[sdiy] the function of neon lamps?

[jeff brown]

IIRC, Neon bulbs require a certain voltage (60v?) to ionize before they will 
conduct. Once ionized, the voltage can be dropped (5-10v?) before they stop 
conducting again. They make a rather simple sawtooth oscillator when wired 
in parallel with a capacitor. Richard Dorf (who wrote "Electronic Musical 
Instruments") did a nice little article about using these in an organ back 
in 1958. See

http://www.guitarfool.com/NeonOrgan.html

Jeff (don't quote me on the voltages!)

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Antti Pitkämäki" <anpitkam at hotmail.com>
To: <synth-diy at dropmix.xs4all.nl>
Sent: Monday, January 24, 2005 8:46 AM
Subject: [sdiy] the function of neon lamps?


> Hi!
>
> Could somebody please explain me what is the function of neon lamps? I 
> know what transistors do, and I know what triode tubes do, but I really 
> don't know exactly what neon lamps do (except create light!). I once read 
> about "neon gas tubes" from some old electronics book, but unfortunately 
> this book is not available in the library of the city where I live, so I 
> can't find this information from anywhere...
>
> I'm interested in this subject because I have two Philicorda organs that 
> have over 100 neon lamps inside them. Also I heard of a Lowrey tube organ 
> that had over 1000 neon lamps inside (+64 tubes). Also I've heard that 
> neon lamps can be used to build oscillators etc. Isn't the Bird organ 
> based completely on neons except for amplification? Somehow to me, maybe 
> partly because I was born in the early 80's, all these glowing tubes and 
> neons seem much more "space age" and "science fiction" to me than boring 
> old transistors and microchips ;)
>
> Thanks in advance,
> Antti Pitkämäki
>
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