falls into the same category of cold-cathode tubes that all get called neon.

I've never tried applying the neon sign regs in a domestic situation. Personally I like them and would be happy to keep them in use but in a general domestic property perhaps not so sensible.

 

[Marvo]

Yeah, the HV transformers are a bit risky in a domestic premises. They'd also need a clearly labeled, visible and accessible Firemans Switch with my local regs but not sure if that would be the same for the UK.