Nixie tubes are cold cathode gas discharge tubes with multiple elements. Elements are typically in the shape of numbers from 0=9, or mathematical symbols. Elements glow orange when high voltage is applied between the anode and one of the cathodes.
Questions tagged [nixie]
87 questions
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Help identify the IC manufacturer: is it really possible that these ICs from the 60's just made a comeback (К155ИД1)?
So we've been manufacturing Nixie Clock kits for the last few years, and for the multiplexers we used 74141 ICs, or their Soviet clones (К155ИД1). The latter were easier to find on ebay and were used more commonly. These chips have a date code like…

anrieff
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What are some ways to improve a voltage multiplier?
I am working on a Nixie power supply, but I would like to improve it.
I have 4x9V batteries in series for a total of 36V to be switched across a multiplier.
A (TTL) 555 timer is running astable from only the first 9V battery to generate a 8.5-ish…

Yankee
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What are some ways to extend life of Nixie Tube?
I'm working on a Nixie tube clock and have read that nixie tubes have a life of about a year.
Does anyone know of ways to extend the lifetime of a tube?
Can you use a mosfet to switch the high voltage power supply using PWM or would that just end…

Shubham
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Isn't it overkill to use a regulated power supply for a nixie tube?
I've seen any number of nixie tube designs on the web that use regulated 170V supplies for the nixie tube anode.
Wouldn't it be possible to use unregulated, half-wave rectified 170V peak power for this? Yes, the illumination wouldn't be continuous,…

JustJeff
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Nixie tube has strange blue lights
I'm using a PCB with some nixies on it.
They are driven by the KD155IC, which is a clone of the SN7441.
I run them on 175V with a 10k Resistor, should give them a working voltage of 145V, 3mA.
But a strange effect happens when cycling through…

sgt_johnny
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Is it bad to turn off IC by connecting its Vcc to ground?
I am using NTE74141 chips to connect the cathodes of nixie tubes to ground. To spare some Arduino pins (which I connect to the inputs of these ICs) I would like to multiplex the tubes. One idea was to simply make all inputs of the ICs the same, and…

Merijn Den Houting
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Neon bulb power source
I am designing a Nixie tube clock and need to power some INS-1 neon bulbs. The bulbs have a striking voltage of 65 - 90 V and an operating current of 0.5 mA.
To power the bulbs should I divide 170 V to 68 V using a voltage divider (left) or should I…

Warsp
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What determines Nixie tube digit stack order?
I recently watched a video of Nixie tubes being built and another user had asked what determines the stack order of the digits in front of the anode. I searched around trying to find the answer but I couldn't find anything other than several sites…

HDL_CinC_Dragon
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Safety precautions working with high voltages (Nixie Clock)
I'm building a nixie clock kit with these instructions. I'm up to the part where I have to test (page 17) the high voltage components (the power supply is 12V 250 mA) which is up to 170 volts (page 5) and is potentially lethal. Now I don't know if…

Jack
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Do low voltage "Nixie tubes" exist?
I want to make a small clock using Nixie tubes (for the cool/retro/steampunk look of them), I have some basic knowledge of electronics, but I have never done anything with more than 12V DC and ~10A. I saw that Nixie tubes are usually using 3mA at…

EngelOfChipolata
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Using Nixie Tubes
With some (very) rusty electronics knowledge I thought I'd have a crack at getting some Nixie tubes to display using my microprocessor (an mbed). It seemed so simple, but the information I can find online is confusing!
I have a bunch of IN-12As,…

JP.
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Glowing Nixie tube
I'm looking to achieve a particular lighting effect in my next project:
I've never worked with nixie tubes before so what I'm wondering is how the LED underglow works. Is it just an LED pointed at the base of the glass (is it glass?) which…

NickHalden
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Nixie Tube IC Pin - What is it?
What is the purpose of the ic pin in a nixie tube? For example, the Z573M? Knowing how to drive one, this pin seems to have no purpose.

Michael
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I need some component selection help with a nixie tube AVR speedometer
I know enough to be dangerous, i can build circuits and make minor changes but i am not an expert. I put this together after looking at schematics i have found online and i need some help getting the right components. The individual components i…

Ed Owens
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What is a modern SN74141 alternative?
I'm making a Nixie Clock and I had to buy from ebay some old SN74141 (KM155ID1 equivalent). Is there some newer IC which does the same things as this one, or similar, that I could get from big suppliers like Mouser, LCSC or DigiKey?

prenone
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