I bit the bullet bought an NL-7094

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Bill Notfaded

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Jun 8, 2021, 10:53:23 AM6/8/21
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I loved that movie btw "Bite The Bullet" with  Gene HackmanCandice Bergen, and James Coburn.   I finally broke down and bought one tube I've never had before an NL-7094.  I've collected some NL-8091's but the bigger brother I've never had before.  The datasheet recommended operating conditions says to use a 9.1K resistor with 200VDC.  It's ionizing voltage is the regular 170VDC.  I was going to use my power supply like Paul has that can generate any voltage I want to turn it up slowly.  Should I just use say maybe a 10k anode resistor to start out with it?  I was thinking turn up the voltage slowly with a the resistor on the anode and see where the cathodes energize and lite up at?  I want to be really careful with this tube.  I'm getting it with the original National Electronics box with the big RED READOUT circle in the middle even!  So excited.

Bill

Bill Notfaded

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Jun 8, 2021, 11:04:16 AM6/8/21
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It's Paul Andrews I was referring to... I'm not at home right now but the power supply is the one that stands vertical and you can turn the voltage up into hundreds of volts with knobs... it's dark red.  I bought two of them.  They were for Electrophoresis.

Bill

Adrian Godwin

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Jun 8, 2021, 11:26:13 AM6/8/21
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Electrophoresis supplies are pretty handy. 
I got a smallish one by Shandon that limits at up to 400V and 100mA. It worked a treat to fix a nixie I had with cathode poisoning.


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gregebert

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Jun 8, 2021, 11:36:11 AM6/8/21
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The most important thing to do is limit the current to the correct range, regardless of whatever value you have for the anode supply or resistor. I hope you can find a few more of these rare gems.

Bill Notfaded

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Jun 8, 2021, 11:52:42 AM6/8/21
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Thanks Greg.  The datasheet says peak max is 7.5mA, Avg. max 7mA, Avg. min 4mA.

Bill

gregebert

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Jun 8, 2021, 1:03:04 PM6/8/21
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I would interpret that as 7.5mA if you use multiplexing; personally, I much prefer direct-drive because it has minimum current.
So, that leaves a wide range for direct-drive; I'm inclined to say keep it on the lower end if that gives enough brightness because that will result in less "wear" via electron bombardment vs higher current and you can always bump it up for awhile if you see any cathode poisoning.

I dont know about the 7094, but I do know that IN-18's are susceptible to cathode poisoning, which is reversible. My 14-digit clock does a 1-hour depoisoning every night but that still doesn't work 100% on the static digits.

Paul Andrews

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Jun 8, 2021, 3:58:27 PM6/8/21
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One down, five to go ;-)

Mac Doktor

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Jun 8, 2021, 5:02:15 PM6/8/21
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On Jun 8, 2021, at 10:53 AM, Bill Notfaded <notf...@gmail.com> wrote:

I finally broke down and bought one tube I've never had before an NL-7094. I'm getting it with the original National Electronics box with the big RED READOUT circle in the middle even!  So excited.

I take it that you're not referring to this listing...


...as it doesn't come in the NL box. Is this a case of "if you have to ask you can't afford it"? I'm not asking but I would like to know what... 8D


On Jun 8, 2021, at 3:58 PM, Paul Andrews <pa...@nixies.us> wrote:

One down, five to go ;-)

Ka-ching!


Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"

https://www.astarcloseup.com/

"Every kid starts out as a natural-born scientist, and then we beat it out of them. A few trickle through the system with their wonder and enthusiasm for science intact."—Carl Sagan, Psychology Today, 1996

Bill Notfaded

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Jun 10, 2021, 7:02:52 AM6/10/21
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Nope Terry I didn't buy that one and didn't pay that much but it still want cheap.  This comes with the real box.


Bills-l400 (1) (4).jpgs-l400 (1) (3).jpg

Bill Notfaded

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Jun 10, 2021, 7:11:56 AM6/10/21
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To me the box is a huge plus.  I'm kinda like that even with old test gear I often collect the original manuals to go with the device even if I have to find it separately.  I have classic rubidium and cesium frequency references... yes I'm a timeout too... which I have original manuals for.  I'm eventually going to do like you guys and put a website together to document it all.  I have a cross over hobby collecting nixie tube frequency counters.  I've got a LOT of them 

Bill

Bill Notfaded

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Jun 10, 2021, 7:15:04 AM6/10/21
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Dang spell check that's timenut!  Not timeout lolol.

Bill

Nicholas Stock

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Jun 10, 2021, 11:09:47 AM6/10/21
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I think we're all a bit nutty around here Bill!

Enjoy that tube, they're quite a find!

Sent from my iPhone

On Jun 10, 2021, at 04:15, Bill Notfaded <notf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Dang spell check that's timenut!  Not timeout lolol.
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Mac Doktor

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Jun 10, 2021, 9:05:41 PM6/10/21
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On Jun 10, 2021, at 7:02 AM, Bill Notfaded <notf...@gmail.com> wrote:

Nope Terry I didn't buy that one and didn't pay that much but it still want cheap.  This comes with the real box.

Cool.


On Jun 10, 2021, at 7:11 AM, Bill Notfaded <notf...@gmail.com> wrote:

To me the box is a huge plus. 

I collect old Christmas lights and the box is an essential part of the set. I've bought a number of empty boxes. Items such as bubble lights are valuable enough that having the box is just icing on a cake.


I'm kinda like that even with old test gear I often collect the original manuals to go with the device even if I have to find it separately.

For me they're a must-have. What if I have to repair it?


I'm eventually going to do like you guys and put a website together to document it all. 

Be sure to use the Panama canal approach: build the infrastructure before shoveling dirt. Aside from setting up a "site", there are other workflows to master such as taking photos and scanning/OCRing documents.


I have a cross over hobby collecting nixie tube frequency counters.  I've got a LOT of them 

If you run out of room let me know. I'm especially keen on decimal displays and timecode devices that can be used as a clock:



I'll ask again: does anyone know of a way to repair the backlit pushbutton caps on my 8350? The plastic has lost elasticizer and the prongs that hold the cap in place snap like twigs when I pull one off.

I need to put some photos of that up. Hmm...


Terry Bowman, KA4HJH
"The Mac Doctor"


“...the book said something astonishing, a very big thought. The stars, it said, were suns but very far away. The Sun was a star but close up.”—Carl Sagan, "The Backbone Of Night", Cosmos, 1980


gregebert

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Jun 10, 2021, 9:56:44 PM6/10/21
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Would it be possible to 3D-print the rear section of the pushbutton, then glue the engraved cover onto it ?

Mac Doktor

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Jun 10, 2021, 11:02:13 PM6/10/21
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On Jun 10, 2021, at 9:56 PM, gregebert <greg...@hotmail.com> wrote:

Would it be possible to 3D-print the rear section of the pushbutton, then glue the engraved cover onto it ?

The two "prongs" are wide and very thin. Like shim brass, which may be a starting point. OTOH, there may be electrical contact inside the switch.

I'd take some pictures but I don't have one that's intact and I don't know what to search for.
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