A voltmeter can tell you what's going on there. Besides the filament voltage, most VFD take 35-40V to light up. If it is installed in equipment, the anode or grid segments may be 'scanned' with a voltage from the display driver IC, each one in turn being high or low, to light up the desired segments. Don't be surprised if the filament is at a negative DC potential and the anodes near GND. A scope can show you what is being pulsed or scanned.
About the higher voltages, at some time, if you work with them, it can only make you a better tech and wiser collector.
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Timeless Information for Retro-Tech Hobbyists and Hardware Hackers
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