Search found 56 matches

by jmmcg
Tue Aug 11, 2020 5:22 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Adding GPS
Replies: 20
Views: 49361

Re: Adding GPS

[SOLVED]After replacing the PIC chip with the one sent, I have re-started the phone 5 times in the past 7 hours and on no occasion has it not started correctly, updated the time from the GNSS module and appeared to work correctly. It would appear replacing the PIC chip enabled this.
by jmmcg
Fri Aug 07, 2020 8:10 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Adding GPS
Replies: 20
Views: 49361

Re: Adding GPS

With the GNSS module attached when I power up the clock it often displays this behaviour: it shows "15[+/-]15" for about 10 seconds (and responds to the IR) then the display changes to "5~~~5" where "~" means the nixie is not lit and the clock no longer responds to the ...
by jmmcg
Thu Aug 06, 2020 4:49 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Help!
Replies: 28
Views: 54704

Re: Help!

The first thing to eleininate is the LED - the blue LED is in series with the MPSA42 base and can sometimes cause problems. Just bridge it for now to see if there's any change. The high voltages and resistances can make taking readings a bit confusing so replacing suspect transistors is the easiest...
by jmmcg
Wed Aug 05, 2020 7:32 pm
Forum: Plasma button of Doooom
Topic: PCB assembly discussion
Replies: 22
Views: 53076

Re: PCB assembly discussion

I noticed that the brightness of individual nixies seems to vary considerably (turns out this is not the case...). Of the two buttons I have working, their nixies are the brightest. Another two I have tested are much dimmer and I simply cannot get the relay to fire. After being brave & swapping ...
by jmmcg
Tue Aug 04, 2020 3:04 pm
Forum: Plasma button of Doooom
Topic: PCB assembly discussion
Replies: 22
Views: 53076

Re: PCB assembly discussion

A 10k variable would do but there's usually quite a large voltage change anyway meaning there's a wide acceptable range. I have added a 10k trim potentiometer in place of R4 to two of the Buttons of Doooom: both have 27 turns (I did my level best to follow your advice and make the coils even & ...
by jmmcg
Sat Aug 01, 2020 12:41 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Help!
Replies: 28
Views: 54704

Re: Help!

Check the anode voltage is reaching the nixie itself, try removing a working tube and comparing the waveform. I rechecked that the anode waveforms look the same as the "collector" waveforms, so the waveforms are getting to the nixies, without issue. For V1, V3 & V5 the peak-to peak vo...
by jmmcg
Wed Jul 29, 2020 4:16 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Help!
Replies: 28
Views: 54704

Re: Help!

I mentioned I was having an issue with one of the clocks: two of the 5 nixies fail to light. V2 and V3 fail to light. V1, V4 & V5 light. The clock PCB seems to be ok now: it appears to respond to controls, etc. All the blue & amber LEDs light. The waveforms for the nixies V1, V4 & V5 on ...
by jmmcg
Sat Jul 18, 2020 5:57 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Adding GPS
Replies: 20
Views: 49361

Re: Adding GPS

[SOLVED] Good catch: there was a dry joint on the serial-to-USB converter module that meant the data to the computer was fine, but to the clock too noisy. Re-soldered: time, date & year synchronised right away (as the GNSS module had an up-to-date ephemeris). Looks like that was the issue as tha...
by jmmcg
Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:36 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Adding GPS
Replies: 20
Views: 49361

Re: Adding GPS

I have built another cylinder clock (sent the other one as a present) and the NMEA messages from the BN-220T GNSS module do not seem to be updating the time nor date nor year, despite having a lock. So I hypothesise that the incompatibility was not alone to the previous clock, but common to them. Ca...
by jmmcg
Mon Jul 06, 2020 9:01 pm
Forum: Assembly instructions for the Cylinder V3 clock kit
Topic: Adding GPS
Replies: 20
Views: 49361

Re: Adding GPS

Most curious: after about 3 hours (the BN0-220T had had GNSS lock for about 2 hours already) the clock seemed to read the time from the GNSS module data. But it seemed to have a 8 hours subtracted from it (the GGA & RMC messages have the right timezone no odd offset, i.e. UTC). I checked menu en...