This turned out really well. It's a set of fairy lights / Christmas lights that are based on neons that run in a parallel circuit with two resistors per neon. It could have been a single resistor per neon, but by using two it spreads the heat dissipation, packs out the base nicely and adds a layer of safety and reliability.
I didn't realise until I started writing this video description that the humble neon indicator lamp is 100 years old this year (2019) having been patented in 1919. Happy 100th birthday lil' neon lamp.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_lamp
If you build a string of these then please remember that they operate at mains voltage and extra care must be taken to sleeve and secure connections. I actually missed a heatshrink sleeve from one of the lights leaving live contacts exposed, so take care to double check before powering the string up. The wire should be rated for mains use and ideally would have been double insulated, but it's quite tricky to find double insulated single cores.
A suitable fuse should be used in case of an incident, and a humble 1A fuse will theoretically handle 1000 lights or more if run at less than 1mA per lamp.
I used standard NE2 indicator lamps which I bought from a local mail order electronic supplier, and used two 100K resistors for our 240V supply. If making a set for 120V you can use a lower value resistor like two 47K, but the neons will light fine with higher value resistors. The intensity will reduce with higher value resistors and the glow may become unstable and shimmer about inside (which is a really nice effect). The life of these little neon lamps is rated in tens of thousands of hours of continuous use, with lower currents giving longer life.
This is definitely a project for seasoned electronics tinkerers, since it does involve a lot of mains connections. But it's also a very therapeutic project to build a set as long as you want. You could use green, blue and white (if you can get them) neon indicators too, but they will be a bit dimmer and you definitely want to run them at reduced current to avoid blackening.
The supplier I got the neon lamps from was Rapid Electronics in the UK:-
https://www.rapidonline.com/electronic-components/rvfm-ne-2h-6mm-miniature-neon-wire-ended-42-0300
You can also get them on eBay if you search for things like 100pcs neon indicator with the option of blue and green too. I recommend the 6mm diameter lamps as they are stronger, brighter and longer lasting. If the ones you get have a spot welded resistor on them I recommend replacing it with a higher value one for cooler running and longer lamp life.
The slight alternating of the glow from side to side in the video is due to the way each electrode illuminates alternately at mains frequency. The camera shutter speed makes that visible.
You can deliberately make the glow discharge unstable in the lamps by adding a capacitor in series with the whole string. It causes a slight interaction between the lamps and can make some of them shimmer like little neon flicker-flame lamps. With this short string of 13 lamps I got a good effect with a 47nF or 100nF suppression capacitor. Remember to add a 470K discharge resistor across the capacitor to avoid getting a plug-tingle from residual charge.
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.
I didn't realise until I started writing this video description that the humble neon indicator lamp is 100 years old this year (2019) having been patented in 1919. Happy 100th birthday lil' neon lamp.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neon_lamp
If you build a string of these then please remember that they operate at mains voltage and extra care must be taken to sleeve and secure connections. I actually missed a heatshrink sleeve from one of the lights leaving live contacts exposed, so take care to double check before powering the string up. The wire should be rated for mains use and ideally would have been double insulated, but it's quite tricky to find double insulated single cores.
A suitable fuse should be used in case of an incident, and a humble 1A fuse will theoretically handle 1000 lights or more if run at less than 1mA per lamp.
I used standard NE2 indicator lamps which I bought from a local mail order electronic supplier, and used two 100K resistors for our 240V supply. If making a set for 120V you can use a lower value resistor like two 47K, but the neons will light fine with higher value resistors. The intensity will reduce with higher value resistors and the glow may become unstable and shimmer about inside (which is a really nice effect). The life of these little neon lamps is rated in tens of thousands of hours of continuous use, with lower currents giving longer life.
This is definitely a project for seasoned electronics tinkerers, since it does involve a lot of mains connections. But it's also a very therapeutic project to build a set as long as you want. You could use green, blue and white (if you can get them) neon indicators too, but they will be a bit dimmer and you definitely want to run them at reduced current to avoid blackening.
The supplier I got the neon lamps from was Rapid Electronics in the UK:-
https://www.rapidonline.com/electronic-components/rvfm-ne-2h-6mm-miniature-neon-wire-ended-42-0300
You can also get them on eBay if you search for things like 100pcs neon indicator with the option of blue and green too. I recommend the 6mm diameter lamps as they are stronger, brighter and longer lasting. If the ones you get have a spot welded resistor on them I recommend replacing it with a higher value one for cooler running and longer lamp life.
The slight alternating of the glow from side to side in the video is due to the way each electrode illuminates alternately at mains frequency. The camera shutter speed makes that visible.
You can deliberately make the glow discharge unstable in the lamps by adding a capacitor in series with the whole string. It causes a slight interaction between the lamps and can make some of them shimmer like little neon flicker-flame lamps. With this short string of 13 lamps I got a good effect with a 47nF or 100nF suppression capacitor. Remember to add a 470K discharge resistor across the capacitor to avoid getting a plug-tingle from residual charge.
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.
I wonder if the discrepancy in sizing on the heat shrink is referring to the maximum wire OD. Like stuffing a sleeve onto a tight fitment of wire may cause the heat shrink to tear as it tightens up
Lol I'm watching this at 4am
Live now
Deer Clive, Don’t take magic mussrooms My Friend, I’ve done it many times and lots of different drugs; and all I can say is you are perfect without any drugs mate( that’s why I’m here ); Just think of it like hanging out with Betty Ford clinicSAS , @ Eric Clapton ‘s God AA . Thanks Clive But I will Leave if You Go weak on The Brother Monks
I should buy some neon indicators (in bulk) to make some neon flowers for my high voltage high frequency supply to sort of visualise the electric field around it. (Plasma ball, tesla coil, etc.)
And also for a nice effect of course.
Mostly , though , Clive, it’s more the usual suspects and the usual suspects guests a as it were. ‘ On the Silent Nocturne Overnight
I smell Satchi , Near, what h out CliFe.(thought it be faire to warn you Bro)✍️
Oh that's funny in preschool or something I brought a Kirby vacuum cleaner to school cuz it had all the attachments and I could take it apart and put it back together and I used to just get into everything and take it apart when I was very very young also
One of these days, I'm going to create and install dc lighting in my place, either LEDs or neon lamps, depending on the location (I love the amber glow). Recently I've become aware of the flickering of my LED lamps running on mains voltage, and it's becoming bothersome. So, some nice non-flickering lighting will be nice.
Clive, I'm not sure the best way to contact you, so I'll drop a question here, if that's okay. I'm building a project that requires 2 solenoids, and I wondered if you had a trick to wind them easily without a special rig. I'll check over your videos after watching this one and see what I can find.
I find it helps with the blue light filter on somehow
Hmmm, I guess you could reuse an old incandescent set for this project if you wanted to…
Though they tend to be serially connected and not parallel, but I dunno if it's a problem to drive a bunch of neon bulbs with a single resistor instead?
In response to ( James Van Damme , below ) the resistor is 10 MΩ and the capacitor across the neon is 100 nF , the single diode MUST be 1N4007 … fitted ( randomly ) on a sheet of matt black pegboard , the neons flash together , but soon lose sync and flash at total random ( NOT BRIGHT , but at night makes a superb " firefly " display , mesmerising .. I built one years ago but sold it … I am in the process of making a replacement , use 230 Volt mains ( tried – n – tested ) …..
How about using a pair of 10k resistors in the plug instead? That would save components and make the wiring a bit safer. Or is there a problem with using neon lamps in parallel and feeding them from a single high impedance supply? Would there be a problem getting some of the lamps to strike?
2:36am when im watching this again……and im rolling about with your reply about video times…..ha ha ha ha. You Billy Bullshitter….lol
just thinking if you cant get hold of the spacers the axles in "lego technic" would probably work, not sure of the voltage rating tho…
You can buy thin double insulated wire on ebay. I'm really tempted to do that and make my own version of these. They look really pretty. I'll have to figure out a good way to include a fuse though, our plugs don't come with fuses.
I actually chased an old friend of mine with a red laser, he thought the laser was off a rifle he was running round screaming. He then heard me laughing and then chased me for 45mins laughing saying I'm going to get you for this and I have to say he got me back a corker 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣