[neonixie-l] Re: Help required on nixie power supply

[ZY]

Oops I meant 0.1nF for the capacitor across the 1.5M resistor, although I'm 
assuming 0.1uF would still be ok?

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[neonixie-l] Re: Help required on nixie power supply

[ZY]

It seems like that is the issue. I can't find a suitable capacitor at the 
moment as the 0.1uF ones I have extra right now are rated at 50V, but using 
my multimeter to probe across the 1.5M cap causes enough parasitic 
capacitance to allow for a stable voltage output. I will order a similarly 
sized one as the resistor and solder it on top.

Also my output capacitors are a 10uF electrolytic capacitor, and a 2.2uF 
and 0.1uF ceramic capacitor, all three rated at 250V. 

On Thursday, 14 July 2016 01:38:57 UTC-4, SWISSNIXIE - Jonathan F. wrote:
>
> Have you tried to use a small capacitor 10-100pf on top of the resistor 
> (the high value one, 1.5Meg or so) thats forming a voltage divider for the 
> feedback? 
> This can really help. 
>
> What kind of output cap have you used?
>
>

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[neonixie-l] Help required on nixie power supply

[ZY]

Hello. I'm following desmith's guide to building a power supply, and I'm 
using a circuit somewhat similar to his except I've selected some different 
components due to some size constraints. The main difference is my mosfet 
is this guy: 
https://www.digikey.com/product-detail/en/toshiba-semiconductor-and-storage/TPH5200FNH,L1Q/TPH5200FNHL1QCT-ND/5456292

Anyway, my no-load output swings from 250V to 150V over the course of 
several seconds, during which there is no activity on the EXT pin. The 
output is basically just dropping due to leakage resistance. Once the 
output reaches 150V, I see switching activity on the EXT pin and the output 
quickly shoots up to 250V, and then switching activity stops again. This 
cycle just repeats. Putting a load of a single nixie on the output does not 
change the behaviour.

If I ground the FB pin, instead of seeing 12V at the output as expected I 
see something like 300-310V.

My FB pin usually sits around 1.7-1.8V as the voltage swings up and down. 
My Ref pin is at 1.5V as expected. My input voltage is 12V.

Can anyone give me some insight as to what is happening? I have attached a 
snippet of the circuit showing the HV supply portion.

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Re: [neonixie-l] Nixie Tube Calculator Clock w/Android Control

[Eric Cohen]

Hi Paolo, thanks for the great feedback!

What type of calculator do you have?  Regardless you might want to look at 
the PDF slides on my website as I have more details about how the display 
bus works; it might be helpful even for other types of calculators.

To your point, I'd estimate I spent a total of about 60 hours on this from 
start to completion, mostly on evenings during the week.  Surprisingly I 
was able to figure out the bus signaling and protocol pretty quickly; I'd 
say after about 3 hours of probing with the scope I had a pretty good idea 
in my head of how it all worked.  I started out with 4504s in DIP packages 
on breadboards for prototyping; this plus writing the c code and getting to 
the point where I could drive arbitrary digits probably took another 10 
hours.  As is often the case with these projects, the majority of the time 
was spent with all the little details: things like packaging and board 
rework, mounting the 4504s, powering the Raspberry Pi, writing the Android 
app and so on.  I also decided to host my own gitlab server and do some 
other similar tangential type stuff which took some more time.  Then making 
the video probably took around 3 hours.

- Eric

On Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 10:28:55 AM UTC-7, Paolo Cravero wrote:
>
> Eric that's an excellent work and very inspiring.
> I wonder how much time you spent on it!
>
> I have a desk calculator with VFD to repurpose as a clock. I will keep 
> your result in mind when I will be reverse engineering the circuit, in case 
> I can hook it up in a similar way you did. Not knowing how such a 
> calculator works I originally meant to emulate keypresses and increase the 
> displayed time as a simple addition. But now!
>
> My calculator keypad is a matrix of some sort. The uC is a generic 4-bit 
> microcontroller Hitachi HD614080 that drives directly the 12-digit VFD. 
> Reverse engineering ahead.
>
> Let's see what I will come up with. And how long it will take.
>
> Meanwhile I will look at your video few more times.
> Paolo
>
>
>
>
> On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Eric Cohen  > wrote:
>
>> Thought y'all might be interested in my conversion of a 1971 
>> Singer/Friden EC1117 nixie tube calculator into an Android controlled 
>> date/time clock with arbitrary digit display.  This will probably make more 
>> sense after watching a demo of it in operation here:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mibd44goZ-E
>>
>> If anyone is interested in further details or building their own I've 
>> posted more information (including code, schematics and scope traces) at 
>> http://epieye.com/nixie/
>>
>> Have fun!
>>
>> - Eric
>>
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>
>
>
> -- 
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> FT-817 External -:-Knob-:-Display-:-Keypad-:- at http://bit.ly/luE4pv
> FT-8x7 -:- CAT-to-Bluetooth dongle -:- status at http://bit.ly/VtE3c4
>

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Re: [neonixie-l] IN-18 Typical Failure Mechanism

[Jeff Walton]

John, 
The envelope had already been cut open when the photo was taken.   You might 
note the powder from the glass cutting in the evacuation stem... 


 Original message 
From: John Rehwinkel  
Date: 7/13/2016  3:01 PM  (GMT-06:00) 
To: neonixie-l@googlegroups.com 
Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] IN-18 Typical Failure Mechanism 

Even on that picture, pin 12 looks suspect, as if the glass around the pin is 
cracked.

- John

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Re: [neonixie-l] IN-18 Typical Failure Mechanism

[John Rehwinkel]

Even on that picture, pin 12 looks suspect, as if the glass around the pin is 
cracked.

- John

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[neonixie-l] Re: Question about LM4871 application for VFD fiament.

['threeneurons' via neonixie-l]

How about an old LM1877 stereo audio amp:




Comes in a 14-pin DIP. Can deliver several 100's mA of current. And don't 
take the supply voltage as "Gospel". In can vary a bit, both up and down.


On Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 8:23:19 PM UTC-7, Chaos Hydra wrote:
>
> Hi guys! As the forum has discussed, LM4871 is almost the same as the 
> obsolete LM9022 VFD filament driver and I am trying to fit it to my design 
> to eliminate the brightness gradient problem. So I took a sop-8 LM4871, put 
> it on a SMD break out and threw it to a bread board. For convenience, i 
> hooked pin 1, 2, 3, 7 to GND and used my Arduino to generate a 4Hz 
> squarewave signal (5V to 0V). But, the voltage between Vo1 and Vo2 is 
> constantly - 4.5V. What should I do to make it work?
> Thanks in advance for help!
>

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Re: [neonixie-l] Nixie Tube Calculator Clock w/Android Control

[Paolo Cravero]

Eric that's an excellent work and very inspiring.
I wonder how much time you spent on it!

I have a desk calculator with VFD to repurpose as a clock. I will keep your
result in mind when I will be reverse engineering the circuit, in case I
can hook it up in a similar way you did. Not knowing how such a calculator
works I originally meant to emulate keypresses and increase the displayed
time as a simple addition. But now!

My calculator keypad is a matrix of some sort. The uC is a generic 4-bit
microcontroller Hitachi HD614080 that drives directly the 12-digit VFD.
Reverse engineering ahead.

Let's see what I will come up with. And how long it will take.

Meanwhile I will look at your video few more times.
Paolo




On Wed, Jul 13, 2016 at 2:03 AM, Eric Cohen  wrote:

> Thought y'all might be interested in my conversion of a 1971 Singer/Friden
> EC1117 nixie tube calculator into an Android controlled date/time clock
> with arbitrary digit display.  This will probably make more sense after
> watching a demo of it in operation here:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mibd44goZ-E
>
> If anyone is interested in further details or building their own I've
> posted more information (including code, schematics and scope traces) at
> http://epieye.com/nixie/
>
> Have fun!
>
> - Eric
>
> --
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> 
> .
> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
>



-- 
GQRP #12058 + http://www.paolocravero.tk + I QRP #476
FT-817 External -:-Knob-:-Display-:-Keypad-:- at http://bit.ly/luE4pv
FT-8x7 -:- CAT-to-Bluetooth dongle -:- status at http://bit.ly/VtE3c4

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Re: [neonixie-l] Nixie Tube Calculator Clock w/Android Control

[Eric Cohen]

Hi Russell, thanks for the kind words!

Not sure what your background is but you might try starting with a Nixie 
clock kit.  Just the act of following directions, assembling the kit and 
getting it to work will get you pretty far.  If you don't feel confident 
taking that on you can start with even simpler low voltage kits to work on 
soldering and basic EE skills.

The calculator conversion is actually trickier because it uses the existing 
display interface, so you first have to understand that to get it working.  
It's not just a matter of ripping the guts out and installing an existing 
nixie clock board.  But with some practice and patience you could probably 
get there thought!

- Eric

On Tuesday, July 12, 2016 at 5:34:21 PM UTC-7, russell wrote:
>
> Thank you for sharing this - it really is brilliant and has given me some 
> inspiration (now all I need is the skill) [image: ]
>
>
> Russell.
>
>
> --
> *From:* neoni...@googlegroups.com   > on behalf of Eric Cohen 
> *Sent:* 13 July 2016 00:03
> *To:* neonixie-l
> *Subject:* [neonixie-l] Nixie Tube Calculator Clock w/Android Control 
>  
> Thought y'all might be interested in my conversion of a 1971 Singer/Friden 
> EC1117 nixie tube calculator into an Android controlled date/time clock 
> with arbitrary digit display.  This will probably make more sense after 
> watching a demo of it in operation here:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mibd44goZ-E
>
> If anyone is interested in further details or building their own I've 
> posted more information (including code, schematics and scope traces) at 
> http://epieye.com/nixie/
>
> Have fun!
>
> - Eric
>
> -- 
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[neonixie-l] Re: First Clock Build

[Roddy Scott]

Great looking design! 

Very elegant and modern looking. My two favourite materials - Brass and 
Wood.


>

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[neonixie-l] Re: Question about LM4871 application for VFD fiament.

[Chaos Hydra]

Ok, H-bridge is a nice idea too. It just happens that I do got several 
LM4871 looted from school's lab and I was trying to testify that LM4871 == 
LM9022 statement. Still, Si9986 seems a little like a overkill for a 
filament, considering the price, lol.

On Wednesday, July 13, 2016 at 5:12:40 AM UTC-4, petehand wrote:
>
> The LM4871 wouldn't be my choice for a filament driver. I use the Si9986, 
> which is an H bridge, with my VFD projects.
>
> http://www.alliedelec.com/siliconix-vishay-si9986cy-e3/70026303/
>
>
>

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[neonixie-l] Re: Question about LM4871 application for VFD fiament.

[petehand]

The LM4871 wouldn't be my choice for a filament driver. I use the Si9986, 
which is an H bridge, with my VFD projects.

http://www.alliedelec.com/siliconix-vishay-si9986cy-e3/70026303/


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[neonixie-l] Re: Nixie Clocks

[Roddy Scott]

I forgot to add thanks to a couple of people who helped out with issues and 
support,

Firstly Pete Virica of PV Electronics 
  whose kits I use along with his 
excellent customer service, and secondly, Paul Parry of Bad Dog Designs 
 for encouragement of my 
designs and featuring them in his DIY page.

Thanks, Guys!

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[neonixie-l] Nixie Clocks

[Roddy Scott]

Hi Folks and thanks for inclusion into the group!

I got started with Nixie tubes when I built a large Steam Punk lamp for my 
daughter's birthday last year and it looked kind of lacking in the middle, 
that is when I discovered nixie tubes. I added a little IN-12A kit to it 
and I have been hooked on making them since!

This was followed by a clock with the same kit but using IN-1s for the 
display and was housed in a piece of oak bannister and a cut off from a 
stair spindle. I had bought an IN-8 kit for a bigger project but ended up 
making a very simple clock with the nixies shrouded in wood. I will be 
returning to the original design later but it is shelved just now as I need 
to get a new good quality jigsaw for it. The next one was built with a 
remote tubes kit and I knew the name of it before I even built it, this was 
"The Hands of Time" clock and featured GN-4 nixies. 

Mean time I am nearing the assembly stage with another GN-4 clock called 
"The Atomium" based on the 1958 Brussels Expo design but in wood. When I 
get it finished I will post some photos.




The IN-12A kit housing





My daughter's Birthday Present!





My own IN-1 clock





Daylight view





The Nixie Simplex clock





Rear of the housing





"The Hands of Time" clock with GN-4 nixies





Rear and controls of the clock


There have been issues along the way with the likes of failed IN-1 tubes, 
IRDF220s having thermal runaway and with the type of wiring I seem to end 
up with, complications, but as with anything, it is a learning curve and I 
get great pleasure when a clock is sitting there with the digits glowing 
nicely!

My wife doesn't know it yet but I hope to make a clock with Dalibor Farny 
tubes in the future as these are masterpieces in design and looks, one can 
only hope!

I try to do instructables for each clock but sometimes I get so caught up 
in the making of them that it is too far advanced to make one!

I have added photos of what Ihave made so far and hope theyare to your 
liking.

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