TI-H: EL technology

To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org
Subject: TI-H: EL technology
From: Greg Hill <gregh@xmission.com>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 10:35:12 -0600 (MDT)
In-Reply-To: <9710022152.ZM16887@eos.ncsu.edu>
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org

>    Actually, it won't be raining quite yet.  Although the Nitelight Indeglow
> panel is AC powered (115V, .0003W -- I cut one open to find out!), the watch
> sized panels are not.  They are 3V .0003W devices.  I have also seen these
> panels used to illuminate pins at parties.  The pins ran on two watch batteries
> and had three of these panels.  I assume You'd need 6x4 for a TI-92 and 4x3 for
> the TI-85, but that's just a guess (I'm sure there are different sizes).
> 
> Soooo.. if anyone has or knows where to get the watch-sized Indeglow panels
> which run on DC(?) voltage, PLEASE let me know.

Unless I am misinformed, the electroluminescent effect is generated by the
AC power used in the panel. This leads to the conclusion that Indiglo
panels do not run from dc voltage. There is an inverter inside the watch
which generates ac at a high voltage and low current. A similar inverter
would be used to run an EL backlight in a calculator, except that the
inverter would be physically larger because of the larger current draw
from a larger EL panel.

As for a source for the EL panels, they're usually sold attached to an LCD
panel. The EL nightlight is the only way I know of to get an EL panel
without an LCD to accompany it.

-- 
Greg Hill
greg-hill@bigfoot.com
www.comports.com/link

References:

Re: TI-H: lots of ideas

From: "Bryan Christopher Turner" <bcturner@eos.ncsu.edu>