Thus, the SI system will be used.Ī textile quality-control room of approximately 33 x 100 ft. Some old lighting units still common in the United States can’t be converted without applying complex mathematics. Note: For correct units, we must use the International System of Units (SI) with metric dimensions in this calculation. (Today, clients can choose from nearly 20 different whites, plus all colors common in neon signs.) Such aspects shouldn’t be neglected when discussing lighting-system costs with potential clients. Properly manufactured and installed cold-cathode applications can give more than 30,000 hours of trouble-free service they have a much higher efficiency than halogen or LED lighting and they offer the widest color palette of all light sources. Thus, interested readers should reference lighting-engineering literature prior to estimating even a small installation. Keep in mind that lighting design is a profession that requires an undergraduate engineering degree.Ī simplified sample calculation may only show how to approach such a task. 3a and 3b).īecause many parameters are involved, specifying a cold-cathode installation isn’t as easy as specifying a simple neon sign. In contrast to other means of lighting, cold cathode can be dimmed or flashed without limits (Figs. 2), which might comprise several miles of tubing for a single building, typically include complex dimming or animating systems. Large, architectural, cold-cathode installations (Fig. To handle big-sized glasswork and processing, special skills and tools are required ( see ST, May and June 2001, pages 44 and 24, respectively). You can generate huge amounts of light by overloading small components, but then, lifetime will be short. 1), the ability to transform large amounts of electrical energy leads to a required minimum size to achieve a long lifetime. ![]() However, to generate significant light, the amount of energy required must be several times greater than what is needed to make a neon tube "appear lit" in a sign.įor all components of the "big neon tube" or "cold-cathode" lighting system (Fig. Although a lighting system’s primary purpose is to generate a high amount of light efficiently, a neon sign’s main function is to transmit a message via light. Physically, they’re equal in all aspects, excluding size. ![]() In the American, as well as Middle and Far East markets, "neon" and "cold cathode" are regarded as two completely different components. This month, I’ll discuss how lighting with cold-cathode or custom-made, hot-cathode lamps can improve, not only the appearance of a building, but also a neon shop’s business. Many people associate neon solely with signage and, therefore, rarely realize that cold cathode or "big tube" neon, is a versatile lightsource that’s used in numerous applications.
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