Author Topic: Used analog oscilloscopes for sale lacking probes and even power cords?  (Read 4462 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline TristramTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 12
  • Country: us
  • Electronics Hobbyist
Hello everyone ;D

After browsing through the used analog oscilloscopes on eBay for a week or two, I have noticed a trend. A large number of them do not come with probes and even more baffling is that some even lack power cords! I am curious about where are all the probes and power cords are disappearing to! Are they easily lost, are they just being sold separately to reap greater profit, or is there something else afoot?
« Last Edit: June 22, 2018, 07:01:26 am by Tristram »
 

Online tggzzz

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 19281
  • Country: gb
  • Numbers, not adjectives
    • Having fun doing more, with less
Most people already have surplus "kettle leads" for mains power, and shipping them with a scope risks their damaging the scope.

Probes break.
There are many different classes of probe necessary for different tasks.
Decent working probes are more expensive than you would expect.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 

Offline Harb

  • Regular Contributor
  • *
  • Posts: 244
  • Country: au
Power cords are plentiful and probes are usually kept for the next scope or used for something else......
 

Offline TristramTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 12
  • Country: us
  • Electronics Hobbyist
Power cords are plentiful and probes are usually kept for the next scope or used for something else......

But don't the new scopes usually come with them these days? Or are probes just one of those things you can never have enough of? I haven't yet raised the funds to purchase an oscilloscope yet so I don't really know ^-^
 

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
Scope probes are consumables. Most have been destroyed. I’ve bought a couple of old scopes with probes and they are always knackered.

If I sell one on I usually chuck some cheap probes in with it.

I don’t ship mains leads with anything I sell on eBay myself as the U.K. plug is a deadly weapon. However you package it, destruction will ensue.
 

Online Fungus

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 16562
  • Country: 00
Hello everyone ;D

After browsing through the used analog oscilloscopes on eBay for a week or two, I have noticed a trend. A large number of them do not come with probes and even more baffling is that some even lack power cords! I am curious about where are all the probes and power cords are disappearing to! Are they easily lost, are they just being sold separately to reap greater profit, or is there something else afoot?

If you're buying a used analog oscilloscope on eBay then the seller assumes you have a big room full of other test gear to diagnose/maintain it. Probes and power cords won't be a problem for you.

If you're selling a used analog oscilloscope on eBay then you need those leads for all the other test gear in your room. The leads that were attached to it aren't the original leads anyway, so...  :-//

And (c): A lot of them come from companies and had all the leads detached and put in a big box when they were moved to storage. The contents of the box will have been pilfered/lost in the ensuing decade.
 

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
On your point C I’ve seen disposal companies come in, isolate the power and just cut all the cables. Their objective is to clean out quick. Stuff that’s boxy and has buttons gets chucked in a van. Wires’n’shit go in the skip. Then someone comes along to turd polish it when they sell it.

Low brow terminology there as that’s the people who are doing it.

Whole 100 seat office cleaned out in 2 hours.
 
The following users thanked this post: SeanB

Offline TristramTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 12
  • Country: us
  • Electronics Hobbyist
Hmm, things make a lot more sense now. Thank you all for your prompt replies!
 

Offline precaud

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 734
  • Country: us
    • LinearZ
For items that a large institution of the gov't sort are "excessing", it's mostly like what bd139 said. Stuff immediately gets handled based on what path it takes in the disposal process. Furniture goes one way. Office machinery and computers another. Paper gets shredded. There is potential liability associated with selling some things like probes and interconnects, so they get binned along with other wires of any sort. Electronic/scientific equipment goes through a final inspector, who determines a) if there's a storage device inside and removes and destroys it if there is, and b) if an item is on an inter-agency loan pool list, it gets routed to a warehouse where it sits for 90 days or more so that other institutions can use or obtain it. (Universities who work with DOD/DOE get a lot of their high-end stuff this way). Everything else gets handed to some company (a materials handler) they've contracted with to remove it from the site and sell it, either in local auctions or in some cases it goes straight to eBay. They get paid to pick it up, and keep a percentage of the final sales prices for their service.

So unless they've been attached to the unit, things like cables, probes, manuals, etc will always get separated from their respective piece. I can buy cords and probes. But I have to buy a huge container with a ton or more of all sorts of wire to get them. The scrap dealers make their living dealing with this stuff and pay dearly for it.

It's a sad but true story.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2018, 02:15:07 pm by precaud »
 

Online coppice

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8606
  • Country: gb
You want the accessories, like probes and power cables? Gee, next you'll be asking where all the manuals went. :)
 

Online nctnico

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 26757
  • Country: nl
    • NCT Developments
Hello everyone ;D

After browsing through the used analog oscilloscopes on eBay for a week or two, I have noticed a trend. A large number of them do not come with probes and even more baffling is that some even lack power cords! I am curious about where are all the probes and power cords are disappearing to! Are they easily lost, are they just being sold separately to reap greater profit, or is there something else afoot?
Used probes are like used underwear. I don't want them!

It is beyond me why people are so obsessed about having probes together with an oscilloscope. When I sell a scope I buy some $5 probes from Aliexpress to sell with it because the sale price immediately rises by $200. Sometimes you just have to go with the flow.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 

Offline Old Printer

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 745
  • Country: us
Many of these items come from large institutional closings and bankruptcy sales. T&M equipment is usually rectangular with flat tops and feet. They get stacked on a wood pallet like building blocks and wrapped with stretch wrap so they can be moved with a forklift or pallet jack. It makes for a nice neat package, but does not allow for things like cords, probes or manuals. At this level most goods are sold for pennies on the dollar and in exchange for a good price the extra stuff is left for the consumer to source.
 

Offline TristramTopic starter

  • Contributor
  • Posts: 12
  • Country: us
  • Electronics Hobbyist
You want the accessories, like probes and power cables? Gee, next you'll be asking where all the manuals went. :)
Well now that you mention it manuals seem to be missing even more than probes!
 

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
That’s because the cave trolls at Mauritron bought them all so they can sell you shitty scans for a small fortune instead.
 
The following users thanked this post: stj

Offline exe

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 2559
  • Country: nl
  • self-educated hobbyist
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
« Last Edit: June 22, 2018, 08:03:36 pm by exe »
 

Online coppice

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8606
  • Country: gb
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
With a 1GHz+ scope the probes are active, and usually the only ones that work are the ones specifically designed for the particular scope. You really need to get those with the scope, as sourcing them separately is not just expensive. They are hard to find, unless the scope is still in production.
 

Offline innkeeper

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 615
  • Country: us
not unusual to not get probes or power chord with a used scope.

I would be more worried about them selling it "as-is" or not accepting returns etc.

just factor in probes into the total cost. 2 Chinese 100mhz 1x/10x  probes can be had for 10 bucks
standard PC power chord fits most scopes.
Hobbyist and a retired engineer and possibly a test equipment addict, though, searching for the equipment to test for that.
 

Offline tautech

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 28142
  • Country: nz
  • Taupaki Technologies Ltd. Siglent Distributor NZ.
    • Taupaki Technologies Ltd.
not unusual to not get probes or power chord with a used scope.

I would be more worried about them selling it "as-is" or not accepting returns etc.

just factor in probes into the total cost. 2 Chinese 100mhz 1x/10x  probes can be had for 10 bucks
standard PC power chord fits most scopes.
100 mhz probes are worthless !   :horse:

A pair of 100 MHz probes from eBay costs 10 bucks.  :P
Avid Rabid Hobbyist
Siglent Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SiglentVideo/videos
 

Offline innkeeper

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 615
  • Country: us
100 mhz probes are worthless !   :horse:

beating a small horse, very fitting ...  :-DD
Hobbyist and a retired engineer and possibly a test equipment addict, though, searching for the equipment to test for that.
 

Online nctnico

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 26757
  • Country: nl
    • NCT Developments
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
With a 1GHz+ scope the probes are active, and usually the only ones that work are the ones specifically designed for the particular scope. You really need to get those with the scope, as sourcing them separately is not just expensive. They are hard to find, unless the scope is still in production.
Not true. You can also use generic active and passive >1GHz probes and they don't have to be expensive.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 

Online tggzzz

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 19281
  • Country: gb
  • Numbers, not adjectives
    • Having fun doing more, with less
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
With a 1GHz+ scope the probes are active, and usually the only ones that work are the ones specifically designed for the particular scope. You really need to get those with the scope, as sourcing them separately is not just expensive. They are hard to find, unless the scope is still in production.

I have 1.5GHz passive probes that are at least 45 years old (i.e. a 1972 operating note). Some similar probes reach 9GHz, e.g. http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/P6150
« Last Edit: June 23, 2018, 10:55:31 am by tggzzz »
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 

Offline exe

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 2559
  • Country: nl
  • self-educated hobbyist
You can also use generic active and passive >1GHz probes and they don't have to be expensive.

What do you call "not expensive active probe"? :). Or you mean something like this one: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1GHz-Active-Probe-for-Under-20/ ?
 

Online coppice

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 8606
  • Country: gb
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
With a 1GHz+ scope the probes are active, and usually the only ones that work are the ones specifically designed for the particular scope. You really need to get those with the scope, as sourcing them separately is not just expensive. They are hard to find, unless the scope is still in production.

I have 1.5GHz passive probes that are at least 45 years old (i.e. a 1972 operating note). Some similar probes reach 9GHz, e.g. http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/P6150
That kind of probe is more like an input cable than what we more generally consider a scope probe. Its a high invasive connection to the system under test.
 

Online nctnico

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 26757
  • Country: nl
    • NCT Developments
You can also use generic active and passive >1GHz probes and they don't have to be expensive.

What do you call "not expensive active probe"? :). Or you mean something like this one: http://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-1GHz-Active-Probe-for-Under-20/ ?
For example, yes.
There are small lies, big lies and then there is what is on the screen of your oscilloscope.
 

Online tggzzz

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 19281
  • Country: gb
  • Numbers, not adjectives
    • Having fun doing more, with less
A set of good probes costs an arm and a leg, often much more than the oscilloscope itself.

I wouldn't mind getting used probes along with a 1GHz+ 'scope, even broken ones as sometimes it's possible to repair them. So, call it "wearing someone's underwear", but it may save a lot of money. Especially active or "intelligent" probes.
With a 1GHz+ scope the probes are active, and usually the only ones that work are the ones specifically designed for the particular scope. You really need to get those with the scope, as sourcing them separately is not just expensive. They are hard to find, unless the scope is still in production.

I have 1.5GHz passive probes that are at least 45 years old (i.e. a 1972 operating note). Some similar probes reach 9GHz, e.g. http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/P6150
That kind of probe is more like an input cable than what we more generally consider a scope probe. Its a high invasive connection to the system under test.

Nonsense.

Or rather that depends on the system under test, and for many systems its affect is minimal and easily accounted for.
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf