Digeec Nixie clock problem. - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

Saske!!! · 20th Oct 2011, 6:04 pm

Hello dear reader,

I recently bought a DIGEEC nixie clock and it's almost exactly the same as the one murphyv310 restored but it doesn't have the unnecessary extra nixie bulb.

They're really beautiful to watch!

I tested it but I found a problem; it runs great for a couple of hours then suddenly it stops running and the seconds will no longer add up. It will just stop and show the time and not continue. Sometimes it'll add another second and then stop again.

I have no idea what the problem is, but was hoping someone could help me out.

I'm no electronic expert but am not afraid to use a soldering iron. Just need to know which part might need replacing. Furthermore, I can see no screwholes, so how is it opened?

Any information on this subject would be welcome.

Kind Regards,
Cesar from The Netherlands.

Al (astral highway) · 21st Oct 2011, 11:53 am

Hi Caesar. Welcome to the forum. I love Nixie tube clocks and have made one myself - you've got yourself a great bit of history there. From what you say, the thing is generating a pulse okay and the drivers are working, too. So no catastrophic failure of either circuit there.

Nixie tube power supplies source a relatively low current. Suspect your power supply first - leaky caps there could be a problem. But anywhere downstream with leaky caps could unwantedly sink current and cause malfunction. Look at decoupling caps, too?

Saske!!! · 21st Oct 2011, 6:44 pm

Hello Astral Highway,

Thank you for your response,

At least I have an idea now what the problem might be. I have not yet opened the clock and I'm pretty sure it's not a big problem.

Last night I tried it again and it ran ok for about 30 minutes before stopping. I might replace a few Nixie bulbs if I can find them, they work fine but the hour bulbs look a bit fogged up due to metallic sputtering.

If I can't find the replacement bulbs I'll leave it like it is. It adds some good old vintage patina to this clock, so I don't really find it disturbing anyway.

Greetings,
Cesar.

julie_m · 21st Oct 2011, 9:03 pm

From the literature, I gather that unless this is a "Q" model with a quartz crystal, the timing is got from the mains itself. If the power supply to the logic is full of ripple due to aging capacitors, it might not detect the mains cycles properly.

Swapping the tubes around will be good for them, as the 1' and 1" digits will go through the full range 0-9 each cycle whereas the others only do a limited range.

Saske!!! · 21st Oct 2011, 9:39 pm

Yes, I have been thinking the exact same thing. Swapping the hour with the second nixie tubes might help the old tubes regain some of their former glory.

Since the fog on the inside seems to be more noticable when looked at from the right side, putting it to the far right would make it invisible because of its casing

.

Cesar

20th Oct 2011, 6:04 pm	#1
Saske!!! Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Stiens, The Netherlands. Posts: 3	Digeec Nixie clock problem. Hello dear reader, I recently bought a DIGEEC nixie clock and it's almost exactly the same as the one murphyv310 restored but it doesn't have the unnecessary extra nixie bulb. They're really beautiful to watch! I tested it but I found a problem; it runs great for a couple of hours then suddenly it stops running and the seconds will no longer add up. It will just stop and show the time and not continue. Sometimes it'll add another second and then stop again. I have no idea what the problem is, but was hoping someone could help me out. I'm no electronic expert but am not afraid to use a soldering iron. Just need to know which part might need replacing. Furthermore, I can see no screwholes, so how is it opened? Any information on this subject would be welcome. Kind Regards, Cesar from The Netherlands.

21st Oct 2011, 11:53 am	#2
Al (astral highway) Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: London, UK. Posts: 3,496	Re: Digeec Nixie clock problem. Hi Caesar. Welcome to the forum. I love Nixie tube clocks and have made one myself - you've got yourself a great bit of history there. From what you say, the thing is generating a pulse okay and the drivers are working, too. So no catastrophic failure of either circuit there. Nixie tube power supplies source a relatively low current. Suspect your power supply first - leaky caps there could be a problem. But anywhere downstream with leaky caps could unwantedly sink current and cause malfunction. Look at decoupling caps, too? __________________ Al

21st Oct 2011, 6:44 pm	#3
Saske!!! Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Stiens, The Netherlands. Posts: 3	Re: Digeec Nixie clock problem. Hello Astral Highway, Thank you for your response, At least I have an idea now what the problem might be. I have not yet opened the clock and I'm pretty sure it's not a big problem. Last night I tried it again and it ran ok for about 30 minutes before stopping. I might replace a few Nixie bulbs if I can find them, they work fine but the hour bulbs look a bit fogged up due to metallic sputtering. If I can't find the replacement bulbs I'll leave it like it is. It adds some good old vintage patina to this clock, so I don't really find it disturbing anyway. Greetings, Cesar. Attached Thumbnails

21st Oct 2011, 9:03 pm	#4
julie_m Dekatron Join Date: May 2008 Location: Derby, UK. Posts: 7,735	Re: Digeec Nixie clock problem. From the literature, I gather that unless this is a "Q" model with a quartz crystal, the timing is got from the mains itself. If the power supply to the logic is full of ripple due to aging capacitors, it might not detect the mains cycles properly. Swapping the tubes around will be good for them, as the 1' and 1" digits will go through the full range 0-9 each cycle whereas the others only do a limited range. __________________ If I have seen further than others, it is because I was standing on a pile of failed experiments.

21st Oct 2011, 9:39 pm	#5
Saske!!! Retired Dormant Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Stiens, The Netherlands. Posts: 3	Re: Digeec Nixie clock problem. Yes, I have been thinking the exact same thing. Swapping the hour with the second nixie tubes might help the old tubes regain some of their former glory. Since the fog on the inside seems to be more noticable when looked at from the right side, putting it to the far right would make it invisible because of its casing . Cesar