Vibrator relay keeps melting.

[Reloadron]

now the problem I have is as the temps of the tubes go up so does the maintaining voltage, sort of like an old hps lamp at eol.

I don't get that. Neon generally runs cool and once the gas ionizes that is about it. Neon and other gassed were used in voltage regulator tubes before solid state devices were around. Strange but I am not a gas discharge genius by any standard.

Ron

 

[RayRay1132]

I don't get that. Neon generally runs cool and once the gas ionizes that is about it. Neon and other gassed were used in voltage regulator tubes before solid state devices were around. Strange but I am not a gas discharge genius by any standard.

Ron

I'm running a nitrogen/low pressure air/ mercury mixture int the homemade tubes.

 

[rjenkinsgb]

Mercury vapour lamps tend to run very hot, at high current and low voltage compared to neons; eg. even a high power lamp only runs at roughly 100V or so after fully warming up.

Mercury lamps are often double enveloped, so the hot lamp has some insulation around it.

 

[shortbus=]

nitrogen/low pressure air/ mercury mixture int the homemade tubes.

That may be your problem. I may be wrong but it's my belief that all lamps of any type draw out all air, in other words a vacuum, before introducing the excitable gas. Air would allow the internal electrodes to burn or other wise deteriorate.