Cathode Corner NWRF Nixie, Руководство пользователя

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by the tube. Leave the top cover sheet on the foam pad intact. It will
be removed after the tube is plugged into the socket.
Installing the new tube can requires patience and a steady hand. It is
done most easily under a microscope, but any magnifying lens is
helpful. It is best to use a self-supported magnifier since both hands
are needed to install the tube. A pair of fine point tweezers or a fine-
tipped prod tool is also very helpful to coax the tube pins into the
socket.
The tube pins are made of thin wire and are flexible. This is good in
that it’s easy to align them, but bad because they need to be aligned.
The tube comes with a plastic spacer that keeps the pins aligned
moderately well.
First, the tube pins should be prepared. Inspect them and bend the
pins so that they point straight out from the plastic spacer. Check that
the rows of pins are straight. Then pull the spacer off the tube and set
it aside.
The two pairs of pins nearest the back of the tube often have trouble
entering the socket unless they are bent just a little bit towards the
other pins. So do that. A distance of .020” (0.5 mm) is sufficient.
Now hold the module in one hand while holding the tube in the other
hand, and guide the tube into place. The front pins will engage first,
followed by the rear pins. The tube may just slide into place, or one
or more pins may get hung up on the socket. This happens because
the pin ends are cut square and the sockets have an insert with a little
shelf for the pin to get stuck on.
This is where the tweezers or prod come into play. Push gently on the
stuck pin in the proper direction to center it in the socket, and it
should pop into place. If that doesn’t work, then try removing the
tube and bending the affected pin the proper way to allow it to fit on
the next try. It may take a few tries, but it will eventually go in. Only
the factory workers are able to get all the pins in on the first try.