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1972 Heathkit GC-1005 Panaplex Clock Repair

🕑 Added 2018-08-09 12:52:12 +0000 UTC

Comments

I've got the full manual from when I was a kid. I can make a copy if you like.

Fran Blanche

It could be, but also I notice the half-mirror reflective effect which suggests it might also be a kind of molecular/ vacuum deposition metallic coating of some kind. Hard to say.

Fran Blanche

Gotta hand it to the Germans... I know of no consumer products that used plasma displays back then. With the high voltage supply and pricey tubes it was not cheap to implement.

Fran Blanche

Aaaaaahhh.

David Blake

Great to see another Heathkit back in service. Well done Fran and Team FranLab!

Techmoan

I’ve got a nice SABA Panaplex Clock Radio from Germany. The display is the thing that attracted me to it. I wonder if there were many (any other?) commercial Panaplex clocks.

Jamie Magin

Wonder if the clear anode on these is an early use of Indium-Tin Oxide, commonly used in LCDs today.

To state the obvious - looks like you have a problem with the AM/PM indicator when actual time is displayed. You kind of blew past that at the end. It works in alarm set mode, but not when the time is displayed. Nice job!

To set tens of minutes, slide both the hours and minutes switches at the same time.

Did you find a replacement clock chip or did the original still work after you thought you'd static zapped it? The all 8's display on power up looks the same as when you thought you'd killed it, then you flipped a switch underneath to start it up.

Ed Luke

I just realized it is actually over current. Lowering the bias resistor probably would also work. If you have time it might be worth a try, especially if it was sold as-is.

Fran Blanche

Something for another day perhaps

Fran Blanche

Not exactly, no...

Fran Blanche

Oh they can send the stuff in - I might not get around to the repair for a few decades...

I love the look and the color of the Panaplex display. Are there any modern/less rare displays that give a similar effect?

Ed Luke

Probably the segment isn't fully lighting due to cathode poisoning . You may be able to recover it by running the segment slightly over voltage for short bursts. I have been able to recover nixies using this method.

Nicholas Wilson

Good greaf, don’t call yourself the Heath kit service department! The world and her mum’ll send you faild devices to fix for free. :D Seriously though fun video, thank you. :)