As K9zw said,  there is a time error (about 6 - 8 seconds each day, in my boards) so I

Thought I would post an update.

Here is my enclosure: pretty much finished.

VERY hansom - looking forward to seeing finished pictures!

So I got my ArduiNIX built and put on top of an ArduinoMega.  The system is powered with a 12V DC wall wart.  So far I have just wired up one tube to test that it works and it does.  See video and photos below. My question is I want to make this clock sync with the atomic clock.  I have a couple of options to do this and everything needs power to do so.  My question is, What pins would be the best to pull power from and will there be enough?  I need around 3V. 

My second question is I would like to build in a switch so that I can turn off the tubes to save on their life.  Has anyone done this in the past? 

Also what has everyone used for a case?

I am looking at adding a Chronodot TCXO module to my ArduiNIX clocks.  Eliminates the need for any external reference (we've had grief keeping commercial units synced with WWV ("The Atomic Clock") and the Chronodot's roughly 6ppm accuracy is enough for my projects.  At $15 they are a lot cheaper than an accurate WWV module as well.  http://macetech.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=5&products_id=8

They draw 840nA max, and can take a wide range of voltage.

With a projected lifespan of many years of use, is it really worth worrying about lifespan.  I will have to spend some time pondering the code & circuitry to see if the display can be shut down independent of the clock portion.  Not driving the tubes could be a lot of hassle, as unless you dump the power into a substitute load you are going to have some potential for interesting high voltage wanting to go somewhere. WIll have to dig into it.

I'm working out an acrylic "show-all" case for mine.  A lot of folk auger blocks of wood or do pop-up from base designs.

regards,

Steve

I'm not sure if I have a bad tube or something is messed up in the wiring or one of the chips. I have one tube that will always display the digit 2 and 5 at the same time no matter what socket it's in. If I plug it into another socket, other tubes will start doing the same thing. If that tube is left out, all the other ones work great.

I thought about using it for the first digit for the hours so it would only display 0 and 1, but doing that, it makes some of the other tubes display 2 and 5 at the same time. I guess I don't really understand how this could happen even if the tube was bad, how it would "short" out other tubes.

Thought maybe someone else has run into this before?

Thinking you have an internal short between cathodes in that tube.

Can you  meter it and check?

Link to photos of my first completed ArduiNIX Clock using the IN-17x4 Board:

http://tinyurl.com/k9zw-arduinix

Have a couple tidy up issues, a tweak or two, and then to fabricate a case.

The clock has burnt-in for 10 days now, all well.

73

Steve
K9ZW

http://k9zw.wordpress.com/

Wondering how the IN-12 Board thing looks?

My first built seems to be gaining about 10-15 seconds a day.  Approaching a minute fast after four days of burn in.  Reference is a WWV Clock.

If this ends up being a constant, is there an easy way to compensate?

Can you help me with the hour/minute setting?

// NOTE:
  // Grounding on pints 14 and 15 will set the Hour and Mins.
  pinMode( 14, INPUT ); // set the vertual pin 14 (pin 0 on the analog inputs )
  digitalWrite(14, HIGH); // set pin 14 as a pull up resistor.

  pinMode( 15, INPUT ); // set the vertual pin 15 (pin 1 on the analog inputs )
  digitalWrite(15, HIGH); // set pin 15 as a pull up resistor.
}

I'd like to confirm what Pin 14 and Pin 15 are.

Thanks & 73

Steve
K9ZW

Can you point me the right direction for a good source of ribbon cables & connectors?

I've built my ArduiNIX and IN-17 Display Boards all with angle pin headers, forgetting that I needed to plan for cables.  The salvage stuff I have in my junk box is only 17 pins wide, and my board headers are 20 pins, so.....

And for the anode pin headers I only need 4 pins wide....

I'd like to have 6 to 12 inches between my Arduino/ArduiNIX and the Display Board so I can burry the "brains" deeper in my final clocks.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Wondering what the thoughts are of doing a Four Tube IN-12 board now that you've some tubes and sockets in hand?

Suggesting a IN-12 and INS-1 combo in the 00:00 format, as often designs use the IN-17 if a seconds display is wanted (end up 00:00:oo in format)

Thoughts?

Cheers,

Steve

Yeah, it looks like there's almost as many of those as the IN-17s, this is good, because the board would be a widely useable piece.

If you don't mind sending one bulb and one socket, I can measure and send it back to you.  I can easily subsitute that bulb (if the pinouts are in the same order) into the previous board without too much work...

Email me for my address if you don't have it... bradley At robotpirate.com

I've the address and will get some off.

73

Steve
K9ZW

Would be happy to send you IN-12b tubes and sockets.  There seems to a a number of good steady sources of these end-view Nixies from the Ukraine and other former USSR states.

Drop me a note if you'd like some sent out.

Cheers!

Steve

Wondering if IN-12 boards are planned to parallel the IN-17 series?

Just order a pair of the IN17x4 Boards and was wondering if you had the x4 (with IN1 dots) code ready to download?

Cheers & 73,

Steve
K9ZW

To be honest, we've run into a snag with them, for some reason a couple of our layers out of Eagle are being flipped for some reason when we break it down to the gerber files.

We're unsure why, but till we figure that out, these boards are on hold.

Any ideas?  We could use the help if someone knows what's up with this I'd appreciate it quite a bit.

I did find a FAQ on doing Eagle to Gerber " Make sure when you output your layout to Gerber RS-274-X format that you do not mirror the layers." if your layers are messed up.