Battery-Powered 6-Tube VFD Clock PCB
Budget: $30 – $250 USD
I have six IVL2-7/5 VFD tubes that I want to turn into the display for a portable clock with built-in stopwatch and countdown timer modes. I do not yet have a board layout, so I need a complete schematic and PCB design that will let these tubes run safely from a battery pack while delivering crisp, even brightness.
Key requirements
• Six IVL2-7/5 tubes must be soldered directly to the board as the main indicators.
• Primary mode is stopwatch / timer; the design can still keep time in the background, but lap, start, stop, and reset functions are the priority.
• The whole unit must operate from batteries. Please include the necessary boost converter or inverter stage to provide the VFD’s higher anode/grid voltage from a low-voltage battery source, with efficiency in mind to extend run time.
• I will load firmware myself later, but I need the pinout brought to a standard MCU header (e.g., AVR, STM32, ESP32—whichever you feel fits best for low-power yet responsive operation). If you have a preferred controller for driving six tubes plus buttons and buzzer, add it to the design.
• The tubes are multiplexed, so factor in filament supply, blanking, and ghost-free digit driving.
Deliverables
1. Complete schematic (PDF + editable format).
2. Clean PCB layout with routed tracks, silkscreen labels, and tube outlines (Gerber + native design files).
3. Bill of materials with part numbers that are in stock at at least one major distributor.
4. Brief notes on the power section—expected efficiency, recommended battery chemistry and capacity, and any precautions for handling the high-voltage side.
If you can also arrange a small prototype run or suggest vendors for assembly, let me know; otherwise, design files are enough for this stage.
Key requirements
• Six IVL2-7/5 tubes must be soldered directly to the board as the main indicators.
• Primary mode is stopwatch / timer; the design can still keep time in the background, but lap, start, stop, and reset functions are the priority.
• The whole unit must operate from batteries. Please include the necessary boost converter or inverter stage to provide the VFD’s higher anode/grid voltage from a low-voltage battery source, with efficiency in mind to extend run time.
• I will load firmware myself later, but I need the pinout brought to a standard MCU header (e.g., AVR, STM32, ESP32—whichever you feel fits best for low-power yet responsive operation). If you have a preferred controller for driving six tubes plus buttons and buzzer, add it to the design.
• The tubes are multiplexed, so factor in filament supply, blanking, and ghost-free digit driving.
Deliverables
1. Complete schematic (PDF + editable format).
2. Clean PCB layout with routed tracks, silkscreen labels, and tube outlines (Gerber + native design files).
3. Bill of materials with part numbers that are in stock at at least one major distributor.
4. Brief notes on the power section—expected efficiency, recommended battery chemistry and capacity, and any precautions for handling the high-voltage side.
If you can also arrange a small prototype run or suggest vendors for assembly, let me know; otherwise, design files are enough for this stage.
Related categories:
Electronics
Electrical Engineering
PCB Layout
Circuit Design
Embedded Systems
Signal Processing
STM32