This turned out really well. It's based on a standard clear-dome LED lamp kit from eBay, but instead of using the supplied PCB and circuitry I designed a new PCB designed to take 9 neon indicator lamps and suitable resistors.
With just the neons and resistors it makes a large neon glow lamp. But when further current limiting is introduced in either the form of a resistor or series X2 (suppression) capacitor of around 47nF or more depending on the number of neons, it makes the glow in the lamps unstable. This results in each lamp shimmering slightly as the glow moves about on the surface of the electrodes. The choice of series resistor or capacitor depends on how many neons there are in the circuit. If the current is limited too much some neons may not light.
In this instance I used nine neon lamps, each with a 220K resistor, and then added two more 220K resistors in parallel (110K total) as a main current limiting resistor to them all. If making a large array the common series resistor may get hot, so a capacitor may be preferred. If using one then I recommend adding a 1Mohm resistor across the capacitor to discharge it when the lamp is removed from the holder.
The music in the background at the beginning of the video was Blackout by Avenza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFF3TQJv4Fw
His channel is here:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrEFc-OuY6Si-mwS5VrOBlQ
You can buy loose neon indicator lamps on eBay. Here's a starter search:-
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=50pcs+neon+indicator&_sacat=0&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15
If you're in the UK you can use the same neon lamps as I did by getting them from Rapid electronics:-
https://www.rapidonline.com/rvfm-ne-2h-6mm-miniature-neon-wire-ended-42-0300
This seller has the bare lamp kits with clear domes in a variety of sizes:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=h-quality_electronic&hash=item20fd7514f5%3Ag%3A5IcAAOSw~OdVesBT&item=141691262197&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=diy+lamp+suite+38&_sacat=0
Shop about and you should be able to get the small 38 LED version (without LEDs) for about £1.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
With just the neons and resistors it makes a large neon glow lamp. But when further current limiting is introduced in either the form of a resistor or series X2 (suppression) capacitor of around 47nF or more depending on the number of neons, it makes the glow in the lamps unstable. This results in each lamp shimmering slightly as the glow moves about on the surface of the electrodes. The choice of series resistor or capacitor depends on how many neons there are in the circuit. If the current is limited too much some neons may not light.
In this instance I used nine neon lamps, each with a 220K resistor, and then added two more 220K resistors in parallel (110K total) as a main current limiting resistor to them all. If making a large array the common series resistor may get hot, so a capacitor may be preferred. If using one then I recommend adding a 1Mohm resistor across the capacitor to discharge it when the lamp is removed from the holder.
The music in the background at the beginning of the video was Blackout by Avenza.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFF3TQJv4Fw
His channel is here:- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrEFc-OuY6Si-mwS5VrOBlQ
You can buy loose neon indicator lamps on eBay. Here's a starter search:-
https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=50pcs+neon+indicator&_sacat=0&LH_BIN=1&_sop=15
If you're in the UK you can use the same neon lamps as I did by getting them from Rapid electronics:-
https://www.rapidonline.com/rvfm-ne-2h-6mm-miniature-neon-wire-ended-42-0300
This seller has the bare lamp kits with clear domes in a variety of sizes:-
https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/m.html?_odkw=&_ssn=h-quality_electronic&hash=item20fd7514f5%3Ag%3A5IcAAOSw~OdVesBT&item=141691262197&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l1313&_nkw=diy+lamp+suite+38&_sacat=0
Shop about and you should be able to get the small 38 LED version (without LEDs) for about £1.
If you enjoy these videos you can help support the channel with a dollar for coffee, cookies and random gadgets for disassembly at:-
http://www.bigclive.com/coffee.htm
This also keeps the channel independent of YouTube's advertising algorithms allowing it to be a bit more dangerous and naughty.
The near full minute at the beginning with you not talking was kinda weird XD so used to you speaking immediately and detailing basically every move
I wonder why you use a cut piece of solder instead of directly off the spindle?
FYI: the 'ZH' is similar to a 'J' (not quite, but similar enough). So Shenzhen would be spelled like Shenjen.
Partial to a bit of jp chenet myself just red cannot abide white wine. Horses for coarses as my grandad would say.
The brits wrre drinking hand sanitizer more like.
Sand your toenails?
Music? WTF?!?
Hey Clive! I think you might be able to help me find missing piece for a repair project. I need to find the appropriate neon light that looks a lot like the ones used in your project here. It's to repair my old Neutron LCR-3351 Flip Clock. The light has just gone out & I really miss its amber light but I can't seam to find the appropriate piece. I found the whole clock for near 100$. I like the clock but it's quite a bit too much for me.
In hopes you might easily help me.
Thanks a lot if you have any leads 🙂
As it aged, did it begin to shimmer still more?
This is an excellent project, thanks Clive 💡
Apropos of flickery under-run neons, I accidentally discovered that you can influence where the discharge is by shining a blue or UV laser on one of the electrodes, looks like the UV has just enough energy to ionise the gas in a particular area.
May want to loose the Trumpy Brick Clive. That thing is cursed after last week. Don't want ya getting hurt. ✌
very nice, just curious can you run neon's on 13.8VDC, normal vehicle voltage, effectively without any circuitry? Also if I run them on 13.8VDC is there any down sides?
Everything I want from life is for people to listen to the music I make like this. Dear Big Clive, I thank and salute you!