Just won a Tek P6046 diff probe at ebay, question on it's psu & accesories

[BravoV]

Well, suggesting RTFM thoroughly 1st. Personally I just can not afford to assume too much when it comes to the finicky of calibrating/tuning this 50 yrs old beast, remember, it even scared the hell out of Jim Williams (RIP). 

[linux-works]

I'm not sure its just for calibration.  if it can be used as a fet low-z input probe with a lifted ground, then that's a good enough use for this metal can thing

if its at scope ground, then its no longer floating but its still a low-z fet input, which can be useful.

[Behemot]

Hey BravoV, have you been able to rewire the PSU for 230 V? I am just shopping for a set on fleebay which a collegue of mine will than take here from the US. (Shipping to Europe costs usually almost as the set itself) After it gets here I could also use a direct 230V input instead off using transformer ;-)

[BravoV]

Hey BravoV, have you been able to rewire the PSU for 230 V? I am just shopping for a set on fleebay which a collegue of mine will than take here from the US. (Shipping to Europe costs usually almost as the set itself) After it gets here I could also use a direct 230V input instead off using transformer ;-)

Sorry, missed your post.

Short answer : Yes, no need to get an extra step down transformer, it works flawlessly after rewiring. 

Just follow exactly as the manual stated, of course read carefully, always check and re-check after you rewired, before plug it into the mains outlet.

One small nice details, see the little label metal plate that says "CONNECTED FOR 115 V" with two screws holding it ?

Just unscrew the plate, flip it, as the other side has "CONNECTED FOR 230 V" printed on it, nice isn't it ? 

[Behemot]

Yeah I actually was pointed to the schematics, with it it was very easy to rewire. Already turned the label around, I thought it will be blank so I'll write it to the other side, and there was the 230V text Already also ordered some measurement clips as for the kind of thing I measure, the probe tips are useless. Ordinary passive probes with those "hooks" they come with are ideal for me. Till I make a new load tester at least which would already be designed for the probe tips…

Anyway, I think I'll have many questions for using the probe. Lets start right away. I always thought that the less mV/div, the more "zoomed in" the waveform will be. That's how the O-scope knobs work at least. Here it seems to be the opposite, I have to increase the mV/div value on the amplifier to get closer view. Am I missing something?

[JPortici]

Hi! I recently won a p6046 from the US.

Flippable plate is a nice touch.
Anyway, this should be correct, right? Shematic says bridge between 2 and 3 instead of 1 to 2 and 3 to 4

I have three more questions:
- do i need to connect the earth terminal? I don't have an US to IT/SHUCKO adapter with earth at the moment
-can i change the plug? Though the power supply is bulky, i'd rather build an adapter cable
-if i wanted to probe between two points at an arbitrary distance... what are the two wire thingie that you can plug on the tip called? Where can i find them?

[BravoV]

JPortici, congratz on the score ! 

Anyway, this should be correct, right? Shematic says bridge between 2 and 3 instead of 1 to 2 and 3 to 4

Though I don't remember the detail now, I did the rewiring from 110V to 230V "exactly" as the manual instructed, of course, check, recheck ... and recheck again, and it just work.

- do i need to connect the earth terminal? I don't have an US to IT/SHUCKO adapter with earth at the moment

Not sure, but I do use US plug to Schucko adapter that has the ground terminal, something that looks like this. (from Google)

-can i change the plug? Though the power supply is bulky, i'd rather build an adapter cable

If you managed to replace it, please, update us, I'm interested too.

-if i wanted to probe between two points at an arbitrary distance... what are the two wire thingie that you can plug on the tip called? Where can i find them?

My probe also missing those tiny accessories, I used small solid copper wires, spun/coil at the drill bit that has the same diameter as those tiny sharp tips, and then attached the coiled copper wire snugly at both tips (also it can be detached), and then soldered the other wires end at the test points.

A ghetto mod, but it works. 

[JPortici]

i haven't had a moment to try it yet
it's here at the bench at work but no occasion to do so
and i  was away for the weekend
and i'm going away this weekend again

[Behemot]

Me neither. Also did not get all the equipment so I bought some small clips etc. to play with it further somewhere in future as I was also getting some strange readings (almost no output signal etc.). It's laying on the bench ever since