Thanks in advance for any help you guys can offer!
I've got a design idea that's driving me crazy. I'm trying to design a circuit that will reverse the current through an NE-2 type of neon bulb based on an input of 0 or 5V (say, from an Arduino pin). Functionally, I want to be able to input 5V into the circuit and make the current run "forward" through the NE-2 and light one of its two filaments, or input 0V and have the current run "backward" and light the other filament. Input voltage to the neon is 180V, with a 270k current limiting resistor.
I imagined that this would be an easy circuit to build with MPSA42 NPN transistors to open the "forward" circuit and MPSA92 PNP transistors to open the "reverse" circuit, but I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to get all of the base to emitter voltages to work out correctly. I can provide a sketch and/or some of my failed attempts at this circuit if it would help to understand my idea.
Anyone know of a circuit design that can perform this function? My circuit design skills are not up to the task... Thank you!
I've got a design idea that's driving me crazy. I'm trying to design a circuit that will reverse the current through an NE-2 type of neon bulb based on an input of 0 or 5V (say, from an Arduino pin). Functionally, I want to be able to input 5V into the circuit and make the current run "forward" through the NE-2 and light one of its two filaments, or input 0V and have the current run "backward" and light the other filament. Input voltage to the neon is 180V, with a 270k current limiting resistor.
I imagined that this would be an easy circuit to build with MPSA42 NPN transistors to open the "forward" circuit and MPSA92 PNP transistors to open the "reverse" circuit, but I'm tearing my hair out trying to figure out how to get all of the base to emitter voltages to work out correctly. I can provide a sketch and/or some of my failed attempts at this circuit if it would help to understand my idea.
Anyone know of a circuit design that can perform this function? My circuit design skills are not up to the task... Thank you!