Bulgin Electronic Controller - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

newlite4 · 2nd Oct 2016, 6:11 pm

Anyone know what this Bulgin Day and Night Electronic controller was used for. It is designed to have eight neons (three missing) and has only one connection to the outside which is the mains input. It consists of a network of Rs and Cs arranged in a ring configuration, presumably the neons are supposed to illuminate sequentially rather like a clocks hands. As to how it was originally used, that is a total mystery to me.
Neil

evingar · 2nd Oct 2016, 8:53 pm

(very) Early disco lights ?

I'll get my coat

thermionic · 2nd Oct 2016, 9:06 pm

Hi Neil.

I'm guessing that this is not original. The internal wiring doesn't look neat enough for a manufactured item. I think that whatever was originally in that case, then most of it is no longer there.

I'm prepared to be informed that I'm completely wrong though.......!

Cheers. SimonT.

feathercurls · 2nd Oct 2016, 10:55 pm

It looks like a Do Nothing Box. That is a box containing several neon oscillators which flash randomly.
The neons might flash differently depending on the level of background light, hence 'Day and Night'.
http://www.nutsvolts.com/uploads/mag...nformation.pdf

newlite4 · 3rd Oct 2016, 9:35 am

This did remind me of a Black and White Whisky bar display from the early fifties. Made of rubber and featuring the rather delightful highland terriers, a 90V battery in the base made their neon bulb eyes flash randomly (if somewhat unnervingly) via a similar RC relaxation circuit.
Neil

TonyDuell · 3rd Oct 2016, 4:10 pm

There was a similar project called (IIRC) a 'Neon Novelty' in Everyday Electronics in the early 1970s (I am guessing 1972 or 1973). The 2-neon version was built on a chocolate block terminal strip and it was the first magazine project I ever built, before I could even solder.

Getting back to this mystery box, what is the thing in the centre? It has 2 tags, and seems to be connected across the mains. Is it an indicator, or what?

I also noticed this thing has the modern colours for the mains cable which may make it more modern than it first appears.

feathercurls · 3rd Oct 2016, 5:54 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by TonyDuell

Getting back to this mystery box, what is the thing in the centre? It has 2 tags, and seems to be connected across the mains. Is it an indicator, or what?

I also noticed this thing has the modern colours for the mains cable which may make it more modern than it first appears.

Maybe a rectifier? The original was powered with a high voltage battery (about 90v). Maybe the mains cable was added later.

TonyDuell · 3rd Oct 2016, 6:41 pm

Well, the neon relaxation oscillators would certainly need to be powered from DC. There are some little grey components with a sliver band at one end on top of some of the grey capacitors in the first photo, and I thought those were 1N4007 or simlar diodes. Maybe not, and the middle thing is a rectifier. Looks a very odd one, though.

dseymo1 · 3rd Oct 2016, 9:00 pm

I suppose the easiest thing would be to power it up (cautiously) from a DC supply. The function of the Bulgin controller might then become clear!

60 oldjohn · 3rd Oct 2016, 10:37 pm

I made the random neon flasher during the 1970s from PW or EE, ran off a 90v battery, I doubt its 240v even though it has mains cable.

John.

newlite4 · 4th Oct 2016, 9:22 am

OK everyone, I replaced the three missing neons last night and they too flash randomly. There are two remaining neons that have died, I will replace these when spares are obtained. The cylindrical object in the centre is a wooden support, this adds structural rigidity to the circuit. I noticed last night that the mains is fed into a resistive dropper (82K & 39k @1/4W) which provides the circuit with around 90V via a diode rectifier. It all begins to make sense apart from the mystery as to what the box was originally for. Undoubtedly this circuit is a later addition due to its "Christmas Tree" construction, but the eight holes for the neons appear to be original as does the central support.
Neil

KeithsTV · 4th Oct 2016, 10:49 am

A friend of mine built a "tree" using about 8 neon oscillators all running at different frequencies and powered from the mains. The reservoir capacitor was large enough to keep it going for a few minutes during a power cut. It must have run continuously for at least 9 months during our final year at university. At the end of the year most of the neons had one electrode blackened due to running on dc.

Keith

2nd Oct 2016, 6:11 pm	#1
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,805	Bulgin Electronic Controller Anyone know what this Bulgin Day and Night Electronic controller was used for. It is designed to have eight neons (three missing) and has only one connection to the outside which is the mains input. It consists of a network of Rs and Cs arranged in a ring configuration, presumably the neons are supposed to illuminate sequentially rather like a clocks hands. As to how it was originally used, that is a total mystery to me. Neil Attached Thumbnails __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future.

2nd Oct 2016, 8:53 pm	#2
evingar Octode Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Newbury, Berkshire, UK. Posts: 1,770	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller (very) Early disco lights ? I'll get my coat __________________ Chris

2nd Oct 2016, 9:06 pm	#3
thermionic Heptode Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Cornwall, UK. Posts: 989	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller Hi Neil. I'm guessing that this is not original. The internal wiring doesn't look neat enough for a manufactured item. I think that whatever was originally in that case, then most of it is no longer there. I'm prepared to be informed that I'm completely wrong though.......! Cheers. SimonT. __________________ The honesty of imperfection..........

2nd Oct 2016, 10:55 pm	#4
feathercurls Tetrode Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: London, UK. Posts: 58	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller It looks like a Do Nothing Box. That is a box containing several neon oscillators which flash randomly. The neons might flash differently depending on the level of background light, hence 'Day and Night'. http://www.nutsvolts.com/uploads/mag...nformation.pdf __________________ Lucia Last edited by feathercurls; 2nd Oct 2016 at 11:02 pm.

3rd Oct 2016, 9:35 am	#5
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,805	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller This did remind me of a Black and White Whisky bar display from the early fifties. Made of rubber and featuring the rather delightful highland terriers, a 90V battery in the base made their neon bulb eyes flash randomly (if somewhat unnervingly) via a similar RC relaxation circuit. Neil __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future.

3rd Oct 2016, 4:10 pm	#6
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller There was a similar project called (IIRC) a 'Neon Novelty' in Everyday Electronics in the early 1970s (I am guessing 1972 or 1973). The 2-neon version was built on a chocolate block terminal strip and it was the first magazine project I ever built, before I could even solder. Getting back to this mystery box, what is the thing in the centre? It has 2 tags, and seems to be connected across the mains. Is it an indicator, or what? I also noticed this thing has the modern colours for the mains cable which may make it more modern than it first appears.

3rd Oct 2016, 6:41 pm	#8
TonyDuell Dekatron Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: Biggin Hill, London, UK. Posts: 5,208	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller Well, the neon relaxation oscillators would certainly need to be powered from DC. There are some little grey components with a sliver band at one end on top of some of the grey capacitors in the first photo, and I thought those were 1N4007 or simlar diodes. Maybe not, and the middle thing is a rectifier. Looks a very odd one, though.

3rd Oct 2016, 9:00 pm	#9
dseymo1 Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Shropshire, UK. Posts: 3,051	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller I suppose the easiest thing would be to power it up (cautiously) from a DC supply. The function of the Bulgin controller might then become clear!

3rd Oct 2016, 10:37 pm	#10
60 oldjohn Dekatron Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 3,987	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller I made the random neon flasher during the 1970s from PW or EE, ran off a 90v battery, I doubt its 240v even though it has mains cable. John.

4th Oct 2016, 9:22 am	#11
newlite4 Octode Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Bath, Somerset, UK. Posts: 1,805	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller OK everyone, I replaced the three missing neons last night and they too flash randomly. There are two remaining neons that have died, I will replace these when spares are obtained. The cylindrical object in the centre is a wooden support, this adds structural rigidity to the circuit. I noticed last night that the mains is fed into a resistive dropper (82K & 39k @1/4W) which provides the circuit with around 90V via a diode rectifier. It all begins to make sense apart from the mystery as to what the box was originally for. Undoubtedly this circuit is a later addition due to its "Christmas Tree" construction, but the eight holes for the neons appear to be original as does the central support. Neil __________________ preserving the recent past, for the distant future. Last edited by newlite4; 4th Oct 2016 at 9:25 am. Reason: resistor values

4th Oct 2016, 10:49 am	#12
KeithsTV Nonode Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: South Bradford, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 2,573	Re: Bulgin Electronic Controller A friend of mine built a "tree" using about 8 neon oscillators all running at different frequencies and powered from the mains. The reservoir capacitor was large enough to keep it going for a few minutes during a power cut. It must have run continuously for at least 9 months during our final year at university. At the end of the year most of the neons had one electrode blackened due to running on dc. Keith