Neon tube from Sega Game gear

[crt_cowboy]

Hello,

As a small pet project, I would like to make light with a small neon tube harvested from a Sega Game Gear console.

Below the circuit from the console. Basically there is an oscillating circuit connected to a transformer.

From the measurements I made in the console before removing the neon tube, it gets 30KHz 198 vpp. At the startup, it goes higher, around 290vpp.


If I connect the neon to a 220v 50Hz power source (with a resistor as ballast), nothing happens.

Any recommendations on how to make this work would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[Zero999]

It isn't a neon tube, but a cold cathode tube. It needs a high voltage, on the order of 1kV to start, which then drops down to a much lower voltage.

I would put the console back together and sell it and buy a suitable cold cathode tube. Classic consoles go for reasonable money and even if it doesn't work you'll quite likely get more than a new cold cathode tube and driver will cost you.

[crt_cowboy]

The LCD was dead so I replaced it with a modern screen with backlight. I was wondering if I could experiment with the tube but looks like I would need a specific power supply

[Zero999]

The circuit attached to your original post is a Baxandall or Resonant Royer conveter. A type of oscillator which uses the transformer as a resonant component.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royer_oscillator#Sinewave_Oscillator_(Baxandall,_aka_%22Resonant_Royer%22_vs_Original_Royer)

Although the circuit is simple, it needs a specially designed transformer. You can buy it ready made. Search for CCFL inverter.