What did you buy today? Post your latest purchase!

[unixb0y]

Amtech NC-559 flux for my new ATTEN ST-862D soldering station
And a cheap tub of flux to compare it to!

[xrunner]

Something I've needed for a long time - crimper and parts to make custom headers.

[cdev]

My second Kinect. They are so cool.

[nigelwright7557]

I bought in some pcb's from JLCPCB for a transistor matcher and curve tracer.
Its basically just an inverting transistor stage.
I apply a ramp to the base and monitor collector voltage.
Base voltage and collector voltages are stored in array's for use by the pc.
They are then plotted on the pc screen for comparison.
The pc also displays hfe at any point along the curve by moving a pointer.

[Peter_O]

Bought a 1997 Gossen Konstanter 40V 50A SMPS for 310 Euro.
Unfortunately it was partly dead: -OL means, that current measurement is off limits. Current measurement, power measurement and current regulation were dead.
Went back to sender.

This puppy is my second approach to get a high current lab power supply on the bench.
It's a Lambda Genesys Gen 30-50, 50V 30A, about 15 years old. 424 Euro.
And this one is in full working order. 

Edit: Added an inside picture. (Saw some blades of grass near the fan intake and decided to be the first one to break the warranty seal and have a quick vac inside.)

[TSCOLAN]

Just received, from ePay, not one but two HP 400E AC Voltmeters !

Advertised as bad switch contacts, it has indeed the switches covered with gunk, but cue tips and IPA makes it nice and shine again and all ranges woks right now.

[Ice-Tea]

Bought a 1997 Gossen Konstanter 40V 50A SMPS for 310 Euro.
Unfortunately it was partly dead: -OL means, that current measurement is off limits. Current measurement, power measurement and current regulation were dead.
Went back to sender.

This puppy is my second approach to get a high current lab power supply on the bench.
It's a Lambda Genesys Gen 30-50, 50V 30A, about 15 years old. 424 Euro.
And this one is in full working order. 

Edit: Added an inside picture. (Saw some blades of grass near the fan intake and decided to be the first one to break the warranty seal and have a quick vac inside.)

That... looks awfully familiar.

[PlainName]

Yep, the entire tray. Close to sell-by date so relatively cheap.

[Peter_O]

That... looks awfully familiar.

Yep. I bought it in Belgium, if I remember right. 

[nightfire]

Today, I got my long awaited parcel from Japan- and upon opening, a Der EE De-5000 including accessoires fell out- and some new scope also found its way on my bench.
The Rigol DS1102Z-E is the 2-channel sibling from the 1054Z, that sports 100MHz and is somewhat cheaper- here in germany you can get them for aroung 260 € incl. sales tax...

Note that on the last pic, focus was on the middle of the cases, so due to a shallow in-focus area the displays seem to be a bit blurry- this is due to photographing with an open aperture...

[coppercone2]

The DE5000 can use silastic inside of the 2-kelvin connected alligator clip probe, the plastic box has wires soldered to a PCB and i got a short circuit from using it (the sense shorted inside of the enclosure). The strain relief they used for the application is insufficient, particularly because the leads are short and the meter is often in a very awkward position  (just a zip tie).

[harerod]

@dunkemhigh: Seeing the stamp sized preview picture, I thought you bought several kilos of Vegemite. I mean, this is an Oz-based forum.

Then I realized, to my tremendous relieve that it was peanut butter after all...

[harerod]

Maybe a bit more on topic:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-296-aim-tti-i-prober-520-current-probe-review/msg122318/#msg122318
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/crowd-funded-projects/little-bee-current-probe/msg3249950/#msg3249950

My latest most interesting purchase was an AIM-TTi i-Prober 520. What started as an end of year purchase, has turned out to be a really nifty tool.

The first real application came mid-January with a prototype that was drawing too much current. My first idea was to fire up the thermal camera, but then I remembered this purchase.

It is fascinating how one can follow even a current of a view milliamps through trace junctions. Within minutes I could single out the culprit from of a handful of suspects.

I have been using this tool more and more often. Great addition to my lab. I even build a small power supply cable with banana plugs and voltage reversal protection, so I can power the probe from a 5.2V auxiliary output of my power supply AIM TTi EX354RT).

[PlainName]

hen I realized, to my tremendous relieve that it was peanut butter after all...

Indeed

We make our own peanut butter now (typically 1.2kg at a time) and then when it's spread on whatever manually mix in Marmite. Or whatever own-brand clone we find in the shopping bag once home. It's kind of interesting in that the peanut butter can be quite fluid but adding in a small amount of Marmite makes it set like concrete. In fact,  I once figured I should just add Marmite as we make the butter, and that completely trashed a blender as the mix set...

[nightfire]

The DE5000 can use silastic inside of the 2-kelvin connected alligator clip probe, the plastic box has wires soldered to a PCB and i got a short circuit from using it (the sense shorted inside of the enclosure). The strain relief they used for the application is insufficient, particularly because the leads are short and the meter is often in a very awkward position  (just a zip tie).

I will make some experiments by using short ordinary 4mm cables with probes that have a tip- in howfar the measurements will differ...
Oh, and to brag a little bit: Got the meter and all three probe adapters incl. customs tax etc. by importing it from japan myself for 130 € - so if anyone wants to get some, it seems a good time to do so ;-)

[mansaxel]

The DE5000 can use silastic inside of the 2-kelvin connected alligator clip probe, the plastic box has wires soldered to a PCB and i got a short circuit from using it (the sense shorted inside of the enclosure). The strain relief they used for the application is insufficient, particularly because the leads are short and the meter is often in a very awkward position  (just a zip tie).

I will make some experiments by using short ordinary 4mm cables with probes that have a tip- in howfar the measurements will differ...
Oh, and to brag a little bit: Got the meter and all three probe adapters incl. customs tax etc. by importing it from japan myself for 130 € - so if anyone wants to get some, it seems a good time to do so ;-)

There are several project videos available converting the alligator clip housing to full Kelvin connections, usually by swapping the cable. There's also a 3DP project on here somewhere to print a new housing for 4x BNC connectors, using an extra thin PCB as "wedge" into the "Kelvin gap" on the meter.

Yes, it's a fantastic little meter, really useful on the bench.

[harerod]

Quote from: dunkemhigh on Yesterday at 11:00:39 pm

. . .

We make our own peanut butter now (typically 1.2kg at a time) and then when it's spread on whatever manually mix in Marmite. Or whatever own-brand clone we find in the shopping bag once home. It's kind of interesting in that the peanut butter can be quite fluid but adding in a small amount of Marmite makes it set like concrete. In fact,  I once figured I should just add Marmite as we make the butter, and that completely trashed a blender as the mix set...

. . .

The wife and I gained several pounds, just by reading this post... 
It is due to the cultural difference, I suppose. I wouldn't mind checking out your recipe in the new cooking section, though:
>https://www.eevblog.com/forum/cooking/

[PlainName]

I would create a new topic there, except there isn't a recipe as such: just blitz the stuff until it's more like a jelly than paste and you're done.

[harerod]

Quote from: dunkemhigh on Today at 01:16:33 pm

I would create a new topic there, except there isn't a recipe as such: just blitz the stuff until it's more like a jelly than paste and you're done.
. . .

So you are telling a German to blitz something? Bold move. 

We had a joke in the German army "Beauftrage niemals einen Pionier, den Rasen zu sprengen." Pun on "zu sprengen" -> "to blow up"/"to water" -> "Never tell a sapper to blow the lawn up."

[PlainName]

Ah, one needs to be careful nowadays!

[Ground_Loop]

Got a new power analyzer and a set of precision nut drivers

[FransW]

Where did you get the set?

Thanks, Frans

[YurkshireLad]

I'm a big spender - I picked up a 9V wall wart. Ooooh!

[Ground_Loop]

Where did you get the set?

Thanks, Frans

Its actually two sets from Amazon, one imperial, one metric.  I made the tray for them as they did not come with a holder.

[vk6zgo]

Explored a new part of Shenzhen, found a Sam's Club store, bought a Dyson V11 and some groceries, upgraded my Sam's Club membership to Sam's Plus, and walked 10km home.

Also before that went to HQB for an eDP display panel, this was for a laptop repair project for a friend. As expected, the laptop sprang back to life with this new panel.

Oh, to be young & energetic!