Ah that's better! I hate those rubber rings with a passion.
Better buy yourself a set of decent fixed 1:10 Testec probes. The Rigol probes are somewhat use able, but that is all to say about.
Better buy yourself a set of decent fixed 1:10 Testec probes. The Rigol probes are somewhat use able, but that is all to say about.
Yea I know, I need to do that soon.
Right, where's me knife..
What's wrong with the rubber rings?
What's wrong with the rubber rings?
The ones around the BNC are slippery and badly shaped. Just plain awkward to get on and off.
What's wrong with the rubber rings?
The ones around the BNC are slippery and badly shaped. Just plain awkward to get on and off.
Right. They suck - I usually have to pull on the cable to get 'em off the scope. Too slippery.
What's wrong with the rubber rings?
The ones around the BNC are slippery and badly shaped. Just plain awkward to get on and off.
Right. They suck - I usually have to pull on the cable to get 'em off the scope. Too slippery.
I wouldn't recommend your *mod* universally.
For those with an unearthed mains supply no insulation of the BNC connectors may expose the user to some stray voltages.
Furthermore for those that isolate their DSO's from mains ground to enable scope connection
without GND loops, this *mod* would expose the user to the same voltage as to where the probes reference lead is connected.
This also applies to
all the exposed BNC connectors when doing *isolated* measurements.
Be careful out there.
All the scope probes I used for 24 years in industry didn't have that rubber ring, and even the Testec probes recommended in this thread don't have a rubber ring, neither do most of the replacement scope probes. Ultimately you need to understand what you are doing.
All the scope probes I used for 24 years in industry didn't have that rubber ring, and even the Testec probes recommended in this thread don't have a rubber ring, neither do most of the replacement scope probes. Ultimately you need to understand what you are doing.
Exactly.
One must remember there's many DSO/scope newbies on this forum that aren't aware of
all the dangers than can arise from probing DUT's, hence my warning.
All my old probes don't have insulated BNC's either and I've used then at elevated isolated voltages KNOWING the risks, and with metal cased CRO's too.
Brings new meaning to: IT'S ALIVE.
Most new DSO's however are supplied with insulated BNC's on probes as OEM for good reason IMHO.
Be careful out there.
Most new DSO's however are supplied with insulated BNC's on probes as OEM for good reason IMHO.
Be careful out there.
To add to your concerns though, which I respect, be aware that even if you connect a scope probe to channel 1, with an insulated BNC, guess what? If there is a danger in touching it, all three other channels outside BNC metal is now connected to the potential of the channel 1 outside barrel. So if you touch any of the other three channels with your finger accidentally, you now get zapped even though channel 1 has a rubber ring ...
The ones around the BNC are slippery and badly shaped. Just plain awkward to get on and off.
Well, maybe one likes them and one doesn't. I think that they're a quite nice touch and look way better than just blank BNCs. Rigol could've used a grippier surface pattern, but overall I can't recall that the connector ever slipped out of my grip.
Utility first, looks second. It's a scope probe, not a car.
Ouch! You circumcised your probe!
Most new DSO's however are supplied with insulated BNC's on probes as OEM for good reason IMHO.
Be careful out there.
To add to your concerns though, which I respect, be aware that even if you connect a scope probe to channel 1, with an insulated BNC, guess what? If there is a danger in touching it, all three other channels outside BNC metal is now connected to the potential of the channel 1 outside barrel. So if you touch any of the other three channels with your finger accidentally, you now get zapped even though channel 1 has a rubber ring ...
Yes, as explained in my first reply:
This also applies to all the exposed BNC connectors when doing *isolated* measurements.
Be careful out there.
Post edited to highlight this ^^^
Yes! I find the raised plastic makes removing them difficult! I gotta try that.
On a more serious note. Isn't it common to plug in a non insulated bnc tee, for example, to terminate into 50 Ohms? There will always be a potential issue if you defeat the grounding of the scope, no? As Mr. Carlson says, "you do so at your own risk".
On a more serious note. Isn't it common to plug in a non insulated bnc tee, for example, to terminate into 50 Ohms? There will always be a potential issue if you defeat the grounding of the scope, no? As Mr. Carlson says, "you do so at your own risk".
Absolutely.
If the oscilloscope industry wanted to really protect people, they would do a complete connector solution, something like DMMs, where not only the internal but the external connections are completely insulated from the user. As it is now, you can still touch the same potential on other BNCs that one or more probe covers are insulating you from, as has been pointed out.
Do all of this testing and modification at your own risk!
You can then add heat shrink to get a new cover that doesn't slip. And put plastic caps over the unused BNCs when probing high voltages, although those tend to get lost.
You can then add heat shrink to get a new cover that doesn't slip. And put plastic caps over the unused BNCs when probing high voltages, although those tend to get lost.
Who does the ergonomics at Rigol? The thing is, I wouldn't even have considered cutting the rings off if they had been easy to remove. They are too slippery when puling
away from the scope. That could have been easily fixed simply by the way the molding was done.
There is no need for me, or many users, to have a rubber ring there in the first place, because that metal is grounded and safe. But if they want to put a rubber ring on it, it needs to be easier to grab.
And as I've said, many replacement probes, which are in fact made better anyway, do not have rubber rings there.
Probing electronics is inherently a risk, and in the end if you don't have a clue what you are doing, you should not be probing with
any test equipment!
I doubt whether any of the Asian DSO manufacturers make their own probes.
My investigations have found at least 3 scope probe manufacturers and for at least 1 of them it's their
core business.
Most offer insulated BNC's in a range of BW's but in the case of these Rigol probes IMO they've chosen unwisely in the way they commandeer most of the physical space available around the BNC's and force those without the fine fingers of most Asians to struggle with connection/disconnection.
Spacing between BNC's is also an issue that was bought up in other threads.
But overall IMO how the front panel layout has been organised hasn't helped matters...ie. by placing the larger knob of channel attenuation directly above the BNC's.
Knob swap time....much safer than removing the BNC connector insulation.
A knob swap won't help, and removing the 'insulation' (pretty looking plastic with no real purpose) does not create a safety issue.
Stupid question #1:
Why do you need to keep connecting/disconnecting your probes? I connected two probes to my Siglent when I bought it two years ago and I haven't unplugged them since.
Is it because you're needing to use different probes or what?
xrunner is right.
This oscilloscope can't be used with an unearthed mains. This isolation of BNC connector is useless.
Those probes are probably intended to be used with battery powered oscilloscopes.
Those rubber are NOT for isolation, I guess its just for aesthetically purpose.
Both sides, either at the scope and probe BNC need to be fully protected and secured, not just wrapped with some cheap rubber that can easily be detached or cut.
Example below Tek's portable scope with isolated BNC connectors, and also at the probe's BNC for total isolation. The probe's head BNC metal part is fully molded with plastic, don't think can be easily detached like that cheap rubber without destroying the whole BNC head.