Hi Paolo, There are two envelope sizes for the 6167/439A. I have not analyzed whether they are date-related or otherwise different. There are also some tubes clearly Kr-85 marked, as you mentioned. I don't recall what readings I had on my Geiger counter back when I tested them, but other tubes I own were more active.
I have made another DropBox file with photos of both 6167 and 439A tubes of all the types I had at the time. There is even one specifically marked as NON-JAN. Link is here: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1nl36d0y87k6qsg/WE%20Pix%20Archive.zip?dl=0 Be sure to turn down the volume on the .MOV file of a 439A spinning, unless you like heavy metal ;) Yours, Mike On Wednesday, March 2, 2022 at 7:07:14 AM UTC-5 Dekatron42 wrote: > Have you tried the last circuit in the datasheet above ( > https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5f0983034219c6086e8100ac/t/5f4566168ede3e5edceb395e/1598383652854/439A.pdf) > > which uses an RC-network on each cathode? > > I've not tried this on a 6167 but on some other older types it is > necessary to get them to run properly and I've also tested it on other > types when I've had problem (or no data) getting them to run and in some > cases I have succeeded to get them to run well enough that they later > started to run in a normal circuit. > > /Martin > > On Tuesday, 1 March 2022 at 15:26:17 UTC+1 Paolo Cravero wrote: > >> Hello. >> I still cannot get these WE6167 spin uniformly. I might have stray >> capacitances on the breadboard, but I won't invest in a spinner PCB with >> this huge doubt. I do have some findings and thoughts to share. >> >> The 10 output cathodes can be used to control the glow of each dot since >> they do illuminate like a Nixie with a 200-230V anode voltage at 1-3 mA. >> Actually there are eleven cathodes as there is a normal - zero - control. >> It is cheating, I know, but it will then be able to visually spin >> counter-clockwise too! Also I will not need 400+ V and the same circuit can >> control a symbol Nixie. The drawback is that it will need a microcontroller. >> >> While trying all sorts of modifications to the spinner circuit, I noticed >> that the most stubborn 6167 was made in 1955 (its K10 needs at least 225V >> to light up in "Nixie mode"!) while the rest were assembled in 1958. In the >> attached picture you can see how* the 1955 tube in the middle has a >> shorter rounder dome*. The dirt on the glass is a sticky leftover of a >> wax paper(?) that wrapped the tubes. >> >> I might look through the glass for construction differences but I stored >> the 1955's 6167 away since .... it is mildly radioactive. On my >> Geiger-Muller counter sensitive to hard-beta and gamma the 1955's 6167 >> produces a 3x increase in CPM vs background while those from 1958 don't >> make a difference. Note that *neither the glass bulb nor the box mention >> the content of radioactive material* (nor the datasheet). Citing myself >> (Wed, Nov 4, 2020, 1:12 PM to neonixie-l) "*Same goes for other 6140 >> except for one, much older from 12/52 marked 423A. Neither the box nor the >> glass carry any warning sign, but this tube hits >600 CPM vs 40 CPM >> background*". Looks like that up to at least 1955 it was not required to >> declare the content of radioactive material inside vacuum tubes (and that >> W.E. was pretty generous on the amount used ;) IMVHO ). >> >> Last but not least I forgot I had inserted in my eBay watchlist item >> #202784117971, a Western Electric burst timer. That's another device that >> might have been documented online. >> >> Paolo >> >> -- 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 view this discussion on the web, visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/c6351f63-daf2-4797-9e9d-4bcdab312131n%40googlegroups.com.
