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Re: NEON- legal rubber boots

I would think that protecting wires from direct water exposure might 
slow the corrosion a bit i.e. if they have less chance of getting wet 
in general than there is less corrosion.  Depends on the locale, I 
imagine. Out by Tom B, for example, there is salt on almost every outdoor unit 
down into the houings.  Out by Gary I would think that signs are bone dry 
minutes after the rain stops.

(In NYC I have seen holes burned through heavy guage steel from pigeon 
droppings.  Whatta town!)

I think safety on any level is a good idea.  It's not just the 
neon service person that might be working around the units.   
Others don't assume that neon is dangerous. The idea is compromise 
between ease of service and least amount of harm to others and to the 
integrity of the circuit.

I've seen plenty of unprotected connections on working signs and 
they have always scared me. I think it would be nice to know that 
something as easy as the rubber boot would be safe and legal.  I did 
not think they were for outdoor exposed.  Frankly, sometimes I'm surprised 
they are permitted indoors.  Try this one in your shop.  Get a nice arc 
going on a transformer (7.5k if you like but it's more impressive on 
a 15k, with apologies to Dirk) and place the rubber boot over the arc.  

It wasn't my original post re: underwater neon (was it Jacob? or 
Morgan?), I also had a neon piece in a fish tank with live fish.
Ironically, since this was in Puerto Rico, the wirs would have had 
worse exposure had they been conventionally installed in the tropical 
air.   I 'cheated' using tightly fitted glass with o-rings sealed 
with silicone glue. 

This is an excellent discussion area.  I sure hope that my remarks 
don't sound like a flame.

One problem I have found is that the sales person convinces the 
distributor who then tells the sign guy or gal that the product is ok 
to use.  My closest distributor is notorious  for offering up 
cheap clones of the real thing.  These sob's (sorts of 
businesspeople) were even selling unlisted gto for a while.
Most of their customers really don't give a damn. 

In an excellent correspondence on this subject from George Doll (who 
I still hope will return to this list) he pointed out the need to 
understand the distinction between *listed*, *regonized*, and 
*pending*.  He  pointed out that "listed" does not mean it is 
listed for the particular purpose it is being sold for.  Also "recognized" 
is restricted to very specific types of installation .

Anyhow, John keep up the good detective work. Tom B. will have to 
upgrade you from Sheriff to Special Agent. 

Kenny




> I was wondering the same thing.  I have seen many outside border
> tube jobs that have no covering at all.  They seem to work fine.  I
> doubt that that would be UL.  I have also seems no boots at all on
> channel signs that were made for large chain stores.  Drip holes
> were in place and no puddles of water were trapped in the sign. 
> Wasn't someone tell us at one time that they saw a display using
> Masters products under water? 
Kenny Greenberg --  Neon - Scenic and Environmental Art  
                    Internet Site Consultant and Author   
KRYPTON NEON 34-43 Vernon Blvd Long Island City, NY 11106
         Phone: 718-728-4450  Fax: 718-728-7206  
http://www.neonshop.com  -  The Internet's Neon Shop
http://www.licweb.com  - The Long Island City Web