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Registered Member #3766
Joined: Sun Mar 20 2011, 05:39AM
Location:
Posts: 624
The problem with making only one is that it costs $115 to make 1 pcb, and $135 to make 20 I might try making one at home myself...
as for noise, I was using a dedicated 555 smps (2 actually, to keep current down) with some epic decoupling between it and the logic side of things, it was working well on the perfboard prototype, laid out the same.
Registered Member #1334
Joined: Tue Feb 19 2008, 04:37PM
Location: Nr. London, UK
Posts: 615
magnet18 wrote ...
The problem with making only one is that it costs $115 to make 1 pcb, and $135 to make 20 I might try making one at home myself...
as for noise, I was using a dedicated 555 smps (2 actually, to keep current down) with some epic decoupling between it and the logic side of things, it was working well on the perfboard prototype, laid out the same.
The tubes are IN-14's
Hmm. That's very expensive for a prototype board - in Europe, we have houses like Olimex which charge about 30 euros for a 10cm x 16cm double-sided, plated through, silk screened & soldermasked panel (which they panellize FOC) - I'm certain there are similar services in the USA, however, I take your point.
If you can make one first, it might save a whole lot of grief later on, apart from just being good engineering practice Just because something works on a breadboard doesn't guarantee it'll be fine on a given PCB, especially when you are switching significant currents (an amp or so) - also, unless you 'scope the power & data, you won't see how close to the boundaries you are regarding spurious resets etc. Decoupling generally is on the Vcc lines - SMPS noise can quite happily inject itself via the ground return/plane as well which any amount of decoupling will not stop and which is largely dependant on layout - these sorts of problems can be intermittent & very subtle. Building something for sale is not the same as building it for yourself.
There is a page on my site about nixie power supplies - although you are using a 555-based system, the points about the design of the ground plane & return still apply -
IN-14s are a nice tube, but have the "upside down 2" instead of a "5" - no-one seems to know why the Reflector factory did this - it can hardly have saved them much money. IN-16s are a bit smaller but have a dedicated "5" - also a nice tube - the "2" vs. "5" is a personal thing...
It maybe that you'll have absolutely no problems at all, but if you are selling stuff, doing the basics of a real prototype test is not just good engineering practice, its good for business...
Registered Member #2390
Joined: Sat Sept 26 2009, 02:04PM
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Posts: 381
Cant wait! Your plan sounds pretty solid! Usually thats the hardest part of starting up a biz. Who knows, maybe you will sell a ton of them. Heres a few ideas that may help! 1) Be creative with the case, its gotta be cool. Possibly led illuminated. 2) Use matched, good bright tubes, previously mentioned no upside-down 2's that'll kill any clock!! 3) Bigger is better when it comes to the tubes! 4) Make sure to have colon indicators, people just love those. Some even gut a purchased clock just to add them! 5) Make yourself proud!!
Registered Member #2390
Joined: Sat Sept 26 2009, 02:04PM
Location: Milwaukee Wisconsin
Posts: 381
LOL!! Us Nixie fans are a little picky i guess!! As far as the colon indicators go, i have seen clocks with little glass test tubes over each pair to protect them and allow you to clean them as well.... (thats another little hint) I am excited to see what you come up with!!!!
Registered Member #3637
Joined: Fri Jan 21 2011, 11:07PM
Location: Buffalo, NY
Posts: 1068
Oh, as a suggestion, why not make it so the colors of the backlight gradually change around, like those color changing light bulbs? That would be neat to see.
Registered Member #1403
Joined: Tue Mar 18 2008, 06:05PM
Location: Denmark, Odense C
Posts: 1968
I built a nixie tube clock some time ago, but I hardly ever use it as its "hard" to use.
I manually have to set the time, its a drag so I don't do it. Why do I have to set the time so often, because I do not wan't to let it burn when I am not home.
It's not that I don't trust my own design, but there is just no insurance covering if my home made electronics burned down my apartment, please consider and investigate the laws and rules on what have to be done in order to start selling electronics.
The rules might be different where you live, but it got to a point for me where I have given up trying to sell finished products due to I could be sued into bankruptcy.
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Selling Nixie Clocks
Just because something works on a breadboard doesn't guarantee it'll be fine on a given PCB, especially when you are switching significant currents (an amp or so) - also, unless you 'scope the power & data, you won't see how close to the boundaries you are regarding spurious resets etc. Decoupling generally is on the Vcc lines - SMPS noise can quite happily inject itself via the ground return/plane as well which any amount of decoupling will not stop and which is largely dependant on layout - these sorts of problems can be intermittent & very subtle. Building something for sale is not the same as building it for yourself.
