MOD_6 for sale...

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Nicholas Stock

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Jun 12, 2017, 1:57:04 PM6/12/17
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Nick

gregebert

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Jun 13, 2017, 11:15:06 AM6/13/17
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For those who cringe at the 1200 USD price, rest assured it's a fair price

 I'm in the midst of writing the software for my 8-tube b7971 clock, and the scarce supply of the tubes plus the time it takes to design, build, and debug makes it a costly project to do it on your own. I never thought I would want one until I literally got to hold one of those 70+ mm-tall  beasts in my hand. Those tubs are really big.

chuck richards

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Jun 13, 2017, 11:21:26 AM6/13/17
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>I have here a 16-tube array of B-7971 tubes which I built
many years ago. It scrolls text.

Chuck
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Mich...@aol.com

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Jun 13, 2017, 1:39:17 PM6/13/17
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Chuck,
 
May I have the design/plans or kit (wink)?
 
I would like to have such a setup.  I have enough tubes.
 
Michail Wilson
206-920-6312

Ulysses Balis

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Jun 13, 2017, 4:53:19 PM6/13/17
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The  mod-six is a solid performer.  I have three units.  All are still well, after 1000's of hours of run-time.

The original kits were about $550 and the B-7971 tubes, when you can find them, go for $80 and up.  So $1200 is fair, albeit a bit high, for a clock with substantial hours.  A photo of my office clock is attached below....  I love this clock.



On Tue, Jun 13, 2017 at 11:15 AM, gregebert <greg...@hotmail.com> wrote:
For those who cringe at the 1200 USD price, rest assured it's a fair price

 I'm in the midst of writing the software for my 8-tube b7971 clock, and the scarce supply of the tubes plus the time it takes to design, build, and debug makes it a costly project to do it on your own. I never thought I would want one until I literally got to hold one of those 70+ mm-tall  beasts in my hand. Those tubs are really big.

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20170613_164206.jpg

Nicholas Stock

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Jun 13, 2017, 5:22:45 PM6/13/17
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Has anyone experienced a B7971 failure 'in service'? My MOD_6 looks as good now as it did when I first turned it on....I wonder what the true life expectancy of these tubes is....

Ulysses Balis

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Jun 13, 2017, 6:13:50 PM6/13/17
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I have three mod six's.  While it's not a huge sample size, that's still 18 previously-used B-7971's.  And I don't event know how many hours they had on them originally (although none are blackened and none have cathode poisoning, so hours can't be too high).   But certainly, all 18 tubes are used.   And despite that, I haven't had a single tube failure over the past three years.  That's pretty darn good.  In comparison, a number of the IN-18 based clocks that I have assembled have had their tubes fail very quickly, mostly due to degassing (I presume from slight later forces on the pins causing the hermetic seal to fail).

By comparison, I would offer that the B-7971 is a remarkably durable tube, if driven properly with anti-poisoning patterns.

-ub




Mich...@aol.com

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Jun 13, 2017, 6:59:59 PM6/13/17
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I have 6 of the MOD_6.  Well, gave 2 away as presents.
And a Cogwheel.
 
That's 44 tubes running.  Never a failure - yet.
 
Michail

gregebert

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Jun 15, 2017, 12:10:00 PM6/15/17
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Have any of you MOD_6 owners measured the power consumption of the entire clock ?


------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When I have 6 tubes running on my setup, it's around 25 watts (fluctuates based on what's displayed).
With all segments on, for all 8 tubes, it's 45W. At idle (all tubes dark), it's 4W.

I'm a bit disappointed at my overall inefficiency; after doing some calculations there's about 8W that is getting wasted somewhere (as heat, of course) in the power supply and I have yet to track it down.
(45W measured - 33W 'known' for nixies/drivers - 4W idle = 8W unaccounted for).

Ulysses Balis

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Jun 15, 2017, 8:35:40 PM6/15/17
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22.5 Watts for my Gen-II mod-6 when tubes are on

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Terry S

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Jun 15, 2017, 9:05:42 PM6/15/17
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8 watts is a lot, you should easily be able to find that with your finger. It'll be hot.

gregebert

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Jun 16, 2017, 1:19:41 AM6/16/17
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On Thursday, June 15, 2017 at 6:05:42 PM UTC-7, Terry S wrote:
8 watts is a lot, you should easily be able to find that with your finger. It'll be hot.



I re-measured, and after some allowances for the RasPi, logic, LEDs/optoisolators, I have about 5W that's leftover and presumably dissipated in the power supply. It's mostly a traditional transformer/rectifier/capacitor supply, though it has a switching regulator to produce +5V [Nifty device, too. Drop-in replacement for LM340 series, except it's way more efficient hence less heat].

Nothing is hot. I can smell the warmth of the 7971's (they are about 3.5 watts apiece), and a bit from the power supply (the transformer).

Tonight I will be brave and let it run from the AC line; it's been running from the isolation transformer for a week with no issues.

I need to rethink the design of the case because of the power, which will peak around 35W. 

track01

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Jun 16, 2017, 2:11:59 PM6/16/17
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I am looking for a MOD-SIX_SLW kit without tubes since quite a time.
So taking the chance to ask if someone here have a spare kit or assembled one willing to part with?
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