docuenglishv55.pdf

Documentation of Nixieclock kit – Version 5.5

December 2004 (rev. 120018)

1. Attention - Important

This information is provided 'as is'. Readers should only attempt to build this design if they are competent at

electronics assembly and understand the dangers of mains voltages.

No responsibility is accepted for any damage, injury (however serious) or death caused by anything remotely

connected to this website.

Potentially lethal voltages exist on the circuit board, so we recommend using it with the case.

We are not responsible for physical harm from misuse and ignorance of basic electrical safety!

2. The part list

Amount

Part

Part No on PCB

R14

4 MHz

Resonator

B380 C1500

D1-D4/D5-D8

5V6

D11

4.7uF to 22uF 350-360V

10k

R16 R17 R18 R19

10u-100u 16-25V

C3 C10

33k

R15 R20 R21 R22

100k

R1 R3 R5

100n

C5 C7 C8 C9

22n

C12

1-100n / 250V

C13

330u-470uF 16-25V

C11

470k

R2 R4 R6 R7

7805

IC2

74141

IC3 IC4

BAT85

D9 D10

MPSA42

Q4 Q5 Q6

MPSA92

Q1 Q2 Q3

PIC16F876

IC1

sockets for ICs

The complete kit with all the parts – plus transformer

The clock PCB with all parts soldered

The component side of the clock PCB

If you mount the resonator it does not matter what direction you solder it. It works in both directions.

The power supply

The unloaded voltage of the power supply is about 230-250 V DC. Be careful not to connect the high voltage line to

the 5 volt line. When the tubes are connected the voltage will drop to about 170 – 180 volts.

If you use 115 volts please look at the schematic. Cut the track from pin 2 to pin 4 and solder new wires as shown in

red.

3. Making the PSU

Here are all parts used for the psu.

Please solder the resistors, capacitors and the diodes first.

Now solder the rectifiers. Watch out the long leg is plus.

You can in the picture how the rectifiers have to be mounted.

Solder the capacitors now. Watch out for correct plus and minus.

Now solder the 7805. Watch out for the cooling part. You can see a white rectangle on the pcb that is where the

cooling part must be.

Solder the transformer. Solder a connector in J1 to make a connection from the psu to the clock PCB via a 4 wire

cable later. Watch out for high voltage when connecting the psu to mains!!

Now solder the mains as shown in the schematic in chapter 2. If you use 115 volts follow the description in chapter 2.

– Danger high voltage .

Check all soldering and get a multimeter set to DC. Measure as shown in the photo

You should measure 240-250 Volt DC without any tubes mounted to the psu. Don’t touch any parts on the board.

Now make the second measurement as shown in the photo. Voltage should be 5V DC.

The psu is now ready. Unplug the psu and go on with making the clock PCB.

4. Making the connections

If you have finished the psu and the clock PCB check all soldering and double check them again. Now you have to

connect the psu and the clock kit with a 4 wire cable.

Please be careful and make a marking so you do not mix up the high voltage line with the 5 volt line!

Here is how to connect the pcbs, the switches and the tubes:

These connectors are very good to solder and give a firm contact. Even the wires are connected for the tubes.

5. Overview of software modes - all using the same hardware

Mode 1 for 6 tubes

Display update speed is 600Hz for all 6 digits, so this is really a non-flicker display. The special feature of this kit is

the fading of the digits in the max brightness’ setting. The connections from the controller part to the Nixie tubes are

made with wires, so that nearly all nixies types can be used.

Mode 2 for 4 tubes

Display update speed is 600Hz for all 6 digits, so this is really a non-flicker display.

The connections from the controller part to the Nixie tubes are made with wires, so that nearly all Nixie types can be

used.

Mode 3 for 4 tubes (Dual Anodes e.g. 1030)

Display update speed is 600Hz for all 6 digits, so this is really a non-flicker display. The connections from the

controller part to the Nixie tubes are made with wires, so that nearly all Nixie types can be used.

Mode 4 for 2 tubes

The time is displayed with 2 tubes. The hours are shown, then the minutes and so on. That is done by fading the

digits. It looks absolutely great, when the digits are fading. This version is directly driven, not multiplexed.

6. Software Version 5.5

Fixed in Version 5.5:

1. Fading is now active in 1pps input both in the 2 digit clock and the 6 digit clock modes.

2. Blink1 and blink2 outputs now also work in 1pps input mode. That means that blink 1 is exactly the same as it was

in version 5.4. Blink 2 is active when blink 1 is not active.

3. In the 2 digit clock mode there was a bug in version 5.4 so that sometimes the 12 and 24 hour mode was

impossible to change. That has been fixed now.

4. The mains frequency it has measured will now be displayed in the 2 digit mode.

This version has autodectect for 1 Hz, 50 Hz and 60 Hz. This is the actual replacement for version 5.4.

At power up it shows the version 3 times blinking in HR (55) then it flips the digits fast for exactly 1 sec to show

counting the input frequency. Then it shows the software version in HR and input frequency in MIN for about 5 sec.

Then it goes to normal clock mode. The time is now preset to 00:00:00 if in 24 hr mode, else 12:00:00 if in 12 hr

mode.

No leading zero

If you want to blank the leading zero, then just cut the connection to the first hr "zero sign".

External outputs

PIN4 and PIN5 of the PIC16F876 are now outputs to drive blinking colons with, there are 0,5Hz and 1 Hz outputs (if

50Hz and 60Hz input) so you can choose the blinking speed you prefer.

You need to add one more NPN transistor like Q4 and a neon bulb. If you prefer an LED just connect a 470 ohm

resistor to pin 4 or pin 5. It is all up to you.

Plik z chomika:

Inne pliki z tego folderu:

Inne foldery tego chomika: