Nixie tubes and alike

All the Eagle models are in my library kalshagar.lbr

IV-16 tiny numitron

Sample code is here (for Arduino .ino file)

BOTTOM VIEW 1 : VCC (this pin is in front) 2 : NC (you can see it's connected to nothing, find this one first) 3 : top right vertical 4 : bottom right vertical 5 : top 6 : top left vertical 7 : middle 8 : bottom 9 : bottom left vertical The Eagle models are in my library kalshagar.lbr

My TinyNumitronBoard, with space for a led SMD or through hole behind each numitron. Source is here. I have a few left so if interrested mail me 1 small bug in v1.0: the GND of the leds is not connected to GND in fact (whatever Eagle says). You need to wire one of the GND of the led (the outmost SMD) to one of the GND pins of the 74HC595. A little wire on the back on the board and done. Recommended resistors : 100 ohm for the numitron, 240%20 ohm for the led

IV-9 tiny numitron

Sample code is here (for Arduino .ino file)

BOTTOM VIEW 1 : VCC (this pin is in front) 2 : dot (only difference with IV-16) 3 : top right vertical 4 : bottom right vertical 5 : top 6 : top left vertical 7 : middle 8 : bottom 9 : bottom left vertical The Eagle models are in my library (use the IV-16 model) kalshagar.lbr

IV-6 Numitron

• Project http://mintelectronics.wordpress.com/2012/08/05/iv-6-vintage-sovietnumitron-tubes/
• Project http://www.electronixandmore.com/projects/vfdclock/index.html
• General stuff about VFD http://www.techtir.ie/technical/vfd
• Other site (Japanese) https://sites.google.com/site/likipong/kitto-lei/vfd-ying-guang-biao-shi-guan

• There are 12 pins, 11 being used and 1 not connected (the short one)
• Filament (pins 7 and 8)
  • Voltage 1-2v: if more than 1.2v the filament will slightly glow orange, maybe you want to avoid.
  • One of the pin must be connected to the high voltage GND. Making both Fil- and GND same seems good sense (pin7).
• Grid (pins 9 and 7 or 8)
  • Wire pin 9 to VCC high voltage (12-25v)
  • GND must be connected to the GND filament pin (see above pin 7) to act as a comon cathode
• The short wire is not connected
• Any other wire if connected to VCC high voltage will start glowing nicely
  • ⇒ to drive this you want a PNP transistor (source), typically a TD62783

Note on high(er) voltage

• Sample here http://renaud.schleck.free.fr/nixie.php

$ 1 5.0E-6 10.20027730826997 50 5.0 50
t 368 272 400 272 0 1 -24.331758705484845 0.5553715775756665 100.0
t 448 240 496 240 0 -1 -0.4999403492132366 -0.668681313163944 100.0
R 416 128 416 96 0 0 40.0 30.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
r 400 128 400 240 0 100000.0
r 368 272 272 272 0 100.0
w 416 128 400 128 0
w 416 128 496 128 0
w 496 128 496 224 0
w 448 240 400 240 0
w 400 240 400 256 0
w 496 256 496 288 0
s 272 272 208 272 0 0 false
R 208 272 160 272 0 0 40.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.5
r 400 288 400 352 0 10000.0
g 400 352 400 384 0
r 496 288 496 368 0 730.0
g 496 368 496 384 0
o 15 64 0 35 40.0 0.05 0 -1

Links

• Nice clock from Akafugu http://www.akafugu.jp/posts/products/vfd-modular-clock/assembly-base/

Shopping

• The very good http://www.tubes-store.com/ : bought some tubes from them, fast, clean, no problem. Will use them again for sure.
• In Japan (but is it still working?) http://nixie-tube.com/shop/index.html