Neon Sign Channel Letter Servicing
This page is here to teach you about disassembly and how to re-assemble neon channel letters. Did you already read the neon channel letters basics page? If not, please do so before continuing onto this page to avoid confusion working on channel letters.
How are we doing so far? Keeping up with me O.K?
Good, let's continue and move into removing and/or installing of channel letter parts.
Here's a picture showing a P-K housing either coming apart or going back together.
These housing are only hand-tightened onto their gaskets.
So, in theory, they come right apart and usually do.
However, use, weather and age can and will make these housings difficult to disassemble.
Never use any metal tools to grasp the glass insulator of a P-K housing.
You will chip or break it. When you encounter a seized housing, do what I do.
At the metal end of a P-K housing is a hexed end.
There are threads inside that end to provide a place for the wiring connector.
If you look inside that end with a flashlight, you can see the space between the metal and the inner glasss insulator.
Spray some penetrating oil in that space. Let it soak for 20 minutes or so.
After the soaking, gently tap on the sides of the metal housing using a small hammer.
Grasp the housing with one hand inside on the glass and one hand outside on the metal.
Turn counterclockwise. Still stuck? More penetrating oil and wait.
Try again. The worst case I ever had was a housing that did not loosen until the next day!
In the picture to the right,
you are looking at P-K housings on a channel letter in one of two ways.
The housing on the left is assembled on the letter.
The housing on the right is either the inner glass housing installed with the second gasket in place,
or shows what the inner looks like after the outer part has been removed.
So it's really simple.
Have a gasket on the glass part and install it through the hole from the inside of the channel letter.
Once it's through, add the next gasket.
Then install the metal part and hand tighten.
Please note I did say HAND TIGHTEN. There is no need to wrench these housings down.
Once the P-K housings are installed, it is time to set up the letter for re-assembly.
As shown in the picture on the left, we see a neon tube support or stand.
These glass and aluminum stands are quite simple as you can see.
Note there is a "V" cut into the glass.
That is where the tube should be laying when on the support as illustrated in the photo.
If the V is out of alignment, simply turn the glass inside it's holder.
Many times, the rivet holding the stand may be a bit loose.
You need not worry about that. Once the glass tube is installed and tied down,
the supports will stay put just fine.
It's not like these letters will be moving once they are installed on display.
The picture below the P-K housings are installed and the stands are prepared for installing the neon tube.
Notice how I have the wires positioned sticking straight up,
one to either side of the V in the glass stand.
The wires are being recycled, so they are not perfectly straight.
That does not matter, what matters is to make sure there is one wire on each side of the V.
With the support wires ready,
lay the tube into place with the electrodes going into the P-K housings.
Remember, there are springs in the housings, so those springs will keep the tube elevated off the stands.
I usually start at an end far from the housing to begin securing the tubing down.
Once a few spots are tied down, and as I work towards the housing,
I gently keep pressure on the tube against the glass stand nearest the housing.
Then I continue tying the wires down to finish securing the neon tube.
More to come.... Time is: 8/19/2009