PeKo Radio
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| RVB-2 Assembly Tips & Tricks |
| Fig 11 - Outer Case placed back and secured using Epoxy Adhesive |
as on the filed-out ridges holding the RVB-2 board. In this way, the board will be solid as a rock inside the vibrator case once the epoxy has cured. The next step (before curing any epoxy) is to slide the cylindrical top of the vibrator can over the remaining part of the plastic core (apply lots of epoxy on that part of the core as well before you place the top over it). After closing, make sure the top case is lined up with the bottom pat in exactly the same manner that it was originally. This way you can match the unevenness between top and bottom half that might have happened when you did the earlier cutting. Then, use tape to keep the two halves nicely pressed together and lined up while the epoxy is curing. Once cured, you can remove this tape. The end result will then look like what you see in photo in fig. 11. It is probably a good idea to print the words “silent solid- state vibrator” on the top of the case, this way the inevitable next owner of the equipment will not think the vibrator to be defect because he or she is unable to hear any hum coming from the vibrator….. |
| Fig 10 - RVB Board secured in Vibrator Bottom (no Epoxy Adhesive applied yet). A prototype board is shown here, but the same applies to the RVB-2. |
3/8” . It turns out this perfectly matches the plastic core of a spent adhesive tape roll. When you have such a core, file two opposing ridges into it (on the inside of the core) such that the RVB-2 board can slide into the core without force. See fig 10 for an impression of this; the core has been filed with two opposing ridges, and was placed to slide around the RVB board. Then, push the core all the way down beyond the rim of the vibrator base (in the same way as shown in fig 10). |
| Fig 9 - RVB Board soldered to the Vibrator Pins (not closed yet). A prototype board is shown here, but the same applies to the RVB-2. |
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our experience is that this messes up the original vibrator appearance too much. A better method is to use a Dremel tool equipped with a thin cutting disc. With this disc, you should cut the circumference of the can at about 0.6 inch from the bottom. It is a good idea to first put tape around the vibrator with the tape edge at this 0.6 inch distance; this way the tape edge will function as a guide when cutting the vibrator circumference, resulting in a nice even cut. IMPORTANT: Always wear safety glasses (or goggles) when using a Dremel tool to protect your eyes! These grinding discs shatter easily and might damage your eyes when not wearing safety glasses! Next step is to remove the innards of the vibrator. The rubber material is easily removed. After removal of the rubber you should cut the connecting wires as close to the mechanical element as possible. Then, you can remove the wires by heating the vibrator contact terminals sufficiently at the tip using a solder iron. Use additional rosin flux on the pins to make this de-soldering process go smoother. Just gently tug the wires until they come loose from the pins. Once the original wires are removed, you should remove all solder from the hollow pins. This is done easiest by heating the hollow pin sufficiently (again, use lots of additional rosin flux) and then blow hard in these pins, this will force out the excessive solder quite easily. Again, be careful here to make sure the blown-out solder does not damage anything, or that it might burn you when flying out. Blow it out onto a safe area. At this phase, all the hollow pins should be opened and free of solder. The next step is to solder somewhat rigid wires to the RVB-2 board and bend them such that they line up with the correct vibrator pins. Then solder the wires in place at the vibrator pins. Make sure excessive solder is removed, and that remaining flux is removed using solvent. If you don’t do this, it will be very hard to later place the vibrator back in its original socket, because the pins have become too thick. So make sure to remove excessive solder and flux from the pins. See figure 9 for an impression of this phase of the process; the board is soldered into the pins and held upright in its place by the rigid wires. |
of the original vibrator is not compromised. |
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