neon indicators

[sasami at blaze.net.au]

Neons do require a voltage of over 70 to 90V to strike. That 
means if you wish to drive them from other circuitry, they 
will need to be switched on via a transister with a an 
appropriate voltage rating. You would also want to run 
special power lines for the neons - one at around 90 v, and 
the other a 0V return. You would not want the neon 0v 
return line to be the same one as the rest of your 
signal circuitry, though obviously it will need to be 
connected to it up near the power supply.
Also of note with neons - if you drive them with DC, only 
one of their electrodes will light up.

Seriously, you are probably asking for EFI by using neons, 
if you don't do it propperly.

Mind you, they are great in tube synths.

Ken


>> I'm really getting into the idea of using neon
>> indicators on a project or even lamps instead of leds.
>> Only problem is I don't know how to apply them
>> powerwise/ampwise in say an env. gen. or oscillator.

>> Any ideas? has anyone used neons/lamps before?
>
>   Haven't used them, but my boss has this old timer he 
used for 
>photographic development and it uses a neon bulb to 
discharge the timing 
>cap inside.  It's evidently supposed to discharge (ie light 
up) somewhere 
>between 70 and 90 volts!
>   So my guess is that neon is impractical unless you want 
to deal with 
>step-up transformer/power issues.  :/
>
>   Tony
>
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