The clock described on this page is the result of both events, a simple single digit nixie clock with some interesting features, but without any difficult components. This clock first of all demonstrates that it is possible to use standard, low-voltage, general puspose, small-signal transistors like the BC550, as nixie drivers. Since I can imagine that it will be a
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surprise to most people, that a transistor with a BVceo of 50V can be used in a 200V application, I have gone to quite some length to explain it, starting from basic semiconductor theory. The high voltage supply for the nixie in this clock is directly taken from the mains. This works perfectly, but it has some serious implications with respect to safety. The first section on this page deals with this issue; read it carefully! However, the clock is completely safe as long as a completely isolating case is used, and as long as no metal parts of the circuit can be touched while it is connected to the mains. The circuit for this clock is so small, that an elegant glass test-tube could be used as a case! For safety reasons, the mains on/off switch, in this case a simple cord switch, is used to (besides switch the clock on and off), set the time. How this works is explained later on. By minimizing the power consumption of the controller circuit, it additionally was possible to feed the low-voltage controller circuit directly from main, without the need for a transformer! How it works is explained in the section Dropper capacitor power supply. The last point concerning this clock that needs introduction is the ambient lighting feature. On the backside of the clock a three color LED is mounted which produces an endless sequence of random colors (Fig. 1). This produces in the evening and at night a nice glow on the wall behind the...
This project fits more for custom made battery casing that can have more space to hide things inside. This switch with few alterations can be used for any other project as well but is designed based on e-bike needs! This project use a clever functionality of....
The circuit described here uses ultrasonic oscillations and operates based on the propagation velocity of these oscillations in the air. Thus, we can easily determine the distance of two points if the time within which the wave travels this distance is....
Sometimes the precious metals are hidden too deep and are not detected except with complicated devices. In many cases, however, small pieces of precious metal buried near the surface can be detected by relatively simple means. Everyone is very attractive to....
Many times for various reasons we forget or can not water the plants that we have in our homes. And many humidity sensors units just notify us with a beeping sound or with a flashing light, that the pot needs watering. But what if we are away from home? This....
The principle behind a metal detector is really very simple. Proof of this is the circuit that follows, in which it proves that the construction of a metal detector can be done in the minute, with few components that we find very easily everywhere. With the....
The sub-harmonic bass generator is a sound producing unit for guitars. The sound it produces looks very much like that of the bass guitar. The octave generator is sometimes quite unusual since it does not produce any of the usual ways of coloring the sound,....
In the past the sounding (sea bottom measurement) was done with the "bullet", that is, with a heavy lead object that the seamen plucked into the sea hung from a calibrated rope. As soon as the "bullet" reached the bottom, the depth appeared directly from the....
This Amplifier was designed to have the following specifications: Distortion less than 0.1% at full power of 100W even at 20KHz. Power has to be attributed to an extended bandwidth. The output transistors must be protected against short circuits. The power....
A series of LEDs serve to alert the gardener when plants need water. Using two conventional digital integrated LEDs and a series of LEDs, we make a very useful device for gardening. The device detects the amount of water in the pot and alerts the grower.....
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