A Nixie tube for a neon

[McGee2021]

While visiting the Early Television Museum a while back, I saw a replica Baird televisor with a nixie substituting for the neon plate. I would buff the surface of the glass to make a make-shift built in diffuser and assemble all of the numerals to be connected so it would emit more light, as they had done with the replica

Here is a link to the replica:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/baird_kit_copy.html

[Harry Dalek]

While visiting the Early Television Museum a while back, I saw a replica Baird televisor with a nixie substituting for the neon plate. I was planning to use a large IN-18 tube for the neon. I would buff the surface of the glass to make a make-shift built in diffuser and assemble all of the numerals to be connected so it would emit more light, as they had done with the replica

Here is a link to the replica:

http://www.earlytelevision.org/baird_kit_copy.html

I don't want to put you off about the making a diffuser right on the tube i think you have to get the distance right for the diffuser other wise you will might still see the numbers ,the glass envelope might be right ? but i think i would use some scotch tape on the envelope and see . good luck post up any progress

[Klaas Robers]

It is a pitty of the nixie. You can do nicer things with nixies.

You should realise yourself that the Nipkow disc takes away almost all the light. In practice you are looking through only one hole at a time. So 99.9 % of the light is blocked and the brightness (better is darkness) of the picture is only 0.1 % of the generated light. (if the picture is 30 x 33 pixels, the surface of the hole (pixel) is 1/1000 of the total surface). The original Baird televisors could only be watched in total darkness and even then it gave a weak picture. I have experienced it and was disappointed about the results.

So: make as much light as you can !! Nowadays this is possible using ultra bright LEDs. I have 32 of them in a close array, all connected in series, but you can make other configurations. Then the amount of light is enormeous. And still the picture is just clearly visible in a dim lighted room.

I also started with a neon lamp. That gave already more light than the original neon plate lamp, but I had to over drive it. Then the lamp became blackened form the inner side.....

[McGee2021]

Seeing that I have many tubes at my disposal, I would buff the surface of it slightly and add a difuser film to spread the light out a little bit more. The tube that i plan to use, because it is so large, is an IN-18

[Harry Dalek]

Seeing that I have many tubes at my disposal, I would buff the surface of it slightly and add a difuser film to spread the light out a little bit more. The tube that i plan to use, because it is so large, is an IN-18

I have 2 or 3 smaller ones ,i used it for the same reason many years ago i don't think i even had a diffuser as all the information i had came from was from a book i had ,no i internet then .

I recall experimenting connecting different pins together to get as much of the face to light up.... some times even touching the glass would move the neon glow to a different position.

BTW a lens might also do the diffusing
\
i found this on the tube your using much nicer than a led version i think .
http://www.illuwatar.se/project_pages/n ... /nixie.htm

[Steve Anderson]

Just a thought, I've not tried this myself, and I'm sure someone will come up with a reason not to do it...

How about reversing the polarity? Such that the normal anode is the one that glows? Connect all the digits together to form a large(r) area 'inverse anode'. It may be inefficient, it may reduce the tubes' life, but maybe worth a shot...I can't see any reason not to try...the coverage of the glow may be uneven but an increase of current may fix that.

...lots of 'ifs' and 'maybes'...

Steve A.

[McGee2021]

I have had the idea of switching the polarity, but I decided against it, beacause if I illuminate all of the digits, it would give off more light.

[Steve Anderson]

If you reverse the polarity the digits won't glow, it will (should) be what normally is the mesh anode (now the cathode). This should have a larger surface area and mass compared to all the digits so it should be safe to run at a higher current - though not too excessive.

Steve A.

[Harry Dalek]

I had a look in tube collection and i found the one i used back in the 1980s this little Numicator ,i also tried a similar tube as in this post with numbers can't find that one right now .

[McGee2021]

If you reverse the polarity the digits won't glow, it will (should) be what normally is the mesh anode (now the cathode). This should have a larger surface area and mass compared to all the digits so it should be safe to run at a higher current - though not too excessive.

Steve A.

My thought would be that the numerals would be blocking part of the light generated by the mesh cathode.

[Klaas Robers]

I think the mesh is always in the front. In the Nixie photographed by Harry, this is the case and in the Philips ZM1040 nixies in my digital clock this is also the case. You want the numerals to give light to the front, and that is the direction where they "see" the anode mesh. I dont know how the light of the anode mesh will be if you reverse the polarity. May be that it will light mostly at its back side. If you don't mind about the Nixie you can simply try it.

The amount of the electrode that is illuminated depends on the current through the tube. If it is too low, the numeral will illuminate only partly. Then if you increase the current it illuminates more and more. That will also be the case with the mesh anode when used as cathode.

I guess that the surface of all numerals is made the same. The "one" is rather thick, at least in my Philips nixies. When you are connecting all numerals, you shoud of course also increase the current through the tube.

[McGee2021]

Update:

After hunting through my cousins old house, i found a Russian calculator that some one had given him to repair, which he never did. He had long since forgotten about it, and i found it hidden in a corner. Since it had been exposed to the moisture for those long bygone years, i had to salvage it. It was already missing the case, and a mouse had chewed through the lead in wires to the anodes of the nixie tube. So, i now plan to use a cluster of about 2 of these tubes, connecting them the same way i would the IN -18.

[Harry Dalek]

Think Andrew would be wondering about that calculator the Russian ones are part of he's Hobby.

[McGee2021]

Think Andrew would be wondering about that calculator the Russian ones are part of he's Hobby.

Judging by how many boards it has, two of the devoted to memory, it would had of been a very large and expensive calculator in its day. Im missing about half of it, including the case, the powersupply, and part of the wiring harness. Im supposed to go back today and venture through the cluttered house in a search for the rest of it. I'm also going back to rescue a very early portable generator with a very large motor and dynamo.

[Harry Dalek]

Think Andrew would be wondering about that calculator the Russian ones are part of he's Hobby.

Judging by how many boards it has, two of the devoted to memory, it would had of been a very large and expensive calculator in its day. Im missing about half of it, including the case, the powersupply, and part of the wiring harness. Im supposed to go back today and venture through the cluttered house in a search for the rest of it. I'm also going back to rescue a very early portable generator with a very large motor and dynamo.

I know Andrew collects them he may be interested in whats left ? since he hasn't picked up your post yet do you know the name or number that may be onit or picture might be good to .Think these things are rare these days .
Good luck with your parts hunting !