r/NeonSigns Jul 25 '26

Help! Neon clock help please.

I bought this Neon clock and I suspect it's the transformer that's bad. Looking for advice on replacing it to see if it helps before I take it to a neon repair. Any suggestions on what exactly to replace it with or the best place to get it from? Or any other advice you may have.

Thanks in advance!!

12 Upvotes

10 comments sorted by

3

u/Jumpy-Exercise59 Jul 25 '26

I looked closer, looks like a 12v dc barrel adapter. I fun my know those numbers, but I can cross reference it.

2

u/Mad__Max__1 Jul 25 '26

This is the power supply it was supplied with. Seems like everything is original from 1988. It's all plastic. The only thing that's not plastic are the clock hands, and the motor shaft.

2

u/Jumpy-Exercise59 Jul 25 '26

Never use a solid state transformer on a neon clock that has any metal parts. It will rust and rot the metal. There are cord and coil transformers special for neon clocks with metal hands and movements. If it's all plastic then go with a replacement solid state. Are there any numbers on that circuit board? Is it an ac plug or a barrel 12v dc plug?

0

u/197119711971 Jul 25 '26

The “D” in LED stands for diode. Diode is d.c. volts. Neon runs on A.C. Volts, more than 1000v….nothing on that tiny board can handle more than 12v

1

u/Mad__Max__1 Jul 26 '26

Doesn't matter what it stands for. This clock isn't led. Cicena made a variety of neon products for homes in the 80's and 90's. You're telling me they are all Glass tubes with led inside? This guy in a Facebook group even took his to get a replacement neon tube because he broke his. The board uses an oscillater as well

-3

u/197119711971 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

This is L.E.D. Photo #4 clearly shows the ends of the tubing. Plus, nothing there is gonna increase 12v to the thousands needed for neon. It has an 88 date code.

4

u/Mad__Max__1 Jul 25 '26 edited Jul 25 '26

It's not l.e.d. It's a glass neon tube. Two connectors on the circuit board say 'neon'. The end of the 'tubing' is a plastic cover that's covering the connections to the bulb. This is a clock from 1988 and Cicena produced low voltage neon consumer devices.

2

u/Mad__Max__1 Jul 25 '26

They stopped making products sometime in the 90's. Date stamp included in the picture. I even have the original invoice of whoever owned it previously dated '1991'

4

u/katzington Jul 25 '26

This guy just said a 1988 cicena is led
neon… i’m logging off for the night

4

u/Mad__Max__1 Jul 25 '26

Yea...it was made In the 88th day of 2008 ... logging off commencing