1 Sep
2006
1 Sep
'06
2:05 a.m.
From: "Roy J. Tellason"
I wouldn't mind getting some nixies to play with
at some point, but it's not
a real high priority item on my list. I did have one assembly that I picked
I've found that nixies are not very hard to find; just check out older test
equipment. I picked three pieces of test equipment a couple of weeks ago for
basically nothing, each of which was working and used nixies for the displays.
1 Sep
1 Sep
7:45 p.m.
I haven't found a way to drive nixies from more modern equipment yet, not
one that I understand, anyhow. Especially the Burroughs 7971 "British
Flag" one. I thought of building a character generator using a PAL, but I
really haven't decided what I want to do wit them yet. Maybe create an "On
the air" sign with my callsign, alternating with a clock display.
-T
At 11:05 PM 8/31/2006 -0700, you wrote:
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From:
"Roy J. Tellason"
I wouldn't mind getting some nixies to play
with at some point, but
it's not
a real high priority item on my list. I did have
one assembly that I
picked
I've found that nixies are not very hard to find; just check out older test
equipment. I picked three pieces of test equipment a couple of weeks ago for
basically nothing, each of which was working and used nixies for the displays. 
2 Sep
2 Sep
12:03 p.m.
On Sep 1, 2006, at 7:45 PM, Tom Peters wrote:
I haven't found a way to drive nixies from more
modern equipment yet,
not one that I understand, anyhow. Especially the Burroughs 7971
"British Flag" one. I thought of building a character generator using
a PAL, but I really haven't decided what I want to do wit them yet.
Maybe create an "On the air" sign with my callsign, alternating with a
clock display.
Nixie tubes are actually really easy to drive...74141 chips (BCD
input, not for your B7971s without some fancy footwork) are hard to
find, but Russian clones of them (K155ID1) work fine and are readily
available. Lacking that, MPSA42 transistors can drive Nixies. The
only real problem is a source of HV, but several people (including
myself) are working on small "canned" HV generator modules which will
be available cheaply.
-Dave
--
Dave McGuire
Cape Coral, FL
1:05 p.m.
On Saturday 02 September 2006 12:03 pm, Dave McGuire wrote:
The only real problem is a source of HV, but several
people (including
myself) are working on small "canned" HV generator modules which will
be available cheaply.
Sounds good. I would be interested in hearing more on this as it develops.
Aside from that, several terminals that I've encountered (and some of which
ended up being scrapped) had a power supply that provided both the typical +5
and +/-12 but also had an output for the "CRT board" which was typically at
least 100V, perhaps higher. It shouldn't be too much of a problem to get
from there to the 170V that seems to be favored for
Nixie tubes.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
6:25 p.m.
[...]
available. Lacking that, MPSA42 transistors can drive
Nixies. The
only real problem is a source of HV, but several people (including
myself) are working on small "canned" HV generator modules which will
be available cheaply.
Another way to do it is to use 'back to back' mains transformers. Connect
the 'secondary' (which is now used as a primary) of a small mains
transformer to the (AC) output of the trnasformer you're using to provide
the logic supplies (or to the output of another mains transformer if
you're using the SMPSU for the logic). Then rectify or voltage double the
output of this extra transformer (the winding that was originally the
primary) to get about 200V DC.
-tony
8:30 p.m.
On Saturday 02 September 2006 06:25 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
[...]
Another way to do it is to use 'back to back' mains transformers. Connect
the 'secondary' (which is now used as a primary) of a small mains
transformer to the (AC) output of the trnasformer you're using to provide
the logic supplies (or to the output of another mains transformer if
you're using the SMPSU for the logic). Then rectify or voltage double the
output of this extra transformer (the winding that was originally the
primary) to get about 200V DC.
You don't need a voltage doubler to get most of the way there. Peak voltage
of a lightly loaded rectifier-filter setup running off "110" (or
"115",
"117", whatever the case may be -- it seems to be trending higher as time
goes on) will normally be up around 170VDC, which is what I keep seeing in
circuits that are using Nixies. With enough of a filter capacitor and a
light load it won't drop by much, you'll get increased ripple instead as the
load goes up, which won't be visible because it's too fast.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
3 Sep
3 Sep
6:50 p.m.
On Saturday 02 September 2006 06:25 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
I would seriously recomend against rectifying the mains for something
like this. Non-isolated PSUs have the nasty habit of making things live
that you least expect, and may kill you (or worse, damage a classic
computer).
If you use back-to-back transformers as I've suggsted, the actual voltage
got get out depends on the turns rations, of course. Maybe a simple
rectifier will be enough, maybe you need a doubler.
-tony
[...]
Another way to do it is to use 'back to back' mains transformers. Connect
the 'secondary' (which is now used as a primary) of a small mains
transformer to the (AC) output of the trnasformer you're using to provide
the logic supplies (or to the output of another mains transformer if
you're using the SMPSU for the logic). Then rectify or voltage double the
output of this extra transformer (the winding that was originally the
primary) to get about 200V DC.
You don't need a voltage doubler to get most of the way there. Peak voltage
of a lightly loaded rectifier-filter setup running off "110" (or
"115",
"117", whatever the case may be -- it seems to be trending higher as time
7:58 p.m.
A small inverter (would one of the CFL LCD backlight inverters do?) should
be all one needs, isn't it? I don't think voltage regulation has to be
spot-on for these things.
EDN and Electronic Design are full of "get this voltage from +5 (or +1.4)
designs. The last one I recall generated +500v.
Cheers,
Chuck
10:46 p.m.
On Sunday 03 September 2006 06:50 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
Oh, I wasn't suggesting that, simply pointing out that once you got your
isolation a simple rectifier would do the trick just fine...
I've had my experiences with non-isolated equipment, more than I ever wanted,
and don't plan to build any to add to that. :-)
On Saturday 02
September 2006 06:25 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
I would seriously recomend against rectifying the mains for something
like this. Non-isolated PSUs have the nasty habit of making things live
that you least expect, and may kill you (or worse, damage a classic
computer). [...]
Another way to do it is to use 'back to back' mains transformers.
Connect the 'secondary' (which is now used as a primary) of a small
mains transformer to the (AC) output of the trnasformer you're using to
provide the logic supplies (or to the output of another mains
transformer if you're using the SMPSU for the logic). Then rectify or
voltage double the output of this extra transformer (the winding that
was originally the primary) to get about 200V DC.
You don't need a voltage doubler to get most of the way there. Peak
voltage of a lightly loaded rectifier-filter setup running off "110" (or
"115", "117", whatever the case may be -- it seems to be trending
higher
as time If you use back-to-back transformers as I've
suggsted, the actual voltage
got get out depends on the turns rations, of course. Maybe a simple
rectifier will be enough, maybe you need a doubler.
Many suggestions that I've seen illustrated like that suggest using two
identical transformers, which should get you the same thing out as you put
in.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
4 Sep
4 Sep
7:12 p.m.
I would
seriously recomend against rectifying the mains for something
like this. Non-isolated PSUs have the nasty habit of making things live
that you least expect, and may kill you (or worse, damage a classic
computer).
Oh, I wasn't suggesting that, simply pointing out that once you got your
isolation a simple rectifier would do the trick just fine...
I've had my experiences with non-isolated equipment, more than I ever wanted,
and don't plan to build any to add to that. :-)
Me too. I grew up fixing series-string radios and TVs (until the coming
of 'baseband' audio and video sockets, such as the SCART connector, most
TVs sold in the UK, even semiconductor-based ones, had a live chassis). I
don't much care for working on such units.
What amazes me is that in the 1950s and 1960s, UK magazines published
several educational courses. Typically you'd start by building a crystal
set, then turn it into a 1-valver (leaky grid detector), then add audio
stages, RF stages, and maybe end up with a superhet.
Thing is, you got the HT (B+) by half-wave rectifying the mains. The
exposed metal chasis was connected to mains neutral. And you had
headphones. You know, that could easily turn into an electric chair...
If you use back-to-back transformers as I've
suggsted, the actual voltage
got get out depends on the turns rations, of course. Maybe a simple
rectifier will be enough, maybe you need a doubler.
Many suggestions that I've seen illustrated like that suggest using two
identical transformers, which should get you the same thing out as you put
in.
5 Sep
5 Sep
5:27 p.m.
On Monday 04 September 2006 07:12 pm, Tony Duell wrote:
Depends on the turns ratio of the transformers...
I've worked on my share of that stuff as well, and I don't care for it
either.
YEs, but there's no _requirement_ to do that.
True.
--
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and
ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can
be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein, "The Puppet Masters"
-
Information is more dangerous than cannon to a society ruled by lies. --James
M Dakin
I would seriously recomend against rectifying the
mains for something
like this. Non-isolated PSUs have the nasty habit of making things live
that you least expect, and may kill you (or worse, damage a classic
computer).
Oh, I wasn't suggesting that, simply pointing out that once you got
your isolation a simple rectifier would do the trick just fine... I've had my experiences with non-isolated
equipment, more than I ever
wanted, and don't plan to build any to add to that. :-)
Me too. I grew up fixing series-string radios and TVs (until the coming
of 'baseband' audio and video sockets, such as the SCART connector, most
TVs sold in the UK, even semiconductor-based ones, had a live chassis). I
don't much care for working on such units. What amazes me is that in the 1950s and 1960s, UK
magazines published
several educational courses. Typically you'd start by building a crystal
set, then turn it into a 1-valver (leaky grid detector), then add audio
stages, RF stages, and maybe end up with a superhet.
Thing is, you got the HT (B+) by half-wave rectifying the mains. The
exposed metal chasis was connected to mains neutral. And you had
headphones. You know, that could easily turn into an electric chair...
I'm not familiar with mains wiring there, is the connection in any way
polarized? Lately I've been running into those stupid polarized plugs here,
but there are still numerous extension cords and outlets that don't have the
wider slot and there's no guarantee of them being wired properly anyway, so I
usually end up having to fix those with a nibbling tool for them to be usable
at all. I don't understand why they didn't start out with a polarized setup
in the first place, if one wire was supposed to be grounded.
If you use back-to-back transformers as I've
suggsted, the actual
voltage got get out depends on the turns rations, of course. Maybe a
simple rectifier will be enough, maybe you need a doubler.
Many suggestions that I've seen illustrated like that suggest using two
identical transformers, which should get you the same thing out as you
put in.
8:03 p.m.
What amazes me
is that in the 1950s and 1960s, UK magazines published
several educational courses. Typically you'd start by building a crystal
set, then turn it into a 1-valver (leaky grid detector), then add audio
stages, RF stages, and maybe end up with a superhet.
Thing is, you got the HT (B+) by half-wave rectifying the mains. The
exposed metal chasis was connected to mains neutral. And you had
headphones. You know, that could easily turn into an electric chair...
I'm not familiar with mains wiring there, is the connection in any way
polarized? Lately I've been running into those stupid polarized plugs here,
6 Sep
6 Sep
2:23 p.m.
Hijacking the thread for a second, but does anyone have any interesting ideas
as to what to do with a few Nixies, other than building the obvious (but
none-the-less cool) clock?
I scored my first ever Nixies today, nine of them, from some scrap equipment
[1] - now it's a case of figuring out what to do with them!
There's six NL840s, plus three NL842s (which have a decimal point). They all
seem to work, except for one tube where one quarter of the '8' character seems
to have given up.
[1] They came in "digital moisture computers", where the digital bit just
means it has a digital readout and the computer bit just means it has a bit of
analogue gubbins in there to calculate moisture from samples - there's nothing
too exciting about the electronics! :-) I kept one of the three units purely
for the PSU (just in case it has enough guts to drive all 9 Nixies) and then
just pulled the tubes + driver boards from the other two. Chip dates suggest
1980, which seems quite late to me - when did LCD displays become widespread
in equipment? Must have been about that time?
Damn, but they look nice when working - bright orange along the centres of the
digits with a faint blue glow around the edges. Far nicer than the Nixie
counter that we have at the museum (now someone's going to tell me that's a
sign that all the tubes are about to die ;)
cheers
Jules
2:22 p.m.
Jules Richardson wrote:
Hijacking the thread for a second, but does anyone
have any interesting
ideas as to what to do with a few Nixies, other than building the
obvious (but none-the-less cool) clock?
I once build a 12 bit TTL based-computer with 4 nixies as readout,
for PC, accu and memory data
Jos Dreesen
6511
days inactive
6516
days old
13 comments
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-
ard＠p850ug1.demon.co.uk -
cclist＠sydex.com -
jos.mar＠bluewin.ch -
julesrichardsonuk＠yahoo.co.uk -
marvin＠rain.org -
mcguire＠neurotica.com -
rtellason＠verizon.net -
tpeters＠mixcom.com