Frustration with Ice Cube Clock - Mostly Solved Now

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MikeHg
 
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Frustration with Ice Cube Clock - Mostly Solved Now

Post by MikeHg »

Hi,

I just purchased the Ice Tube Clock kit and tried to assemble it this weekend. Unfortunately, I ran into some problems. The first one seem to affect a lot of people: Q3 defect or not working correctly. After following the advice in this forum I soldered a jumper over Q3 and the clock at least showed the time. (It was very frustrating since I checked the whole PCB and tried to find the problem for hours on my own and had a temporary success with shortcutting R3 with a capacitor).

However, I didn't find a final answer for this (Q3) problem. Should I try to get another MOSFET of the same type or would it be better to get a different replacement?

The second problem concerens the case. I tried to build it up as described, which should be pretty easy. However, as shown in this official adafruit picture the right hand side of the case is already quite close to the VFD PCB. As it turned out, the case that came with my kit was even 2 to 3mm shorter on the right hand side than the VFD PCB. This means that there is not even a chance of mounting the right hand side of the case. Unfortunately, this is the side where the high voltage arrives. So probably I have to construct a case on my own?

Did anybody else also experience this problem and if so is there already a solution (may be a drawing of a better fitting case)?

PS: Third problem was a missing screw in the case kit. May be I find a similar one in my spare parts box ;) However, due to problem no. two I might not need it...

Best regards,
Mike
Last edited by MikeHg on Sun Oct 19, 2014 4:39 am, edited 1 time in total.

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Frustration with Ice Cube Clock

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

If you contact [email protected] with a link to this thread, wWe can replace Q3 and the missing screw for you. There are a few other Q3 options posted in the forums as well.

Please post a photo of the case problem and we'll take a look.

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MikeHg
 
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Re: Frustration with Ice Cube Clock

Post by MikeHg »

Thank you very much for the quick reply. Since it might take a while to ship the parts to Germany I will give the 2N2907A/1k resistor combo a try (I guess PN2907A and 2N2907A are the same, but only the latter is available here).

I will take a picture of the case next weekend and post it here.

Best regards,
Mike

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MikeHg
 
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Re: Frustration with Ice Cube Clock

Post by MikeHg »

First good feedback: The 2N2907A/1k resistor combo did the job. The display now works fine. The transistor by the way has a cylindrical metal cap, which adds to the retro feeling of the clock ;).

What remains now is the case. I hope that I find a solution there as well.

Regards,
Mike

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MikeHg
 
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Re: Frustration with Ice Cube Clock - Mostly Solved Now

Post by MikeHg »

Apart from the missing screw I got the case problem also fixed. It seemed to have been some mistake by me. After fixing the transistor problem I put the case together again and this time it fitted. May be I put it incorrectly the first time because I was desperate about the not working clock (defect ZVP3306).

Regarding the missing screw I contacted support. Unfortunately, in Europe we seem have different screw sizes and I couldn't find a matching one in my local building center.

Apart from that I'm happy with my clock now. :)

BTW: Thank you very much - especially jarchie and Russel - without your examinations of the transistor problem I would be still down.

Best regards,
Mike

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adafruit_support_bill
 
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Re: Frustration with Ice Cube Clock - Mostly Solved Now

Post by adafruit_support_bill »

God to here you are up an running now.

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