What kind of inverter do I need to power a neon transformer?

Question

How big of an inverter (dc to ac) to i need to power a neon transformer, i dont need to power it for a long period of time, probably under an hour.

Answer 1

Why not just connect it to the ac line by means of it's line cord? Most of those things are designed to operate off of the electrical juice found at any common wall outlet.

Answer 2

The power required for a neon sign transformer is small. IIRC, they usually output something on the order of 4000V at about 30 ma, which is about 120 watts. 5000V at 60 ma would be about 300 watts. While neon transformers go higher than that, I don't think they're that common. Whatever you do get, just look at the information plate and multiply the voltage by the amperage (don't forget that decimal point for milliamps!) to get the power requirement.

I would go for at least a 500W inverter to provide a little safety factor. Inverters of this size are pretty cheap anyway. You're probably looking at about 50 bucks.