Electronics > Beginners

My purchase list for my new lab -- budget $1000+, thoughts?

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rhb:

--- Quote from: AnyNameWillDo on July 22, 2018, 12:10:53 am ---
Focusing on kits and saying "build your own power supply" is not super helpful when half the replies online say it is absolutely not a beginner's project. Other comments involving oscilloscopes are outdated and also don't provide much context for how many channels we might want or why, Mhz, etc.


--- End quote ---

Well, I'm 65, maybe things have changed, but building a power supply was a standard beginners project when my Dad was a teenager in 1935 and still was when I was in my 20's.  And in my Dad's day the power supply was 200+ volts.  Anything you built used tubes and needed several hundred volts. So before you could build *anything* you had to build a HV PS. 

Yes, you *do* need to learn how to work with mains voltages.  That's a great place to start.  I've read many tales of woe in this forum because someone had not learned that and then blew up their DSO or other instrument.

It's sort of like learning to cross the street.  "Don't cross the street by yourself." is good advice for a 5 year old, but pretty ridiculous for someone 10 or more years older.

For SMD work I bought a roll of 0.35 mm 60/40 solder.  I've got multiple spools of varying sizes.  You choose the size of the solder to match the size of the connection you are making.  The thermal mass of the solder to be applied to the joint and the joint should be roughly equal.

And for God's sake, don't start fretting over building up a stock of parts.  That will *really* make you crazy!

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: Bassman59 on July 20, 2018, 08:57:06 pm ---I haven't really kept up on what's available in lab power supplies, as I have an old Power Designs which works well and we have a pile of HPs at work.

But whatever you get, make sure it has a built-in ammeter. It's always good to know how much current your circuit draws, and if it's within your expectations. Too little drawn, maybe something is disconnected or open. Too much drawn (or the thing crowbars) and you've got a short somewhere.

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If you have a decent budget having a current limiting power supply is a must. I would consider this a decent budget. The ability to set and read back the current should and will save many circuits and projects. Rather than releasing the smoke you can quickly detect something has gone awry and correct the situation before any harm has been done.

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: AnyNameWillDo on July 21, 2018, 10:20:39 pm ---Thanks for the replies everyone but I feel like tearing my hair out at this point, lol.

There are simply too many options and I'm spending hours and hours and hours and hours and *hours* on every little thing and I feel like I'm just spinning my wheels.

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That's why you need to avoid buying everything at once. You don't know what you need, so start with a solid basic set and use it to learn more. As you knowledge increases, the need for specific tools becomes more prominent. This process allows you to do your research spread out over a longer period of time.

That being said, I think your initial list was very decent. A Hakko FX888D, a Brymen BM235S or BM257S and something like a single or dual channel Korad power supply. Add a breadboard and you're all set. If you want to get a little more fancy you could add a DS1054Z.

AnyNameWillDo:

--- Quote from: rhb on July 22, 2018, 01:35:37 am ---Well, I'm 65, maybe things have changed, but building a power supply was a standard beginners project when my Dad was a teenager in 1935 and still was when I was in my 20's.  And in my Dad's day the power supply was 200+ volts.  Anything you built used tubes and needed several hundred volts. So before you could build *anything* you had to build a HV PS. 

--- End quote ---

I'm getting off-topic here but reading this made me tear up, lol. My father passed when I was young, and he was into electronics, but we never had a chance to share the hobby together.


--- Quote from: rhb on July 22, 2018, 01:35:37 am ---Yes, you *do* need to learn how to work with mains voltages.  That's a great place to start.  I've read many tales of woe in this forum because someone had not learned that and then blew up their DSO or other instrument.

--- End quote ---

Alright, I'll definitely keep this in mind. Sounds like a fun project, either way. :P


--- Quote from: Mr. Scram on July 22, 2018, 02:10:09 am ---That being said, I think your initial list was very decent. A Hakko FX888D, a Brymen BM235S or BM257S and something like a single or dual channel Korad power supply. Add a breadboard and you're all set. If you want to get a little more fancy you could add a DS1054Z.

--- End quote ---

Would it be overkill to get the DP832, assuming it's unlikely I'll ever need to buy another power supply?

Mr. Scram:

--- Quote from: AnyNameWillDo on July 22, 2018, 02:30:22 am ---I'm getting off-topic here but reading this made me tear up, lol. My father passed when I was young, and he was into electronics, but we never had a chance to share the hobby together.

Alright, I'll definitely keep this in mind. Sounds like a fun project, either way. :P

Would it be overkill to get the DP832, assuming it's unlikely I'll ever need to buy another power supply?

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I feel your mistake is thinking you can buy things that will eliminate the need to buy other things of the same category forever. Perfect devices don't exist and no device will fill every need or purpose. You just need to get a solid basic set and go from there, adding parts tools and devices appropriate to your projects as you go along.

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