The Rise and Fall of Neon Indicator Lamps Before LEDs Took Over

Before LEDs took over, neon indicator lamps gave American electronics their unmistakable orange glow. This video explores the rise and fall of neon indicator lamps, from Daniel McFarlan Moore’s early glow lamp at General Electric to their widespread use in radios, appliances, instrument panels, wall switches, test equipment, and early electronic circuits. Discover how tiny NE-2 neon lamps worked, why engineers used them for indicators, oscillators, voltage regulation, logic circuits, and even early computer displays—and why the rise of transistors, integrated circuits, and low-voltage electronics eventually pushed them aside. But neon lamps never completely disappeared. More than a century later, they still survive inside illuminated rocker switches, power strips, voltage testers, and other equipment connected directly to AC line voltage. Subscribe for more stories about vintage electronics, forgotten components, and the technologies that shaped the electronic age. #NeonLamp #ElectronicsHistory #VintageElectronics #ForgottenTechnology #LEDHistory