Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

Ok I can’t read. £10

My gumtree says £0.00 but text says "OFFERS" so I guess it could be a bargain or a heap of shit.

My eye was drawn to the 15 years in the loft...

When I picked up my "new" LeCroy, it was covered in a film of condensation. It showed no signs of life and I was preparing to write it off.

When I got around to it a few weeks later, after it being in the house (cf barn) for that time, on principle I opened it up. The EHT lead had fallen off the tube and, after figuring out how it was supposed to be attached, I reattached it. The scope sprung into life.

YMMV, of course.

[bd139]

The worse scope I had was similar. Was a Tek 465b. Had been in a shed for about a decade. Literally left it in the sun for a week in the conservatory at my parents’ house to dry out, cracked it open, reattached a deflection connector and it worked fine!

[tggzzz]

The worse scope I had was similar. Was a Tek 465b. Had been in a shed for about a decade. Literally left it in the sun for a week in the conservatory at my parents’ house to dry out, cracked it open, reattached a deflection connector and it worked fine!

The LeCroy is essentially a computer++. I know which I would try to repair, and which I would regard as more "speculative"

[bd139]

My eBay scripts found a bargain!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302711136546

[AF6LJ]

My eBay scripts found a bargain!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302711136546

That's Cute.

[mnementh]

As my 1000th post here on the EEVBlog forums here is my last score.

Its not strictly electronics test equipment but it still is test equipment. Some used waterproof Mitutoyo digital calipers with the case and paperwork included.

You meant to say LATEST score, not LAST as in last ever, right? 

Nice catch... I see you're not telling how much you got them for; ashamed to admit it, eh?

I have a set of NSK stainless steel dial calipers I bought for my first engine build when I was a teenager; since then I've gone through several pairs of cheap Chinese digital calipers on my bench for daily abuse. I'll tear them apart and buff out the grunge and foundry slag when I first get them and then they're good enough for selecting bearings and bushings, determining actual screw sizes, etc.

I keep telling myself I'm going to get a set of Mitus or maybe an NSK digital; but it just keeps getting shoved down the priority list as I still have my grand-dad's B&S & Starret 1-6" kits to fall back on if I REALLLY need to get jiggy widditt. 


mnem

[bd139]

Finally scored something reasonable.

Listed as working HP 3478A for 65 quid. Last cal expired in 2017 so has been used recently. If it doesn’t work, can’t lose

Will replace battery and pay for cal. Can get it done locally for £40 with cert.

[mnementh]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

They're the same cheap clips as the ones I buy for $2-3 a pair; there seems to be considerable variation as to quality of the actual jaws, and they use a paper-thin strip of self-adhesive fiberglas tape as an insulator under the spring, so capacitive coupling between the sides is a concern.

That said, they are quite serviceable if you take a few minutes to doctor them up; add some phenolic board under the springs and carefully bend the jaws so the serrations align and you can get pretty good service.

You'll want to skip them for anything with mv measurement levels though; get or make a set with shielded cables and BNCs. But then that'll be pretty obvious, as your equipment won't have bananas.


mnem
Urrrgghh... must have coffee... so I can move to go make coffee-eee...

[mnementh]

My eBay scripts found a bargain!

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F302711136546

That's Cute.

Quick! EVERYBODY go add it to your watch list right away so he gets dozens of watchers ALL AT ONCE to really fu** with his head!!! 


mnem
*Slightly evil*

[BillB]

Quick! EVERYBODY go add it to your watch list right away so he gets dozens of watchers ALL AT ONCE to really fu** with his head!!! 

Done!

I love the picture!

(I hope he considers shipping to the US   )

[bd139]

Have added it 

[BillB]

If I had known there was this kind of market for these, I wouldn't have kept brushing them off onto the floor!   

[Cerebus]

There's at least two places on here where people are bemoaning how hard it is to get hold of 100nF 50V 0603 X7R caps at the moment and the prices have gone up concomitantly.  The lowest price for that spec is £0.11 each at Digikey at the moment and they have 13 in stock - yes, 1, 3, thirteen. This part reel of 2500 muRata 0603 caps I'm holding in my hand , which ought be only a few quid, is currently worth £275.

[bd139]

Yep RS is back order on all 0603 100nF parts  ... tried to buy some the other day.

0805's galore though!

[tggzzz]

Quick! EVERYBODY go add it to your watch list right away so he gets dozens of watchers ALL AT ONCE to really fu** with his head!!! 

Done!

I love the picture!

(I hope he considers shipping to the US   )

Personally I like the condition: "seller refurbished"

[Zucca]

Up for sale is this very rare 100nF 50V 0603 ceramic capacitor. Grab a bargain!!! Happy bidding!

Added to my watch list. Contacted the seller with:

"Very interested I was looking for the exact component since 2003 to fix my Fluke 5520A.
Please provide me some past history information about that ceramic capacitor.
Did you measured if the 100nF value is still accurated? do you have a LCR Meter?
Any further information / pictures are welcome. Thanks"

 

You can send him another message like this... ok now back to work.

[Cerebus]

Yep RS is back order on all 0603 100nF parts  ... tried to buy some the other day.

0805's galore though!

If you're stuck, PM me, I'll stick a few inches in the post.

[Mr. Scram]

If you're stuck, PM me, I'll stick a few inches in the post.

A very context sensitive statement.

[BillB]

Up for sale is this very rare 100nF 50V 0603 ceramic capacitor. Grab a bargain!!! Happy bidding!

Added to my watch list. Contacted the seller with:
 

You can send him another message like this... ok now back to work.

I've also asked the seller to post more pictures, and if he'll consider shipping to the US.   

[bd139]

Yep RS is back order on all 0603 100nF parts  ... tried to buy some the other day.

0805's galore though!

If you're stuck, PM me, I'll stick a few inches in the post.

Oooh err

I’m good thanks. I just used 0805s instead. They were being used as bodge capacitors. I haven’t finished the board yet so will change the footprints for 0805s

[Specmaster]

Finally scored something reasonable.

Listed as working HP 3478A for 65 quid. Last cal expired in 2017 so has been used recently. If it doesn’t work, can’t lose

Will replace battery and pay for cal. Can get it done locally for £40 with cert.

When did you score this one?, last week by any chance? I was after one, been rack mounted so didn't have all the trim round front plate and that went for £65

[bd139]

Literally about 5 minutes after it was listed this afternoon. This one has trim and looks in good condition. Cal looks like it has been tampered with. However last cal was by Keysight in 2017 so fingers crossed.

[Specmaster]

Biggest problem with them is the battery, bad battery, no cal data, while meter is good, battery system is a naff design, ought to be EEprom or similar really for the cal data.

[bd139]

Yep. This one is listed as working so I’ve got a get out if the cal data is toast or it has been cocked around with.  I’ll do the surgery and replace the battery. Job for the 12v T12 iron floating

If cal is reasonable I’ll swap battery out and leave it be. If not I’ll swap the battery out and get it calibrated. Someone I know will do me a 5.5 digit to UKAS for £40+VAT. This can go down as a business expense as no assets are generated 

Hello Mr HMRC

[bd139]

This is interesting. You can backup and restore the cal data via GBIP: http://k6jca.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/save-and-restore-hp-3478a-calibration.html

Now I need a GBIP interface.

Edit: also a couple of RIFA X2’s lurking on the power switch need swapping out.