Author Topic: List your test equipment "scores" here!  (Read 777019 times)

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Offline Muxr

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #250 on: June 27, 2015, 03:12:05 pm »
Safe to say he's got some Darwin award candidates in his class  |O
 

Offline KJDS

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #251 on: June 27, 2015, 03:53:32 pm »
I've accidently put a hot mains powered soldering iron through the lead. It's quite a shocking experience. Big bang, a bright flash and lots of bosses leaning over your desk wondering how expensive the mistake was.

Offline dom0

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #252 on: June 27, 2015, 04:05:04 pm »
Safe to say he's got some Darwin award candidates in his class  |O

Is that so?

It just happens and this is in fact one of the reasons why here (at least in my fed. state, but I assume the others handle this the same) only low-voltage irons are bought for schools.

Btw. are these really irons with 230 V heaters, or did the manufacturer just use normal power cable to connect the iron to the base?
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 04:06:36 pm by dom0 »
,
 

Offline krivx

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #253 on: June 27, 2015, 04:20:43 pm »
Safe to say he's got some Darwin award candidates in his class  |O

Is that so?

It just happens and this is in fact one of the reasons why here (at least in my fed. state, but I assume the others handle this the same) only low-voltage irons are bought for schools.

Btw. are these really irons with 230 V heaters, or did the manufacturer just use normal power cable to connect the iron to the base?

I believe they are 230V and a triac in the base station switches the heater to change temperature. There is no feedback from a temperature sensor, just open-loop heating.
 

Offline Muxr

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #254 on: June 27, 2015, 04:48:15 pm »
HP 54610B has arrived. The seller packaged it really well I must say. This thing was really well protected. Ran a few quick tests, and on the surface it seems to be functioning well. I really like the form factor. And the usability/UI is much better than I expected. Feels very intuitive.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 05:56:21 pm by Muxr »
 

Offline eas

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #255 on: June 27, 2015, 06:16:14 pm »
Safe to say he's got some Darwin award candidates in his class  |O

It is a school. You know, a place where (some) kids learn about stuff, sometimes by doing stupid shit. You may have come out of the womb fully formed, in which case, its probably futile of me to get you to realize that most people take a little longer, but most people take a little longer. In fact, for most males, it takes about 20-25 years before good judgement really settles in. Most women are a little quicker, but by the time they are 20, they've had plenty of chances for poor judgement with respect to men and contraception. And so, a new generation is born...
 

Offline Muxr

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #256 on: June 27, 2015, 06:24:48 pm »
Safe to say he's got some Darwin award candidates in his class  |O

It is a school. You know, a place where (some) kids learn about stuff, sometimes by doing stupid shit. You may have come out of the womb fully formed, in which case, its probably futile of me to get you to realize that most people take a little longer, but most people take a little longer. In fact, for most males, it takes about 20-25 years before good judgement really settles in. Most women are a little quicker, but by the time they are 20, they've had plenty of chances for poor judgement with respect to men and contraception. And so, a new generation is born...
What does that have to do with me making fun of them? Did you really take offense to my comment? Grow some thicker skin please.
« Last Edit: June 27, 2015, 06:29:41 pm by Muxr »
 

Offline SeanB

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #257 on: June 27, 2015, 07:11:02 pm »
At least the kids can be thankful for the modern electrical protective devices, which reduce the risk from them doing this to a lower level. Think of the first electrical circuits, where there was no such thing as the fuse, which was only invented later, and where there was no such thing as RCD breakers either. The protection was there for the wiring, so as not to have a fire caused by overheated wall wiring. Did very little to protect against electric shock, and did little against faulty equipment causing a fire or killing you.
 

Offline TheSteve

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #258 on: June 28, 2015, 07:33:24 am »
Picked up a Fluke 87V with 3 sets of probes, an 80i-600A AC current probe and a VoltAlert 1AC-A II for $160.00 USD. All of it pretty much as new.

Now I will probably sell my 87 series I which is # 186 to roll off the production line.
VE7FM
 

Offline gman4925

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #259 on: June 28, 2015, 04:03:33 pm »
Just scored a Tektronix 1735HD Waveform Monitor at a garage sale for less than $10.
Originally I thought it was a scope, which I need and this would have been a great deal but it's for measuring/monitoring video signals.

Plugged it in and thought the CRT was not working but after a bit of fiddling I found the trace off the screen.
Passes all internal tests so I'll probably sell it and I'll have to keep looking for a scope.
 

Offline commie

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #260 on: June 30, 2015, 02:37:41 pm »
Just ordered a Keysight 34465A 6.5 digit multimeter from RS, should have it tomorrow. I already have 2 x 34461A's, I originally was going to buy the 7.5 digit but I just couldn't justify the extra cost.

My main reason for purchase was the 1uA range yielding 1pA resolution. :popcorn:

Sub 1uA current sources here I come... :phew:
 

Offline Rupunzell

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #261 on: July 01, 2015, 07:25:30 am »
Gigatronics 1018, 50 Mhz to 18.5 Ghz sweeping or CW synthesizer / Frequency counter / Power meter in one box.

Other than switches needing exercising, it all appears to be good. Gigatronics was started by a groups of folks from Systron Donner after SD went bye bye..




Quick look at 18.5Ghz on the SA.




Gigatronics RF connector care video:

http://www.gigatronics.com/videogallery/videoCategory/RF-Connector-Care-Tips

Bernice
« Last Edit: July 01, 2015, 07:41:04 am by Rupunzell »
 

Offline commie

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #262 on: July 07, 2015, 08:15:44 pm »
Hi Folks,

Just unpacked my Keysight 34465A meter and had a play on it, notably faster update than the '61A but totally awesome 1uA current range. Also, I purchased a new Tenma 72-7245 twin 30V 3Amp power supply, what a joy to use. Regulation is around 0.01% that's voltage source spec.,eh?, this psu is a rebadge GW-Instek (made in Taiwan)  :-+, two notches up on standard Chinese quality.

Cheers
Commie
 

Offline free_electron

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #263 on: July 07, 2015, 08:47:35 pm »
3457A 7 1/2 digit multimeters : 3 pieces
U8001A power supplies. : 7 of em. paid the price of 1  :) for all of it
66302D dual channel communication source with built in DMM  : 3 pieces.

and some various other bits and pieces ...
Professional Electron Wrangler.
Any comments, or points of view expressed, are my own and not endorsed , induced or compensated by my employer(s).
 

Offline Muxr

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #264 on: July 08, 2015, 08:38:04 pm »
Gotta really nice deal on an HP E3611A. Someone spilled black ink into the case though. Wasn't much but it spilled on the heatsink around one of the big bipolars. Cleaned it up, put it together and works like a charm. It's running a little high (100mV) so will have to calibrate it at some point.
« Last Edit: July 08, 2015, 08:42:40 pm by Muxr »
 

Offline xwarpTopic starter

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #265 on: July 11, 2015, 12:41:09 am »
Picked up an Agilent 1660ES logic analyzer today for 50 bucks.

Has everything with it including a demo board.

Excellent shape, passes all startup tests and what appealed to me also is the 500mhz 2Gsa/s DSO part of it.
 

Offline BravoV

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #266 on: July 11, 2015, 01:18:45 pm »
Now I have twins U1242Bs, just couldn't help it, too tempting, a complete sealed nos Agilent U1242B @ $80.

Yeah, I know ... I'm an addict ... :palm:

Offline nidlaX

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #267 on: July 13, 2015, 09:42:00 am »
U8001A power supplies. : 7 of em. paid the price of 1  :) for all of it

How you liking those? Nice sale eh? :-+

I grabbed two as well, nice condition!
 

Offline Muxr

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #268 on: July 13, 2015, 03:51:28 pm »
Well it was time to upgrade my soldering situation. Shopped around and assembled a Metcal mx500 soldering system. Got a brand new handpiece and tips, everything else 2nd hand.

edit: ok so I got my Metcal mx500. And wow. The hype is justified. I literally just touched some pads with the sharpest/thinnest tip and they were soldered. Instant heat transfer! I had no flux on the pad, and I wasn't applying solder, just applied some solder to the tip ahead of time, which usually doesn't always work the best (flux is long gone from the solder this way), so I did it as a test. The wire I was soldering to the PCB pad, instantly made a bond. Like I just touched it, didn't even press to make a contact.

My Hakko is pretty good, but this is like magic. Very impressed, should have done this long time ago.
« Last Edit: July 17, 2015, 12:27:58 am by Muxr »
 

Offline robert_

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #269 on: August 14, 2015, 04:07:16 pm »
Tek P5205 100Mhz High Voltage Differential Probe plus P6243 1Ghz 10x FET probe for 160Eur :)

5205 had broken contacts inside both 4mm connectors, apart from this it works perfectly! Replaced the (very stiff and hard to use) input wires with nice double-insulated silicone ones, and soldered on new MC insulated 4mm connectors. Thats it, the best diff probe ive used so far.

6243 wasnt even mentioned in the auction (the picture did show some other cable with Tekprobe connector not belonging to the 5205), had the cable broken off at the probe end.Ths was NOT easy to fix, as the probe itself is very compact and contains a ceramic PCB with completely un-protected wirebonded die and gold metallised traces.Tekprobe Connector box is empty except for an EEPROM identifying the probe. VERY easy to damage a wirebond or dissolve a trace by soldering! Luckily i could reattatch the cable and it also works fine now. Gonna sell it though, as i dont need it.

HP 34970A 6.5dig DMM/Scanner/Data Logger, with 1 20channel Mux card for about 100$
Didnt do anything, totally dead.PSU seems fine, but the 3V Lithium battery was at zero volts, after applying 3V it did boot fine! Replaced the battery (14250 size), works fine. Nice instrument! integrated DMM is based on the 34401.
Still strange a faulty battery would cause the unit to fail to boot up at all...
« Last Edit: August 14, 2015, 04:14:58 pm by robert_ »
 

Offline nfmax

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #270 on: August 14, 2015, 04:26:35 pm »
HP 34970A 6.5dig DMM/Scanner/Data Logger, with 1 20channel Mux card for about 100$
Didnt do anything, totally dead.PSU seems fine, but the 3V Lithium battery was at zero volts, after applying 3V it did boot fine! Replaced the battery (14250 size), works fine. Nice instrument! integrated DMM is based on the 34401.
Still strange a faulty battery would cause the unit to fail to boot up at all...

Strange indeed, unless the battery had actually failed short circuit. Two weeks ago I bagged one of those, sold as working, for £185 with a 16 channel high-speed mux card. The battery in mine was pretty much dead (about 0.6V) but the unit booted fine, it just gave 'memory lost' and 'time lost' errors. Maybe you had a loose connector somewhere that got 'mended' when you took the DVM module out to get at the battery?

These are great instruments - one of HP's lesser-known gems. On the 10V range, mine agrees with my 34401A to within better than 10 microvolts on the 1V range. Neither has been calibrated in years. We use dozens of them at work, generally wired to large numbers of thermocouples and monitoring DC voltages during temperature sweep testing.
 

Offline VK5RC

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #271 on: August 14, 2015, 08:54:17 pm »
A friend who works in the Telecoms gave me some Heliax, about 20m each of 1/4, 3/8 and 1/2 Heliax. Also some assorted connectors!!
Thanks Stu!!
Whoah! Watch where that landed we might need it later.
 

Offline dave_k

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #272 on: August 14, 2015, 10:28:38 pm »
Nice! I have a piece of 4-1/2" Heliax on my desk :)
 

Offline robert_

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #273 on: August 18, 2015, 11:49:13 pm »
Metrahit 29s Multimeter for 200Eur
Predecessor of Metrahit Energy, 300k count DMM (0,02% basic accuracy) with power measurement (and everything else too).

Good timing, as i threw my last cheap DMM right out of the window yesterday after i found out i wasted several hours thanks to this useless thing.
 

Offline Howardlong

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Re: List your test equipment "scores" here!
« Reply #274 on: August 19, 2015, 01:41:00 pm »
Picked up four Agilent 1.5GHz passive resistive probes the other day for £40 (~$60) each; 2 x N2874A (2pF/500 ohm, 10:1) and 2 x N2876A (2.6pF/5000 ohm, 100:1) including all standard accessories from a TE hire/leasing outfit.

Also a 1.5GHz probe amp (Agilent 1130A) for £40 (~$60) from the same place.

Gritted my teeth at £150 (~$230) for a 3.5GHz probe amp (Agilent 1131A) including E2676A (0.67pF) SE and E2675A (0.32pF) differential browsers with resistive tips.

Possible pricing error here, £7.48 for Pamona 5510, but on back order until 5 September.
http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/rf-connectors-kits/1685157

 


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