On 5/24/2013 8:47 AM, Lloyd E. Sponenburgh wrote:

I couldn't be sure without seeing it, but that sounds like a gas-
discharge lamp (like a neon bulb, but perhaps a gas blend that gives a
different color).

If so, you need only a limiting resistor.

Picture's worth a thousand words... G
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HR9gnIj6F9INyHaO0T1HqtMTjNZETYmyPJy0liipFm0?feat=d irectlink

Doubt highly there's any electronics involved. So, for an electronics
idiot, would you mind explaining a bit more on current limiting
resistors for something like this? I assume it'll have to dissipate
heat. Might it get hot enough that using part of the base as a heat sink
could result in a burn? But I like the idea of something as simple as a
resistor, make it a lot easier to hide in the base.

This won't be run all the time, just for effect now and then, maybe few
hours at a time.

Or is the small power transformer a better way to go?

Regards,

Jon