Electronics > Beginners

Oscilloscopes to stay away from? (spec: Tek 2337 question)

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tggzzz:

--- Quote from: rstofer on January 13, 2017, 06:48:48 am ---i bought a used Tek 485 about 12 years ago for about $200;.  I got lucky and the scope still works well.  I bought a Rigol DS1054Z for the measurement and decode features (plus 4 channels).  But when the image requires bandwidth, the 485 is the scope to use.

--- End quote ---

Good choices :)

The 485 is fairly easy to repair; I've done two. In one a custom IC was faulty, but a little understanding allowed me to repair it with external resistors :) The only penalty was that the risetime was ~1.25ns rather than 0.9ns.

rstofer:

--- Quote from: tggzzz on January 13, 2017, 08:47:25 am ---
--- Quote from: rstofer on January 13, 2017, 06:48:48 am ---i bought a used Tek 485 about 12 years ago for about $200;.  I got lucky and the scope still works well.  I bought a Rigol DS1054Z for the measurement and decode features (plus 4 channels).  But when the image requires bandwidth, the 485 is the scope to use.

--- End quote ---

Good choices :)

The 485 is fairly easy to repair; I've done two. In one a custom IC was faulty, but a little understanding allowed me to repair it with external resistors :) The only penalty was that the risetime was ~1.25ns rather than 0.9ns.

--- End quote ---

Let's see, 12 years, $200 so about $17 per year.  I think I got my money's worth!

If it breaks, it goes to Electronic Waste Disposal.  I'll just buy another.  Maybe a 485, maybe something with a bunch more bandwidth.  I clearly won't get another 12 years out of a scope (just turned 71) but something will work out.

485's are all over eBay for prices between $200 and about $650 for a unit that is refurbished and calibrated.  Maybe do a little dollar cost averaging to make the numbers look better.  One $200 scope plus one $600 scope over 12 years plus, perhaps, 5 years so $800 over 17 years or around $50 per year ($4 per month).  That makes sense!  Can I cook the books, or what?

The problem with used scopes is that you are buying a 'pig in a poke'.  You have no idea whether the unit works properly or even if it can be fixed.  Assuming you can afford to fix it.  We had one fellow on the forum go down this path and he wound up with 2 defective scopes.  He would have been money ahead to just buy the DS1054Z and be done with it.  Shipping alone is enough to make me think twice.  Given this attitude, it's a wonder I bought the 485 at all.  I probably wouldn't have if the 1054 had been around at the time.

There are some great scopes on the used market.  I'm not going to recommend any of them.  I'm out of the recommending 'used' anything business.  Inevitably, it is a newcomer to the hobby with limited ability to repair a defective unit trying to get a scope for no money.  It is almost guaranteed to end badly.

danmcb:
I've had three old Tek's. I have a 475 which still works great, but I don't really use. Don't want to get rid of it though, because it's just such a beautifully made thing.

I have a 2225 which is my workhorse - i do a lot of audio and it is great for that. But it had an intermittent fault which the seller hid. Turned out to be a transistor deep inside with a leg that was physically broken. It was attached to the metal can, so that was easy to repair - once I found it.

I have also had a 5103 that I got for next to nothing with an HT fault. I was happy because it had a differential amp, amongst other things. But it turned out to be a dog to work on, and I got shot of it in the end.

So like everything second hand, you can run into issues. Doesn't have to be Tek though - Hitachi, Hameg and Philips also made some great ones. They are cheap enough second hand, if you get a bad one, oh well, better luck next time.

j ferguson:
I replaced the dallas nvram on my 2445b. and the smd capacitors which had just started to leak, no trace penetrations.  I was very careful in solder sucking but did disturb a trace running past one of the pins but it is still sound.

Now I get flashing lights on control board when I turn it on, but it never gets to self-test.  I tried replacing the dallas nvram but no joy. 

if i do the delta v- delta t slope button push, no effect.

my garage has room,  so I could buy another 2445b, or maybe i should go to a 2445 and get away from the smd problem.

what would you do?

FlyingHacker:

--- Quote from: Sigmoid on August 12, 2013, 03:37:04 pm ---By the way, does anyone know a good online reference with release dates, manufacturing history, specs and possibly some words about the major Tektronix models? (Like the differences between a 2336 and a 2337, etc.)

--- End quote ---

http://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/Main_Page
Or
http://barrytech.com/tektronix/tek.html

Are both great resources for us Tek fans.

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