Marksjbriggs / NixieClock-1

A IN16/IN8 based modular nixie clock with wifi

A IN-16/IN-8 based nixie clock with WIFI

FEATURES

• burn out protection (cycle all numbers for 10 seconds every 10minutes)
• in8 or in16 tube usable via adapter pcbs
• for 4 (hours::mins) or 6 tubes (hours::mins:secs)
• easy to expand
• simple schematic
• tube holders with simple mount for easy change

FEATURES WIFI EXTENTION

• using esp8266 to add wifi support
• NTP SYNC
• CAPTIVE PORTAL to set wifi settings
• set timezone
• start antiburn-in cycle

PARTS

• 1 control pcb see ./documenation/nixie_clock_controller_gerber.zip
• 4 Nixie Clock Adapter board for IN8 tube ./nixie_clock_in8_gerber.zip or IN16 tube ./documenation/nixie_clock_in16_gerber.zip
• 4 Nixie tubes IN16 or IN8
• 4 nixie tube drivers SN74141
• 1 Arduino Nano
• 1 RTC Module DS1307
• 4 20k resistors 1/2w
• 1 Nixie power supply 180v
• 3 tht push button
• 2 shift registers 75HC595
• 3 led resistors 330Ohms at 1/4w
• 3 5mm led 20ma
• 3 10k pull up resistors
• headers male and female

PARTS WIFI ADDON

• wifi addon pcb
• esp8266 12-e
• lm1117 smd
• 1k resistor
• 2k resistor

resistors used for voltage divider for the tx(arduino)->rx(esp8266)

PARTS SECONDS

• seconds addon pcb
• 1 75HC595
• 2 Nixie tubes IN16 or IN8
• 2 nixie tube drivers SN74141
• 2 20k resistors 1/2w

PARTS FOR THE CASE

• 7 mdf wood 10*20cm @9mm/10mm
• 4 tube cover pipe holder ./documenation/3d_parts/pipe_holder_bottom.stl
• 4 tube cover pipe covers ./documenation/3d_parts/pipe_holder_top.stl
• 2 tube pcb mounting brackets ./documenation/3d_parts/tube_pcb_mounting_bracket.stl
• 2 tube pcb mounting bracket covers./documenation/3d_parts/tube_pcb_mounting_bracket_covers.stl
• 4 pcb spacers for M3
• 4 M3 screws 10mm
• 2 M4 screws 16mm
• woodglue
• 2k glue (mounting 3d parts on glass)
• hotglue

TOOLS

• drill 4mm 6mm 20mm(for tubes)
• saw
• soldering iron
• hotgluegun
• step-drill

PCB

Images and schematic can be found in the ./documenation folder. The gerberfiles to manufacture the PCB too. You also can use a breadboard or a arduino prototyping shiled to build the simple schematic.

CASE

DRILLING

For the top wood plate i have made drill drawing where to drill the 20mm holes for the tubes, if you are using the 10x20cm wood plates. The PDF can be found at ./documenation/nixie_case_drilling_plan.pdf The important thing is that one pair of tubes are 35mm away from each other to match with 3d printed mounting brackets. See the pictures of the build below!

THE CONTROL PCB

NIXIE ADAPTER FOR IN-8 TUBES

You can replace the resistors with wires, except for the R115 Anode-Current-Resistor 20K. The other resitors are for adjust the brightness of each tube segment.

NIXIE ADAPTER FOR IN-16 TUBES

WIFI PCB ADDON

This wifi addon pcb sits directly under the Arduino Nano, and is soldered to its header pins. Then this sandwich is plugged into the control pcb

SEONDS ADDON PCB

This pcb add 2 more nixie tube outputs, if you want to have seconds, no software modification needed. it simply add an other shif register at the end of the others

SOFTWARE

To flash the arduino you can use the Arduino IDE to flash the ./src/nixie_driver/nixie_driver.ino Select the Arduino Nano board and the SerialPort to Upload the Program.

SET TIME

After power up the clock you can use the buttons to change the time. Select with the OK-BUTTON if you want to change minutes or hours and change them with the + / - Buttons.

SERIAL COMMANDS

The clock send out a current time string _t_hours_mins_secs_ the t at the beginning is the time identifier.

To set the clock using serial you can use the st time command: _st_hours_mins_

note the _ at the end this has to be send, with an new line charater.

start an antiburnin cyncle with _abi_ the clock send _abi_started, _abi_finished

PICTURES

SIMPLE BOX

PCB TEST 1

PCB TEST 2

TUBE MOUNT 1

TUBE MOUNT 2