Neonkev #1 - An intro to Nixie Tubes (nixie history, how they work, and more!)

Hi all!
Welcome to the first video I've made to go along with my personal engineering blog: neonkev.com/
My life changed after discovering nixie tubes; they piqued my interest in electrical engineering and help me to discover new engineering skills and knowledge!
I hope you enjoy this expository video about all things nixie related. No one video can cover all aspects of a topic, but hopefully you can gain an appreciation for what nixie tubes are, or learn something new if you knew about them already.
Enjoy and more to come!
Chapters:
1:06 Nixie History
6:41 How Nixies Work
10:06 Types of Nixies
11:16 Buying Nixies
Large nixie tube related Google group:
groups.google.com/g/neonixie-l
Nixie related patent links:
patents.google.com/patent/US2...
patents.google.com/patent/US2...
patents.google.com/patent/US2...
patents.google.com/patent/US2...
patents.google.com/patent/US2...
Good reading on nixie history and science:
spectrum.ieee.org/nixie-tube
www.decodesystems.com/nixie-hi...
www.saltechips.com/lab/theory...
www.cathodecorner.com/nixiewat...
frank.pocnet.net/other/Burrou...

[@jlippencott1]

I had the pleasure of being a technician on the Nixie manufacturing line at the Burroughs plant in NJ when I was a young man. I had no idea at the time how important and how ubiquitous the Nixie tubes were at that time. The process was very complex and incredibly precise, with a team of mostly women that had the dexterity and patience to hand assemble the internal parts, which were subsequently sent on to the exhaust and fill department where the bulbs were mated to the pin bases and then evacuated and filled with the neon/xenon gas mix. I have some equipment made by Hewlett-Packard that still have working Nixies for their displays.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you for sharing your story with us. That must have been quite the experience, to be there on the Burroughs production line. I wonder if most of today's technology will be working some 60+ years later!

[@Flipclockfans]

Excellent history and review of Nixie tube function!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you!

[@hallpet45]

Wecome too the Nixie Family...We need people like you and if thats your first vidio..I'm blown away💥Loooooking fordward too ya next episode.👏Peter.

[@neonkev7866]

Appreciate it Peter. You've got some great nixie content on your channel too!

[@edgeeffect]

Not a bad first video... Hope you make more! And yours is the absolutely coolest home made Geiger counter I've ever seen... that is a work of art!!!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you! I have been working on a lot of projects recently, so I have plenty of content to make videos on this summer. I really like how the geiger counter turned out too. My buddy Henry Ott did the original design and firmware and I designed a miniaturized board layout. You can read more about it here: neonkev.com/2020/04/30/pocket-size-%ce%b1%ce%b2%ce%b3-geiger-counter/

[@petejones1957]

Don't know if anyone's seen the trailer for the film "Oppenheimer" they show a countdown clock using Nixie tubes, which seemingly were not made "til 1955, spooky! Super interesting and informative video, thank you

[@neonkev7866]

Interesting point, that is certainly an anachronism (nixies during the manhattan project). Whatever looks good on screen, I guess!

[@1gman858]

Quality work and video, Kevin!

[@leroyjones6958]

My first clock built in 1994 and still running fine uses National NL-807 tubes for Hours and Minutes. The seconds use NL-804. Check out the NL-804. Cool tube, somewhat rare.

[@gregorypeetros1083]

Great job Kevin! Look forward to seeing your channel grow.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Greg!

[@tom928]

Just earned a new subscriber. Awesome work!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you!

[@cycnus]

That was really interesting and fascinating! Love that magical neon glow!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you!

[@DimaTkach]

Thank you for this video, it was a pleasure to watch. Also, your collection of tubes (and projects) with them looks gorgeous! Hoping to see some new videos one day!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you! Definitely planning some more nixie content soon.

[@danielbriggs2]

This video is really well put together; keep up the good work! + I hope you release more videos. Also: really nice lab you’ve got setup there; clinically clean, and loads of fantastic equipment :)

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you for the feedback Daniel! I have acquired a few more pieces of equipment since making this vid; lots of new content, just need the time to sit down and edit some videos!

[@ChrisHiblerPinball]

Looking forward to next episodes.

[@patmx5]

Very well done and researched video - thanks! And it's great to see the revival by folks like Dalibor and Millclock (wasn't previously aware of Millclock) - getting some of his tubes (and the Millclock ones now) are on my list of things to do. While LCDs are much more versatile in the grand scheme of things, for pure numerical displays you just can't beat that warm orange glow. Edit to add - I've gotten several nixie related kits for testing and healing the tubes from Marcin Saj in Poland - very handy things to have on hand.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Pat! I completely agree that neon will always have a special place for making warm and fascinating displays.

[@Moosetraks21]

Great collection

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you!

[@oussamaassal5588]

Hi there, i just came from Alex's channel :) im waiting for the video (crossing fingers for you , good luck)

[@neonkev7866]

Just uploaded the follow up video!

[@Kosta24]

You deserve more subscribers. Thank you for the awesome video

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you; glad you enjoyed it!

[@KingHelmer]

a nice high quality educational video. Please continue, this channel has some potential. came here from the board repair on the NorthridgeFix channel.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you; just uploaded the follow up video to the northridgefix repair!

[@GadgetGuyUK]

Excellent video my friend, very interesting and contained so many facts on the subject and all its history👏👏👏👏

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you! More videos coming soon.

[@JeffWalton_MN]

Nicely done!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Jeff!

[@Falconguygaming]

Excellent first video, subbing for sure

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you! Stay tuned.

[@craigsilsbee4175]

Great job, thanks per for putting together such an interesting video.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you for watching Craig!

[@JimTheZombieHunter]

I truly believe that I'm the inventor of the Nixie clock. Built my first in 1987 from tubes salvaged from a Panasonic calculator that I bought for $5 at Active Surplus in Toronto for my girlfriend named Sandy with about 20 7400 series TTL chips and the HV supplied by a linear step-up using an 8-to-600 Ohm audio matching trafo. Whatever .. that and three bucks will get me a bus ride, lol.

[@neonkev7866]

Interesting story Jim. The earliest nixie "clock" I can think of is the B7971 FLW (four letter word) by Raymond Weisling in the early 70s. If you search that up there is some info out there.

[@JimTheZombieHunter]

@@neonkev7866 Ah yes, of course you're right. Certainly I didn't really 'invent' them .. but had never seen another until the days of the internet. People who saw it wanted one, but I never was able to justify the time and expense in hand building them point-point, and didn't think I could make any money investing in making PCBs.. In early Y2K when I saw Cathode Corner was selling clocks and kits I kind of did a palm plant and thought to myself "Why didn't I do that?"

[@eftekerahmed7299]

Excellent... everything in detail...nice and clear..you deserve more Subs..Good Luck 🤞

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Efteker!

[@441vette]

Very Nice, Kevin!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Mike!

[@girliedog]

Well done; enjoyed your lecture, and I am now a NIXIE fan.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@W1RMD]

Excellent video and channel. Thanks!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Ryan. I will have more content coming soon!

[@lenchata]

Damn good first video, thanks for the info!

[@neonkev7866]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@xDevscom_EE]

Excellent start, enjoyed your video and you got nice lab. Extra respects for making webiste as well, many of us still enjoy good written article/blog. Keep up good work!

[@neonkev7866]

Hi Illya, nice to see you here; appreciate your support! I have visited xDevs many times for your elaborate and unique content on equipment and metrology. Your work (and amazing lab!) has certainly been an inspiration for me along with Shahriar, Dave, and several others.

[@xDevscom_EE]

@@neonkev7866 If you need some projects, let me know. Apparently you are located just near-by :-).

[@larrybud]

Would love to see more from you.

[@TeslaTales59]

Excellent! I think I will build another clock on Christmas day!

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you Martin! Deck the halls with nixie clocks :D

[@MonkeyUnit]

Well done. Subbed.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you!

[@rockeeben07156]

this is very cool. please make more.

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you, will do!

[@leroyjones6958]

I like the fact that Kevin shows a National NL series nixie tube. I started off with National tubes back in 1990. I still think they are of the highest quality. In fact, it seems to me in my experience especially with the National NL-6844A tubes, that those generally still work fine, where as many many Burroughs 6844A tubes have various failures and lots of them are just plain dead, still new in box never used.

[@neonkev7866]

I agree Leroy, national tubes are excellent quality just like you've described. I put together a PV kit with NL-840s and it turned out to be a great little clock.

[@Mr_Joseph979]

I found a bunch of these tubes in the discard area of my job and never realized what they were because they were so old. We used to have machines made by Burroughs that used these type of tubes in certain areas. I wish now I picked one up just for the curiosity factor. Great first video.

[@Mr_Joseph979]

I came here because I'm waiting for you to make a video of the direction analyzer motherboard you sent to Northridge fix. I enjoyed this video. Very well done! I found a few of these tubes in my job but didn't know what they were. I regret not pocketing them before they were discarded.

[@neonkev7866]

Just uploaded the follow up video!

[@Mr_Joseph979]

@@neonkev7866 thanks I'm gonna take a look now!

[@mpjohns]

Just subscribed. I found you from the comments you left on northridgefix

[@neonkev7866]

Just uploaded the follow up video!

[@jason620362]

6:43 I thought it was a Chinese tube called sz-8 or qs30-1 They look alike but much smaller

[@Nobbie248]

Cool content. Should make more videos

[@neonkev7866]

Thank you; uploading the northridgefix follow up tonight! More to come.

[@dranonymous2000]

Haydu brothers. I wonder if they made them before the Burroughs acquisition in 1954?

[@meepferret]

Wowzers, you did your homework with all the people and patents! You show but didn't mention the flat Panaplex style, popular with calculators as a single device for 12 digits of 7 segments, often with comma and decimal point. Panaplex were popular in gas pumps for many years because they work in the cold and heat (unlike early LCDs). While calculators may have been the most popular use for Nixies, lab instruments used them, thus all the specialty Nixies with multimeter symbols (omega for ohms, V, A, ~ + -). Gotta give those displays equal time 🙂

[@samuelscipa1222]

Hi, nice video. Could you provide history and theory sources you used ? I am doing school project and I need good citation sources. Thanks :)

[@neonkev7866]

Thanks for watching! I added a bunch of links to different resources in the description; hopefully those are of some help.

[@monarch_of_death]

I'm confused by the radiation part Do we constantly have to expose the nixies to radiation to get it working or do we just have to do it once? And how the nixie clock works i mean how the number changes ?

[@neonkev7866]

The radiation I'm referring too is normal background levels. There is a small amount of ionizing radiation everywhere, and these stray ions are usually what will "kick off" ionization inside the tube once a strong electric field (from high voltage) has been applied. The numbers change inside of the tube by switching the circuit across different segments. In a numeric tube (0 to 9), each number is an individual piece of metal, acting as a cathode. An external circuit will connect and disconnect each number. So if you connect 2 numbers across the high voltage circuit, they will glow at the same time.

[@fatcamp907]

Any progress on the Nixie Smart Watch?

[@neonkev7866]

Not much unfortunately. Just been busy with test equipment; I stalled on the software for that proj. since that was way above my head at the time. It will return it due time..

[@markgreco1962]

New subscriber

[@neonkev7866]

Stay tuned!

[@markgreco1962]

@@neonkev7866 can’t wait

[@philharris9631]

What's with the missing bottom of the seconds digit on the six digit clock on the right?

[@neonkev7866]

Good eye! That was a case of "cathode poisoning". This mostly happens when the cathode is not used frequently and it is gradually covered with sputtering from adjacent digits. In this case, I believe this tube had some contaminants left over from manufacture which could be outgassing and adhering to the cathode, causing it only to partially illuminate. I was able to cure it after this video. Sometimes, it is possible to carefully "burn" off the cathode and restore the full glow by applying much higher than normal current during regular operation. In the case of this tube, the normal operating current is around 5 mA when illuminated. I gradually cranked up the poisoned cathodes to 25, 35, 45 mA for very short periods of time (30-60 seconds). The tube actually gets quite warm to touch at these high currents. Fortunately, this cured the partial illumination for now!

[@dranonymous2000]

NOTE: Presser and Richter were granted their patent in 1938 ,but filed In 1935. Brochlau patent was granted in 1939, was more complete , and filed a year earlier in 1934. According to the documents that you have presented. I read somewhere else it was the D--- brothers who began their manufacture. But I have a serious cold today so my memory doesn't work. And a Google seems so far away .... D--- Brothers ...

[@nixietubes]

As far as i know the inditron wasnt substantially less reliable than contemporary burroughs tubes

[@neonkev7866]

From what I could tell during my research, the Burroughs team was the first to discover that mercury doping was the key to longevity for cold cathode readout tubes. The Inditron which preceded it is highly unlikely to have had mercury vapor added to the gas mix, which would make it very short lived in comparison due to more aggressive cathode sputtering during normal operation. The cathodes of the inditron were also constructed from bent wire as opposed to stamped precision digits as used in the Burroughs design. Anecdotally, this also made them more fragile. It is difficult to draw conclusions about the inditron since so few were made and they were practically doomed to obscurity when Burroughs entered the market a year later.

[@nixietubes]

@@neonkev7866 oh yeah, once theyd started doping the tubes they were miles ahead of the inditron. But from what i understand they originally made lots of tubes before they discovered that. They actually at least had non mercury tubes alongside mercury tubes. They noted in a parts catalog that only tubes specified as ultra long life contained mercury

[@thetruth5404]

Sorry to contact you here but NorthRidgeFix keeps deleting my comment, maybe trying to hide something, anyways You commented that you will give feedback once your "crazy expensive device" he fixed, comes back to you. And I said @Neon Kev It most likely wont work as he spent too much time talking instead of paying attention at 38:45, two wires are touching, look left of the R letter from our perspective (where it says R50) For comparison look at 37:09, those same two wires were not touching He is awesome technician but lately spends too much time arguing with imaginary enemies

[@lucianionutcocos4413]

It is a reflex from the alcohol.

[@neonkev7866]

I'm uploading a video of the MS2721B repair tonight; check it out to see if you were right.

[@glenslick2774]

mikeselectricstuff sent me here

[@neonkev7866]

Awesome! I enjoy mikes content as well. He certainly is a dyed in the wool maker.

[@VictorLarsen-fy9ls]

These new nixie tubes are not interesting because they cost a lot of money, like a horse, this is a great speculation.$👎

[@neonkev7866]

Nixies certainly are expensive. However, if you look at the original prices when they were in production, they were also quite expensive historically. That's why nixies were used mainly in scientific and industrial equipment; not so much in consumer electronics at the time. Nixies may seem like simple devices at first glance, but I assure you that it is quite complicated in practice between the materials science and manufacturing techniques. Just ask Dalibor Farny.