Zaccaria Magic Castle Refurbishing project - Part II!

MAGIC CASTLE (SS) 1984 - BACKBOX REFURBISHING REVISTED

Unfortunately, the neon tube was damaged and I have been looking for some kind of replacement of the neon tube for many years.

REPLACING THE NEON TUBE TO THE NEON FLEX LED

Shopping list:

Flexibel 5x11 mm Neon Flex LED 5M, 6W per meter, IP65, DC 12V, Neutral White (4000K), 1 piece

V-TAC 220/12V / 1.5A power supply unit 18W, 1 piece

12V och 24V dimmer, 1 piece

DC-Connector Male whit screw connection 12 V, 1 piece

DC-Connector Female whit screw connection 12 V, 2 piece

Electric outlet (wall socket), 1 piece

0.7 mm galvanized spool thread, 1 piece

The existing power supply unit was removed and wires were cut to remove the neon tube.

The neon tube was attached with clips and a springs, the springs was mounted to the backbox door with a screw.

After a while searching the internet, I found an LED list that was flexible enough to be formed in a simular shape as the old neon tube. Neon Flex LED, neutral white (4000K), with the dimensions 5.5x11 mm, the LED strip is connected to a 12 Volt power supply unit.

I was thinking of a solution to fasten the Neon LED strip and thought that the best solution was to use existing holes in the backbox door and try to reproduce more clips and springs.

To make new springs and clips, 0.7 mm galvanized spool thread and two pens with the same diameter as the original spring and clips are used. Uses original spring and clamp as a template, they are visible to the left of the pencils.

The picture shows on the left side newly made clips and springs and on the right side the originals. Manufactured a total of 13 units.

Neon LED strip attached with clip and spring and mounted to the backbox door with a screw.

Mount a electric outlet (wall socket) in the backbox to connect the power supply unit.

On the inside of the backbox door a DC connector Female with a screw connection is connected to the Neon LED strip wires.

A dimmer is installed between the power supply unit and the Neon LED strip for the possibility of adjusting the brightness of the Neon LED strip when the new backglass is in place.

Power supply unit and Dimmer installed and connected to Neon LED strip.

For this application, approximately 1.5 meters of the Neon LED strip is used, which was delivered in a length of 5 m. The Neon LED strip can easily be cutted by every 2.5 cm at markings for the desired length. The powerage is 6 watts per running meter.

My installation of about 1.5 meters gives an approximate powerage of 9.0 Watts. The power supply unit is marked with 18 Watt, problems with heat generation in the power supply unit should not occur and possible dimming of the Neon LED strip will further reduces the power consumption.

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