NixiEmergency (Now: Nixie Project!)

[MyHeadHz]

UPDATE: Seller sent the documents shortly after I made this post (about a day or so after sending him the email), so I wont need help with that part.  I still have some questions, so I'll just put them in this thread.

original post:

Link to eBay page

Inspired by Dave's recent build, I decided to build a Nixie project: a Nixie clock (with IN-12B's).  This item recently arrived from ebay (already have IN-12B's), but the seller forgot to include instructions/diagrams!   I emailed him, but no reply.  He is polish, apparently, so I tried to CC google translate as well.

I can figure out where most of the components go due to the pictures on the page, but not all.  Anyone here have the instructions or an idea what to do?I was hoping to make this a first soldering project, but reverse-engineering might be a bit over my head...

Click for image of what I have.

WYSIWYG    

Images from page from the page...

Seller's Image 1

Seller's Image 2

Seller's mage 3

edit: After posting, I noticed that the images are quite large, so I made them links instead... then i fixed my broken bb code.

[Ian.M]

"Set includes diagrams and instructions" + seller not responding => open a dispute with EBAY: Item does not match the seller's description.    That is *almost* certain to shake loose a response from the seller with the missing documents or links to them.  If not, you'll get enough back to reduce the pain of reverse engineering it from PCB photos and a parts list.

[MyHeadHz]

I could do that, but it's only been a day since I asked him.  I might try that if I don't get a reply after a few days.  My main concern is just getting it together...

I don't see any potential issues with soldering what I can see.  I think I'll do that and then try to figure out the rest by deduction.  Maybe by that time I'll find some diagrams...  :p

Why he doesn't have a PDF link on the page itself is beyond me...

[schmitt trigger]

Welcome to the wild world of Ebay purchasing. I agree with the previous poster, if after a pair of e-mails the seller hasn't responded, open a dispute with Ebay.
Anyways, I know you are itching to lie your hands on it, but don't assemble anything yet.


It is a shame, because the kit itself appears to be quite beautiful. 
Why would a seller ruin it with poor customer response? 

[MyHeadHz]

OK, OK.

In the mean time, I'll catalog the components and start making a diagram from what I can see.  This will take a while anyway since I don't have the color codes memorized yet.

[MyHeadHz]

The Seller sent me all the documents, so I should be good there.

While cataloging and labeling everything I noticed a couple things...

1.  The caps (3 labeled electrolytic caps) are Chong (Chongx?).  Is that a cheap brand?  If so, would I gain anything (reliability/longevity/etc) by getting a better brand?   It's a gift, so I'd like it to last.  I'd like to build a nice box/enclosure for it as well, which will make it warmer.  The Chong caps have a labeled rating to 105c.



2  All the resistors are +/- 5% (though most are about half that or less when I measured out of circuit).  Would there be any benefit in replacing them with 1% resistors before assembly?  Does accuracy have any bearing other than "if it works it's good enough, otherwise it just wont work"?

[schmitt trigger]

Electrolytic capacitors are very inexpensive. You won't go broke if you decide to replace them.

So, if you would like to replace them with name-brand devices, by all means do it.

With the resistors, if they are only current-limiting devices, or simple pullups, you don't gain much by going 1%.
If you have the unit's schematic, please share. We could make more accurate suggestions.

[MyHeadHz]

google docs link

that's a google drive link from the seller, not sure how long those stay live though.



Got it together and tried it without tubes (they are still a few weeks out, from a different source).  First try and all looks well.    I took my time and checked and double checked values and polarity as much as I could with a DMM and the internet while I was building it.



Ultimately, I would like to know the possibility of putting the tubes away from the PCB a bit (a few inches perhaps- something like ), or just changing the orientation of the PCB's to get the tubes out front like .  That way I would have more freedom in the box design.  The above is an image of some of the pins I would have to extend to get the board separated.  Would there be any issues with just getting ribbon cable and putting it wherever?  Two pins, separated from the rest, are labelled "HV".  I don't know what that means, but it might be important.  I thought it might mean High Voltage, but aren't most of them?



Another issue could be the MOSFET (IRF840).  Is that plate a ground, a heatsink, or both?  I put thermal compound on it and it seems to work fine, but it also has a bolt/nut attaching it to the board.  Would I be able to just put a heatwink on it and be done with it if I move the other board?

Option 2.  Would it be better to leave the boards as is, and just run wires from where the tube connectors are?  I've seen this done as well, but I was not able to find if anyone had to change the design to cope with anything.

One more thing, I goofed just a bit.  I forgot to put in a jumper under the longest IC.  There was no way to finagle it in with the connector on, so I just soldered the jumper on the back side of the board.  Is there any reason other than cosmetics that it has to be on the front?  It's hidden under the IC anyway, so as long as it won't cause problems it'll be my little secret.