Chinese Metrology accessories list

[Kean]

I kind of got impatient (and bored), and although my first order from redtony on Goofish (via Superbuy) has not yet been delivered, I placed another order.
I then saw that my first shipment has finally landed in AU, so I should have it here soon.

This order is for 20 x small gold plated binding posts and 50 x gold plated fork terminals.
I just saw the received item photos from Superbuy and this time no bonus binding post parts, but I got 8 extra fork terminals.

I also ordered some silver plated teflon/FEP wire from AE, so this lot should last me a while although I might grab some banana plug to binding post adapters for use with my 34401A/34465A's.

BTW I think I prefer the smaller binding post heads as they are just like my Advantest gear - but that is purely based on the look, not on usage.  I'm willing to change my mind after trying the bonus samples that are coming, but I really won't be using these things daily or for particularly serious measurements.

Also, where was the name Redtony being used?  I only see the name bbs.1ppm.cn as the seller, and that doesn't seem to host a website.  A google search on redtony and metrology or 1ppm just comes to this forum thread, but maybe the name is used in Chinese language sites.

[PascalNE]

Let us know what you think when you get them 

Yes I believe thats what he’s called on other forums and what zlymex called him it’s also his WeChat ID so that’s why I use it. IRRC BBS.1ppm.cn was a forum he used to run but it would’ve been china only and isn’t up any more.
Apologies if I’ve confused people by using both

[zlymex]

...
Also, where was the name Redtony being used?  I only see the name bbs.1ppm.cn as the seller, and that doesn't seem to host a website.  A google search on redtony and metrology or 1ppm just comes to this forum thread, but maybe the name is used in Chinese language sites.

Redtony is his name both on WeChat and 38hot.net

[PascalNE]

My "Van Damme Tour Grade Classic XKE MINIATURE Starquad Cable X 2" arrived today and just to test it I crimped some gold (bbs.1ppm.cn) spade connectors onto it.
My first impressions are good it's definitely more flexible than PTFE cable I've used so maybe a bit more convenient and it's mostly just copper with some silver plated copper strands. I don't have the equipment at the moment to perform proper tests but I will down the line. But I would think performance should be pretty good. 

I also had a question, how do people generally deal with the shield wire? It feels wrong to just have it as exposed copper do I solder another wire onto it?

Thanks for all your responses,
Pascal.

[zlymex]

....
I also had a question, how do people generally deal with the shield wire? It feels wrong to just have it as exposed copper do I solder another wire onto it?

I use it as Guard.

[PascalNE]

I think I answered my own question I twisted the shield and used some heatshrink to turn it into its own wire. Definitely looks more professional now.
My current multimeter doesn’t have a guard anyway but I know the 7.5 digit multimeter I might have soon will so it might come in handy. 

[Alex Nikitin]

I also had a question, how do people generally deal with the shield wire? It feels wrong to just have it as exposed copper do I solder another wire onto it?

Here is how I've done it (the green wire). The screen must have a separate connector on each end and is usually connected to either the guard terminal or if that is not available, to the safety ground.

Cheers

Alex

[PascalNE]

I also had a question, how do people generally deal with the shield wire? It feels wrong to just have it as exposed copper do I solder another wire onto it?

Here is how I've done it (the green wire). The screen must have a separate connector on each end and is usually connected to either the guard terminal or if that is not available, to the safety ground.

What banana plugs are you using are they the staublis?
The cables look very good I chose to just twist the 2 conductors together for a 2 wire cable but I’ll probably do something like yours when I need cables for 4 wire resistance.

[Alex Nikitin]

What banana plugs are you using are they the staublis?

Yes. Unfortunately these are NLA as far as I know.

Cheers

Alex

[gmac34]

Plenty available here

https://www.buerklin.com/en/p/staeubli-electrical-connectors/laboratory-connectors/22-1005/15F3140/

22.2060-22 (red insulation)
22.2060-21 (black insulation)
22.1005    (metal bit)

[PascalNE]

Yes I should've said they are also available here https://www.tme.eu/gb/details/sls4-b-21/4mm-banana-plugs/staubli/22-2642-21/ maybe in less colours than they used to be though. 

[PascalNE]

I do want to track down a Chinese manufacturer of something like these as they are a very simple product basically just a single cut and folded piece of copper I don't think that needs to cost nearly 2EUR each. 
There is a lot of brass ones out there so I'll keep looking.
 I have suggested to bbs.1ppm.cn/redtony that he should make a banana plug for wires as the recessed binding post adapter is very good and I don't think it would take too much design work.

[Alex Nikitin]

I do want to track down a Chinese manufacturer of something like these as they are a very simple product basically just a single cut and folded piece of copper I don't think that needs to cost nearly 2EUR each. 

There are plenty of similar plugs made in China (for example - and these are not brass either as brass ones of this shape won't hold it for long  ), however the quality of gold plating is shit and the shape is not very precise, with burrs and unevenness, making these very inferior to the real thing and difficult to use (I had to file these Chinese ones so they won't cut into the socket sides, however that obviously removed some of the plating!). I am very happy to pay £1.50 each for the original ones (and thank you for the link, bought 30 of each red and black).  I prefer them to any other 4mm plugs as they are long lasting, stackable, easy to assemble and disassemble, make a good contact , have a very low mass and the beryllium copper is good from the thermal EMF side.

Cheers

Alex

[PascalNE]

Yes you're probably right about the Chinese ones. And if you buy 30+ they are only £1.3 anyway which is really not bad.
I think for any low thermal EMF cables I offer I'll use these along with bbs.1ppm.cn's spade connectors as they are definitely a known quality and loose or bad quality banana plugs can be very annoying!

[Alex Nikitin]

Yes you're probably right about the Chinese ones.

I've just received my order from Poland (TME) and I am not quite happy with the quality of the metal bits, they look more like other Chinese copies, with a shiny gold finish (the original bits are matt) but at least they seems to be reasonably well de-burred and won't cut your fingers as some of the eBay ones do. It is possible that Staubli changed the supplier however I've ordered now some metal bits only from Burklin (more expensive than a complete kit from TME) to check if these are any different.

Cheers

Alex

[tatel]

Here are the photos for the order I made on behalf of another forum member. The first photo is the order the second was all free stuff! ( I think Because I mentioned Im opening a store)

Items received. Quite pleased.

Only one nuance: I think the spade lugs have a too big crimping eye. I would really like them more, should them be for 18-ish AWG, not 12-14 AWG. That was known, so I'ḿ not complaining. We will see how it works.

After looking at the hydraulic crimpers (cheap AliExpress), I think I'll go for some 12 AWG stranded wire. While I think it's probably overkill, that's what the crimping die would work with, or so it seems. And @tuoni said he was using 13 AWG, so not a big difference. I really don't want to use any solder if at all possible.

I want to give a big thanks to @PascalNE for taking the hassle from me.

[PascalNE]

For the spade lugs I’ve been able to reliably connect them to 20AWG wire just by crimping one side over the wire and then folding the other side over. Maybe I can get some pictures to show how to do it it’s not too hard but I will tell Redtony because I agree.

[tatel]

Yep, any means to use thinner wire would be really welcomed. 12 AWG would probably feel like jumping a car battery

[tatel]

Regarding the ptfe stuff on AliExpress, I also bought some, but just as with copper and brass there is a” translation issue”. PTFE usually means FEP which I understand as being cheaper to produce (can be extruded)
There is a clear difference therms of maximum temperature it can handle, but still it’s at least 200c. It’s less clear how it compares in therms of leakage, volumetric resistance of FEP should be comparable to that of PTFE ( 10^18 ohm) so maybe it’s good enough.

Looking at that now, here's a comparison:
https://www.makeitfrom.com/compare/Fluorinated-Ethylene-Propylene-FEP/Polytetrafluoroethylene-PTFE

[gmac34]

many new options for Kevin clips on Ali

the ETA3101 I bought are okish, the plating looks like crap
still these ETA3105 and ETA3108 are alluring.. not sure If my hart is ready to be disappointed again

https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005007558638598.html
https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005005971228897.html
https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005009085883291.html

[PascalNE]

From what I’ve seen on this thread https://www.eevblog.com/forum/metrology/diy-low-emf-cable-and-connectors/200/ I think  the ETA3101 ones are not real copper.

They did seem to think these ones were real copper https://it.aliexpress.com/item/1005007558638598.html but the price on AliExpress is crazy at £15 ( for 4) on taoboa they are only £0.88 (each) so maybe I’ll order them and see if I like them they do look a little flimsy though.

The ET3108 look nice again they are only £6 on taoboa instead of £13, maybe since they are all from the same seller I could make a taoboa order to test them.
I would like to be able to offer good cheap kelvin leads 

Edit: fixed the links sorry about that.

[PascalNE]

Thought I would post how I attach the spade connectors to smaller gauge wire. As now I've done about 20 successfully
I've got a pretty standard method.

Firstly here is the tool I am using https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006847404824.html at £4.23 it's about as cheap as it gets but it reached the UK in less than 7 days and it has been fine so I would recommend.

In the photos I am attaching the 1mm thick copper spade lug to 20AWG wire I would recommend using slightly thicker wire ~18AWG but 20AWG also works.  I'd also recommend the 0.8mm lugs the 1mm are harder to do and have a higher thermal mass.
(expandable picture)


Step 1 - Press down one half of the spade lug as shown -
(expandable picture)
(expandable picture)


Step 2 - Insert the wire into the hold you've made then press down in the larger section pushing the other half over the bit you just did. This may require some force.
(expandable picture)

Any questions let me know as once you've done it a couple times it's really not a problem. 

[PascalNE]

Yes you're probably right about the Chinese ones.

I've just received my order from Poland (TME) and I am not quite happy with the quality of the metal bits, they look more like other Chinese copies, with a shiny gold finish (the original bits are matt) but at least they seems to be reasonably well de-burred and won't cut your fingers as some of the eBay ones do. It is possible that Staubli changed the supplier however I've ordered now some metal bits only from Burklin (more expensive than a complete kit from TME) to check if these are any different.

Cheers

Alex

Apologies didn't see this posted, that is a shame I hope they haven't been downgraded as they really did seem the best option they definitely have discontinued production on most variants so maybe something has changed?
Let us know what you think and hopefully there's some better quality ones still out there. 
If you are able to it would be interesting to see some pictures of the differences and I would be grateful as I plan on ordering a relatively large amount.

[gmac34]

The staubli bananas I have ordered from Burklinare are also shiny. But they seem very well made to me, at least compared to the one I bought from AliExpress. It’s a complex shape if you actually look at it, narrower in the front and larger in the back, but also there is some curvature near the tip to facilitate insertion. The other did not seem so well thought out

[Alex Nikitin]

The staubli bananas I have ordered from Burklinare are also shiny. But they seem very well made to me, at least compared to the one I bought from AliExpress. It’s a complex shape if you actually look at it, narrower in the front and larger in the back, but also there is some curvature near the tip to facilitate insertion. The other did not seem so well thought out

I will have a chance to compare all versions as soon as my Burklin order comes through. At least Burklin is stating the COO as CH (Switzerland).

Cheers

Alex