Useful tool on eBay...

[Nick]

Not my auction - I already have one of these - quite useful when you are and about or in the lab and want to quickly check tubes for gas (when they should have some, e.g. nixies) and gas when they shouldn't (like radio valves).

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/351471098985 

Nick

[Grahame Marsh]

Nick,

Interesting, how many volts does it put out?  A bit like a one lead taser perhaps? I wonder what the cats would think of it!

G

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[Quixotic Nixotic]

That is the model I have Nick. I paid about a tenner for mine.

John

[Nick]

On Thursday, 3 September 2015 14:12:19 UTC+1, Sgitheach wrote:

Interesting, how many volts does it put out?  A bit like a one lead taser perhaps? I wonder what the cats would think of it!

Don't know how many volts - at a guess, several 100.- it's really designed to test fluorescent tubes, hence the long aerial. I've not yet tested to see if the cat is gassy or not :) though our cats have had to find out about HV through their own experiences - one of them was over inquisitive and sniffed the electric fence on the chicken house - we found it 12 hours later hiding in the loft... others have had close shaves with the Tesla coils and platter-launchers, not to mention the valve hifi and then the neon signs...

Its a really useful bit of kit - I always take it with me when going to ham fests or similar shows...

Nick

PS. Your neon tube is in a box ready to go - probably this weekend...

[Quixotic Nixotic]

On 3 Sep 2015, at 14:12, 'Grahame Marsh' via neonixie-l wrote:

>
> Nick,
>
> Interesting, how many volts does it put out? A bit like a one lead taser perhaps? I wonder what the cats would think of it!
>
> G

I'll poke mine at a cat next time one is around.

John S

[Paolo Cravero]

Very interesting tool. Before I collect dead laptops to scrounge the CFL driver, do these xBay items works like Masonlite's?

Search for 221797467166 and 111691524624.

Thanks,

Paolo

[Paolo Cravero]

Or, for a more DIY solution, referring to http://www.decadecounter.com/vta/articleview.php?item=109 , would a modified pocket plasma ball work as a tester? I found a small USB plasma ball for as low as 8 USD incl. shipping (banggood, SKU024808).

How to dispose properly of the plasma ball itself once removed?

Apologies for two mails in a row on the same subject.

Paolo

[Quixotic Nixotic]

I have a very small plasma ball and it is not very good at testing nixies.

John S

[Paolo Cravero]

Two months have passed and I haven't yet gotten my hands on a laptop CFL driver. Still, I would like to have a battery operated "wireless" Nixie tester for flea markets like the Masonlite device. During my electronics shopping wanderings these circuits came out:

5 V to 400 kV booster:

http://www.banggood.com/DC-3_6V-6V-To-400KV-Boost-Step-Up-Power-Module-High-Voltage-Generator-p-915426.html

and

3 V to 7 kV booster:

http://www.banggood.com/DC-3V-To-7KV-7000V-High-Voltage-Generator-Boost-Step-up-Power-Module-p-919913.html

Voltage of these modules seems higher than CCFL drivers, but the output current much lower. Any clue either of them would work as a "wireless" Nixie tube tester? Well, the second item is cheap enough to risk it doesn't do anything, but then I do now want to damage my Nixie.

Thanks,

Paolo

[Nick]

New alternative:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=161049885800 

Nick

[Charles MacDonald]

On 15-11-08 01:23 PM, Paolo Cravero wrote:
> Two months have passed and I haven't yet gotten my hands on a laptop CFL
> driver. Still, I would like to have a battery operated "wireless" Nixie
> tester for flea markets like the Masonlite device. During my electronics
> shopping wanderings these circuits came out:

I recently got a unit simalar to this...

http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Portable-Handheld-Neon-Tube-Lamp-Fluorescent-LED-Tester-/281225125040?hash=item417a52dcb0:g:UP0AAOSwNSxVZqLf


Have not gotten beyond lighting up some NE-51 lamps that were still in
their package and giving myself a accidental Burn on my Finger....

Any in site on what else it is safe to try on would be appreciated!



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

[Terry S]

Works on nixies, fluorescent bulbs, neon signs.

[alb...@sympatico.ca]

For nixie testing I pulled the flash module out of a disposable 35mm film camera. - it puts out about 300 volts at low current.  Electronic Goldmine also sells them.  One AA battery, switch and some red/black wire, a limiting resistor in-line with the positive and a plastic case from the dollar store food containers is all you need. Less than $5 for all. I tested a bunch of ZM1000 with this very quickly. Battery life  is great.   Easy build and inexpensive. Usual HV protection - don't touch any conductors once the battery is inserted and switched on.  I keep it in the car in case I find some surplus nixies in my travels.
Good luck Phil B
 

---

Date: Sun, 8 Nov 2015 15:12:03 -0800
From: neoni...@googlegroups.com
To: neoni...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: [neonixie-l] Useful tool on eBay...

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[Paolo Cravero]

At last I am able to test Nixies, with a DIY solution.

From an old laptop (circa 2006) I rescued the CCFL driver circuit. Being able to power up the laptop really helped in tracing down connections. The switcher is so strong that the frequency counter can pick up its signal over the air.

I wrote my notes on my blog http://ik1zyw.blogspot.it/2015/11/ccfl-laptop-inverter-board-for.html and I also published a short video showing the effect on a B5092 Nixie http://ik1zyw.blogspot.it/2015/11/ccfl-laptop-inverter-board-for_22.html .

A question for HV gurus on this group. Without a lamp connected, the CCFL driver shuts down after 1 second as seen in the video. Is there a way I can simulate the CCFL load so that it keeps on running? Would a resistive load suffice?

Thanks,

Paolo

[gregebert]

I've read that CCFL circuits use resonance (ie, load-capacitance in a specific range) to get the high striking-voltage, then as the tube ionizes the 'Q' of the circuit drops, which lowers the voltage. A resistor-string might work; just be sure to provide enough spacing/insulation and large enough resistors for a few watts of power. 

I've never been lucky enough to find nixie tubes anywhere other than online, so I never bothered to build a tester. When I do find tubes, I just test them in my garage clock which has sockets.

[threeneurons]

We get nixies at the TRW swapmeet every once in a great while. I use to drag this unit with me:

It has a 6V 1.3AHr gell-cell inside, and a dual boost supply that outputs both 12V and 200V. Here's the schematic:

https://threeneurons.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/portable_hv01.gif

[gregebert]

The pic of Alfred E Neuman made my day......

If I ever make a similar device with my dynamotor, I'll be sure to put Gomer Pyle's picture on it...