Gyraf G7 Indicator Question

[ComodoComplex]

I've rewired up my PSU after years of loving my G7 build, but am now facing an issue. The power supply rail is supposed to get up to 160V, but is instead only at 56.7 V. The reason, I presume, is the neon indicator lamp that I've wired in series with the power switch. I assumed that the lamp would essentially act as a short, but it seems to be lowering the available voltage through the transformers. Is this correct? I can't quite get in and measure the voltage across it because I heat shrinked everything so nicely

Unfortunately there isn't a lot of reading on the internet about this, so I appreciate the community's insight here! How do you properly use neon lamps without lowering the voltage? Or is my problem elsewhere? Wall power measures 120VAC fine.

Thanks!

 

[Matt Nolan]

Put the neon in parallel with the switched mains, not in series.

 

[PRR]

In general you do not put lamps in-series with loads. Lamp IS a "load", and (as Matt says) usually wired parallel with other loads. Of course this does not prove that current is passing-through the main load, but does show power is getting TO the main load (or at least the indicator lamp, which shows the box is not all-dead).

Neon MUST have a series resistor. Often this is included with the Neon. If not, 220K is good for 120v lands. I'm wondering, because I'd think with the Neon drop (70V) *and* a 220K resistor, I'd expect nearly-no useful voltage at the load, even one as small as this. Like 2V?

> lamp would essentially act as a short

Neon lamp is ~~70V drop. (Which is why you need a resistor for 120V.) 70V off of 120V leaves 50V or about 42% at the power transformer. 57V of 160V is 35%, suspiciously close.