someguy@ invalid.com wrote:
I have an old neon bulb nightlight. This thing is confused and retarded.
If the room is dark, it does not light.
But when I flip on the ceiling lights in the room,
or point a flashlight at it, the neon lights up...
I think it's just plain old,

William Sommerwerck wrote
WITHOUT ATTRIBUTION TO THE PREVIOUS POSTER:
Believe it or not, this is more or less normal for an old neon bulb.

Yup.
In the '60s, electronic organs used neons in their percussion circuits
(e.g. a Xylophone tab).
Incandescents were positioned inside the unit near the neons
so that NE-2s were "biased".
When someone said his precussion stopped working,
you made sure your stock of mini incandescents was up to snuff.