How are Neon Transformers different from the more common “power” transformers?
Power transformers have good voltage regulation over varying load conditions. This means the transformer’s output (or “secondary”) voltage varies only a small amount from minimum to full rated output current. All neon transformers have deliberately poor output voltage regulation made possible by the use magnetic shunts in the transformer. This poor regulation is necessary to limit current in neon tubing. With a large change in output load voltage, the neon transformer maintains output load current within a relatively narrow range. A neon transformer is rated for its secondary open circuit voltage and secondary short circuit current. Open circuit voltage (OCV) appears at the transformer’s output terminals only when no neon tubing is connected to those terminals. Likewise, short circuit current is only drawn from the output terminals if a short is placed across those terminals (in which case the output voltage equals zero). However, when a neon tubing load is connected across these same
