OT: neon lamps from previous post

From: Dwight Elvey <elvey_at_hal.com>
Date: Wed May 5 18:11:07 1999

John Ott <jott_at_mastif.ee.nd.edu> wrote:
> Hello -
>
> Does you have a reference on how to build an oscillator or counter out
> of neon lamps?
>
> john

Hi
 Simple oscillator using NE-2:

   90 VDC
    |
>
    < 470K
>
    <
    |
    +------+
    | |
   (:)NE2 _
    | - .1 uF 100V
    | |
    +------+
    |
   GND

 It seems like there was an article, way back, in Scientific American
that showed flop-flops and gating logic. I don't recall the exact
values needed but they were based on the condition that when using
two neons and a shared current source, if both where lit, the voltage
drop across the common limiting resistor would be too much to keep
both lamps lit at the same time. Only one lamp by it self could stay
on. Other resistors were used to isolate the two and provide input
and output through coupling capacitors.
Dwight
Received on Wed May 05 1999 - 18:11:07 BST