Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bitseeker]

Hmmm, long repair queue. Sounds like the makings of a YouTube electronics channel.

[Specmaster]

There's nothing wrong with leaving things in your repair queue.  I don't even want to think about how long mine is at this point.  And due to get longer - for reasons beyond my comprehension, I now have a non working HP 208A test oscillator on order from our favorite cash vampire.  To compound the lunacy, a service manual for said non functional piece of gear does not, at least after an admittedly cursory search of the usual suspects (KO4BB, BAMA, Keysight and Artek) does not appear to be readily available for less than I'm willing to spend...

To reiterate a comment I made in an earlier post - yeah, I'm an idiot.  Why do you ask?   

-Pat

Sounds like you all need to check if a manual is available before acquiring these items. That way they can sit in that repair queue until you get bored enough to do them, safe in the knowledge that you have a fighting chance of not having wasted your money.

No manual available, no buy is my mantra from now on, I don't have the space to collect dud gear any more.

[neo]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

[tautech]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

I just did.
Well bugger it, I can get all this stuff at a decent price  so Xmas came a bit early for tautech.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/digital-multimeters/sdm3065x-6-%C2%BD-digits-dual-display-digital-multimeters/

Plus the factory installed 16ch scanner module.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/accessory/sc1016/

Thanks to all my customers that helped me fund/afford it. 

[Specmaster]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

I just did.
Well bugger it, I can get all this stuff at a decent price  so Xmas came a bit early for tautech.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/digital-multimeters/sdm3065x-6-%C2%BD-digits-dual-display-digital-multimeters/

Plus the factory installed 16ch scanner module.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/accessory/sc1016/

Thanks to all my customers that helped me fund/afford it. 

Nice but I have to say that they also look ugley with chunky corner buffers on them these days.

[bd139]

They bounce though 

[tautech]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

I just did.
Well bugger it, I can get all this stuff at a decent price  so Xmas came a bit early for tautech.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/digital-multimeters/sdm3065x-6-%C2%BD-digits-dual-display-digital-multimeters/

Plus the factory installed 16ch scanner module.
https://www.siglentamerica.com/accessory/sc1016/

Thanks to all my customers that helped me fund/afford it. 

Nice but I have to say that they also look ugley with chunky corner buffers on them these days.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. 

They're there so you can safely stack them as they have spigots and mating notches that engage with ones under and over.....all the way to the ceiling. 

[bd139]

That doesn't work though because every damn vendor has different notches and positioning.

I should just buy HP stuff

[tggzzz]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

You clearly have enough for everyday needs. You should consider short-circuiting the unnecessary intermediate stages, and simply going directly to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datron-Wavetek-1281-8-5-Digit-Laboratory-Digital-Multimeter/282767784359 or the well-known hp equivalent.

[Specmaster]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

You clearly have enough for everyday needs. You should consider short-circuiting the unnecessary intermediate stages, and simply going directly to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datron-Wavetek-1281-8-5-Digit-Laboratory-Digital-Multimeter/282767784359 or the well-known hp equivalent.

Nice metter, enough digits and LED's to keep everyone happy on that sucker.

[bd139]

I still can't find a reason why anyone would need an 8.5 digit meter. Please enlighten me

Really you can't get affordable parts to build something where it would have a measurable use.

[glarsson]

To calibrate the 6.5 digit multimeters.

[bd139]

Shouldn't you use a voltage standard for that?

[Specmaster]

Shouldn't you use a voltage standard for that?

The 5025 unit is a certified reference unit and would be subjected to the same tests as a reference voltage, or reference resistor etc.

[bd139]

It would indeed but when you cal something you need a precision low noise source anyway. You can’t cal an 6.5 digit meter on lower ranges without one. Average power supply doesn’t make the grade. Consider AC measurements and noise bandwidth as well.

[tggzzz]

I still can't find a reason why anyone would need an 8.5 digit meter. Please enlighten me

• playing around with the edge of the envelope
• bragging rights
• so you can use a Weston standard cell as a thermometer
• just because
• you are asking us that? Go and wash your mouth out with soap

[Mr. Scram]

I still can't find a reason why anyone would need an 8.5 digit meter. Please enlighten me

Really you can't get affordable parts to build something where it would have a measurable use.

Because your forum credits would suddenly soar in value with one and everyone would like you.

[Mr. Scram]

ice but I have to say that they also look ugley with chunky corner buffers on them these days.

Something tells me Siglent felt the Keysight pressure to make the designs less similar. Obviously, the original meter was a rip-off, and as the John Kenny interview indicated, Keysight has wisened up.

[URI]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

OK, sounds like a mathematically well-defined buying list. 
So you want to increase your stock by three 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit, three 5.5 digit, three 6.5 digit, two 7.5 digit multimeters for adding a 8.5 digit multimeter finally..      

[URI]

I still can't find a reason why anyone would need an 8.5 digit meter. Please enlighten me

Really you can't get affordable parts to build something where it would have a measurable use.

Because your forum credits would suddenly soar in value with one and everyone would like you.

True for volt-nuts, the rest will kindly ignore your spleen at best or declare you're insane..   

[URI]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

You clearly have enough for everyday needs. You should consider short-circuiting the unnecessary intermediate stages, and simply going directly to https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datron-Wavetek-1281-8-5-Digit-Laboratory-Digital-Multimeter/282767784359 or the well-known hp equivalent.

Nice metter, enough digits and LED's to keep everyone happy on that sucker.

Yes indeed.
But I wonder if another 8,5digit meter, the Datron Wavetek 4920 ist really based upon an LM199/LM399 voltage reference only (see the linked photo below) or if there's another refence (LTZ1000) on the little board on the left of the LM199/LM399 voltage reference?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Datron-Wavetek-4920-8-5-Digit-Self-Cal-Digital-High-Accuracy-Voltmeter-DMM/401455250476?_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIM.MBE%26ao%3D2%26asc%3D49567%26meid%3D90178aa8e69444a7b9faaf7ff6cceddf%26pid%3D100623%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D2%26sd%3D282767784359&_trksid=p2047675.c100623.m-1

[HalFET]

so you can use a Weston standard cell as a thermometer

Challenge accepted!

[URI]

Ordered on Oct. 31st I received a small package from chzech republic finally! 

Now I can modify my three HP 3456A by exchanging the 5.85MHz quartz for 60Hz noise rejection with the 4.875MHz one for 50Hz noise rejection. 

I'm curious if I'll notice any difference..  even with the 5.85MHz quartz the HP 3456A is more stable/less noisy than my HP3457A 

[neo]

A funny thought occurred to me, i have four 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit and two 5.5 digit multimeters.

It seems as if my test equipment is ganging together to tell me i need 6.5 next... 

OK, sounds like a mathematically well-defined buying list. 
So you want to increase your stock by three 3.5 digit, three 4.5 digit, three 5.5 digit, three 6.5 digit, two 7.5 digit multimeters for adding a 8.5 digit multimeter finally..      

I like your thinking, though that would have me winding up with only 24 meters.

[Cubdriver]

I still can't find a reason why anyone would need an 8.5 digit meter. Please enlighten me

Really you can't get affordable parts to build something where it would have a measurable use.

Heretic!!   

Because they are test gear and they exist is reason enough!!  Come on, man - did you forget what thread you're posting in?   

 

-Pat