All Toob Dekatron Spinner

[Thomas Kummer]

I finally got it to work. I works with a Z562 and a 6476. However, it will only spin clockwise with either tube. I really want it to work with a GS10D, because I have one that glows almost as bright as an orange Dekatron. I tried changing the anode resistor and that got me nothing, but one lit cathode. I was thinking about changing C5. I noticed when I switched it from 0.047uF to a 0.022uF it doubled the speed. The GS10D’s counting speed is defined as 10rect 20sine, I have no idea how to convert that to KHz. Anyway, I was thinking about using a 5nF capicitor and seeing what that does.

[John Rehwinkel]

That's a thing of beauty!  Maybe you should pick up a tube breadboard?

- John

[martin martin]

That's a fine looking tube breadboard! Where did you find it?

~

mcve...@gmail.com

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[Jon]

Altering C5 (within wide limits) will not change whether it works or not on your GS10D - it just determines the speed of pulses from the neon relaxation oscillator. To make the dekatrons run anti-clockwise rather than clockwise, simply swap the G1 and G2 connections. I don't see why you couldn't add in a DPDT switch to make the stepping direction easily user-selectable.

Jon.

[Bill Notfaded]

Awesome I've been trying to find spinners for a while now. Tortugascuba I can't find to help me. I've been thinking of doing the same thing as you... Just order the parts but to do it right would mean making some PCB. Sadly there aren't any Gerber around ie. not open source :^{

Bill

[John Rehwinkel]

That's a fine looking tube breadboard! Where did you find it?

Modul-Bus, they offer breadboard adapters and the like as well:

http://www.ak-modul-bus.de/stat/experimentiersysteme.html

You can also get tubes mounted in magnetic circuit blocks from this company:

http://shop.lectron.de/Lectron-Roehrenaudion-mit-PCL-86

- John

[Bill Notfaded]

The main thing I had issues with was finding the tube sockets for the dekatrons. I finally found some B12E sockets that have the center pin connector built in to the socket. Some people use the sockets without the center pin connection and add a little clip on the center pin.

Bill

[Bill Notfaded]

It's nice to know the circuit works well. I've been collecting GS10C/S tubes and also got a GC12/4B so I can can build the clock some members here are putting together. It's exciting the clock potentially!

Bill

[Thomas Kummer]

I just bought and used a perf board, I plan on making a wooden case for it, so the perf board and wires won’t be visible.

Sent from my iPhone

> On May 18, 2019, at 13:09, Bill Notfaded <notf...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> Awesome I've been trying to find spinners for a while now. Tortugascuba I can't find to help me. I've been thinking of doing the same thing as you... Just order the parts but to do it right would mean making some PCB. Sadly there aren't any Gerber around ie. not open source :^{
>
> Bill
>

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[Thomas Kummer]

Yeah, I know that swapping G1, and G2 is how you change directions. Both tubes won’t spin counter clockwise maybe cathode poisoning is the problem. It sticks on a cathode after making a few revolutions. What would you swap on the schematic to run a GS10D? 

Sent from my iPhone

On May 18, 2019, at 09:09, Jon <deka...@nomotron.com> wrote:

Altering C5 (within wide limits) will not change whether it works or not on your GS10D - it just determines the speed of pulses from the neon relaxation oscillator. To make the dekatrons run anti-clockwise rather than clockwise, simply swap the G1 and G2 connections. I don't see why you couldn't add in a DPDT switch to make the stepping direction easily user-selectable.

Jon.

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[Dekatron42]

If you have a used Dekatron you will sometimes have to raise the anode voltage as well as the guide-pulse voltages to get them to run properly, cathode poisoning as well as sputtering near the cathodes where they pass through mica/ceramic structures changes the striking voltage needed for proper function.

You can also try Dieters simple spinner: http://www.tube-tester.com/sites/nixie/different/spinner-B12E/b12e.htm or http://www.tube-tester.com/sites/nixie/different/spinner-B13B/b13b.htm they work at 50/60Hz but if you get your Dekatrons to run with those simple circuits you at least know that your Dekatrons work at that low speed, if not then I think you have some cathode poisoning or a leaky Dekatron.

If you get them to run with Dieters spinners then leave them running for a day or two, changing direction now and then, and then test them in Threeneuron's spinner again - hopefully you will have gotten rid of some of the cathode poisoning by then. If not, then you can raise the anode voltage some more by adding an extra stage to the diode trippler but only do so for the GS10D as that Dekatron might need a higher anode voltage, the Z562S/6476 should be fine with the voltages you have in the original designs. To raise the guide pulse voltage you need to raise the resistors connected to common ground R4 & R5 in Dieters B12E & B13B spinners from 150k to a higher value to get a higher guide-pulse voltage, how much isn't really possible to say as it is something that you'll have to try to see if your Dekatrons will run better with a higher guide-pulse voltage.

Be careful when modifying these designs due to the high voltage and don't forget that the capacitors are charged with high voltage and that they take some time to bleed away that voltage and also don't forget that they are connected directly to the mains voltage!

/Martin

[Jon]

On Sunday, May 19, 2019 at 6:42:25 AM UTC+1, Thomas Kummer wrote:

Yeah, I know that swapping G1, and G2 is how you change directions. Both tubes won’t spin counter clockwise maybe cathode poisoning is the problem. It sticks on a cathode after making a few revolutions. What would you swap on the schematic to run a GS10D?

OK, just sounds like the tubes are slightly sticky - happens quite often. The good news is that if you can spin them OK in one direction, they can normally be unstuck in the other direction. The simplest thing to try might be to run the tubes clockwise for a couple of hours to generally clear the crud off the cathodes, and then try changing the direction. If that doesn't work, my next move would be to increase the magnitude of the guide pulses. I'm not familiar enough with Mike's circuit (or indeed valve circuits in general) to confidently recommend the change - if I had to fiddle blind without access to an oscilloscope or other test gear I'd probably try changing R11 and seeing what difference that makes.

Your GS10D will need more anode current than the 6476 & Z562S, so reduce the anode resistor to 300K. It also needs larger guide pulses than the other two tubes, but I don't know what the circuit is currently producing in order to judge how far off spec they currently are.

Jon.

[Thomas Kummer]

Some of the problems that I’ve been having with it could be due to the fact that I’m running it off the oil rigs power, we use our own diesel generator out here rather than power from the power lines. I’ve measured the mains before and it varies from 109V - 115V and from 40Hz to 70Hz usually it’s at 50Hz though. This schematic is designed for US mains power of 120V 60Hz. 

Sent from my iPhone

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