Yes, I've done some google translation on the info but have not completed that exercise.
I definitely agree with lowering the intensity, and I will target this as a night-clock. The specified lifetime was around 500 hours, though that just means the intensity has decreased noticeably but not to zero. These definitely wont work as 24/7 clocks, and even with a PIR sensor I would limit the display time via software to a few minutes per night. That works out for just under 3 minutes per night for me if I expect to live another 30 years (I'm in my 60's...) On Tuesday, January 20, 2026 at 10:45:19 AM UTC-8 Dekatron42 wrote: > Did anyone try to read the Russian book on these displays that I mentioned > in a previous thread? > > When I was in contact with Russian people over at the Radiokot.ru forum > they mentioned that these displays were designed to run at low intensity as > to not pollute the nearby environment with light that could give you away > in a war situation so they should be run at a low intensity to preserve > display life they said. I never translated the book nor much on the forum > but made some tests with these displays and by adjusting frequency, > waveform and voltage I could get them to run at low intensity without any > discernable loss over a few months time - it was just a test setup to see > how they worked and nothing more than a small transformer and a few > resistors and capacitors connected to a waveform generator to produce the > necessary signal. > > /Martin > > On Sunday, 18 January 2026 at 03:39:32 UTC+1 Michail Wilson wrote: > >> I would be interested in what you come up with. >> >> I believe the power supply was the biggest issue for me. >> >> >> >> I posted this video test several years ago. >> >> https://youtu.be/j0fvadiuw-4 >> >> >> >> >> >> >> >> Michail Wilson >> >> 206-920-6312 <(206)%20920-6312> >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *On Behalf >> Of *gregebert >> *Sent:* Saturday, January 17, 2026 1:50 PM >> *To:* neonixie-l <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Anyone want to collaborate on >> electroluminescent display projects ? >> >> >> >> Weird coincidence....I literally was thinking about this earlier today. >> Anyways..... >> >> >> >> 1. No, I have not made any PCBs yet or completed the design. >> >> 2. These are the 2 displays I plan to use: IEL-0-IV, and a much larger >> I-195. If anyone here is interested in participating, and has a different >> display they want to use, let me know ASAP and provide me the datasheet. I >> may need a mechanical sample to make a PCB footprint when that time comes. >> >> 3. The basic architecture I follow is a modular design >> >> - Display driver board. This will generate the non-sinusoidal >> waveform for the displays. I am planning to use triangular waves around >> 2kHz. The frequency will be adjustable, most likely via software control. >> This board is controlled by a 10-signal serial bus I call IOLINK, which >> basically looks like the control signals for an HV5530 driver IC, and >> operates at 12V signal levels. >> - CPU adaptor board. This provides the power for the Raspberry Pi >> Zero W (or zero 2W), level-shifting for the IOLINK, onboard ADCs for >> monitoring the power supply voltages, socket for a DS3231 RTC module, >> connector for a PIR sensor, connector for an I2C interface, which I >> currently use for temp sensors, connector for a logic analyzer (lets hope >> we dont need it...), connector for an FPGA (we wont need that). I have >> all >> the software running for using all of those interfaces (written in C). >> - Display adaptor board. This is unique for the type of E-L display. >> For the I-195, it will be 1 display per board (soldered-down), and the >> boards can be edge-abutted. For the smaller IEL-0-IV, there will 4 per >> board, side-abuttable, with the option to leave any location open and >> replaced with green LEDs for a colon. These will connect to the display >> driver board. >> >> 4. If you dont want to use the Raspberry Pi Zero W (or zero 2W), there is >> a 10-pin serial interface (IOLINK) that I use for my projects that uses 12V >> signal levels. You can easily level-shift to 12 V from your favorite >> controller. >> >> 5. The PC boards will be 4"x4", or smaller, to take advantage of low cost >> fab at PCBWay or JLCPCB. My cost is about $1.50 per board, so the PCBs will >> be a negligible piece of the overall cost. I will make the PCBs, software, >> and documentation available, but I wont be providing any kits or assembled >> clocks. >> >> >> >> Now, for some bad news....after running E-L displays for a few months, >> they get some burning, but they still work. Guess which one has been >> tested, and which one hasnt.... >> >> >> >> So, for those who are still interested, let me know which IEL display you >> have and what you would like to help with in the project. >> >> On Saturday, January 17, 2026 at 9:39:08 AM UTC-8 bogdan paduraru wrote: >> >> I am also interested in having a more compact tester for these displays . >> >> Keith, if you are interested in some trades I might have some cool spare >> modules for a collector , you could drop me a private message if >> interested >> >> >> >> On 17 Jan 2026, at 19:12, Keith Moore <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> I forgot all about this thread. I have some of these displays. Did the >> PCB/design ever get off the ground and flying? >> >> Any info will help. I am a collector and builder/maker, not a designer. >> So I'd love to make these displays glow. Thanks for the help. >> >> On Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 9:45:21 PM UTC-4 gregebert wrote: >> >> Here's the current status as of April 16, 2024. The test display has been >> running for a few weeks now at low intensity, using my waveform generator >> (1kHz) and a reverse-wired power transformer. I'm not noticing any >> degradation of intensity yet. >> >> >> >> The inverter design has stalled for a bit while I wrap-up another clock >> (uses IEE projection-type displays). SPICE simulations of the inverter are >> showing a lot of ringing, which has been a challenge to get rid of, and >> there is a mysterious asymmetry into the transformer. This is causing >> imbalance, and that results in a net DC current, which is not only wasteful >> but also will cause saturation of the transformer. I'm also trending to use >> a triangular waveform, rather than sinusoidal, because it results in >> constant current (well, at least theoretically...) for the display. >> >> >> >> Opto triacs are easier to use than regular ones, so I expect to go with >> those and drive them from a serial chain of shift registers. I standardized >> a serial link for my projects using 10-conductor ribbon cable, using the >> same signals/levels as used by the HV5532 (and similar) drivers. Each >> IEL-0-IV display is 8 segments, so 48 bits will control a 6-character >> display via direct-drive. I wont use, or attempt to use, multiplexing. >> Adding more characters is as simple as adding more serial devices. Right >> now I think I will have 2 displays per board; keeping the PCBs less than >> 100mm/side (4 inches) keeps the price way down at PCBWay. A run of 10 >> boards is around 14 USD ($5 total for the 10 boards, $9 for shipping). >> >> >> >> As far as controlling the serial link, I use a Raspberry Pi Zero W. I'm >> sure any controller will work as long as you use a level-shifter for the >> serial interface. >> >> On Tuesday, April 16, 2024 at 2:56:07 PM UTC-7 Nick Andrews wrote: >> >> Okay, so after realizing my search parameters were off, I found and >> bought 10 of the same 'Predator" style EL displays. Supposed to be here in >> 5 or so weeks... So I'll be interested. >> >> >> >> On Fri, Apr 5, 2024 at 2:55 AM Michail Wilson <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> That is the type of burn in I have experienced as well. >> >> Not just on the small one you have, but on the various sizes. >> >> >> >> Michail Wilson >> >> 206-920-6312 <(206)%20920-6312> >> >> >> >> *From:* [email protected] <[email protected]> *On Behalf >> Of *gregebert >> *Sent:* Tuesday, April 2, 2024 11:23 AM >> *To:* neonixie-l <[email protected]> >> *Subject:* Re: [neonixie-l] Re: Anyone want to collaborate on >> electroluminescent display projects ? >> >> >> >> There are some on Ebay right now (I have no affiliation with the seller). >> Do a search for IEL-0. I suggest shopping around for awhile to get the >> best price. I'm a bit nervous about the IEL-0-IV displays. After 10 days of >> basic testing, my test device has noticeable burning, though I cant confirm >> if the luminous output has dropped. I need to build a photometer and do >> more testing. Prior to using it, the entire screen was the same color. >> >> >> >> >> >> On Tuesday, April 2, 2024 at 8:46:06 AM UTC-7 Nick Andrews wrote: >> >> Has anyone seen any of these for sale in the last few years? I'd be >> interested in the project if I had some! >> >> >> >> On Mon, Apr 1, 2024, 5:24 PM gregebert <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Right now it looks like there will be 3 different PCB's: One for the HV >> power supply, one for a single I-95, and another for 2-4 IEL-0-IV (I havn't >> sized the board yet, but it needs to be less than 4" per side). I use a >> modular design approach, and everything is connected with a 10-pin >> ribbon-cable serial bus I call IOLINK. So if you are willing to adapt your >> favorite controller to the IOLINK interface, which uses 12V signalling (2 >> inputs, 5 outputs), these boards will be workable for you. >> >> On Monday, April 1, 2024 at 7:59:59 AM UTC-7 Keith Moore wrote: >> >> I am interested but not much help with the design. I'd love to use my >> displays though. >> >> On Thursday, March 14, 2024 at 1:43:24 PM UTC-4 gregebert wrote: >> >> I'm finally at the point I have time to work on a design for my >> Soviet-era electroluminescent displays. I have 2 types, the smaller >> IEL-0-IV, and a much larger I-195. Both are the 'alien' style formats, and >> will make unusual clocks. >> >> >> >> I have done some very initial testing on the smaller one, and it appears >> to be burning the phosphor after just a few hours of usage. It's not lit >> very bright, so I dont know if this is a common burn-in phase, or not. >> Documentation is pretty limited, and I've been running a 50-page document >> page-by-page thru google translate; so far nothing has come up regarding >> burn-in. >> >> >> >> If anyone out there is working-on IEL's, or planning-to do so, please >> chime in so we can start a discussion here. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> 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/d07a2249-b58a-4b4b-8769-f04ad827a80bn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/d07a2249-b58a-4b4b-8769-f04ad827a80bn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> 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/f0a44f8d-9c21-4e6d-a0f5-110b07630132n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/f0a44f8d-9c21-4e6d-a0f5-110b07630132n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> 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/SA0PR01MB6170D0E7D11FEAC8EEE8C90F823E2%40SA0PR01MB6170.prod.exchangelabs.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/SA0PR01MB6170D0E7D11FEAC8EEE8C90F823E2%40SA0PR01MB6170.prod.exchangelabs.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> 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/e787fa55-e4e5-4c52-83bc-0d903cfd1950n%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/e787fa55-e4e5-4c52-83bc-0d903cfd1950n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> >> -- >> 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/6d71bd23-ae4e-4f61-a0d4-81e9746c0cfbn%40googlegroups.com >> >> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/6d71bd23-ae4e-4f61-a0d4-81e9746c0cfbn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >> . >> > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. 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