My Ice Tube Clock is working fine, except for the minutes digit, which is much dimmer than the others. It's not a subtle problem—it’s the first thing people notice and comment on when I show off my clock. The clock is set for low brightness now, but the same digit is always much dimmer, even at the brightest setting.
I have attached pictures of the display, tube socket, and header solder joints. Let me know if there is anything else you'd like me to check.
Otherwise, I'd like to request a new tube. I guess I'll need the small PC board and right angle header also. I'd be glad to send in the defective tube assembly.
--Paul
Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
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Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.
- paulpenn
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:06 pm
Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
- Attachments
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- Header Pins.JPG (99.74 KiB) Viewed 1025 times
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- Small PCB.JPG (100.63 KiB) Viewed 1025 times
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- Display.JPG (95.16 KiB) Viewed 1025 times
- wildtang3nt
- Posts: 35
- Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:31 pm
Re: Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
It looks like there are three pins on your VFD driver socket that aren't fully flowed with solder. Maybe try touching that up and see how it looks.
Otherwise there are a couple firmwares that allow you to change the brightness of each digit. This however requires a programmer, or an Arduino to flash the new firmware to the clock.
Otherwise there are a couple firmwares that allow you to change the brightness of each digit. This however requires a programmer, or an Arduino to flash the new firmware to the clock.
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88139
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
Interesting. Typically, the seconds digit is dimmer than the rest. This is a function of how the tube is driven and is mentioned in the FAQ: http://learn.adafruit.com/ice-tube-clock-kit/faq
The solder looks mostly very good. But as mentioned above, there are a few pins that could use a bit more solder. Touch them up and see if anything improves.
The solder looks mostly very good. But as mentioned above, there are a few pins that could use a bit more solder. Touch them up and see if anything improves.
- paulpenn
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:06 pm
Re: Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
OK -- touched up the solder on the three pins on the MAX6921 socket. No change at all in the brightness of the unit minutes digit.
I looked in the FAQ as suggested but did not find anything about this problem. There seems to be some confusion about which digit is dim: I am not having any problem with the seconds digits, only the units, not tens, of minutes. Please refer to the picture.
What now?
--Paul
I looked in the FAQ as suggested but did not find anything about this problem. There seems to be some confusion about which digit is dim: I am not having any problem with the seconds digits, only the units, not tens, of minutes. Please refer to the picture.
What now?
--Paul
- adafruit_support_bill
- Posts: 88139
- Joined: Sat Feb 07, 2009 10:11 am
Re: Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
Contact [email protected] with a link to this thread for a replacement tube & side board.
- paulpenn
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2013 10:06 pm
Re: Ice Tube Clock: One Weak Digit
Bill;
Will do -- thanks.
--Paul
Will do -- thanks.
--Paul
Please be positive and constructive with your questions and comments.