In my "3800 Formula" thread, i showed you the unique engine light I removed from the car. I tried lighting the light with a smaller transformer I have (only 7.5 KV), and it lights just fine. I tried taking pictures with a "real" camera so I could adjust the exposure to attempt to capture the real color.
It still comes out whiter than it really is, but a closeup turned out better.
The tube has a coating that causes the purple light to be emitted. At each end, you can see the real color of the excited gas molecules. My other transformer says "Neon Transformer" on the label, but this one says "Luminous Tube Transformer".
That's actually a better name, because only red "neon lights" have neon gas in them. Other gases are used for other colors.
This particular transformer formerly lit a beer sign.
Neither of the transformers I have now are ones I played with as a kid, but they're both pretty old, especially the smaller one.
