[R-390] Floating Capacitor Cans & Other Issues

[Cecil Acuff]

Hey I don't complain about modded radio's....I own two of John R. Leary's 
specials....one an SP-600 and the other an SP-210X.  No notes on the 210 and 
very few on the 600.  I guess they were in his coat pocket.  I've tried the 
Aurora thing but I guess I am using the wrong type antenna. (needs to be 
holistically polarized me thinks)

I'll check into the tube socket flange swap idea.....Might just work.

Cecil....
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Barry Hauser" <barry at hausernet.com>
To: "Cecil Acuff" <chacuff at cableone.net>; <r-390 at mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Saturday, January 14, 2006 4:42 PM
Subject: Re: [R-390] Floating Capacitor Cans & Other Issues


>> 30 to 50 years from now it won't matter to me no more!  The next guy can 
>> figure it out.  Don't know what they will be listening to then anyway....
>
> Y'see!  Then don't complain when you get some radio that's been modded and 
> there's no clue heh heh.
>
> OK, instead of the standardized maintenance & mod book, leave a scribbled 
> note saying "Hi there, Pilgrim.  Yup, I modded and rodded this rig 
> everywhichway.  I did make detailed notations -- can be found in the 
> inside jacket pocket of the suit I wore to my funeral.  A hearty har, har, 
> har..... from the Next World.  Hmmmmm, wonder what kind of boatanchors 
> they have there ....  Heck, if you plug a mike into the headphone jack of 
> your Hallicrafters receiver while there's an aurora borealis overhead for 
> a week, maybe I can tell ya'."
>
> See below for more serious faire ...
>
>> Well the VLF chassis top side appears to have been exposed to something 
>> that has caused the tube bases...the part that actually bolts to the 
>> chassis and holds the insulated piece to corrode a bit and split/crumble. 
>> It may have been rodent urine exposure or who knows what.  The chassis is 
>> not in bad shape it has just pretty much attacked the tube sockets.  I 
>> have a box full of NOS ceramic ones that I thought I'd put in.  It's 
>> going to be quite a job but I think it will be worth the effort.  Sad 
>> part is it don't need a recap below the chassis as it has all ceramic 
>> caps.  But they didn't put ceramics under the RF deck.....peeked in there 
>> and can see the darned Black Beauties.
>
> Yup -- they figured they'd put the latest & greatest where the sun don't 
> shine.  Sprague Black Beauties (tm) were all the rage when they came 
> out --  hermetically sealed to last for eternitiy.  I have it on authority 
> that they never leak, never split.
>
> OK, more seriously now -- I promise -- It seems like a shame to have to 
> unsolder and disturb all that just for the socket flanges.  I did play a 
> trick and replaced one or two once -- by harvesting the flange off another 
> socket and fitting it around.  As I recall, the plated ones on the ceramic 
> sockets do not have a pre-existing split.  Not sure how they were 
> originally assembled.
>
> However, it should be easy to remove the old rusted ones by clipping the 
> flanges at the thinnest part -- 90 degrees away from the screw holes. 
> Remove the nuts and bolts, pull the socket away from the chassis enough to 
> get at the side of the thing with a big pair of wire cutters.  Bend/twist 
> enough to get the old flange off and over the leads.
>
> Remove the flange from a new or salvaged socket the same way.  Twist it 
> open and slightly outward -- i.e. enlarging the diameter a bit.  Then slip 
> over the leads and around the socket.  bend back into shape and into the 
> groove or slots on the socket.  Bring the ends back together - compress 
> around the socket as much as possible.  Get a small clamp around the 
> flange to hold the cut ends together.  Lay in a piece of solid hookup 
> wire - 20 gauge or so --  to add strength on the bottom of the flange --  
> not the side that's supposed to be flush with the chassis.  Use a 
> soldering gun to solder it together.
>
> Of course, whether this is worth doing depends on (a) the particular 
> socket and assumes the new ones are the same and the flanges will fit and 
> (b) the wiring to the socket -- if only a few leads and not much of a 
> problem to disturb them, then, of course it's easier and better to replace 
> the whole thing.  The only purpose of the flange-replacement-in place 
> method is if there are some where you'd rather not unsolder the works. 
> Also, a major reason for not desoldering from tube sockets is to avoid 
> damage to the lugs -- not a consideration here.  However, one annoying 
> thing -- in most cases you have to preserve lead length and there's 
> nothing to spare.  So that means full desoldering -- no clipping.  In the 
> process, some of the lead ends will break or weaken to the point where you 
> won't be confident with them.
>
> Of course, 30-50 years from now, that pilgrim will take a close look and 
> say "Whoaaahhh!  Those tube socket flanges sure look funny!"  But, at 
> least there will be that note as to where he could possibly find the 
> particulars.
>
> Barry
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