Years ago IBM came out with the 305 RAMAC computer.  Around 1958-59 and they
tried to reduce costs in several ways.  One of which was to use neon bulb as
input legs of a hugh OR circuit.  The bulbs were mounted on a large board
about two feet long and mounted inside of the printer.  The service tech
would get a call that the printer was failing.  He would observe the failure
and open the covers to start trouble shooting and soon after the problem
would disappear.  This went on for some time and finally to get around the
problem he hung a trouble light in the machine; no more problems.

Engineers later determined that the neon bulb needed a certain amount of
photon bombardment to reliably energize.

So much for a history lesson.

Gene.





Gene & Sydelle Norris
mailto:enorris@home.com
http://members.home.net/enorris
E. Windsor, NJ USA