Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cerebus]

1x water level 250mm long, resolution 0,04mm/m 

That's an odd size. Is this a particularly German water level, the type with a flat shelf under most of the measuring surface?

[URI]

That's [250mm length] an odd size. Is this a particularly German water level, the type with a flat shelf under most of the measuring surface?

No, I don't think so. Its suited for flat surfaces as well as for tubes in my opinion. It seems to be special (made of steel and weighs ~1.7kg)  and is probably no particularly German level.

By the way, being german, I surely only know german water levels like those shown here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Wasserwaage-Karl_Dahm.jpg (short one, typical length I know is 80-100cm).

How do waterlevels look like that are not particularly German?

[Cerebus]

That's [250mm length] an odd size. Is this a particularly German water level, the type with a flat shelf under most of the measuring surface?

No, I don't think so. Its suited for flat surfaces as well as for tubes in my opinion. It seems to be special (made of steel and weighs ~1.7kg)  and is probably no particularly German level.

By the way, being german, I surely only know german water levels like those shown here: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/80/Wasserwaage-Karl_Dahm.jpg (short one, typical length I know is 80-100cm).

How do waterlevels look like that are not particularly German?

It's OK, I thought you were making a subtle joke. Ignore it.

[tautech]

1x water level 250mm long, resolution 0,04mm/m 

That's an odd size.

Not so much for a mechanical engineer.
Sometimes electricians and especially plumbers use short levels too.

[URI]

[..PM2534 with LM399..]
Do you have any further information which you can share here? Probably in a new thread?

As a quick piece of information I dove into my photo-archive and can now show you my prototype for pimping my PM2535.
Looks quiet bodgy, the two pins of the zener part of the LM399 are soldered where the original zener was placed and the heater pins are bend up and connected to bodge wires disappearing under the circuit board through a hole..

To put things right: This is no after-work job for me. I'll have to compare both DMMs on parts and circuit level to not miss any changed/new/opened connection and to fit it to the schematic. After that the pimped DMM needs recalibration. I'll change the backup battery then also..

[Fungus]

That's [250mm length] an odd size. Is this a particularly German water level, the type with a flat shelf under most of the measuring surface?

No, I don't think so. Its suited for flat surfaces as well as for tubes in my opinion. It seems to be special (made of steel and weighs ~1.7kg)  and is probably no particularly German level.

Whoosh! 

[bd139]

Bad morning. My 8050A just blew out its power supply. Looks like a fatality as it won't even come up on a bench supply 

[xrunner]

Bad morning. My 8050A just blew out its power supply. Looks like a fatality as it won't even come up on a bench supply 

[bd139]

I'll keep it for parts in case I find a limping one.

On a positive note, now I need to find a new toy to buy. Looking at GW Instek GDM-8341 at the moment which seems to do the job and is a reasonable price (compared to Keysight and Fluke anyway)

[AF6LJ]

Bad morning. My 8050A just blew out its power supply. Looks like a fatality as it won't even come up on a bench supply 

That really sucks.
 

[bd139]

It's been a bit iffy for a while. Occasionally it'll just read a random voltage and then jump back to where it was supposed to be. LCD is bleeding a bit as well now. It's time to move on.

Edit: does anyone know what the deal with modern DMMs is? NONE of them have any decent AC bandwidth. Need around 50KHz.

[bd139]

Good news! I found a dodgy cracked tant on the board and have desoldered it. Seems to have come back again with some measurements a bit jumpy and consuming a hell of a lot less current. I'll order some replacements tants and refurb it properly I think.

Going to buy a new meter anyway. Need something I can rely on.

[Fungus]

Good news! I found a dodgy cracked tant on the board and have desoldered it.

Maybe a result of the electrolytics starting to fail after 30-odd years.

[bd139]

They've all been replaced on it in the last year. It's only been dicky for a week. Possible I suppose.

[Fungus]

They've all been replaced on it in the last year.

...or maybe not that. 

[bd139]

I think this is tantalums being dicks

Typically I skipped replacing them because the TH ones are pretty expensive now and they're usually quite reliable. Turns out I was wrong

[Fungus]

I think this is tantalums being dicks

Typically I skipped replacing them because the TH ones are pretty expensive now and they're usually quite reliable. Turns out I was wrong

1980s tantalums aren't the same as today's tantalums.

[Rbastler]

Damn. Forgot completely to check the ones on my 8050A. Works fine though. But nontheless I will check them, once I have again acess to the meter.

Sent from my A0001 using Tapatalk

[Cerebus]

Edit: does anyone know what the deal with modern DMMs is? NONE of them have any decent AC bandwidth. Need around 50KHz.

All the old ones used a separate analogue RMS converter, either a hybrid or one of the Analog or Linear chips (e.g. the classic AD536). Modern low to mid price meters have the RMS conversion hidden inside the chipset and who knows how it is done. I have a suspicion that many may use a digital method and if that is the case obviously the bandwidth is going to be limited by the rate at which they can sample the raw waveform.

[bitseeker]

Good news! I found a dodgy cracked tant on the board and have desoldered it. Seems to have come back again with some measurements a bit jumpy and consuming a hell of a lot less current. I'll order some replacements tants and refurb it properly I think.

That's a relief. The reports of her demise were greatly exaggerated. (What Mark Twain would've said if he had a Fluke 8050A.)

Looking at GW Instek GDM-8341 at the moment which seems to do the job and is a reasonable price (compared to Keysight and Fluke anyway)

The earlier GDM-8251 that were being liquidated en masse seemed to be well liked. I still see some at a reasonable price from time to time.

does anyone know what the deal with modern DMMs is? NONE of them have any decent AC bandwidth. Need around 50KHz.

The Instek meters have 100kHz AC bandwidth. Sounds like it'd be OK for you, though you'd want to confirm the accuracy is sufficient at your desired frequency. The venerable HP/Agilent 34401A is 300kHz and 6.5-digit, but only single display.

[Specmaster]

Good news! I found a dodgy cracked tant on the board and have desoldered it. Seems to have come back again with some measurements a bit jumpy and consuming a hell of a lot less current. I'll order some replacements tants and refurb it properly I think.

Going to buy a new meter anyway. Need something I can rely on.

Well you did say that you would like a Fluke 45, heres one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263231660240?ul_noapp=true, worth a look?

[tautech]

It's been a bit iffy for a while. Occasionally it'll just read a random voltage and then jump back to where it was supposed to be. LCD is bleeding a bit as well now. It's time to move on.

Edit: does anyone know what the deal with modern DMMs is? NONE of them have any decent AC bandwidth. Need around 50KHz.

If the daisies become permanent the two lesser SDM's 3045X and 3055 are spec'ed to 100 KHz while the 6.5 digit 3065X goes to 300 KHz.

[bd139]

Interesting. Will take a look at them.

Good news! I found a dodgy cracked tant on the board and have desoldered it. Seems to have come back again with some measurements a bit jumpy and consuming a hell of a lot less current. I'll order some replacements tants and refurb it properly I think.

Going to buy a new meter anyway. Need something I can rely on.

Well you did say that you would like a Fluke 45, heres one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/263231660240?ul_noapp=true, worth a look?

Border line with that. You usually get screwed at customs and RM do that’s 70 + VAT + RM handling extortion so 90. One went in better shape locally as you know for 96

[BU508A]

I'll keep it for parts in case I find a limping one.

On a positive note, now I need to find a new toy to buy. Looking at GW Instek GDM-8341 at the moment which seems to do the job and is a reasonable price (compared to Keysight and Fluke anyway)

How about a Keithley THD 2015? Sometimes they can be found cheap on ebay.

Link to the datasheet:
https://www.tek.com/document/specification/model-2015-total-harmonic-distortion-multimeter-specifications-rev-j

[bd139]

Unfortunately not in the UK. Stuff here is pretty expensive for no apparent reason.