Operating Numtiron Tubes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Mint.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 03:15:48 am
content: Recently I have acquired some vintage numitron tubes (new old stock). I have looked everywhere on how to operate them, but I still have not found how to do so. The type of tube's that I have got are ??-6 (IV-6) the configuration is similar to an eight segment LED. There are 12 wires, one of them is considerably shorter than the others and from what I can see it is connected to the white block of something, which holds the actual display down. I can read Russian so the data sheet's are not a problem to me. I just do not know how to operate such a component. Can anybody please advise me on how to operate it, and how to connect everything up? Here is a link to the data sheet if you require one:http://tec.org.ru/board/ehlekrovakuumnye_pribory/indiuvtornye_pribory/iv_6/185-1-0-1334

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 04:14:06 am
content: I think they may be similar to the ones used in AdaFruit's Ice Tube clock. Take a look at the information there and see if it sheds any light on the situation.

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 04:15:35 am
content: Here's an idea:http://youtu.be/urH5OaNyMLA

author: amyk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 07:55:57 am
content: Numitrons have an incandescent filament for each segment, but from the datasheet and IanB's video above it seems to be a regular VFD.Filament voltage 1.2v @ 50mA, plate voltage 27V continuous 60V pulsed.

author: Gall
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 01:51:33 pm
content: Soviet IV-6 (??-6) is a regular VFD. (In fact, IV-** denotes an VFD, "IV" stands for Russian "Indicator Vacuumnyi" in Russian, no translation is needed, I think). However there are two or three models that have IV-** marking but are no VFDs, nobody knows why.Just like any other VFD, IV-6 is operated just like any vacuum triode. Filament voltage is 1.2 V rated, voltages between 1.0 and 1.35 V are permitted. Pins 7 and 8 are filament and directly heated cathode. A positive voltage should be appliet to the grid (pin 9) and anodes (all other pins). Pin 12 is cut and used for a key. Each anode corresponds to a segment, and manipuulating grid voltage can be used for multiplexing.Rated anode voltage is 27 V (25 to 30 V) and 0.5 mA constant current. But it works even at 12V or less so you may use regular 40xx series ICs with them.Simpliest usage: apply 1.2 V between pins 7 and 8, connect pin 8 to ground. Apply positive voltage 12...27V to pin 9 and to one or more other pins. You may connect pins 1-6, 9, 10 and 11 directly to outputs of 40xx logic.

author: Mint.
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 09:11:28 pm
content: Quote from: Gall on April 09, 2012, 01:51:33 pmCan you please tell me how to identify the pins?

author: IanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 09, 2012, 10:25:36 pm
content: Quote from: Mint. on April 09, 2012, 09:11:28 pmDid you look at the page you linked to?

author: Gall
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2012, 09:32:49 am
content: All glass tubes, valves, older ICs in round metal cases and other round devices almost always have the same pin numbering: clockwise if seen from bottom (from pin side). There is some space (cut pin) between pin 1 and pin 11. Other devices may have no such space but they always have some other key, i.e. a color dot near pin 1.

author: hiddensoul
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 10, 2014, 07:22:03 am
content: I have just bought 12 IV-6 tubes and 12 IV-17 tubes. The IV-6 ones are 7 segment plus decimal point and the IV-17's are star burst alphanumeric displays. I am going to make a two level clock with the 7 segments on the top, six of them displaying the time and underneath 6 of the star burst to display email inbox count, weather etc. I got enough to make two of them, one for my shack and one for my wife's desk

author: OUT1
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: January 10, 2019, 01:25:00 pm
content: me to vdf IV6 how can i use them or 1 with an UNO just as a clock with the DS1307 TRC?? just 1 tube so how to conect it? there is a build online but it is the IV9 low power nixie build as the 7 segment display, so the tube works as that, but when i ordered the tubes the builder told me he made a mistake and that the tube was a IV9 the f m.... yep.so how can i still use it in that config?