Odd Neon-glow lamp

[Daniel J. Stern]

The descriptions below came up in my listserv:

"I have neon bulb that the family been using as a bathroom nightlight
since the early 40's. Same size and shape as a standard light bulb with a
dark purple internal coating. Screws into a standard socket, we use an
adapter to plug it into wall outlet. Dad got it from some comercial job he
was doing, I think he said it was quite old when he put in the bathroom in
1942? Oh yes, almost forgot the cool part, although it's never turned off
you can touch it without burning you fingers...stays just a little above
ambient."

"Yeah, my dad had a neon bulb a bit like that. Standard light bulb base,
about an inch diameter globe. He used it as a nigh light. I last saw it
sometime in the early nineties and it was decades old then. If someone
still has it, it's probably still working."

Pictures are at:

http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb1.jpg
http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb2.jpg

Anyone know anything about these? Maker, range of production date,
continued availability...?

 

[jriegle]

The descriptions below came up in my listserv:

"I have neon bulb that the family been using as a bathroom nightlight
since the early 40's. Same size and shape as a standard light bulb with a
dark purple internal coating. Screws into a standard socket, we use an
adapter to plug it into wall outlet. Dad got it from some comercial job he
was doing, I think he said it was quite old when he put in the bathroom in
1942? Oh yes, almost forgot the cool part, although it's never turned off
you can touch it without burning you fingers...stays just a little above
ambient."

"Yeah, my dad had a neon bulb a bit like that. Standard light bulb base,
about an inch diameter globe. He used it as a nigh light. I last saw it
sometime in the early nineties and it was decades old then. If someone
still has it, it's probably still working."

Pictures are at:

http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb1.jpg
http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb2.jpg

Anyone know anything about these? Maker, range of production date,
continued availability...?

It looks like a standard indicator lamp. The purple coating is probably just
sputtered material. At least this is what I see from the fuzzy pictures. It
is amazing it still operates. Here are the medium based neon lamps listed in
a old book I have from 1972. None rated over 10,000 hours.

# Wattage
NE-30 1
NE-34 2
NE-40 3
NE-56 1

I would guess there is no market for these anymore thanks to small neon
bulbs and LEDs for indicators.
John

 

[TKM]

The descriptions below came up in my listserv:

"I have neon bulb that the family been using as a bathroom nightlight
since the early 40's. Same size and shape as a standard light bulb with a
dark purple internal coating. Screws into a standard socket, we use an
adapter to plug it into wall outlet. Dad got it from some comercial job he
was doing, I think he said it was quite old when he put in the bathroom in
1942? Oh yes, almost forgot the cool part, although it's never turned off
you can touch it without burning you fingers...stays just a little above
ambient."

"Yeah, my dad had a neon bulb a bit like that. Standard light bulb base,
about an inch diameter globe. He used it as a nigh light. I last saw it
sometime in the early nineties and it was decades old then. If someone
still has it, it's probably still working."

Pictures are at:

http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb1.jpg
http://www.torque.net/~u225/LJ/bulb2.jpg

Anyone know anything about these? Maker, range of production date,
continued availability...?

Neon bulbs with standard Edison screw bases were fairly common during the
1960s and 70s. The major manufacturers, including the "big three" had them.
GE issued a special spiral-bound technical bulletin with information just
about glow lamps including circuitry, applications, etc.

As I recall, the largest ones were rated for about 5 watts. Then decorative
designs appeared with cathodes shaped into words or symbols (leaf and flower
petals were common). Some of the cathodes were coated with colored
phosphors so the UV from the discharge (neon plus other gases such as argon)
caused the patterns to glow. They are still around in novelty stores. Some
pictures are on line at:
http://www.bulbcollector.com/cgi-bin/imageFolio.cgi?direct=Neon_Glow_Lamps

The internal coating isn't deliberate. It's contamination from the cathodes
boiling off and coating the inner glass of the bulb. I have one that now
gives very little light because of the coating. It took about 3 years of
continuous operation as a day & night light for the contamination to become
significant.

Do a Google search on "neon glow lamps" for more.

Terry McGowan

 

[Daniel J. Stern]

Thanks, TKM and JR!