RE: TI-H: EL technology

To: "'ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org'" <ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org>
Subject: RE: TI-H: EL technology
From: Jan Zumwalt <zumwalt@alaska.net>
Date: Fri, 3 Oct 1997 09:19:59 -0800
Reply-To: ti-hardware@lists.ticalc.org

Just for everyone's sake I thought I would add my two cents to help keep the 
idea alive. The ac requirement is not a problem. A 555 timer or equivalent can 
do the job and they are available in very small (SO) packages.

On Friday, October 03, 1997 8:35 AM, Greg Hill [SMTP:gregh@xmission.com] wrote:
> >    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
>