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NEON- Re: legal (exposed) rubber boots

>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

Howie, Jeff:  agree with both of you..  Border jobs w/out boots (though
not "legal") use air as an insulator.  Also true of channel letters you
mention.  The tried and true insulator for decades.

Where I see problems is in outdoor, exposed neon that _relies_ on
plastic boots for the insulation.  And manufacturers saying "you'll be a
lot better off using our approved boots"  I've seen lots of problems
with exposed plastic boots - few on jobs with no boots.

If someone really has designed a plastic that can stand several years of
exposure to the sun, cold, ozone, insects, etc - and maintain it's
original HV properties I think that's a good thing.  All I'm saying is
(at least according to my verbal conversation with UL) no one has
actually met requirements for this yet.  Listed for lots of impressive
stuff, but not _this_.

Gary writes:

>Dirk and John - I'm going to have to contact Herb again.  He might be
>>very interested in the UL followup thing about his boots not being
>legal >outside for borders, etc.  Being a betting man, and knowing
>Herb, they are wrong.  >In all the years I've known the old man, he
>doesn't tell stories.  I'll get >hold of Herb and have him get a
>definitive answer.  Thanks John

There's an important distinction to be made when asking about use
outside.  The key words to ask here:  "is it listed for use outside,
exposed to the weather, NOT inside a sign body or other enclosure, for
use as an electrode insulator?"  According to UL, if someone says yes
here, they'd like a copy of the written material for followup. (If using
the UL label)  And this is the use we've been discussing here.

Electrobits says their boots ARE legal for use outside on border tubes.
But in one of their installation guides, you find this is only true if
mounted INSIDE a G-cup!!!!  They go on to describe which of their boots
fit inside the glass cup.

Still haven't seen the Masters installation guide, so I don't know what
uses are actually promoted there.  If someone has one, mabey they can
share.

    -John
References: