EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Electronics => Beginners => Topic started by: crt_cowboy on March 04, 2024, 12:01:59 pm
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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
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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.
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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
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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.