With my missus’s birthday rapidly approaching, I have decided to manufacture her something neat.
To that end…
A NIXIE CLOCK.
“Nixie” tubes are a brand-name for a cold cathode glow discharge device used for a relatively short period around the 80’s to display numbers, letters and symbols (before LED technology reached maturity). They are only in production by a few die-hard enthusiasts, but ex-Soviet stock is reasonably readily available on the Internet.
They look something like this:
The purpose of this post however, is as follows.
As a byproduct of the majority of available Nixies being Soviet-made, their datasheets are Cyrillic.
And I have translated the one for an INS-1 ‘indicator’ point (not a true Nixie lamp, but a start).
So here it is, take from two documents- one that ships with each batch (firing voltages and current), the physical properties taken from another:
INS-1
Gas discharge lamp unit is designed to display information in the form of a point in the information display.
The body is cylindrical glass. Weight no more than 1.5g
Cathode marked with a dot (NOTE- this contradicts most of what I have read on various forums! However, the datasheet clearly has “анод” (anode) and “катод” (cathode) marked, with the dot on the cathode)
Instructions for Use
Firing voltage, V, Min (Max) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 (90)
Sustaining Voltage, V, Max . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55
Current, mA . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 0.5
Vibration loads:
Frequencies, Hz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-1000
Acceleration, m/s² (g), no more . . . . . . . . . . . . 98 (10)
Multiple impacts:
Acceleration, m/s² (g), no more . . . . . . . . . . . . 147 (15)
Impact duration, m/s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2-15
Single shock:
Acceleration, m/s² (g), no more . . . . . . . . . . 1472 (150)
Impact duration, m/s . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Temperature (environment), ° C. . . . . . . . . . . -60 /+ 85
Relative humidity,%, not more . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98
The increased air pressure, Pa (kg/cm²) . . . . . .294 198 (3)