(AUS) Vacuum Fluorescent Display s 11-digit at Jaycar for $2.95 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 06:48:49 am
content: I spotted these at my local Jaycar this morning for only $2.95 each, so grabbed a few. They are probably cheaper direct from China, but not a bad price for a retail store.Haven't seen VFDs for sale since the late 90's... now I just have to figure out what I should build to make use of them...

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:14:25 am
content: Does the leaflet recommend a suitable driver chip? Does Jaycar sell it?

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:19:42 am
content: Wow, must grab. Which shop was this? Might be a manager special.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:41:09 am
content: Here it is:https://www.jaycar.com.au/11-digit-fluoro-display-bargain/p/ZD1880?pos=9&queryId=c99746bdd37680867e0544f1658636d6&sort=relevance&searchText=displayDigits are just 6mm high and 3.5mm wide.Price breaks:1-9$2.9510-24$2.6025+$1.95

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:52:16 am
content: Ah, should have known they would abbreviate fluorescent to fluoro.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 08:58:15 am
content: OT News for the Melbourne mob too Rockby is relocating to Rowville from ClaytonVFD driver IC's worth checking the datasheets btwhttps://www.rockby.com.au/CatresultsSql_12.cfm?Searchkey=display+driver&stock_no=22511

author: johnboxall
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 18, 2023, 10:18:14 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on May 18, 2023, 08:14:25 amZD1882UDN6118Ahttps://www.jaycar.com.au/udn6118a-driver-to-suit-fluro-display-dip18/p/ZD1882

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 01:24:38 am
content: Looking at the datasheet supplied by Jaycar which is the same as others on the Internet, the VFD is a Futuba 11-ST26A, and that will get you a bit more information, including posts by people who have used it. The Moddate attribute of the PDF is 2006-04-05 so the display is at least that old.The segment and grid voltages are given as 12V so it's possible to drive them with 4000 CMOS gates, but one poster said it was a bit dim and used 20V.

author: austfox
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 01:38:33 am
content: Quote from: johnboxall on May 18, 2023, 10:18:14 amIt looks like the UDN6118 is 8 x darlington transistors, so I am not sure what the difference between it and the cheaper ULN2003 is?Thanks to retiredfeline I will have a look at other users to see the best option on how to drive them.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 04:07:03 am
content: Jaycar I went to didn't have stock, despite what their web site said. Will try other stores next week.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 19, 2023, 04:13:35 am
content: Quote from: austfox on May 19, 2023, 01:38:33 amNo, look at the internal schematic. The darlingons are high side.

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2023, 08:21:37 am
content: I notice Jaycar have a sale on and solder is reduced.https://www.jaycar.com.au/0-71mm-duratech-solder-1kg/p/NS3002?pos=4&queryId=88168642201ecf1d18b7a089bb868ed3https://www.jaycar.com.au/1mm-duratech-solder-1kg/p/NS3015The Jaycar website says they are discontinued and the 1kg 0.71mm roll is 500g, 1000g pictured. I bought a roll and it is 1000g. The website points to the replacement stock which is 500g for a dollar more. 200g rolls are $25.

author: Someone
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2023, 10:28:43 am
content: Quote from: wilfred on May 28, 2023, 08:21:37 amShop around, you can get brand name eutectic rosin core (say Multicore 362) for less.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2023, 11:24:20 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on May 18, 2023, 08:41:09 amAlsoavailable in Noo Zildfor an equivalent price, so it seems to be company-wide.QuoteI don't know of any country that uses a semicolon as a digits separator so I'm guessing it's a switchable comma vs. period rather than a semicolon. The cut-off-halfway data sheet mentions a "lower comma" and "decimal point" but no "upper comma", does someone who's got one want to try lighting it up to see which is which?

author: wilfred
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 28, 2023, 11:52:06 am
content: Quote from: Someone on May 28, 2023, 10:28:43 amWell how about a link. Even in Melbourne I don't know of many places that sell solder. I doubt I'll need solder for quite a while now. But I'd still like to know how much effort I needed to go to, to get a better value.I expected to get a response advising of better value. I just leave it to others to make their own choice.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2023, 04:14:16 pm
content: Quote from: austfox on May 18, 2023, 06:48:49 amI bought a couple of such displays in the 90's... Still don't know what to do with them and I likely threw them out a while ago. My advice: only buy parts you need for a current project otherwise you end up with a hoard of unused parts like me.

author: OZ1LQB
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 29, 2023, 04:57:44 pm
content: nctnico..is that a bad thing ;-)

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2023, 05:58:36 am
content: (It depends who's asking)

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2023, 06:24:35 am
content: Quote from: Brumby on May 30, 2023, 05:58:36 amSHMBO to Brumby what did you buy 'this time'When you reach the point of not wanting to or being able play with fun toys then is life worth living? Lots to be learned playing with new or offbeat stuff and for very few $ in this case.

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: May 30, 2023, 11:04:28 am
content: NERF Super Soaker XP100 Water Blaster (at the request of the wife).We have some sulphur crested cockatoos taking an unhealthy interest in our house and need some discouragement.As for other purchases, I've had to wind back on that until I can make room to:1. Organise garage and other areas so that I can:2. Store what I have in an accessible mannerand3. Work on/utilise existing acquisitions.Current plans and budget are directed towards storage products. *sigh*

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 30, 2023, 02:33:24 pm
content: Quote from: beanflying on May 30, 2023, 06:24:35 amEverybody is bound to the amount of time they are alive. So only buy the toys you have time for to play with... I'm quite sure that when I die at high age I still have a TODO list long enough to last another lifetime and probably even longer.

author: retiredfeline
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: June 02, 2023, 03:46:53 am
content: Quote from: nctnicoYes but there no way of knowing how much time that is.