From scratch design of a Nixie Tube Clock, with a twist. This clock sets its time using a GPS reciever, so it has the correct time anywhere around the world--and you don't have set it.
Read the "Notes on Nixie Tube Clock.rtf" for more details on the actual design. Here are some images of the design. All the Code, PCB, and 3D model files are included here if you want to make your own. BOM cost will run you around 300$ (as of May 2025)
From left to right:
12vDC to 180v boost circuit Max1771, HV shift register 1 for Hours, arduino MCU, GPS antenna, HV shift register 2 for minutes (underneath GPS)
I bought an Ender 3 V2 and modeled a base and some trim parts for this clock.
Like any old electronics one day they will stop working ... and they aren't getting any cheaper to repair.
In 2020, the larger IN-18 tubes were 50$ each, and the smaller IN-8-2 were a measly 18$. Shipped from a wearhouse in Belarus.
Flash forward to 2025, and the large tubes are 85$ and the small IN-8-2 are now retailing for 25$ each.
