500 Series Rack Card Guide

Am I right in thinking that 500 series racks do not use card guides? Do you just sort of waggle the module until its PCB fingers hit the motherboard connector?

Cheers

Ian

yeah, no guides.

the 200 series do use guides, not the 500. So no worries about components sitting on the edge of the pcb. In quite a few 500 modules have full metal enclosures, right?

gemini86 said:

the 200 series do use guides, not the 500. So no worries about components sitting on the edge of the pcb. In quite a few 500 modules have full metal enclosures, right?

Click to expand...

Yes, I just wondered how, when you put in the last module in a rack, that you know when you have the connector properly engaged.

Cheers

Ian

ruffrecords said:

gemini86 said:

the 200 series do use guides, not the 500. So no worries about components sitting on the edge of the pcb. In quite a few 500 modules have full metal enclosures, right?

Click to expand...

Yes, I just wondered how, when you put in the last module in a rack, that you know when you have the connector properly engaged.

Cheers

Ian

Click to expand...

It takes a bit of practice until you get the feel of where the connector is but you can tell when it sits in there right. I find it helps to slide in the modules vertically if possible.

ruffrecords said:

... how, when you put in the last module in a rack, that you know when you have the connector properly engaged.

Click to expand...

Blind feel.

There are some API racks that have removable card guides (example: Radial Workhorse).  But some of the modules are encased in such a way that the card edge is not available to fit in the guides.

OK, I think I am beginning to get the picture.

So what about getting them out. What do you grab hold of?

Cheers

Ian

I have a quite strong grip, so I don't have much problems with removing things. However, there might be a time that you have to lever the module out just a bit so that you can get your grip on it. In which case I would recommend to use a bit of a wooden stick such as the ones used in ice lollies, or a bit of plastic. You can also put a bit of masking tape or sellotape over the end of a flat screw driver not to damage the paint work.

Getting them out is pretty easy on a lunchbox, room for fingers above and below. Removing from a populated rack with gear above and below is a pita. Some A-designs pres have dedicated thumb screws to grab onto which is a good idea. Otherwise for most modules you need some sort of wedge and easy to scratch or damage if not careful.

I thread the mounting holes of the front panels 10-32.  When I want to pull one out, I just screw in a 10-32 x 1" screw, and pull.
Best,
Bruno2000

I've always just grabbed a knob on the 200 series (I'm guessing the 500 series is slightly more difficult) . But I have super-human drummer hands.

hardly have ever had a problem with a 500 series module except one time when the console on I had to rest the psu

gemini86 said:

I've always just grabbed a knob on the 200 series (I'm guessing the 500 series is slightly more difficult) . But I have super-human drummer hands.

Click to expand...

Pulling things out by the pots or switches is usually a bad idea.

agreed, but until api starts putting handles on their 200 modules, I'll grab the only knob available to me.

The pots they use are plenty rugged enough, so I'm not worried.