The Akafugu Nixie Clock


The Akafugu Nixie Clock

The Akafugu Nixie clock is controlled using a single rotary encoder and a slide switch.

The rotary encoder is used to select options and set the time and alarm. The knob of the encoder rotates, and it also has a built-in button activated by pressing the know down.

The slide switch is used to easily turn the alarm on and off.

There are three orange LEDs in the top left corner. These are used to indicate menu item options and also to indicate if the alarm is on or off.

Normal Operation

During normal operation, the controls and indicators are used as follows:

Indicator LEDs: A single orange LED lights up when the alarm is turned on. When the alarm is off, none of the orange LEDs are lit.

Rotary encoder: Rotate the knob to select between backlight options. There are several color options available, including pulsating light that pulses gently on and off with one second duration.

Rotaty encoder button: Press and release the button once to toggle between normal time view (hh:mm) and second view (__:ss).

Press and hold the button to enter alarm setting mode, time setting mode, or menu as follows:

When you first press and hold the button, all three indicator LEDs will turn off.

Hold for 1 second, and one LED lights up. Release the button while one LED is lit up to enter alarm setting mode.

Hold for 2 seconds, and two LEDs light up. Relase the button while two LEDs are lit up to enter time setting mode.

Hold for 3 seconds or more, and three LEDs light up. Release the button while three LEDs are lit up to enter the menu system. The menu system is used to set minor settings such as 12/24 hour time, colon indicator options etc.

Alarm and Time setting Mode

Alarm and time setting mode works identically, see the previous second for how to enter each mode.

When you enter alarm or time setting mode the current alarm setting or time setting will show up in the display. The first two digits will blink.

While the two first digits are blinking, rotate the encoder to set hours. Once you are finished, press the button. The two last digits will start blinking.

While the two last digits are blinking, rotate the encoder to set minutes. Once you are finished, press the button. The display will now show seconds blinking.

While the seconds are blinking (two last digits with nothing shown for the two first digits), rotate the encoder to set seconds. Once you are finished, press the button.

The display will now remember your alarm or time setting and return to normal operation.

Menu system

The menu system is used to set various minor options for the clock.

Since the clock can only display digits, the menu uses numbers to indicate options.

Each menu item is numbered, starting from 1. The two leftmost digits are used to indicate each menu item number.

For each menu item, the selections are numbered, refer to each menu item below for details. The two rightmost digits are used to indicate the menu item.

Rotate the encoder knob to select between 12 and 24 hour time viewing.

Keep the following in mind when the clock is in 12 hour mode:

  • The right orange indicator LED will be used to indicate AM/PM. It will light up when it is PM.
  • Setting time and alarm is always done using 24-time. For example, to set the time to 4PM, set it to 16:00.

Option 0 - always off Option 1 (default) - always on) Option 2 - blinking

Menu item 3 - Leading zeros (show 0 before hours smaller than 10)

Option 0 - off (default) Option 1 - on

Allows you to turn the sound the clock makes when it is turned on on and off

Option 0 - off Option 1 (default) - on

Allows you to set the tubes to turn off during the night.

Option 0 (default) - off Option 1 - The tubes will turn off between 01:00 and 06:30

When nixie tubes are set to display the same number for a long period of time there is a chance of display damage (referred to as cathode poisoning). The chance of this happening is low for this clock since it uses multiplexing meaning that only one digit is ever turned on at a time.

Option 0 - off Option 1 (default) - on. The clock will display various digit rotation effects every few minutes.

Turns GPS on/off. Requires that a GPS module is connected (not included)

Option 0 - off Option 1 - on

Sets the time zone for GPS, hours. The counter goes from -12 to 12. For negative numbers, the dots will illuminate.

Sets the time zone for GPS, minutes. For most time zones, this is zero.

Sets Daylight Savings on/off

Option 0 - off Option 1 - on