NIXIE TUBE SOCKETS

[MrThe50sanchez]

Hello everyone !

what kind of Nixie tube sockets do you recommend?

I'm using IN-16 / IN-14 and ZM1000 nixie tubes for my clocks, and I'm wondering if you can recommend me any kind of sockets to avoid soldering the nixie tubes to the PCB, I would love to have a quick release for the tube's in case of mal function.

Thanks a lot!!

[Andrzej Lewandowski]

IN14 have some original plastic spacer that you can buy easily.

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[Jon]

Not sure the IN14 spacers on their own help the OP's question.

As I understand it, ZM1000 do have pins and were (unusually) designed to be either soldered in or socketed. You can still find the original sockets for sale - a quick Google throws up this listing as the first hit: https://www.ebay.com/itm/ZM1000-Nixie-Tube-Socket-/302926727122 (usual disclaimers apply).

IN14 and IN16 have wire terminals designed to be soldered and I am not aware of any original sockets for these. The wires are quite soft and flexible. I'd imagine they wouldn't have the mechanical rigidity to work well as pins even if cut short - very likely to bend. If you are absolutely set on socketing these tubes, then one way might be to 3D print a custom spacer to arrange the wires into a DIL array (ie two parallel rows of connections each 0.1" apart, the rows spaced 0.3" apart), cut the ends of the wires so you have 5mm or so protruding from the spacer, and then insert the assembly into a 14 or 16 pin ZIF socket (available from Mouser, Farnell etc, but also on eBay much cheaper).

I've not tried it - suspect it'd just be a lot simpler and possibly cheaper to buy two sets of tubes - one to solder in and one to keep as a reserve! They don't fail very often in a properly designed circuit.

Jon.

[Richard Scales]

For all wired tubes i would mount them on something like the tube cells from the PV Electronics QTC clocks which would then allow you to Quickly Change the Tube!
As previously mentioned, the wires on these tubes can be very soft and liable to breaking off at the tube base - nobody wants that. I tend to design 'tube cell' PCBs that match the position of all the wires perfectly - least strain on the tubes.
I have seen others mount tubes on to DIL headers and plug them in to DIL sockets. The ZM1000 fit a 0.1" pitch so something like turned pin IC sockets can be used to make a socket.
I have made ZM1000 tube cells for QTC Clocks.

- Richard

[Paul Andrews]

I use some milk-max sockets. Contrary to what others have said, I find that the tube leads are stiff enough to be pushed in to these when cut short. You still have to make your own PCB though. Here is an example. The MillMax part number is on the second image. It is fair to say though that if your concern is replacing bad tubes, then just using a separate board for the tubes should be sufficient.

For the ZM1000, I think the turned socket strips, like this one, would be a good solution - these might work for the other tubes too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-WAY-SOCKET-STRIP-TURNED-PIN-TAICOM-QTY-10-/124448142756?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

[peter bunge]

I bought some Ebay sockets and bent the pins to fit (IN16). They do plug in:

https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1X-IN14-IN-14-Gold-Plated-Tube-Socket-Nixie-Colck-Tube-Base-Tube-Fixer-Assembled/312831469485?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

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[Toby Thain]

On 2021-03-03 7:33 a.m., Paul Andrews wrote:
>
> I use some milk-max sockets. Contrary to what others have said, I find
> that the tube leads are stiff enough to be pushed in to these when cut
> short. You still have to make your own PCB though. Here is an example

> <https://oshpark.com/shared_projects/xD4cGoKd>. The MillMax part number

> is on the second image. It is fair to say though that if your concern is
> replacing bad tubes, then just using a separate board for the tubes
> should be sufficient.

Have been looking into these options for a small CRT and will probably
design a small OSHpark PCB like this one.

>
> For the ZM1000, I think the turned socket strips, like this one, would
> be a good solution - these might work for the other tubes
> too. https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-WAY-SOCKET-STRIP-TURNED-PIN-TAICOM-QTY-10-/124448142756?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292

> <https://www.ebay.com/itm/8-WAY-SOCKET-STRIP-TURNED-PIN-TAICOM-QTY-10-/124448142756?_trksid=p2349624.m46890.l49292>

These are also available in solder cup termination, which might help
people soldering wires.

As an alternative to using milled pins, there are spring connectors
which seem to work well too, e.g.:

Digi-Key Part Number SAM1011-01-ND
Samtec Inc.
BCS-101-L-S-TE
1 Position Receptacle Connector Through Hole Gold


I am planning to use these on the 8LK3B crt base socket pcb as long as
spacing allows (there are 7 pins in a 6.8mm radius).

--Toby

> On Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 1:51:50 AM UTC-5 MrThe50sanchez wrote:
>
>
> Hello everyone !
>
> what kind of Nixie tube sockets do you recommend?
>
> I'm using IN-16 / IN-14 and ZM1000 nixie tubes for my clocks, and
> I'm wondering if you can recommend me any kind of sockets to avoid
> soldering the nixie tubes to the PCB, I would love to have a quick
> release for the tube's in case of mal function.
>
> Thanks a lot!!
>

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[Toby Thain]

On 2021-03-03 10:02 a.m., Toby Thain wrote:
> ...

> spacing allows (there are 7 pins in a 6.8mm radius).

I mean DIAMETER...

>
> --Toby
>

[gregebert]

I use the connector pins frequently listed on Ebay as nixie tube socket pins, then 3D-print a collar. They have low insertion force and work on a wide range of tubes (IN-18, NIMO, b7971, R|Z568m, 5092, and probably many others).

My first 2 nixie projects used ceramic sockets, and they have a very high insertion/removal force which I fear could damage these irreplaceable tubes.

[Toby Thain]

On 2021-03-03 11:55 a.m., gregebert wrote:
> I use the connector pins frequently listed on Ebay as nixie tube socket
> pins, then 3D-print a collar. They have low insertion force and work on
> a wide range of tubes (IN-18, NIMO, b7971, R|Z568m, 5092, and probably
> many others).
>
> My first 2 nixie projects used ceramic sockets, and they have a very
> high insertion/removal force which I fear could damage these
> irreplaceable tubes.

I suspect the Samtec spring socket part that I cited might help that
problem. I would guess milled pins need greater insertion force.

--Toby

>
> On Wednesday, March 3, 2021 at 7:29:22 AM UTC-8 Toby Thain wrote:
>
> On 2021-03-03 10:02 a.m., Toby Thain wrote:
> > ...
> > spacing allows (there are 7 pins in a 6.8mm radius).
>
> I mean DIAMETER...
>
> >
> > --Toby
> >
>

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[gregebert]

This is what I have used for many years. I apply them to the tube, solder onto the PCB, remove tube, clip off the ends, then cover with a 3D-printed collar. Be careful because there are 2 sizes. These are 1.0mm; others are 0.7mm for smaller pins. Insertion force is low to protect the tube, but sufficient enough to maintain proper contact over the years.

Disclaimer: I have no affiliation with this seller other than having made several purchases over the years.

[Richard Scales]

+1 for the socket pins - I have used both sizes and found them to be totally reliable. Some prefer the 'Harwin' style pin socket for a low profile solution - which allows the tube to be mounted closed to the PCB. I prefer the longer pin because it mounts the tube further from the PCB which makes  it easer (for me) to build cases that do not cover up too much of the tube as well as providing some space to mount under tube lighting (for those that wish to do so) in either neopixel form (WS2812B) or 5mm LED package (APA-106 for example).

- Richard