JIMMIE wrote:
I have a Systron Donner frequency counter that uses Nixie tubes. The
counter works fine but I am forever replacing the Nixie drivers
74141s. I started to use it this AM an one was out. Is there a
replacement for the 74141, I couldnt find one, or is there a circuit I
could build on a DIP header to replace them. I could probably design
one but I wanted something tried an tested as I dont want to put my
counter board at more risk than I have to.

Jimmie
The chips are failing for one of two reasons, over voltage or over
current. Try reducing the supply voltage to the minimum that will light
the nixies. Also try heatsinking the 74141's. They do make clip on
heatsinks for dip packages, but you can just superglue scraps of
aluminum to the top of the chips.

On Apr 4, 9:58*am, ken scharf wrote:
JIMMIE wrote:
I have a Systron Donner frequency counter that uses Nixie tubes. The
counter works fine but I am forever replacing the Nixie drivers
74141s. I started to use it this AM an one was out. Is there a
replacement for the 74141, I couldnt find one, or is there a circuit I
could build on a DIP header to replace them. I could probably design
one but I wanted something tried an tested as I dont want to put my
counter board at more risk than I have to.

Jimmie

The chips are failing for one of two reasons, over voltage or over
current. *Try reducing the supply voltage to the minimum that will light
the nixies. *Also try heatsinking the 74141's. *They do make clip on
heatsinks for dip packages, but you can just superglue scraps of
aluminum to the top of the chips.

This has been a problem on two different Systron Donner counters I own
and one we used at work years ago. It was such a regular thing at work
we added sockets to facilitate replacing the chips. I have done
likewise to mine but only as the chips failed. There are still a
couple of origonal chips in it. Mycounters are model 6153. I have
never had a schematic or manual for them and
This makes maintaining them a little difficult but having two of them
helps allowing me to compare signals and swap boards to help isolate
problems. If anyone has a schematic I would greatly appreciate it.

Jimmie