Russian IV-18 vacuum fluorescent display clock

These vintage tubes are still available in reasonable quantities and at not too outrageous prices on ebay.

VFDs need a voltage of around 40-50 volts to light the multiplexed display. Only one number is lit any time, thus each is only on for an eighth of the time. They also need a filament voltage which ideally should be AC to get even illumination across the tube. Nice, bright, large, digits and I think very attractive.

Hard to photograph due to the rapidly flashing display – too fast for the human eye but not the camera.

I made up a small board that mounted behind the tube and made a curved case, inspired by some of the simple industrial design Dieter Rams undertook for Braun.

This Post Has 2 Comments

  1. Martin Fänger

    Hi!
    Nice clock, well done.
    Could you please send me a link from where i can buy this case?
    I also make an IV-18 project an need an good case, so i´d like to build the clock in the same case, you have chosen.

    Greets from Germany,
    Martin

    1. clock-it

      Hi Martin,

      The case was hand made from a section of plastic tube, acrylic sheet and polyester filler, sanded and sprayed. Sorry there is nowhere you can buy this.

Leave a Reply