[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]

Re: Halo Blue?

Dirk Boonstra writes to Jeff Golin:
>knowledge from practice. being a techer I always try to learn >my students
the
>theoratical knwolegde first. As you think that proper >theoratical knowledge
is
>behind practice I think you are wrong, especially about the 

Many of the subscribers to this list learned to work with neon by buying a
"how to" book on neon technology, equipment and supplies. This is referred to
as the "hands-on" approach to learning. 

I personally enjoy the traffic between both Dirk Boonstra, Marcus Thielen and
Jeff Golin. I've learned a lot in a short time. My understanding of both
American and European culture motivates to make the following observations:
1. Europeans are frequently sticklers (someone who follows the rules very
closely) for academic correctness in both form and content
TRANSLATED: North Americans should cut some slack when reacting to both
Marcus and Dirk

2. Americans in general react very poorly when someone waves their academic
credentials to make a point
TRANSLATED: Europeans need to consider the fact most neon craftpeople (notice
the political correctness) did not go to university to learn the trade.....
most did not go to trade school to learn the trade.... many bought the book,
some equipment and supplies and learned the trade... Jeff Golin, from his
on-lne comments, appears to have more "credentials" then most here in North
America. I like the offer of visiting Delft and learning from our European
colleagues but I would get maybe a little (or a lot) upset about being told
to take classess...... What do you think Dirk?

>part you replied to
>me that a neon transformer is not underloade when there is >not enough
>glasslength installed onto it. This transformer will burnout >becouse of the
>higher primary current that is flowing to the primary coil and >we here in
Europe
>call a transformer loaded like that for sure overloaded. Only >overloaded
>electrical devices can burn-out and for neon transformers is >that when
there is
>not enough glass is installed. The fact you call that a >underloaded device
>(while the current is higher than nominal) is something I can >not
understand. No

Dirk, I am an electrical engineer by profession. From my understanding of the
neon and transformer loading issue is this:
1. neon tubing can be considered a conductor exhibiting a certain amount of
resistance per foot (to be technically correct, since the applied voltage is
AC, the resistance should be called a reactance)

2. the longer the tube.... the higher the resistance therefore the lower the
current in the secondary, high voltage, circuit. The current in the primary
circuit is also reduced..... 

3. the shorter the tube... the lower the resistance in the secondary ciruit.
This results in a higher current in the secondary circuit which is reflected
by a higher primary current... possibly beyond the rating of the transformer.

By convention, at least for electrical engineering purposes, the shorter neon
tube presents a lesser load to the transformer than a longer neon tube. As
far as I know, this is considered to be underloading (i.e. the resistance is
too low) and therefore, unless there another convention I do not know about,
the transformer has been underloaded (insufficient length of neon tubing).
Yes, underloading can result in transformer failure and burnout. And yes, the
mechanism resposible for the failure is excessive primary current.

So Dirk, I would suggest some caution when making absolute statements like
"able to demonstrate to you your (to me)  inconsequent  lack of knowledge".

By the way, I would like to hear from anybody on the list if my short
analysis is incorrect.

J.P.

note: to keep this example simple, I am considering a single straight piece
of neon... no bends, no complications.

>way. I will invite you to visit my course and factory as I have 
>the strong
>feeling that you need more knowledge. If you are in the >neighbourhood of
Delft
>(near Rotterdam) I can prove to you that you are wrong. I have >the
facillities
>and precision laboratory instruments (property of the >University of Delft)
to
>able to demonstrate to you your (to me)  inconsequent  lack of >knowledge
>concerning overloaded transfomers.