[Hallicrafters] Tube Socket Connections

[Roy Morgan]

At 02:45 PM 10/17/2005, David C. Hallam wrote:
>Is there any know way to tighten the contacts in a 7 pin tube socket.

David,

Find a very small jeweler's screwdriver and wedge it in on each side of the 
metal contact in the tube socket, (from the top).  Gently pressing the 
fingers of the socket contact together may make it connect properly.  A 
second favorite tool around here is a dentist's probe of the right shape: 
flat with a bit of an angle on the end.

A tube socket pin can be replaced individually if you notice how they are 
dimpled to keep them in place.  Snip off the old one flush with the 
underside of the socke it you can get at it.  Flatten out the dimple of a 
new pin with round needle nosed pliars (called jewelers chain pliars or 
ring pliars in the jewelry and hobby worlds).  Insert the new pin and bend 
it over just enough to keep it in place.

A little test device can be made by smashing a dead or useless 7- or 9- pin 
tube and extracting a single pin.. mount this in a pin vise if you have 
one, or epoxy it into the end of a wood dowel.  Part of a chop stick works 
very well. then you can test each contact of a miniature socket for 
tightness.  Hold the tool in good alignment to avoid spreading contacts 
that were ok.

Dipping the probe into a bit of De-Oxit lets you clean a socket one contact 
at a time and test for tightness all at once.

  A wire soldered to the pin and brought out to a convenient end allows you 
to probe sockets with the ohmmeter to do power off resistance 
checks.  (Beware of such a test lead with B+ applied, or filament current 
to short to the chassis.)

Roy




- Roy Morgan, K1LKY since 1959 - Keep 'em Glowing!
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