[Collins] R-390/A help

[Dr. Gerald N. Johnson]

Actually it can help release a tube to rock it side to side or the top 
around a circle so there's a pin or two not moving at all and sometimes 
a miniature tube will walk itself out of the socket. With a gripper like 
the GC or the Spark Plug connector pliers (and carbon plug wires and 
connecters are at least as fragile as a miniature tube) its not good to 
grab the tabulation on top the tube, you must grip the sides that are 
usually thicker glass. Its best not to push on the tabulation but use a 
hollow stick to push a tube into a hard to reach socket pushing outside 
the tabulation, say with a stick (and wood is appropriate) with a 1/4" 
hole to clear the tabulation. Rocking also makes a tube go in the socket 
easier.

I'm not advocating a violent swing to the side, not like half an inch 
side motion of the tabulation, more like 1/8" (3mm) or so. There's no 
benefit to bending the tube pins and sometimes if they bend in the 
glass, they get leaky.

And sometimes you can apply a bit of pressure to the tube through the 
center shield of the socket if its not been filled with wires and solder 
and is accessible.

73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Adviser to the Collins Radio Association.

On 12/20/2011 11:04 AM, L D Ritta wrote:
> Thanks for the idea but for my application it will not work, there is very
> little room around the tube.
> I removed one tube but had to break it to remove it, no good if I want to
> test the tube. Hi hi
> 73's Lee
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: collins-bounces at mailman.qth.net
> [mailto:collins-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Dr. Gerald N. Johnson
> Sent: Wednesday, 21 December 2011 3:27 AM
> To: collins at mailman.qth.net
> Subject: Re: [Collins] R-390/A help
>
> That's a great idea. Like these from Lisle at Amazon:
> http://www.amazon.com/Lisle-52990-Spark-Plug-Pliers/dp/B001PN88NC/ref=sr_1_1
> ?ie=UTF8&qid=1324400052&sr=8-1
>
>
> I should own one of those for plug connections and for tubes.
>
> 73, Jerry, K0CQ, Technical Adviser to the Collins Radio Association.
>
>