Build A Nixie Tube Clock

J Aldridge writes: "People are still using Nixie tubes. Their warm glow seems to be the digital equivalent of the warm sound of vacuum amplifiers. One person has constructed a tube wristwatch."

Comments

A piece of cake...

[ekrout]

A piece of cake...

Here are all the pin-outs. Ten bucks, a trip to RadioShack(tm), and a half-hour are all you'll need ;-)

<pin-outs>
R8
*1
R7
*1
LP2
NE2
R5
*1
+340V p-p unsmoothed (230V version) +250VDC (115V version)
LP1
NE2
R6
*1
*2 To match NE-2 brightness to nixie, ~680K
*3 Switches must have mains-rated insulation from user
*1 To suit nixie, ~47K (230V)
*4 R15/16 should be safety fusible types
C4 *5
2U2
250V
*5 C3/4 may be electrolytic or polester/polycarb. type
+
D2
1N4005
D3
1N4005
L
R14
1M
115V version
R15 *4
220R
C3 *5
2U2
250V
+
115VAC
230VAC
L
N
D4
R16 *4
1K
9 P
R1
100K
8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0
A
10Hours
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 P
A
Hours R3
*2
LP1,2 Flashing
Dot/colon
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 P
A
10Mins R4
*2
9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 P
A
Mins
Q1
MPSA42
28 off Driver stages
R
33K
C
L
K
1
4
E
N
A
1
3
R
S
T
1
5
Q
0
3
Q
1
2
Q
2
4
Q
3
7
Q
4
1
0
Q
5
1
Q
6
5
Q
7
6
Q
8
9
Q
9
1
1
C
O
1
2
U3
4017
C
L
K
1
4
E
N
A
1
3
R
S
T
1
5
Q
0
3
Q
1
2
Q
2
4
Q
3
7
Q
4
1
0
Q
5
1
Q
6
5
Q
7
6
Q
8
9
Q
9
1
1
C
O
1
2
U2
4017
C
L
K
1
4
E
N
A
1
3
R
S
T
1
5
Q
0
3
Q
1
2
Q
2
4
Q
3
7
Q
4
1
0
Q
5
1
Q
6
5
Q
7
6
Q
8
9
Q
9
1
1
C
O
1
2
U1
4017
D 5
CLK 3
Q 1
Q 2
S
6
R
4
U8A
4013
C2
1n R10
10K
C1
100u
10V
W06
+4V7
+
D1
4V7
Zener
R2
100K
N
230V version
=0V, NOT CHASSIS GROUND!
+4V7
R11
1M
R12
1M
D5
1N4148
CLK 14
ENA 13
RST 15
Q0 3
Q1 2
Q2 4
Q3 7
Q4 10
Q5 1
Q6 5
Q7 6
Q8 9
Q9 11
CO 12
U7
10Hz
CLK 14
ENA 13
RST 15
Q0 3
Q1 2
Q2 4
Q3 7
Q4 10
Q5 1
Q6 5
Q7 6
Q8 9
Q9 11
CO 12
U4
1Hz
50/60Hz
CLK 14
ENA 13
RST 15
Q0 3
Q1 2
Q2 4
Q3 7
Q4 10
Q5 1
Q6 5
Q7 6
Q8 9
Q9 11
CO 12
U5
S1
Fast set *3
1/6Hz
CLK 14
ENA 13
RST 15
Q0 3
Q1 2
Q2 4
Q3 7
Q4 10
Q5 1
Q6 5
Q7 6
Q8 9
Q9 11
CO 12
U6
S2
Slow set *3
C6
1n
R13
10K
1/60Hz
R9
100K 50Hz
60Hz
D 9
CLK 11
Q 13
Q 12
S
8
R
1
0
U8B
4013 C5
1n
16
8
14
7
U8 U1-7 C7-9
100n
</pin-outs>