Another invisible excitation might be a brief pulse of blue or UV light just after a new digit is illuminated. As I understand it, it's only needed to light the digit, not sustain it.
I think the blue backlight often used to overcome this problem is quite a pleasant complement to the neon colour, but it's also a bit garish. I can totally understand the desire to have pure neon orange. On Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 9:38 AM Adrian Godwin <[email protected]> wrote: > > I can't see IR leds working, though I haven't tried them UV leds are > more likely to work. Might be made invisible if filtered unless Nixies > have any phosphors in them. > > Yes, I know they don't rely on phosphors but you might find some > cement or getter residue or something that fluoresces. > > > On Fri, Jul 25, 2025 at 2:08 AM Jarod Findley <[email protected]> wrote: > > > > https://www.pa3fwm.nl/projects/neonclock2/ > > > > Sorry this is the write up I was referring to the other one is still very > > informative > > > > On Wed, Jul 23, 2025, 1:39 AM Jarod Findley <[email protected]> wrote: > >> > >> https://www.pa3fwm.nl/projects/neonclock/ > >> > >> In this write up you can see he addresses the problem of the neon bulbs > >> not being able to light in the dark with blue leds. I wonder if you could > >> use ir leds and keep it invisible > >> > >> On Tue, Jul 22, 2025, 5:13 PM 'Grahame Marsh' via neonixie-l > >> <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi Jarod > >>> > >>> I skipped neon bulbs and and used trigger tubes. My first clock used XC18 > >>> tubes which originally had (long-gone) radioactive doping to get reliable > >>> operation in the dark. I then used Z700U tubes which have a primer > >>> electrode and do operate reliably in the dark. > >>> > >>> Does anyone have experience with neon bulb ring counters operating in the > >>> dark? > >>> > >>> Grahame > >>> > >>> On 22/07/2025 21:07, Joe Croft wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi Jarod, > >>> > >>> I saw that about the ne-2 diodes. My solution was much more painful. I > >>> went through the neon lamps and matched them. I look forward to seeing > >>> the final clock! > >>> > >>> -joe > >>> > >>> Sent from Mailspring, the best free email app for work > >>> On Jul 21 2025, at 11:48 pm, Jarod Findley <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> > >>> I hoping the design I used is going to be robust enough for my circuit. > >>> If you haven't read the attached website to the pdf I linked he has some > >>> very good information on ring counters and why the ne2 is so difficult to > >>> use in them. Im hoping the in28 are similar enough to be adapted. > >>> > >>> My next purchase definitely is going to be a quality bread boat and scope > >>> for doing some diagnostic work. Thanks for info and help guys ill > >>> definitely be simulating and real world testing. Ill keep the group posted > >>> > >>> On Mon, Jul 21, 2025, 9:16 PM Joe Croft <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi Jarod. > >>> > >>> This reminds me of my NixieNeon clock, > >>> https://www.nixieneon.com/main/nixieneon-clock-documentation/. This > >>> clock was a lot of fun but the ring counters could be hell! I had a lot > >>> of matching to do with the neon bulbs. Granted, I was using NE-2 lamps, > >>> not triggered neons for the counters. But the best I can tell, you are > >>> not using the trigger leads. Ig nore the processor, it is mostly for > >>> setting the time as well as giving a little eye candy every 5 minutes. > >>> The rings will free run with out the processor. > >>> > >>> I recommend you bread board one or two of the rings.Also, I was not able > >>> to coulpe just using a capacitor and a diode. I ended up needing a > >>> transistor. Of course all of that could have been from my short comings > >>> in hardware design (I am principally a software guy who loves the smell > >>> of rosin) . > >>> > >>> I hope your clock works out for you. I still have a love for ring > >>> counters like these. > >>> > >>> -joe > >>> > >>> Sent from Mailspring, the best free email app for work > >>> On Jul 18 2025, at 5:14 pm, Jarod Findley <[email protected]> wrote: > >>> > >>> Hi all this is my second post and I'm still learning a lot about > >>> nixies-neon tubes and how they work. This is my first project design i > >>> used this schematic to design a clock around in-28 neon tubes and some > >>> large size nixies like zin-70. I have not calculated values for the > >>> resistors and such nor have I tested anything yet. Id like to know if my > >>> design is correct before I move it into the real world. It will have a > >>> ring counter for the Hours, Minutes, Seconds, Am Pm, and a 60 ring > >>> counter to visually indicate the seconds. This will be a 12 hour clock > >>> and have Am Pm tubes. My plan is to design a nice case and have it > >>> displayed in my living room. I know its ambitious for a first time > >>> project and apricate any feed back, > >>> -- > >>> 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, visit > >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/390fea2f-0fce-4557-80d1-4e6b8ed0813en%40googlegroups.com. > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> 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, visit > >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/90056DDC-CBF5-459C-87A9-C6B76DB1628F%40getmailspring.com. > >>> > >>> > >>> -- > >>> 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, visit > >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAL_1Jahz7tHfe-ep4kuXwOdLNmdgn7%3DJJkwekbe9sSWVJ5Yupw%40mail.gmail.com. > >>> > >>> -- > >>> 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, visit > >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/1690C145-FF58-4C72-B0D4-CF28E4CEF42F%40getmailspring.com. > >>> > >>> -- > >>> 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, visit > >>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/2aadf306-d917-476b-893c-04199d53a2a3%40googlemail.com. > > > > -- > > 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, visit > > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAL_1Jah3t90OgjV7ib_sacwEWX8M9X57UQRFS72zdUwqX%2BSNGQ%40mail.gmail.com. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. 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