Strange Neon Night Light
 

Gerry Atrick wrote:
I got one of those orange colored neon night lights in my bathroom.
When the bathroom light is off, this neon light flickers all the time
(which usually means the neon bulb is getting weak). However, when I
turn on the bathroom ceiling light, the night light stops flickering.
WHAT THE HECK?????? This makes no sense at all.

Note: (There is not any photo cell on the night light).

Gerry
I believe that is because the ceiling light reduces the
ionization potential of the neon just enough to allow it
to go ahead and break down. It isn't enough to actually
ionize the neon, it just adds that tiny bit of energy to
make it ready to go.

Don't ask me to explain that fully, it has been a long
time since I studied that in physics class.

Bill Gill

Strange Neon Night Light
 

Bill Gill wrote:
Gerry Atrick wrote:

I got one of those orange colored neon night lights in my bathroom.
When the bathroom light is off, this neon light flickers all the time
(which usually means the neon bulb is getting weak). However, when I
turn on the bathroom ceiling light, the night light stops flickering.
WHAT THE HECK?????? This makes no sense at all.

Note: (There is not any photo cell on the night light).

Gerry

I believe that is because the ceiling light reduces the ionization
potential of the neon just enough to allow it to go ahead and break
down. It isn't enough to actually ionize the neon, it just adds that
tiny bit of energy to make it ready to go.

Don't ask me to explain that fully, it has been a long time since I
studied that in physics class.

Bill Gill

I agree. Adding energy to the system alters its performance. These
are sensitive devices.

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Strange Neon Night Light
 

Bill Gill wrote:
Gerry Atrick wrote:

I got one of those orange colored neon night lights in my bathroom.
When the bathroom light is off, this neon light flickers all the time
(which usually means the neon bulb is getting weak). However, when I
turn on the bathroom ceiling light, the night light stops flickering.
WHAT THE HECK?????? This makes no sense at all.

Note: (There is not any photo cell on the night light).

Gerry

I believe that is because the ceiling light reduces the ionization
potential of the neon just enough to allow it to go ahead and break
down. It isn't enough to actually ionize the neon, it just adds that
tiny bit of energy to make it ready to go.

Don't ask me to explain that fully, it has been a long time since I
studied that in physics class.

Bill Gill



Great answer!

And it reminded me that back in the '50s, during the "duck and cover"
cold war daze I follewd plans in a copy of Radio & Electronics magazine
and built a psuedo Geiger counter out of an NE51 neon bulb, some "B"
batteries, headphones and a couple of other components.

The bulb was shielded from light and biased just below ionization
potential. Energetic particles from radioactivity were supposed to make
it fire and create a "click" in the headphones.

Thanks for the mammaries,

Jeff

--
Jeffry Wisnia
(W1BSV + Brass Rat '57 EE)
"What do you expect from a pig but a grunt?"