Another nixie newbie here hoping y'all will show compassion for my ignorance.
I have been an amateur electronics hobbyist since childhood, mostly analog (primarily audio & RF-related). I've started playing with some ZM1000s, and built a simple tester to plug them in & cycle manually through all the digits (image at www.lutins.org/projects/nixie1.gif). This is a simple device, with the positive side of a 170V power supply connected to the anode and the negative side switched between digit cathodes. I am not using a driver IC, and here is my primary question: What is the main purpose of a driver IC? If i understand the specifications properly, 170V is an "ignition" voltage, after which a 125V "maintaining" voltage can be used. Does a driver IC have anything to do with this, or is this another issue entirely? And will i shorten the life of my nixie by supplying it continuously with 170V? Thanks in advance for helping me merge onto the nixie highway! -allen -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msg/neonixie-l/-/UgY5daHzjuEJ. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/groups/opt_out.
