🎉 New Year’s is just around the corner – why not celebrate with a custom-built Nixie Tube Clock?

I’ll guide you step-by-step through building your own futuristic Arduino Nixie Clock, broken down into 5 easy-to-follow sections:

1️⃣ The Box – Crafting the base to hold everything together 2️⃣ The Electronics – Assembling the brain of the clock 3️⃣ The LED Array – Adding the mesmerizing glow 4️⃣ The Numbers – Bringing the display to life 5️⃣ Uploading the Code – Making it all work seamlessly

Link to Build Video

Link to Instructible

Link to the CAD and code files

High Voltage Aesthetics: The Nixie Clock

The Arduino Nixie Clock marries cold-war era vacuum tube technology with modern silicon. Nixie tubes (like the IN-14) use glowing neon gas to display numbers. They are incredibly beautiful, but incredibly dangerous, requiring 170 Volts DC to operate!

The High Voltage Boost Converter

An Arduino provides 5 Volts. A Nixie will not strike unless it receives ~170V.

1. You must build or buy a High-Voltage DC-DC Boost Converter Module.
2. Extreme Warning: 170V DC can cause severe injury or death. This project must be enclosed in an insulated case before being touched.

The K1551ID1 / 74141 Driver IC

You cannot connect 170V directly to the Arduino, or it will vaporize instantly.

• You must use a specialized vintage driver chip: The K1551ID1 or SN74141.
• This chip acts as an electrical firewall.
• The Arduino sends a safe 5V Binary signal (e.g., 0101 for the number 5) to the four input pins of the driver chip.
• The driver chip internally connects the 170V rail to the "5" cathode inside the glass tube, causing that specific metal wire to glow neon orange!

Required Parts

• Arduino Nano: For space saving.
• DS3231 RTC Module: To keep accurate time.
• IN-14 or IN-12 Nixie Tubes (x4 or x6).
• K1551ID1 Driver Chips (One for each tube!).
• 170V DC-DC Boost Converter.
• A beautiful wood and brass enclosure.