The Dilemma

[Luke]

I recently acquired an old nixie voltmeter with the view to giving it a new lease of life by transforming it into a nixie clock. This would, not only, ensure practical daily usage, but would also be admired for its aesthetical vintage beauty. It's a French made Rochar from 1964.

However, After plugging it into the mains for the first time, I was surprised how well it worked. All the nixie tubes lit up with no cathode poisoning. The voltage scale selector and auto scaling worked as if brand new. The decimal point neon jumps across nicely to the next when I increase the voltage on my homemade regulator. 

The Dilemma is clear. Do I continue my original plan and carry on with the conversion or do I keep it as it is ? In which case, it will gather dust, probably only be powered up once or twice a year and then end up in the garage with my other vintage stuff. But If I do convert it, will I regret that decision in ten or twenty years time when these beautiful old lab instruments have become even more scarce. 

I have thought about trying to retain its integrity and keep it as a voltmeter with all its original components but incorporating a clock circuit and a switch which can toggle between the two. I have, in the passed converted a TTL based frequency counter into a clock by rewiring the decade counters but that would not be possible in this case.

Any advice will be appreciated.

[Tidak Ada]

Dont Sweare!

 

Should you demoslih an old fubctional Ford-T to make a golf cart?

 

eric

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From: neoni...@googlegroups.com [mailto:neoni...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Luke
Sent: zaterdag 21 februari 2015 22:23
To: neoni...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [neonixie-l] The Dilemma

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[Charles MacDonald]

On 15-02-21 04:52 PM, Tidak Ada wrote:
> *Dont Sweare!*
> **

> Should you demoslih an old fubctional Ford-T to make a golf cart?
> eric

yep, the french voltmeter is also only 4 digits and the special nixie in
the "high" position is only useful in a similar instrument.

Perhaps you can swap it with someone who collects old test gear for
something useful (even money) and pick up another item that would work
well as a clock.

--
Charles MacDonald Stittsville Ontario
cm...@zeusprune.ca Just Beyond the Fringe
http://Charles.MacDonald.org/tubes
No Microsoft Products were used in sending this e-mail.

[Tom Van Baak]

Luke,

No dilemma - have your clock and meter too:

1) Keep the beautiful voltmeter exactly as is, with no changes.

2) Turn it into a unique clock by making a little microcontroller-PWM-DAC project that outputs 00.00 to 23.59 Volts, incrementing each minute as appropriate.

If you want AM/PM time instead, output negative (AM) or positive (PM) 1.00 to 12.59 Volts.

/tvb

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<rochar.jpg>

<rochar2.jpg>

[Luke]

That's a great idea ! I have already made a meter clock using 3 amp meters and a pic 16f628a. It would just be a case of modifying the source code. 

[Steven Donaldson]

My first thought too was make a clock circuit to plug into it.  I have gotten a collection of panel meters going and was considering making a clock out of those.

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[Mihai]

No way, no how - please keep it at least as it is. As previously suggested, you can turn it into a clock or something. I'd love to have this just hanging out in my "lab".

[Jonathan Peakall]

Perfect solution. Couldn't agree more.

JOnathan

[Luke]

Thank you for you comments and advice, It's just too nice to butcher, Inspired by Tom Van Baak, I am now working on a small PWM clock circuit that will transform it into a clock, and any other nixie voltmeter for that matter. Maybe there is some commercial interest in such a device ? I'll post an update once completed.