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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Neon sign transformers
#5079063 - 12/18/05 05:42 PM (18 years, 5 months ago) |
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Anyone know of a good place to look for a USED neon sign transformer? I need one, and I'd rather not get it off ebay due to the shipping cost.
What kind of places in an average-sized city should I try?
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Bully
CheapShot-SinisterStrike

Registered: 07/30/04
Posts: 3,229
Loc: Pennsyltucky, USA
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5099447 - 12/23/05 08:32 PM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Try places that sell full sized arcade games. Places that sell pool tables or bar stuff. Or go to a electrical place at look for one. They use transformers in all types of other stuff too.
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: Bully]
#5099454 - 12/23/05 08:35 PM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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A NST is a special kind of transformer. An ordinary transformer won't work for what I need it for (tesla coil).
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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toratiger
HARD ROCK CAFEPIN ADDICT

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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5100518 - 12/24/05 01:31 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
trendal said: A NST is a special kind of transformer. An ordinary transformer won't work for what I need it for (tesla coil).
Actually, you can use other HV transformers, but a NST will probably work the best for the cost. Some years ago, I saw plans on making a small Tesla coil that used a small induction coil for the HV Xmer. I never tried to make it, so I'm not sure how it worked.
You might check out stores that are going out of business and have neon sign displays. Might get a good deal and a couple signs as a bonus.
You might also want to make a Jacob's Ladder with a NST.
-------------------- DON'T GO AWAY MAD, JUST GO AWAY! PEOPLE SAY I'M A RADICAL RIGHT WINGER! I AM NOT, I'M PROGRESSIVE. I ONLY APPEAR RIGHT WING BECAUSE LIBERALS LIKE HITLER, MUSOLINNI, J.KERRY, J.EDGER HOOVER, RUSH LIMBAUGH, SEAN HANNITY, JESSE HELMS, NIXON AND BUSH, ARE ALL TO MY LEFT. LIBERALS! I HATE 'EM ALL DON'T WORRY, WHEN I'M DICTATOR, HEADS WILL ROLL.
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Anonymous
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5104638 - 12/25/05 10:59 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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If you have arab ''bodega'' type corner stores, go there, they can get any kind of off the wall shit like that. Plus they probably have some old signs/parts in the back anyway and those people will sell anything
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Shdwstr
FSRCanada


Registered: 02/17/01
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Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: Anonymous]
#5104673 - 12/25/05 11:13 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Look for a Neon Sign Manufacturer, I've been to a few that would be more than happy to give you a few old xformers from old display signs they have replaced. I spent an afternoon at one shop that even showed me a few methods they use in making the neon signs. It was cool. They even let me make my own lamp and gave me the xformer and a base for it.
Good luck in your search! Shdwstr
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero


Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5110220 - 12/27/05 04:36 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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> Look for a Neon Sign Manufacturer
This is your best bet. They typically have PILES of the things sitting around that they are more than willing to give away. I have gotten three sign transformers, all free, from neon sign companies. My small one is only 5000v at 20ma, my medium one is 12000v at 30ma, and my big one is 30000v at 30ma and weighs around 25lbs.
Remember, often the case of the transformer is gounded, which can wake you up (or put you down) if you are not paying attention to what you are doing.
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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automan
blasted chipmunk


Registered: 09/18/03
Posts: 8,272
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: Seuss]
#5120776 - 12/29/05 10:39 PM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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seuss isnt kidding. tren, remember what i told you last summer? i was just dealing with a small neon tube that goes in a computer trying out some stupid but interesting mod ideas. well, there was a tiny yellow thing that looked alot like a jolly rancher that said "high voltage" on it.... it wasnt kidding. it electrocuted the holy hell out of me.
be carefull with that stuff.
go to a bar that has neon signs in the window. i dont know about you frenchies, but we have some good brawls down here in the south and you can usually find a busted neon sign in the closet of one of those dive bars.
just my 2 cents.
-------------------- No, no, you're not thinking, you're just being logical. ~ Niels Bohr
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero


Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: automan]
#5121312 - 12/30/05 03:53 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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> it electrocuted the holy hell out of me.
Actually, it only shocked you... unless of course, you really did die and somebody revived you. Electrocution requires death as the end result, by definition...
One of my favorite sayings... It isn't the voltage or current that kills, it's that damned internal resistance.
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: automan]
#5121613 - 12/30/05 09:14 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Quote:
automan said: seuss isnt kidding. tren, remember what i told you last summer? i was just dealing with a small neon tube that goes in a computer trying out some stupid but interesting mod ideas. well, there was a tiny yellow thing that looked alot like a jolly rancher that said "high voltage" on it.... it wasnt kidding. it electrocuted the holy hell out of me.

I have an excellent mental image of this, right now. Only because I've taken a poke or two like that before, myself 
Yeah high-voltage isn't something to fuck around with.
Even though it is really, really cool
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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trendal
J♠


Registered: 04/17/01
Posts: 20,815
Loc: Ontario, Canada
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5137851 - 01/04/06 08:02 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Pfft.
I just tried four different neon sign shops and all of them wanted to sell me a brand new transformer for over $120
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Once, men turned their thinking over to machines in the hope that this would set them free. But that only permitted other men with machines to enslave them.
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero


Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5137981 - 01/04/06 09:23 AM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Heh... must be a canadian thing... *grin* j/k
You gotta sell yourself a bit better... call them up and tell them you are a college student working on an undergrad research project and that you need a high volage neon sign transformer for the power supply. Is there any way that they could donate an old one to the cause?
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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LouiseLouise
starstruck


Registered: 11/02/04
Posts: 3,898
Loc: Searching w/my good eye c...
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Re: Neon sign transformers [Re: trendal]
#5141646 - 01/04/06 11:45 PM (18 years, 4 months ago) |
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Haven't found one yet? Me and a friend built one many years ago, we used a neon sign transformer and that bad boy rocked  We got the gap so wide you couldn't hear anything but the crackling and sizzling across the points, and the bolt could light up the entire basement. memories. Anyway, let me dig up some of my notes. My buddy scored the transformer, I don't remember where, but I will ask him. Come to think of it, I turned one dowm not too long ago, I don't think it's still there, now I wish I woulda grabbed it (I do try to curb my packrat tendencies ) I'll look around a bit, if you find one, post up.
-------------------- "That's why you get in close to them, and then take the picture!! Don't be a pussy!" ~CC
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