Loose bottle in tube base.. can it be fixed?

[playonit]

I have a RCA 5v4 rectifier tube which has a loose bottle in the plastic base...tube works fine and would be a shame to toss it.. Maybe super glue or an epoxy of some sort to tighten things up??

Thanks

[bluesfendermanblues]

You should be able to tighten it up by resoldering the pins. Hold the glass and socket firmly and resolder.

[Phil_S]

You might try one or two very small droplets of automotive grade silicon (high temp variety) to stabilize the tube and then only handle it by the base. If you are able to reflow the solder, as suggested above, even better. Good luck.

I've never tried to reflow. Maybe I'm overthinking this. Which way would you want to hold the tube? Up or down? I think I'd want the solder to flow down into the pins, but I don't have any idea how much is in there. Maybe sideways is good?

[selloutrr]

You will need a rework station or reflow station so you can heat all the pins at the same time. One by one will get you no where.

[OneWithNot]

You can flow a little clear nail polish between the tube and the base. I put it in a syringe and ran it between the base and the tube body, or you can use the brush to flow it around.

If you are concerned about heat, try some kind of high temp adhesisve. It's just difficult to get it in between the base and the tube, hence the syringe. Don't try to suck it up, just pull the plunger out and drop a couple of blobs in the barrell, then push the plunger down on it.

It doesn't take very much adhesive.

I used nail polish on an old RCA 5Y3-GT and it's been holding up well for a while, now.

Resoldering won't tighten it up much, but it won't hurt it. The tube was glued to the base originally.

[xtian]

You can get a hi-temp epoxy for engine blocks and such at auto parts stores. JB Weld. 600 degrees F, non-conductive, dark grey in color. Awesome sauce.

[Teleguy61]

I've used super glue with success.

[Phil_S]

Superglue trick, I've used it for this and forgot. You need to "huff" on it after you apply it. The moisture from your breath will help cure the superglue. Watch where you put your lips

[Gibsonman63]

Superglue trick, I've used it for this and forgot. You need to "huff" on it after you apply it. The moisture from your breath will help cure the superglue. Watch where you put your lips

That would be the AmpGarage version of "A Christmas Story", Ralphie.

[playonit]

Thanks...... I have some JB Weld.. I think I will give it go....

[M Fowler]

With super glue there is a warning about not heating that stuff up and inhaling right

Not that I try that at home or anything, epecially when gold spray paint comes in large cans for sniffing.


Mark

[Structo]

Careful with that JB Weld, a lot of that has metal in it and it might conduct.

I would get some medium thick super glue and use that.

[jjman]

JB is fantastic but ugly and probably overkill on a tube. I've used superglue on several loose ones. The thin stuff will slide right down into the crevice.

[ToneMerc]

I had a hmmm moment awhile back and secured a loose base using Rocksett. It's clear and has a a temp rating of over 2000 degrees and it worked like a charm.


http://www.gem-tech.com/store/pc/Rockse ... -8p124.htm


http://www.flexbar.com/PDF/MSDS-Certs/R ... 20MSDS.pdf


TM

[OneWithNot]

It appears that JB Weld is an insulator; it says so on their web site.

You can also thin it with acetone or laquer thinner (I'd use a few drops per batch) to make it flow.

It can handle temps up to 500 F.

Next time I'll use it instead of nail polish (even though that worked).

This place is great for bouncing ideas around.