Is there any merit to the claim that ceramic tube sockets crack tube pins?

[Audrey]

Some people say ceramic sockets crack tubes at the pin and cause them to go to air and that you should use bakelite sockets

Some of my friends say they've lost tubes to it, some of them say they've socketed countless tubes without issue.

Ive got some ceramic sockets and some 9-pin digivacs and biquinary nixies I'd rather not kill. So what's the deal?

[gregebert]

I stopped using sockets because I was worried about the extreme insertion and extraction force. Ceramic sockets that I have seem to be very tight. Nixies are basically irreplaceable, so anything that is a risk to the tube is booted from my design, regardless of cost. I've been happy with PCB-mounted socket pins because they have very low insertion force, and make good-enough electrical contact.

Funny you mention this; I recently swapped-out eight B7971 tubes (socket pins only, NO sockets on these rare uglies*) from my clock, to test a set of boards for a fellow neonixie member. When I put the tubes back into my clock, 2 tubes had a dead segment because I didn't reseat the tubes properly. Of course I buttoned-up the case before fully testing every segment, and it was still very readable with 2 segments down, and I figured more might fail if I waited long enough though none ever did. Just fixed that yesterday by wiggling them a bit. Once tubes are seated-in, they seem to have perfect connectivity with socket pins until you remove them. Wiggling doesn't seem to cause problems, just removal.

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* OK, so why do I refer to 7971's as "uglies" ? To be honest, they are pretty ugly because they lack the sculpted look of a real 10-numeral nixie tube. But they are gigantic, and can display alphanumerics very well so I overlook their crass appearance.

[Michail Wilson]

I guess it depends on the socket you’re using.

I’ve seen ceramic with floating pins just like the bakelite versions.

If the ceramic version is a tight fit, why not just loosen them up before you insert the tube.

 

I’ve killed many IN-18 tubes not knowing the solid ceramic sockets I had put that much tension on the pins.  It would work, but a short time later (day or week), the tube would die.  So, it took a while to figure out that it was the socket instead of the tube or electronics killing them.  Now, on new sockets, I insert/remove a dead tube in many times while adjusting the socket to make sure it is more loose.  Like you, I would rather kill anything else other than the tubes.  I’d rather a poor connection over one so stiff that it’s a tube killer.

 

Adjust – meaning to bend the socket of each pin to make it a much easier insert force.

 

Michail Wilson

206-920-6312

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[Audrey]

> I’ve seen ceramic with floating pins just like the bakelite versions.

I see. This is probably the killer detail.

> Once tubes are seated-in, they seem to have perfect connectivity with socket pins until you remove them. Wiggling doesn't seem to cause problems, just removal.

I've experienced this too. I also like socket pins

[David Forbes]

Back in the good old days when sockets were made by military suppliers, they were designed well and made according to all the design details. Later, these good sockets got copied by manufacturers who didn't understand what details to copy, so they got progressively worse over the years. 

Fast forward to Chinese socket shaped objects. Their pins don't have the design subtleties, the quality materials or the special processes that were used by companies such as Cinch to make good sockets.

Of course, old tube sockets are often oxidized if available at all. And good luck finding IN-18 sockets that are well made.

You can buy machined socket pins that have enough 'give' to not crack the glass. They're not cheap. See Mill-Max. 

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[chuckrr]

I generally check the tightness of fit of each pin before inserting a tube into a socket.   I have a routine method of loosening the grip of each socket fork on the

tube pin.  I use a tapered solder probe to loosen them up.   Then I check each one.  Then I use a junk tube at first to make sure insertion and extraction force is acceptable.

If I go too loose on any socket fork, then another pointy tool can be inserted along side to tighten it up a bit.    I adjust my sockets so they are gentle on the tubes.

No busted tubes after learning this THE HARD WAY.

-Chuck
 

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[Tidak Ada]

Any experience with ELESTA EZ10 A and B dekatrons (7pin miniature size) in this matter? These tubes have 13-pins and need special, ceramic, very hard to get sockets.

 

Top view

 

Especially the EZ10B with hydrogen filling makes me frightened.

 

eric, Netherlands

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[Dekatron42]

I've never broken any of the Elesta EZ10, EZ10, EZ10B, ECT100 or ECT101 that I own when using them in their original sockets.

I do have an old tester for these which contain a pin straightener which I always use before inserting them in the socket, I also use a pin of the same diameter to insert into each socket receptacle so that they aren't to tight before I insert an tube in a new socket.

The only broken/damaged Elesta EZ/ECT-series I have are those that were already bad when I bought them.

I can recommend you that you make a pin straightener as well as a tool to widen the receptacles. You can either order these from manufacturing companies who can make them out of aluminum, or you can make them yourself by making circuit boards with the correct holes, plus some mounting holes for screws/nuts to keep them in place, and then stack a few of these boards on top of each other and drill conical holes through the first and second with a conical drill bit used for Dremel tools for the straightener, the widening tool can then be made by placing pins of the correct diameter in the straightener and then stacking a few circuit boards on top of the pins and soldering the pins to these boards. Pins can be bought on eBay.

Below is a photo of my Elesta EZ10A/10B tester with the pin straightener above the text GAUGE.

[Dekatron42]

Tube Pin straightener and socket widener for B8A, B9A and B7A below.

[Tidak Ada]

Great to here, it gives me a safe feeling.

 

Sadly there is no photo of the tester visible. May be you can try to send it as an attachment instead of in the txt field. Perhaps the file size is too big?

 

Van: neoni...@googlegroups.com [mailto:neoni...@googlegroups.com] Namens Dekatron42
Verzonden: woensdag 31 augustus 2022 19:12
Aan: neonixie-l
Onderwerp: Re: [neonixie-l] Is there any merit to the claim that ceramic tube sockets crack tube pins?

 

I've never broken any of the Elesta EZ10, EZ10, EZ10B, ECT100 or ECT101 that I own when using them in their original sockets.

I do have an old tester for these which contain a pin straightener which I always use before inserting them in the socket, I also use a pin of the same diameter to insert into each socket receptacle so that they aren't to tight before I insert an tube in a new socket.

The only broken/damaged Elesta EZ/ECT-series I have are those that were alreaday bad when I bought them.

I can recommend you that you make a pin straightener as well as a tool to widen the receptacles. You can either order these from manufacturing companies who can make them out of aluminum, or you can make them yourself by making circuit boards with the correct holes, plus some mounting holes for screws/nuts to keep them in place, and then stack a few of these boards on top of each other and drill conical holes through the first and second with a conical drill bit used for Dremel tools for the straightener, the widening tool can then be made by placing pins of the correct diameter in the straightener and then stacking a few circuit boards on top of the pins and soldering the pins to these boards. Pins can be bought on eBay.

Below is a photo of my Elesta EZ10A/10B tester with the pin straightener above the text GAUGE.

 

 

 

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[Dekatron42]

There seems to be something about a size limit for the group nowadays, I couldn't post earlier and got this error message, but when I just included one photo I could post and it looks fine to me with the tester.

[Nicholas Stock]

There is a size limit to photos that you can embed in messages, you're probably hitting that Martin.

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[Tidak Ada]

Hi Martin,

 

That makes sense !

 

I am highly interested

Is there any possibility that I can get more information about the tester?

Schema and also about the difference in supply for the EZ10A and EZ10B

I would highly appreciate that.

 

Cheers,

            eric

 

 

[Dekatron42]

I wrote about tje tester her:  https://groups.google.com/g/neonixie-l/c/z_XVbXeB4ks/m/uKYNIBGXHVgJ

/Martin