Driving a Nixie tube with an Arduino

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Driving a Nixie tube with an Arduino
In this video we cary on from the previous Nixie tube video. Now that we know how the Nixie tube works, and how to drive it. How can we use an Arduino to accomplish our goal. We used a Nano in conjunction with some N-E MOSFETs to ground the cathodes. But this really isn't practical.
How does a nixie tube work?: • How does a Nixie tube ...
Arduino Nixie Tube Driver Demo: pastebin.com/fTWSAPXS
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FAQ:
Me: Paul, 49 from USA
Education: United States Navy, University of California at San Diego B.S. E.E., University of Pittsburgh M.S. E.E.
Experience: United States Navy STS, Bayer Intnl Process Engineer
Current: Teaching college freshmen electrical engineering at a small community college in the Pittsburgh Area.
Health: BAD (Congestive Heart Failure)
Hobbies: Electronics, flying, amateur radio, music (classic rock)

[@Thatguy-cf9qj]

Thanks dude! My grandpa left me all his radio equipment and I found about 1000+ Burroughs B-5092-A round nixie tubes in a old ammo can.

[@seppbeld7579]

OMG

[@spamaccount4917]

Hell of a luck man

[@jfidel3943]

That's amazing, dude!

[@mewintle]

You could eBay those for a FORTUNE!

[@nixietubes]

holy fuck dude you're rich

[@teh60]

Looking forward to more Nixie tube videos. Have a good vacation.

[@aviationodyssey1892]

I like that project a lot! Thank you!

[@Fungineers]

Always learn a lot from your videos!

[@learnelectronics]

Thanks

[@derekr7814]

@@learnelectronics I don't see a video doing the 6 digits?

[@HappyHermitt]

Thetes a guy on YT that learned to make Nixie tunes. Its insane.. Those are pieces of art.

[@learnelectronics]

Yes! Dalabor Farny!

[@georgechambers3197]

Happy spring break!!!

[@jj74qformerlyjailbreak3]

Just scored 14 Nixie tubes today. Can’t wait to put Wheels on them. 😂 God Bless.

[@yarindam]

I did order a set from your amazon shop immediately. Will keep you posted on how am I doing with these.

[@that_semicolon]

which is the video you talked about? Nixie clock using Arduino where only 1 pin per Nixie is used i'm working on a nixie clock

[@mikeoliver3254]

Have a great trip.

[@spit75d]

So the 5-volt output from the Arduino is basically telling the MOSFET to turn ground on and off for a given number?

[@thenutter2003]

looking good

[@doughy67]

Have a great vacation

[@bblod4896]

Have a great vacation.

[@TheBlueArcher]

nixie tubes are so beautiful. I just bought a set, but i don't know what i want to use them for. but i'm just researching how they work. I'm guessing one pin on the bottom of the nixie tube is one digit? and i'm not getting why there's normally 2 voltage levels listed... I'll go through your "how does an nixie tube work" video.. hopefully i'll find my answers there. Thanks for these videos!

[@scot_rish]

I am working on a college electronics manufacturing project involving nixie tubes and I think you just single handedly fixed my issue with how this is going to work. Thank you. By any chance, would you happen to know where I could find these nixie tube drivers and power supplies?

[@learnelectronics]

amzn.to/3HNUuvz

[@michaelpadovani9566]

Interested to see the Nixie driver. I was thinking I2C multiplexer (MCP23017). Enjoy your vacation and time off.

[@bdormer1]

Take a look at the 74141 aka K155ИД1 - it's a chip specifically designed to drive a Nixie tube.

[@bdormer1]

Can you post the part # for the MOSFET's? I'm thinking IRF640N's (200V) should do it - since you're probably only going to run the tubes at something like 185V (less if you can get away with it, just to extend the life of the tubes). Also - I don't see current limiting resistors on your breadboard - I would think something like 4.7K off the anode should do nicely. Without that current limiter, those tubes are going to just gobble up current which will A) stress the boost converter and B) burn up the tubes. I'm thinking of using an ESP8266 (so it has on-board wifi) to pick up the time from the internet and run a single digit Nixie clock (I already have a 6 digit IN-12 clock and I have some tubes left over) I'm a Software Engineer, so writing the code will be the easy part - but its been a while since I took EE classes back in college. Looking forward to the rest of the project. Thanks!

[@learnelectronics]

I used IRFZ44Ns. Also the power supply is current limited specially for Nixie tubes.

[@bdormer1]

Ya' know - after I posted - maybe an hour later - it dawned on me that the power supply was specifically for Nixies - and the little voice in my head said "I wonder if it's current limited already" - Yep. But what I don't get is how you can use a MOSFET that's only rated for 55V in a circuit that's probably got 170V-190V flowing in it? I'd think those MOSFETs would get REALLY hot and then melt.

[@felipemanchado3288]

Hi Brian, my name is Feli and i'm trying to make a nixie tube clock. It's my first project and i'm having trouble choosing which MOSFET I can use, the tubes are IN-8-2. I'm not any kind of engineer and I'm just trying to learn by myself so if you could give me a hand I would be very grateful. Thank you (sorry for the poor english, may have trouble with that too)

[@MPElectronique]

Will you make a clock from these ?

[@learnelectronics]

Yes, that is the plan

[@ilijapetrovic5992]

What mosfet did you use?

[@learnelectronics]

IRFZ34N

[@zaprodk]

I think you meant cathodes, not anodes since there is only one of those, and it's positive.

[@learnelectronics]

I probably did. My channel is unscripted so I misspeak one in a while.

[@gapadad2]

MPSA42 transistors work well and are cheep.

[@DouglasKryder]

i read yesterday that a 5 in a nixie is actually an upside down 2 . what are the chances of high voltage of nixie tube reaching the arduino?

[@thebeststooge]

N-Channel Fets meaning they connect ground up so if you used a socket for the Nixie the chance of the HV reaching the Arduino is next to nil as many things would have to happen for it to happen.

[@learnelectronics]

That's why I used the FETs. The gate is isolated from drain-source junction.

[@thebeststooge]

Precisely.

[@bdormer1]

Yes - when the Soviets manufactured these, they took the cost saving step of just turning the 2 upside down to make the 5. It was one less cathode to manufacture. Although you CAN get Nixies that have a true 5 in them if you want.

[@adibozzhanov3101]

what about a shift register?

[@learnelectronics]

What is your question?

[@billfield8300]

Hey Paul, are you a good Canadian boy? or are just you living here ?? Your regular comments about american football had me thinking you we an American... Its all good either way... just curious.

[@learnelectronics]

I'm a Yank. While I live in Toronto, it's Toronto, Ohio not Ontario.

[@billfield8300]

Ahaaaa... ok well good luck with your nixie tube project. I'm looking forward to it. Have a good vacation.

[@briefingtesla9251]

Who knows what Mosfet he used in the video?