Pvelectronics Nixie Large Tube Clock Configuration guide

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 1 -
Assembly Instructions
And
ser Guide
Nixie Clock Type
‘Large Tube Clock’

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 2 -
REVISION HISTORY
Issue
Number
Date Reason for Issue
1 1 November 2011 New document

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 3 -
1. INTROD CTION
1.1 About the clock
Nixie clock type ‘LTC’ is comp ct design with ll components nd tubes
mounted on single PCB. The efficient use of bo rd sp ce is chieved by using
multiplex design to drive the displ y tubes. Two high-volt ge bin ry-to-decim l
decoder ICs (K155ID1) re required, driving the six tubes in groups of three.
1.2 Clock Features
Nixie clock type ‘LTC’ h s the following fe tures:
- Hours, Minutes nd Seconds displ y
- 12 or 24 hour modes
- D te displ y in either DD.MM.YY or MM.DD.YY form t
- Al rm, with progr mm ble snooze period
- Progr mm ble d te displ y e ch minute
- Attr ctive LED tube lighting
- Uses Qu rtz Cryst l Oscill tor s the timeb se
- Option l DCF / WWVB / MSF / GPS synchronis tion with st tus indic tor LED
- Superc p citor b ckup. Keeps time during short power out ges
- Simple time setting using two buttons
- Progr mm ble le ding zero bl nking
- Five progr mm ble neon colon settings (Fl shing AM/PM indic tion, illumin ted
AM/PM indic tion, both fl shing, both on, both off)
- M int ins time during setup mode, eg. When ch nging between St nd rd Time
nd D ylight S vings Time
- Seconds c n be reset to zero to precisely the set time
- Progr mm ble night mode - bl nked or dimmed displ y to s ve tubes or
prevent sleep disturb nce
- Sep r te modes for colon neons during night mode
- St nd rd or f ding ch nge of digits
- ‘Slot M chine’ C thode poisoning prevention routine
- All user preferences stored to non-vol tile memory

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 4 -
1.3 SAFETY
DANGER: The clock pcb includes switched-mode volt ge booster circuit. This
gener tes nomin lly 170 Volts DC, but is c p ble of gener ting up to 300 Volts
before djustment. Assembly m y only be undert ken by individu ls who re
suit bly qu lified nd experienced in electronics ssembly, nd re f mili r with
s fe procedures for working with high volt ges. If in doubt, refer to suit bly
qu lified engineer before proceeding.
The voltages generated by this circuit can give a potentially LETHAL
ELECTRIC SHOCK.
DISCLAIMER: This product is supplied s kit of p rts, intended only for suit bly
qu lified electronic engineers, who re suit bly qu lified nd experienced in
electronics ssembly, nd re f mili r with s fe procedures for working with high
volt ges. The supplier, his gents or ssoci tes ccept no li bility for ny
d m ge, injury or de th rising from the use of this kit of p rts.
This is not finished product, nd the person ssembling the kit is responsible
for ensuring th t the finished product complies with ny pplic ble loc l
regul tions governing electric l equipment, eg. UL, CE, VDE.

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 5 -
2. TOOLS AND EQ IPMENT REQ IRED
2.1 Tools required to assemble the PCB.
The following tools will be required to ssemble the PCB:
- Soldering iron with sm ll tip (1-2 mm)
- Wire cutters (TIP: A sm ll p ir of n il clippers works very well for this
function)
- Wire strippers (TIP: A sm ll p ir of scissors is quite suit ble)
- Multimeter for volt ge tests nd for identifying the resistors.
- Sm ll fl t screwdriver for djusting the high volt ge supply
2.2 Materials you will need.
Solder – le d / tin solder is preferred. Le d free solder, s now required to be
used in commerci l products in Europe, h s much higher melting point nd c n
be very h rd to work with.
Desoldering wick (br id) c n be useful if you ccident lly cre te solder bridges
between dj cent solder joints.
2.3 Other items you will need.
The clock kit does not include power d pter. This is bec use the kit is sold to
m ny countries round the world, e ch with very different household m ins
outlet socket types. It is more efficient for the user to buy suit ble d pter
loc lly. This s ves shipping he vy d pter with the kit, nd lso the extr costs
of m n ging stocks of m ny v ried power d pters. If you re using WWVB,
DCF or MSF receiver void che p Chinese switching power supplies, s they c n
c use interference problems.
The type of power d pter c n be obt ined t very low cost. The following type
of d pter should be obt ined nd used with the kit:
Output 12V DC
Minimum power output c p bility of 500 mA
Output plug: 2.1mm pin, centre positive.
A suit ble d pter is shown below:

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
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3. LIST OF COMPONENTS
3.1 Table of components
Circuit Designation Part Description
Resistors
R1 270Ω, ¼ W tt
R2 270Ω, ¼ W tt
R3 4.3KΩ, ¼ W tt
R4 620KΩ, ¼ W tt
R5 4.3KΩ, ¼ W tt
R6, R7 270Ω, ¼ W tt
R8 – R14 4.3KΩ, ¼ W tt
R15- R17 390KΩ, ¼ W tt
R18 – R20 Not inst lled
R21 – R26 390KΩ, ¼ W tt
R27, R28 4.3KΩ, ¼ W tt
R29, R30 390KΩ, ¼ W tt
R37 Not inst lled
R38, R39 270Ω, ¼ W tt
C p citors
C1 470µF, 16-25V, Electrolytic
C2 100 µF, 16-25V, Electrolytic
C3 330pF Cer mic
C4 100nF Cer mic
C5 470 µF, 16-25V, Low ESR
C6 33pF Cer mic
C7 100nF Cer mic
C8 1 µF, 250V, Electrolytic
C9 100nF Cer mic
C10 0.1F
C11 33pF Cer mic
C12 33pF Cer mic
C13 100nF Cer mic
Tr nsistors
Q1 BC639
Q2 BC640
Q3 IRFxxx MOSFET
Q4 – Q7 MPSA42
Q8 – Q10 MPSA92
Q11- Q13 MPSA42
Diodes
D1, D2 1N5819
D3 UF4004
D4 5mm Green LED
D5 5mm Or nge LED
Integr ted Circuits
IC1 7805 5V Volt ge regul tor
IC2 MC34063A
IC3 PIC16F1936 8-bit Microcontroller
IC3, IC4 74141 / K155ID1 Nixie driver

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 7 -
Miscell neous
L1 100 µH Axi l inductor
NE1, NE2 6mm Wire ended neon l mp
SW1, SW2, SW3 Mini ture push button
VR1 1K Potentiometer
IC Sockets 8 W y DIP IC socket for IC2
28 W y DIP IC socket for IC3
2 X 16 W y DIP IC sockets for
IC4, IC5
J1 2.1mm PCB Power socket
GPS / RFT 6 W y mini DIN PCB socket
LS1 Piezo sounder
FUSE 500mA Resett ble fuse
Insul tion Cle r insul tion for neons
X1 32.768KHz W tch cryst l
Socket recept cles 66 X 1mm Socket recept cles
Lighting P ck:
The option l p ck cont ins the extr components needed for the tube
underlighting:
Circuit Designation Part Description
R31 – R36 270Ω, ¼ W tt
D6 – D11c 1206 SMD LEDs (18 tot l + 2
sp re)
Blue, Yellow, Green or Purple
Q14 2N7000 MOSFET
The resistors used in the kit re 1% toler nce met l film. They re
m rked with 4 coloured b nds to identify the v lue. However it is
sometimes uncle r in which direction the b nds should be re d.
Therefore, we recommend th t the resistors be identified with
multimeter.

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 8 -
3.2 Parts list / Packing sheet
Part Description Quantity
Resistors
270Ω, ¼ W tt 6
4.3KΩ, ¼ W tt 11
390KΩ, ¼ W tt 11
620KΩ, ¼ W tt 1
C p citors
470µF, 16-25V, Electrolytic 2
100µF, 16-25V, Electrolytic 1
1µF, 250V, Electrolytic 1
100nF, Cer mic 4
33pF, Cer mic 3
0.1F 1
330pF, Cer mic 1
Tr nsistors
IRFxxx MOSFET 1
BC639 1
BC640 1
MPSA42 7
MPSA92 3
Diodes
1N5819 2
UF4004 F st recovery diode 1
5mm Green LED 1
5mm Or nge LED 1
Integr ted Circuits
7805 5V Volt ge regul tor 1
MC34063A 1
PIC16Fxxxx 8-bit Microcontroller 1
74141 / K155ID1 Nixie driver 2
Miscell neous
100 µH Axi l inductor 1
6mm Wire ended neon l mp 2
Mini ture push button 3
1K Potentiometer 1
8 W y DIP IC Socket 1
28 W y DIP IC Socket 1
16 W y DIP IC Socket 2
2.1mm PCB Power socket 1
6 W y mini DIN PCB socket 1
Piezo sounder 1
500mA Resett ble fuse 1
6 cm Cle r insul tion 1
32.768KHz w tch cryst l 1
1mm Socket recept cles 66

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 9 -
Lighting P ck:
The option l p ck cont ins the extr components needed for the tube
underlighting:
270Ω, ¼ W tt resistor 6
1206 SMD Resistors
Blue, Yellow, Green or Purple
20
2N7000 MOSFET 1
It is recommended th t the kit is checked g inst the lists bove, to
ensure ll p rts re present before commencing ssembly. Don’t be
l rmed if there re some extr components, s some component b gs
re sh red between different kit types. Also check our kit upd tes
document on our website downlo ds p ge. This det ils ny ch nges to
components, or substitutions th t h ve been m de due to p rt
v il bility.

Nixie Tube Clock ‘LTC’
Issue 1 (1 November 2011)
www.pvelectronics.co.uk
- 10 -
4. ASSEMBLY OF THE PCB
NOTE THAT THESE INSTR CTIONS ARE SHARED BETWEEN
SEVERAL VERY SIMILAR CLOCK TYPES. YO R PCB MAY NOT LOOK
EXACTLY LIKE THE ONE PICT RED.
4.1 1mm Sockets For Nixie Tubes
There re 66 individu l sockets th t need to be soldered in. The best
method is s follows. Pl ce ll sockets into the holes, noting th t for e ch
tube there re three holes th t h ve no socket s m rked on the PCB.
When ll sockets h ve been pl ced, pl ce fl t nd h rd object over the
top of the sockets, nd turn the PCB over so you c n solder from the
underside. Be sure to insert the sockets FROM the bottom side of the PCB
– the side with the tube nd m rkings.