Re: Power used by mains neon indicator in 1 year?

[Andrew Gabriel]

Hi specialists. Can you advise me?

I'm in the UK and am considering a mains isolation switch with a
neon indicator.

Approximately how much power would be used by that neon light in a
year?

They're normally in series with a 330k resistor.
Assume 60v drop in neon, and thus 180V drop in resistor.
That's 180 / 330000 = 0.545mA
240 * 0.000545 = 0.13W

Rough cost is £1 per watt per year, so you're looking at 13p per year.

 

[Don Klipstein]

They're normally in series with a 330k resistor.
Assume 60v drop in neon, and thus 180V drop in resistor.
That's 180 / 330000 = 0.545mA
240 * 0.000545 = 0.13W

Rough cost is £1 per watt per year, so you're looking at 13p per year.

Looks to me then like you usually use the A1A / NE-2 or the A1B /
"mini NE-2" neon lamp.

- Don Klipstein ([email protected])