Products > Test Equipment
An ugly but working HP6060B Electronic Load
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AMR Labs:
Out of curiosity, where are you getting the aluminum backed PCBs done? I usually deal with PCBWay although have not used them for a while. They do a large range of PCB types with many options, and very reasonable pricing even in small quantities. So far they have always been up to the letter of their claims of quality and delivery times.

One can even choose the color of the solder mask which in this case would allow a bit of better matching the front panel of the instrument. And silk screening a PCB is definitively the easiest way to achieve nice looking labeling results that will never peel or fall off. Very good idea.

I usually use marine grade ANCOR cables which have very fine fully thinned copper strands with very tough but still soft insulation, so its very flexible and easy to handle for its size/diameter in comparison to most regular welding cables.
amc184:
I use JLCPCB, which are pretty good, but not perfect.  I've never had an issue that would have prevented me using a board, but I've had some with minor cosmetic issues.  In this case, cosmetics are more important than usual.  I get them in batches of 5, so avoiding a one with minor visual issues isn't a problem.

The cable I used was what I could get at the time on a short lead time at reasonable cost in small lengths.  There might be better options, but it was easy to work with for this job.
AMR Labs:
I've used PCBWay twice for 50 board production runs and every board has so far always been cosmetically perfect. Perhaps keep them in mind for a try on future needs.

BTW wanted to ask, in your 6060B does the fan start running as soon as the unit is powered up? Mine does that and I wonder if it is normal. The manual only speaks about the fan having one (or two?) higher speeds that kick in after the unit starts to heat up due to use, but does not mention anything about the fan always running. I've seen mine going into higher speed on heavy usage after it gets hot, so I assume that the fan must be on low speed when the unit is cold started but to me this makes no sense having it run continuously even when the unit is just sitting idle.
amc184:
Yes, my one also runs the fan at all times when powered, so it's probably normal behaviour.  I think these were mainly intended for use in an automated test rack, so minimising noise was probably not a priority.

I'm actually looking at trying out PCB Way soon, but maybe not for PCBs.  I'm thinking I might try their CNC machining service for some enclosure parts I need want.  I'm real curious to see the cost - I haven't been able to find any indication from anyone online, so I'll just have to finish my design and submit it to see.
AMR Labs:

--- Quote from: amc184 on January 20, 2023, 06:33:24 am ---Yes, my one also runs the fan at all times when powered, so it's probably normal behavior.  I think these were mainly intended for use in an automated test rack, so minimizing noise was probably not a priority.

--- End quote ---

Thanks for confirming that the fan runs all the time as I suspected. I mounted my 6060B in an open frame rack with casters along with a HP3457A DMM, HP6268B Power Supply, and since I still had a bit of room to spare also a Tektronix 2213A scope basically just to get it out of a closet where it has been sitting unused for several years. The 6060B fan noise is still very much noticeable and perhaps even a bit distracting in a quiet environment, although nothing compared to the two fans inside the HP6268B that also run continuously, so I did also put thermostats on those two as well. Forced ventilation in the power supply is only really needed on heavy usage, so now they only run when actually needed.

In my experience the prices at least for PCB production with PCBWay where more than reasonable given the good service overall, and they where always eager to help you with anything else. I think nowadays with so much competition, every player is trying to be better than the rest which seems to be driving down pricing and expanding other services while maintaining quality.
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