Jeff Liebermann wrote:
On Mon, 6 Nov 2017 10:01:55 -0800, "David Farber"
wrote:
I opened it up and the crimps and resistors are good.
Well, so much for the easy fix.
When you inscribed:
"The neon light that illuminates indicating a good ground
is not lighting up anymore".
Which of the 3 lamps are you referring to?
https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/81IbbdT22JL._SL1500_.jpg
I would guess(tm) that this is what you found inside:
https://www.nachi.org/forum/attachments/f19/11495d1178925009-outlet-reading-three-prong-tester-schematic.jpg
Do you have any idea
what the lamp's breakdown voltage specification indicates? According
to the datasheet, the NE-2 has a breakdown voltage of 65VAC. The
high brightness bulbs have a higher breakdown voltage of 95VAC.
It's not a high brightness NE-2H or NE-2UH lamp.
Neon lamps have a V/I curve with hysteresis. They turn on at about
65VAC, and stay turned on until the voltage drops below about 50VAC
(maintaining voltage). The actual voltages are not very well
controlled and are affected by ambient lighting, radiation, and
temperature. In between these two points, the neon lamp exhibits
negative resistance, which makes a dandy relaxation oscillator or
logic circuit.
Drivel: I'm reading from the "GE Glow Lamp Manual" 2nd edition 1966.
GE never made an NE-2. The closest equivalent is their 3AG lamp).
http://www.introni.it/pdf/GE%20Glow%20Lamp%20Manual.pdf (12.1MB)
Hi Jeff,
https://www.nachi.org/forum/attachme...-schematic.jpg
This is the correct diagram except the resistors are not 47k, they are 68k.
On page 81 of the GE Glow Lamp Manual, there is an interesting test circuit.
It shows the neon light in a box with another light source. I think it
explains why my ~20 year old battery powered fluorescent book lamp doesn't
work very well at night when I use two rechargeable AA batteries. The lower
voltage isn't able to turn on the lamp when there is no ambient light. I
have to shine a flashlight on the lamp to get it to come on. When the
batteries get a bit drained, it can take almost a minute for the light to
come on with the flashlight trick. Once it's on, it provides very nice, even
lighting.
Thanks for your reply.
--
David Farber
Los Osos, CA