What old(seldom) piece of Test Equipment do you own? Nostalgic thread!

[LeoTech]

Hello fellow members,

Since joining this forum, and watching Dave's content, I have gotten pretty interested in old and seldom test equipment - unfortunately for my wallet.

Since I don't have a lot of equipment myself - yet, but like looking at it ! I thought I would start a thread about old and seldom test equipment!

To kick it of I will start with posting my oldest piece of equipment.







This is an old analog multimeter from the year 1972 (almost three times older than me) made in the USSR - that's gotta count for something!
It was previously owned by my grandfather, and passed down to me.
It hasn't been used for a long, long time, but when I took it out for storage it was surprisingly enough almost spot-on! After all those years!

Although I do not use this on a daily-basis, I still prefer digital, it is really interesting that it has survived so long and still measures this good.

So, now I shared my little gem, and I know this is neither that old nor that seldom. But as I have set the bar so low, I certainly hope you guys will take if from here and make this a really nice nostalgic thread about old test equipment!

Let's see if we can turn this into something like the TEA thread or the Workbench thread, shall we?

Leo

[WhichEnt2]

Scope made in early 70s. I still ocasionally use it and hate this thing, it weights about 20 kgs.
DC voltmeter, 3, 7.5, 15, 30 V ranges, nothing special.

[tggzzz]

I have something very similar (a 4315) that I bought new when I was around your age.

The oldest piece of functioning in-cal test equipment I have is a 1949 Weston cell, as per https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-battery-that's-lasted-176-years/msg1100660/#msg1100660

The next oldest (1950s) is a 7-decade KVD, which I still use. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/teardownjulie_reasearch_labs_vdr1067_vdr307_kelvin_varley_voltage_divider/msg1103686/#msg1103686

Now a question, based on what we had do do at school. You need to measure ~1V to 2mV accuracy, but only have a 2% meter like yours; how will you do it? You are supplied with an uncalibrated meter, a Weston standard cell (1.0186V zero current), a NiFe cell (~2V moderate current), some resistance wire, and a one metre ruler.

As for analogue vs digital, just wait for the responses In practice analogue is better under some circumstances, especially when you need to quickly spot what is changing and how fast.

[BravoV]

Seldom used & old ? One of many, my time mark generator.







Socketed golden pin 2N3904. 


Did a tear down and more photos of it's gut -> HERE

[james_s]

I have a Keithly nixie tube multimeter, I don't use it often but once in a while I do get it out, the thing is astonishingly accurate, I've verified it with a calibrator.

[LeoTech]

I have something very similar (a 4315) that I bought new when I was around your age.

The oldest piece of functioning in-cal test equipment I have is a 1949 Weston cell, as per https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-battery-that's-lasted-176-years/msg1100660/#msg1100660

The next oldest (1950s) is a 7-decade KVD, which I still use. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/teardownjulie_reasearch_labs_vdr1067_vdr307_kelvin_varley_voltage_divider/msg1103686/#msg1103686

Now a question, based on what we had do do at school. You need to measure ~1V to 2mV accuracy, but only have a 2% meter like yours; how will you do it? You are supplied with an uncalibrated meter, a Weston standard cell (1.0186V zero current), a NiFe cell (~2V moderate current), some resistance wire, and a one metre ruler.

As for analogue vs digital, just wait for the responses In practice analogue is better under some circumstances, especially when you need to quickly spot what is changing and how fast.

That is indeed true, but you may have misunderstood me.

By saying that I prefer analog over digital, I did not mean to say - nor think - that anealig is bad, quite the opposite actually.

The reason I'm currently preferring digital is due to the fact that all my equipment is digital except for that multimeter, which is only accurat in some ranges and can only measure so much. Where as my scope, S.G. and so on are digital.

As far as your popoues problem goes:
It sounds really interesting, and I haven't thougt about it yet, but I will certainly do!

Leo

Sent from my E5603 using Tapatalk

[tggzzz]

I have something very similar (a 4315) that I bought new when I was around your age.

The oldest piece of functioning in-cal test equipment I have is a 1949 Weston cell, as per https://www.eevblog.com/forum/chat/the-battery-that's-lasted-176-years/msg1100660/#msg1100660

The next oldest (1950s) is a 7-decade KVD, which I still use. See https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/teardownjulie_reasearch_labs_vdr1067_vdr307_kelvin_varley_voltage_divider/msg1103686/#msg1103686

Now a question, based on what we had do do at school. You need to measure ~1V to 2mV accuracy, but only have a 2% meter like yours; how will you do it? You are supplied with an uncalibrated meter, a Weston standard cell (1.0186V zero current), a NiFe cell (~2V moderate current), some resistance wire, and a one metre ruler.

As for analogue vs digital, just wait for the responses In practice analogue is better under some circumstances, especially when you need to quickly spot what is changing and how fast.

That is indeed true, but you may have misunderstood me.

By saying that I prefer analog over digital, I did not mean to say - nor think - that anealig is bad, quite the opposite actually.

The reason I'm currently preferring digital is due to the fact that all my equipment is digital except for that multimeter, which is only accurat in some ranges and can only measure so much. Where as my scope, S.G. and so on are digital.

Understood and accepted. But you are young and probably haven't yet witnessed the heat (i.e. not illumination) the analogue vs digital debate stimulates As with most things, knowing the advantages and disadvantages of each tool is key to good engineering.

[Bratster]

I've got a nice old school wheatstone Bridge.

Shallcross 638-R

I'll see if I remember to pop the cover later on tonight get some photos of the inside, it's a work of art.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Barbouri]

Beckman 6240B EPUT & Timer. I don't use it much anymore, but still get it out and power it up periodically.

[Radio Tech]

Nice gear guys. I love vintage test gear. I have many pieces myself. Too many to list.
Here is one of my favorites I recently got.

Clough Brengle  model 110 signal generator  from the 30's

[wn1fju]

General Electric P-3 AC voltmeter from 1950.  A friend of mine won this in a charity auction and then gave it to me.  It uses an iron-vane meter
movement that directly measures AC (up to 133 Hz) without needing a rectifier.  It has 150, 300 and 600 VAC ranges and comes with a nice calibration chart.
Besides the construction, what is most impressive is the specification: 0.2%.  That exceeds most every analog meter spec I've ever come across.  I
checked it at 100 VAC with my Fluke 5200A AC calibrator and it is still in spec.

[medical-nerd]

Hiya

Does a Telequipment CT71 Curvetracer count??

stock photo since I'm not at home at the moment:

[Jester]

HP 6181B DC current source, handy because it has up to 100V compliance and sensitive current adjustment.
Numerous Tektronix plug-in modules (late 70's style), handy because I just slide in what ever I'm short of at the time, extra PS, timer what ever. The current probe is almost always populated.
Kikusui DC loads (upgraded with dual V/I display), handy because it's so easy to use, I drag out its big brother every once in a while.


They all work like new and get used on a fairly regular basis.

[Bratster]

Photos of the inside of the wheatstone bridge:

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk

[Tony_G]

My personal fav is the look of all the HP gear in this era using the same chassis:



That's a 651B Oscillator.

Other ones that I've gone and bought again just because of the look:



435B Power Meter



415E SWR Meter

TonyG

[LeoTech]

Yeah, those old analog pieces of gear really do look awesome and special! Especially the signal generators from that period.

I sometimes wonder how i would have turned out if I lived in that period, or if our current digital gear ever will reach the same level of admiration and nostalgic.

Leo

[james_s]

That Wheatstone bridge is amazing, must have cost a fortune to build.

[joeqsmith]

Pretty much all my equipment is old and seldom used.   I have an old grid dip meter  from the 50s.    Also an old galvanometer from Weston along with a few shunts.  I use some of the shunts from time to time. 

[billfernandez]

Sadelco 7600u Signal Level Meter.  Internal rechargeable battery.  Comes in a canvas shoulder bag.  Basically, you tune it to one of the pre-digital TV channel frequencies then read the signal level on the meter.  I think it would also demodulate the audio and play it through a speaker.

[SG-1]

The True RMS meter of yore.

[SG-1]

My other old voltmeters, a DMM, & ammeters.

What was being an electrician like back in the day?

These old instruments were only found in labs.  Few people could afford such luxuries.

I am thinking that early electricians used bell ringers & light bulbs for troubleshooting problems in homes & commercial buildings.

[SG-1]

Still having trouble posting multiple pictures. 

Almost forgot the Megger junior!

[Audiocluster]

One of my favorites is an old VECTRON FS-232 Crystal Oscillator Frequency Standard.
Used throughout 60-70's. Absolutely the best well made enclosure I've ever seen. MIL Spec galore museum piece.
This unit came from Redstone Arsenal, used for missile targeting, its got a internal oven to heat the crystal......

 It's to this day my favorite 'Wow, ...Show & Tell' piece.

[Audiocluster]

Precise 116 GM Tube Tester

Simpson 387 DC MilliVolt Meter 

'Sweet' Weston 264 Milliamperes DC

The best analog meter ever made, my 'cherry' Triplett 630NS

You Tell Me What This Is, I don't know; some kind of microscope transcriber? May be an ophthalmologist's gizmo? 

[james_s]

My other old voltmeters, a DMM, & ammeters.

What was being an electrician like back in the day?

My uncle spent his whole career as an electrician. Some of the most common electrical test tools used were a simple neon test light, or for times when you needed to measure the voltage there were voltage probes that indicated using a series of neon lamps. For continuity there were continuity probes containing a battery and small incandescent lamp. As far as I know these sort of tools are still available and in use, although I would guess most commercial and industrial electricians have a multimeter. For residential work it's rare to really need one.