Neon ignition

To have a neon lamp properly switched on, two specific appliances are required. These are the starter and the reactor:

• The starter acts as a timer switch, consists of two electrodes contained in a glass ampule containing inert gases.

  The ampoule is in turn contained in a metal tube. At start-up, the starter switches on current for 1-2 seconds then opens the circuit.

  This timing is necessary to cause incandescent discharge filaments to glow in the gas contained in the lamp.

• 

  The reactor instead it regulates the current intensity of the lamp, allows it to be switched on and then enables the power supply.