Old Parts Identification

[sonicparke]

I'm really a super beginer and don't know what I'm doing but I have over a hundred of these little NOS Digital Panel Meters from 1982.  I'm wondering if any of these parts would be useable for stompbox applications and if it's worth trying to salvage them.

Here's a picture of the boards.











Does anybody want one to open up and do a little research?  I'll mail one out to you if you want.

P.S.  I don't think I'm going to included the tubes they are display tubes anyway and probably not useable for audio.

[smoguzbenjamin]

IC's, a few trimpots, caps, resistors. Try looking up the IC numbers to see what they do.

Trimpots caps and resistors are usefull anyway

[Rodgre]

seems like a quick look gives you a 555 timer, some 4016 CMOS switches... Those are good for pedal projects for sure. the UA308s are op-amps, no? Rat? I forget... What kinds of tubes are those? The SN chips are probably not easily usable for pedal circuits, but I could be wrong.

Roger

[Samuel]

I think the UA308s would be single opamps, ala the rat, yes.

[saros141]

Hey if those are Nixie tubes, I've seen some cool clocks made with them!

[Ansil]

it all would be worth salvaging.  you got a heat gun  it will pop them off no problem

[sonicparke]

the SN7474N:

These devices contain two independent D-type positive-edge-triggered flip-flops.A low level at the preset or clear inputs sets or resets the outputs regardlessof the levels of the other inputs. When preset and clear are inactive (high),data at the D input meeting the setup time requirements are transferred tothe outputs on the positive-going edge of the clock pulse. Clock triggeringoccurs at a voltage level and is not directly related to the rise time ofthe clock pulse. Following the hold time interval, data at the D input maybe changed without affecting the levels at the outputs.



The SN 7473N:


The '73, and 'H73, contain two independent J-K flip-flops with individualJ-K, clock, and direct clear inputs. The '73, and 'H73, are positive pulse-triggeredflip-flops. J-K input is loaded into the master while the clock is high andtransferred to the slave on the high-to-low transition. For these devicesthe J and K inputs must be stable while the clock is high.

The 'LS73A contains two independent negative-edge-triggered flip-flops.The J and K inputs must be stable one setup time prior to the high-to-lowclock transition for predictable operation. When the clear is low, it overridesthe clock and data inputs forcing the Q output low and the Q\ outputhigh.


Yes the tubes are basically Nixie tubes.  I talked to a guy who is going to try to see if I can get anything aout of them.  Unfortunately they are the smaller of 2 versions.  The larger of which would be worth about $40-50.  I have almost 300 of them.  Bummer.

So what types of pedals use the 555 timer and what does it do for them?

So I can use a heat gun to melt the solder and jsut pull the parts off?  Is it hot enough?

[smoguzbenjamin]

555 -> BBD = time based pedals!

The 555 is a timer/oscillator but I'm working on something that Ansil initially presented which is, to cut a long story short, a noise maker.

[puretube]

...being a tube-a-holic, those PCB`s with the nixies look good to me...
(as a whole).
Which part of the world are you located? (maybe expensive shipping...)

[Peter Snowberg]

Those tubes are not Nixies, actually they are incandescent lamps. They have low voltage filaments and can be driven much like a regular 7 segment LED display. Those boards are using the 7447 to do just that. One common part number was the Apollo DA-2100 which it appears those might be. There is also the Apollo DA-2110 which adds a small "X" for a decimal point. I have a few of these sitting around.

They're worth much more as a module than parts to the "funky clock" crowd.

The boards are coated in a conformal coating (probably an epoxy) so unsoldering is a pain and the breakdown of the epoxy will make chemicals that will most likely damage your iron's tip. I had this experience. The short leads of the resistors will make them almost useless unless you are trapped on a desert island. The electrolytic caps are too old to use, and the chips are VERY stuck to the PCB because of the coating. Even to 4016s in the sockets (useful chips for our needs) will be hard to use because the coating will break down in the removal and act like you soldered high value resistors between all the pins.

It looks like much more of a pain than it would be worth to salvage any of those parts unless you were going to use the boards containing the tubes as digital display modules. The three boards without the tubes look lie scrap. Sorry. (they form a successive approximation A/D converter)

My suggestion: sell them on eBay, or better yet, offer them up for trade with somebody who has the kinds of parts that you want. I think the Apollo tubes may be worth a little something if the modules have little or no used time on them.

A PIC or other microcontroller could easily be used to turn them into clocks. With a little wiring, you could also use these as counter modules.

If you converted them to clocks, you might be able to make several dollars. I can give you complete plans if you like. That would pay for LOTS of parts, but it will take some time. I think they would be really cool clocks though.

Take care,
-Peter

[Peter Snowberg]

:shock:  :shock:  :shock:

I just read again that you have almost 300 of those tubes total. WOW!

http://diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif width=32> MAKE CLOCKS!!!! http://diystompboxes.com/sboxforum/images/smiles/icon_biggrin.gif width=32>

Those will be worth something! I would be glad to help you with the design.

Take care,
-Peter


PS: those Apollo tube only have resale value as single units if they have their full length leads. Once they have been installed, soldered, and trimmed, the chances of selling them drops very low. They don't command the prices that Nixies do anyway, even when in perfect condion.

[sonicparke]

WOW!!!

Thanks, Peter.  That's a lot of great info.  I have about 100 complete modules.  60 or so have 4 tubes and 30 or so have 3 tubes.  You guessed pretty right on the numbers.  The 4 tube modles have 3 Apollo DA-2110's and 1 DA-2120.  THe 3 tube one have 2 2110's and 1 2120.

I'd like to figure out how to make a clock out of them.  That might be really cool.  So sure if you'd like to send over some plans I might give it a go and pick your brain all the way there.  I'd be happy to send you a couple if you'd want to try the clock thing out with them yourself.

Oh and the 4016's popped right out of the sockets.  At least on the one I opened up.

"So far ebay's been a no show.  Maybe you could give me a little direction on listing them better."

I need to edit the above.  I went to get the link for the auction and I found that someone actually bid on them.  I'm sure they're worth much more than I might get out of them but I didn't really know what I had and kinda still don't.  Anyway...here's the link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2782667457&category=1247&sspagename=STRK%3AMESSE%3AIT&rd=1


Oh, and yeah...I wondered about the lead length and the epoxy both.  I had almost decided to get a big piece of plywood and break them all up like the one in the pictures and glue the pieces to the plywood and hang it up in my garage.  Still might if I can't make clocks.  :lol:

[sonicparke]

OK...I was up last night and couldn't sleep.  I kept thinking about making a clock.  So let's do try at least one.  I game.  :shock:

[Peter Snowberg]

Wow, they're from Analog Devices too!

Here's the datasheet:
http://www.analog.com/UploadedFiles/Obsolete_Data_Sheets/515822785AD2003.pdf

Hey, since they're NOS and the data is above, you might be able to just sell them as what they were and make some profit.

To make clocks, you would need to trip off the measuring portion of the circuit (the three other sub-boards), and jumper things so that you have access to the inputs (A through D) of the 7447 chips. Because they're 3 1/2 meters, you could make 12 hour clocks.

The next thing you need are an oscillator and three counters. The oscillator can be done many ways, but one easy way is to use a 32.768KHz crystal with a divide by 32,768 counter. That brings you to a good one second clock for the clock. Two CMOS chips will get you that with minimum fuss. Once you have a 1 sec clock, use that to increment a BCD counter that recycles at 60. The out of that would increment a second BCD counter (also set to roll over at 60). That counter's outs would be tied to the 7447 going to the minutes displays. The roll-over from that counter would increment a final BCD counter that rolls over at 12. The outputs of that counter would drive the final 7447 and the input for the left-most tube.

To set the thing would take two push buttons to manually add counts to the second and third counters by tapping from the 1Hz source before it gets down to 1Hz. A 4Hz might be a good speed for the sets.

I'll draw up more details later. Please don't loose sleep.

If you can sell them as NOS meters with a data sheet and working example schematic, that's probably the best for making money.

Take care,
-Peter

[sonicparke]

OK...I found somebody who will by them all from me.  Pretty cheap for him but way more than I would get if I threw them out or made my little art project.  So that's what I'm gonna do.  I can use that cash to get some more gear.  MORE GEAR!!! MORE GEAR!!!