How can you make electron tubes light up or glow for art or decorative objects?

To do this, you only need to connect the heater of the tube or tubes. In the data sheets, this is usually specified as Uf for the heater voltage and If for the heater current.

If you want to use several tubes for the object, connecting them in series from tube to tube is a good option. Always use tubes with the same heater current, for example tubes that begin with “P” = 300 mA such as PCH200, or “U” = 100 mA such as UY82. The current then remains the same, for example 300 mA for “P” tubes, while the voltages add up. You can then connect a power supply for the total voltage, regardless of whether it is DC voltage or AC voltage.

For such decorative purposes, it does no harm to overheat by 20–30%. If you only want to heat one tube, use a power supply that can provide exactly the Uf voltage for that one tube and its If heater current. You can find the data sheets on the BTB Elektronik website or at Frank.Pocnet. Good luck!

Please note: As a layperson, always stay below the limit for safety extra-low voltage, which is 50 V AC or 120 V DC. Contact can already be painful from around 30 V, so be careful!

Tip: It is most practical to use tube sockets for wire mounting, as they are easier to solder.