Products > Test Equipment
I need a better (cheap) probe(holder) for measuring signals on arbitrary devices
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dadler:

--- Quote from: PCBGRIP on April 12, 2015, 02:16:15 pm ---At the risk of self promotion, I wanted to share some ideas:

We built our own "probing pcb",build details found here: http://pcbgrip.com/blogs/blog/19160631-building-a-probing-pcb.   Basically building a simple PCB that connects pogo pins at your custom spacing location to a standard 0.1" header and you connect your test gear to the header.   Custom probing PCBs could be built inexpensively to suit your own needs:



In this picture you can also see a pogo pin (with head shrink) being held, with the test gear attached to the pogo.

If your looking to hold a probe, this is another option, which can be found here: http://pcbgrip.com/collections/fittings/products/probe-clamp



--- End quote ---

Thanks for posting this. I have seen PCBGrip posted before but could not remember the name.

I have been tempted to buy one of these kits a couple of times now, but I've had two reservations:

1) The kit pages on your site, while showing all components quite neatly, don't really demonstrate the various ways you can configure all the parts. The pictures just look like a whole bunch of parts. It's not obvious to me which kit is appropriate, because I can't really see it in action. Some actual action pics of each kit would really help.

2) (and this is more personal/subjective) I wonder if I would actually use the kit in practice, or if it will be more work than it's worth/take up more space than is practical. I have lots of various panavise bases and tops and for the most part they cover my PCB-holding needs well. I also have a cheap Aven PCB holder ( http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17010-Adjustable-Circuit-Holder/dp/B00Q2TTQEE/ ), but I almost never use it because of how high it holds the board. The awesome anodized parts of PCBGrip appeal to my nerd-self, but I fear the setup would be much too fiddly and I would be constantly adjusting it.
PCBGRIP:

--- Quote from: dadler on April 12, 2015, 10:02:22 pm ---1) The kit pages on your site, while showing all components quite neatly, don't really demonstrate the various ways you can configure all the parts. The pictures just look like a whole bunch of parts. It's not obvious to me which kit is appropriate, because I can't really see it in action. Some actual action pics of each kit would really help.

--- End quote ---

Agreed, the kit pages how a lot of parts.  For each of the kit pages, there is a table on the page that shows the name and quantity of each part included in the kit.  If you click on the part name, it will take you to that individual part and show some pictures of the part in action.  But, we still need to show more parts in action - something we will work on.


--- Quote from: dadler on April 12, 2015, 10:02:22 pm ---2) (and this is more personal/subjective) I wonder if I would actually use the kit in practice, or if it will be more work than it's worth/take up more space than is practical. I have lots of various panavise bases and tops and for the most part they cover my PCB-holding needs well. I also have a cheap Aven PCB holder ( http://www.amazon.com/Aven-17010-Adjustable-Circuit-Holder/dp/B00Q2TTQEE/ ), but I almost never use it because of how high it holds the board. The awesome anodized parts of PCBGrip appeal to my nerd-self, but I fear the setup would be much too fiddly and I would be constantly adjusting it.
--- End quote ---

When I started building PCBs, I was building custom jigs made of various parts, including wood and springs.  I could not find a setup to hold the PCB and be able to hold other things too (like hold through hole components upside down while I soldered).  PCBGRIP is great at holding the PCB and 'something else'.  PCBGRIP uses a open source aluminium extrusion (OpenBeam), which accepts standard 3mm hardware.   That way, it is easy to attach what every you need to your setup, it addition to holding the PCB.  The hinge assembly allows you to rotate the PCB 360 degrees.  The PCB can be tilted.  Also, the height of work can be adjusted, by raising or lowering the hinge assembly on the 10mm stainless rod.  Here is an overview of the work height that can be accomplished http://pcbgrip.com/blogs/blog/18208587-work-height-and-position.   Here is a holder we designed to hold a Saleae logic analyzer, to give you an idea of how things can be attached to the OpenBeam:



The Saleae holder is available on Thingiverse here : http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:735911
tszaboo:

--- Quote from: jadew on April 12, 2015, 09:47:21 am ---Wouldn't it be simpler to just solder a small wire? Probably takes a lot less than trying to position some whacky probe holder.

--- End quote ---
My colleagues do this with sometimes 10-15CM wires. Signal integrity is a magic world.
I prefer soldering a small, 1-2mm hook. Best is a 1K resistor to SMA, SMA cable, BNC adapter scope, 50Ohm. 1:20.
jadew:

--- Quote from: NANDBlog on April 13, 2015, 04:41:15 pm ---
--- Quote from: jadew on April 12, 2015, 09:47:21 am ---Wouldn't it be simpler to just solder a small wire? Probably takes a lot less than trying to position some whacky probe holder.

--- End quote ---
My colleagues do this with sometimes 10-15CM wires. Signal integrity is a magic world.
I prefer soldering a small, 1-2mm hook. Best is a 1K resistor to SMA, SMA cable, BNC adapter scope, 50Ohm. 1:20.

--- End quote ---

Depends a lot on the frequency. For most things, a 1-3 cm wire will have no noticeable effect on the reading and you can easily connect with the oscilloscope probe to it. Slow digital signals are more forgiving and you can definitely get away with longer wires.

The SMA setup sounds interesting, but I'm having trouble imagining it, could you maybe post a picture?
SArepairman:
Also, if you are making the boards yourself it is wise to include ground plane on top so you can do the oscope ground spring trick.

You wind a spring around a drill blank the same diameter as your probes ground shield, then solder that spring to some ground plane exposed on the top of the PCB. The center of your spring should be where you want to probe, so you just stick a probe in it and everything is held in place nice.
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