My Nixie clock

[Ben Winter]

Hi, glad to join the group. New to nixies here. Just wanted to share my completed clock. I see a lot of projects with the exposed side-view tubes but wanted to use the tubes in their original intended configuration—behind polarized tinted glass. This is using an old Linden flip clock case. I love the typography of the numbers and the flip 2/5 is so amusing to me. I added a big fat "missile switch" though the existing hole to make turning off the nixies fun. I used IN-4's but I know they burn out quickly as they don't have mercury so I have ordered IN-12's and some round top-view "ultra long life" Burroughs 5031 to try out. I used PV Electronics' remote kit for this—it fit the casing like it was made for it!

Anyway it was a lot of fun to make and I think my next one I will be making my own PCB just to try. I wanted to make something that looks like it could have been manufactured commercially at some time, I'm really happy how it turned out.

[Nicholas Stock]

Nicely done Ben. Definitely has an authentic 1970's feel to it...(well, except the missile switch...;-)

Cheers,

Nick

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[gregebert]

> and some round top-view "ultra long life" Burroughs 5031 to try out. 

You really want the 5902's, not the 5031's, for long life. These tubes are interchangeable, but the 5092 has the long lifetime. My first nixie clock design uses six  5092's and from the 4 clocks we built, we've had no failures or visible degradation after 5 years (that's over 1 million device hours).

I have a few 5031's, and several have deteriorated (partial or no glow on certain digits) and multiple attempts to rejuvenate them have accomplished nothing. Based on the coloring & behavior, I'm fairly certain the original 5031's (orange glow) are neon-only, and the 5092's (orange+violet glow) use a mixture (probably modified Penning w/ Ne+Ar+Kr) and Hg.

[Ben W]

Thanks for the info! I will keep an eye out for the 5902's. It's interesting you say the 5031's are not long life—I see them quoted in a Burroughs document from the time as being designated as "long life" and tested to have a "dynamic" lifetime of 200,000-500,000 hours. Questionable estimation from the manufacturer, but certainly not anywhere near the quote you would expect from a nixie that has no special Penning mixture as you describe.

[Ben W]

In fact, it seems the only difference according to the document between the 5031's and 5092's is that the 5092 is "wide angle," I assume that means the digits are packed closer together in the front of the tube, I wonder if that has something to do with the durability?

[Paolo Cravero]

Well done Ben, and welcome onboard.

Hi, glad to join the group. New to nixies here. Just wanted to share my completed clock. I see a lot of projects with the exposed side-view tubes but wanted to use the tubes in their original intended configuration—behind polarized tinted glass. This is using an old

First tubes I bought were top-view B5092, and have been used "exposed". What is the effect of the polarized glass on the tube display? I tried looking at an "exposed" Nixie through my polarized sunglasses at different angles and saw no difference except for the reduction in reflection on the tube glass.

 

Linden flip clock case. I love the typography of the numbers and the flip 2/5 is so amusing to me. I added a big fat "missile switch"

I've sourced a Japan-made Copal flip clock and I would not repurpose it, even if I need to reconstruct one palette: I need to find out how thick it should be, and then a quick laser cut will probably do! Nevertheless they are equally old technologies.

 

I'm currently soldering 6 sockets in mux'ed configuration (ZM1020 == B5092), so learning how to make a PCB is also on my to-do list.

Thank you for showing us your achievement. I find it inspiring to see how others put their clocks in enclosures.

Paolo

PS: please, can anyone, off-the-list if too off-topic, identify the technology behind the two displays shown in the attached picture? I don't see the filament of a VFD. I don't see the polarized glass of an LCD. I don't have them, just these pictures, so no part# either. The same person has some barebone dot-matrix VFD's (1 liners, 20-24 symbols, flat glass), but that's way too much interfacing to do for me.

[John Rehwinkel]

> PS: please, can anyone, off-the-list if too off-topic, identify the technology behind the two displays shown in the attached picture? I don't see the filament of a VFD. I don't see the polarized glass of an LCD. I don't have them, just these pictures, so no part# either. The same person has some barebone dot-matrix VFD's (1 liners, 20-24 symbols, flat glass), but that's way too much interfacing to do for me.

They look like dot matrix displays to me. Probably row and column wires and neon gas fill.

- John

[gregebert]

The 5031 has a collar around the cathode stack, and it reduces the viewing angle. I cant think of any reason why it would affect the operating life.

Given this is an earlier-generation nixie vs the 5092, I'm sure there were several improvements that Burroughs made for improving reliability and manufacturability. The glass-seal around the pins is ultra-critical, which might be a factor in shorter 5031 lifetime due to gas leaks. After 50 years, even a leak that is undetectable will have caused some damage.

[Ben W]

Hey paolo! Thanks for the feedback. Those sure are some interesting displays in the pics; I'm with John, they look like neon dot matrix.

What is the effect of the polarized glass on the tube display? I tried looking at an "exposed" Nixie through my polarized sunglasses at different angles and saw no difference except for the reduction in reflection on the tube glass.

 

You've got it, it's just to reduce reflection from the tube glass and anodes. When used as the front of an enclosure it prevents all incoming light from escaping; thus the only light you see is from the nixies. I must be weird because I find the exposed tube designs quite ugly but I understand it is popular to see the tubes in their entirety and admire their design. 

[Ben W]

Any idea what is different about the 5032 vs the 5031? Looking at those too. 

[Ben W]

After receiving the tubes, it appears they are actually Raytheon CK8037's, meant to replace the 5031. They have a healthy blueish mercury glow and are NOS; I wonder how long they will last? The pins are a bit rusted. Any info on Raytheons out there?

On Friday, January 6, 2017 at 4:41:13 PM UTC-8, gregebert wrote:

[Jeff Walton]

I had a set of Raytheon CK8754 tubes go more than 30 years of continuous operation.  Not the same tube but the same manufacturer, so they did something right. 

Jeff 

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[Ben W]

That's great news!