If you have a used Dekatron you will sometimes have to raise the anode voltage as well as the guide-pulse voltages to get them to run properly, cathode poisoning as well as sputtering near the cathodes where they pass through mica/ceramic structures changes the striking voltage needed for proper function.
You can also try Dieters simple spinner: http://www.tube-tester.com/sites/nixie/different/spinner-B12E/b12e.htm or http://www.tube-tester.com/sites/nixie/different/spinner-B13B/b13b.htm they work at 50/60Hz but if you get your Dekatrons to run with those simple circuits you at least know that your Dekatrons work at that low speed, if not then I think you have some cathode poisoning or a leaky Dekatron. If you get them to run with Dieters spinners then leave them running for a day or two, changing direction now and then, and then test them in Threeneuron's spinner again - hopefully you will have gotten rid of some of the cathode poisoning by then. If not, then you can raise the anode voltage some more by adding an extra stage to the diode trippler but only do so for the GS10D as that Dekatron might need a higher anode voltage, the Z562S/6476 should be fine with the voltages you have in the original designs. To raise the guide pulse voltage you need to raise the resistors connected to common ground R4 & R5 in Dieters B12E & B13B spinners from 150k to a higher value to get a higher guide-pulse voltage, how much isn't really possible to say as it is something that you'll have to try to see if your Dekatrons will run better with a higher guide-pulse voltage. Be careful when modifying these designs due to the high voltage and don't forget that the capacitors are charged with high voltage and that they take some time to bleed away that voltage and also don't forget that they are connected directly to the mains voltage! /Martin -- 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/msgid/neonixie-l/616dccea-2cd5-4d2b-9a5f-2599dbad1a2d%40googlegroups.com. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
