Re. PD will warts. Your clock would need to be able to negotiate the correct voltage. 5V just takes a couple of resistors. AFAIK anything else you would need a chip for. On Saturday, February 21, 2026 at 8:03:20 AM UTC-8 Paul Andrews wrote:
> I use my own designed converters and it’s real nice knowing how the supply > works so you can diagnose issues like this. I’ve used the design in a lot > of clocks and never had a problem except in one clock which, after a while, > started showing signs of distress - tubes not being full brightness, > flickering, noise etc. my converter can be driven with anything from 3V to > 24V, but this one was using an apple 5V USB adapter rated at 2.1A. Turned > out the adapter was flaking out on me, which was a relief. I didn’t want to > discover an issue with my design! Anyway, the moral is: Don’t trust the > adapters, but also start the diagnosis with the stuff that is easy to > change before you open up the case and get in to the electronics. > > On Friday, February 20, 2026 at 7:03:36 AM UTC-8 JBro63 wrote: > >> *What is the brand of the power supply you are using for this clock? * >> *Was the same wall wart used during both failures? * >> This was from an old BT router I'd hoarded I think, 12v 1.2A, branded >> I.T.E. It was the same PSU in both failures. Output is 13.8v so lesson >> learned not to make assumptions about these things and to check in future >> before use. >> >> *Is it the same model of wall wart as your other clocks are using?* >> No, others use mix of 12v 1A for the IN-12s (4 & 6 tube versions) and 12v >> 2A for an IN-18 (6 tube version) - bought new recently unbranded from >> Amazon. I've measured these and they're ok for 12v. Not checked for spikes >> yet. The IN-18 uses the bigger Omnixie 6300. >> >> *Do you run another clock which has exactly the same PCB and design as >> the device of concern?* >> Yes, I've had a build frenzy recently and have 5 identical IN-12 / >> K155ID1 / 8200 models. It's 2 of these that I've had the failure on - both >> were powered by the exBT PSU. >> >> >> *Do you own an oscilloscope to look at the 12 V rail?* >> Yes, a very old one. I have recently bought new probes so will be a good >> excuse to fire it up / learn how to use it. Should this be measured under >> load? >> >> I've added the capacitors as suggested above. Still awaiting the TVS >> diodes. Luckily there is enough room in the cases for them to be added >> unseen. One other benefit of the capacitors has been reduction in high >> pitched whine the HV boards emit. >> >> Thanks for the tip the PSUs. Farnell stock them >> >> Thanks again all. >> On Thursday, 19 February 2026 at 08:12:55 UTC Tomasz Kowalczyk wrote: >> >>> What is the brand of the power supply you are using for this clock? >>> Was the same wall wart used during both failures? >>> Is it the same model of wall wart as your other clocks are using? >>> Do you run another clock which has exactly the same PCB and design as >>> the device of concern? >>> Do you own an oscilloscope to look at the 12 V rail? >>> >>> I suspect the issue is just failing/poor quality wall wart. I've seen >>> cheap 12 V LED power supplies create spikes exceeding 16 V. Some time later >>> the 16 V rated capacitor inside the PSU exploded. In your case, the >>> NCH8200HV gave in first, for one reason and another. The absurdally large >>> capacitor the designer recommended is meant to filter any garbage poor >>> quality wall warts generate, but I think it's smarter to just invest in >>> reputable wall warts and skip all of this nonsense altogether. My >>> recommendation are Mean Well power supplies, they are not only reliable, >>> but also electrically quiet. I used mostly GSM series. >>> poniedziałek, 16 lutego 2026 o 15:43:11 UTC+1 Richard Scales napisał(a): >>> >>>> I've just tried one of those and for sure it works though I don't think >>>> that USB-C with PD capability is as ubiquitous as some suggest. >>>> For myself I prefer to distribute 12v from beefy 10A supplies to >>>> individual clocks but that's only really because of the number I like to >>>> display. >>>> For regular folk I can see that USB-C-PD could work well. >>>> >>>> - Richard >>>> >>>> On Mon, 16 Feb 2026, 14:23 David Pye, <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> I'm moving to try to power mine from usb-c as there are a range of >>>>> autonegotiation boards that can request supply voltages from 5-24volt >>>>> from >>>>> a suitable PD PSU. >>>>> >>>>> David >>>>> >>>>> On Mon, 16 Feb 2026, 14:08 newxito, <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> By the way, my attempt to make a similarly flat nixie power supply >>>>>> failed miserably. I tried using the CJ5143-ALC flyback transformer which >>>>>> is >>>>>> 4.6mm high. It worked somehow but I was never happy with my design. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> 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/2976622b-1c50-4cf0-804a-6a3d37c95346n%40googlegroups.com >>>>>> >>>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/2976622b-1c50-4cf0-804a-6a3d37c95346n%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>>> . >>>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to a topic in the >>>>> Google Groups "neonixie-l" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this topic, visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/topic/neonixie-l/myKhY_ZZl4Y/unsubscribe. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and all its topics, send an email to >>>>> [email protected]. >>>>> To view this discussion, visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAOQ6x0F8Gm6prhsG6CYEdEh8NOi-dS94quk6-D%2BXh%2BH_jCsXkg%40mail.gmail.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/neonixie-l/CAOQ6x0F8Gm6prhsG6CYEdEh8NOi-dS94quk6-D%2BXh%2BH_jCsXkg%40mail.gmail.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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