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Need help! Test bench equipment recommendations. $2k+ budget
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2N3055:
Since you're in USA look into Pace as well.

I tried Thermalthronics and wasn't impressed. I don't like that I cannot electronically set temperature on Metcal systems with Curie technology (there are Metcal systems that can set temp electronically).
Tips on Thermalthronics didn't wet nicely..

PACE ADS200 is 120W station. It has short tip to handle distance, and very comfortable aluminium handle that stays cold even after 10 hours. There is good choice of tips.

Also JBC needs to be mentioned.
ehobby:
Lots said so far on this thread but I would like to add some seasoned comments based on 40 years of electronics home hobby, both design and repair.  I have done professional engineering but that is not what this thread is about. I have seen people greatly overspend on equipment and still not find they are happy with what they are using once they actually start using it. You might be surprised how much you can do without state of the art, expensive, equipment. With some good thought, you may be able to get a really good bench setup for about $1000 to $1500. Here are some rules and advice you might want to think about:

1. I have learned that simplicity in the devices and focused devices are generally the best.
2. Trying to get a device that does too many things focuses your attention on the device and not what you are trying to do with it.
3. Generally a multifunction device turns out to be a device that is only ok for many things you wish you had real focused tools to do.
4. Learn to use the devices you have and learn how to interconnect them to measure multiple things at the same time.
5. Skimping on test leads and jumper cables just leads to frustration.
6. Design may require more accuracy as you develop something, but when you repair you generally don't need much. You don't need a 6.5 digit DMM to fix a radio.
7. Don't rule out an analog meter because digital is considered the latest tech. You will probably need both as neither fully subs for the other.
8. Unless you constantly professionally cal your equipment, those extra digits might just be fantasy.
9. Lots of digits might be ok when calculating things on paper but getting 0.01% components to actually build it is also fantasy. Most components are 1% to 20% tolerance so extreme accuracy for most hobby work and repair is an expensive waste of money.  You are not really going to make sure the transistor is biased to 2.56734V are you?

Multimeters:
Get at least two digital meters and one analog. I would suggest you find some old Fluke 8000 series meters (true RMS) and an old VTVM with a really big analog meter (or an old Triplett VOM). They can be found cheap on-line.  3.5 digits is fine for nearly everything outside some speciality designs (sensors and designing other test equipment for example). Tuning things with a digital display can be very frustrating, but watching the needle move on an analog meter makes tuning things (or watching for min/max changes) simple. Don't assume a bar graph on an LCD display is a good substitute for a real analog meter.

Oscilloscope:
Look for a Tek 465B (especially if it has the DM44) or an HP 1740A as a starter bench oscilloscope. They are very easy to use, don't have to navigate a menu system, have good bandwidth (usable beyond 100Mhz) and lots of trace displaying functionality. They don't have a bucket load of advertised functions (pattern generators, counters, logic analyzers, etc.) but excel at what scopes really need to do, display traces. Later when you really need a 500Mhz or higher scope with storage, spend the money based on what is available then.

Frequency Counter:
I would look for a Fluke 1900A series counter. They go up to 500Mhz, are very accurate and are pretty small. You can get them relatively cheap on-line. You can use one directly with a coax test lead or hook into the Channel 1 Out on the back of a 465B to get a scope trace related readout of frequency. You may find less restrictions on measuring frequency with this method over using some scopes built-in frequency counter (better triggering, accuracy, display size and more usable digits).

Power Supply:
More is better... I use a Systron TL8-3 and a Protek 3006B on my bench. I actually have two of each, six HP power supplies, a Heathkit HV supply, a homebuilt HV supply, lots of switchers up to 60A, and various other vendors bench supplies. Never know what you will need and just how many of what current/voltage range.  I would suggest you collect some over time as you need them. The Systron gives the usual three voltages needed for most designs but does not have current limiting (ok as long as I keep this in mind). If I need current limiting I use the Protek. If you can find a triple supply with current limiting and digital displays get one. Vendor is not as important as long at it has high enough voltages and currents and easy to use, however voltage/current should be adjustable from knobs, not buttons.

Load Testing:
I would suggest you get a 100ohm 100W potentiometer and mount it in a box with a scale marked in 10 ohm increments, and a fuse on the wiper connection. This combined with a couple of 100 ohm 5W or 10W resistors will work for many power load requirements. A couple of 1 ohm to 10 ohm resistors are useful as well. I have a 150W electronic load (Kikusui PLZ-153W) that is really great but seldom need its accuracy. It is a bit of a luxury but when I need accurate load testing I am glad I have one. Something cheaper or used on-line could be a good future addition to your bench if you really need it. Remember the 100 ohm pot with a DMM on a 10A (or higher current shunt) will work as well. That is a reason you need more than one DMM.

Soldering:
I started with a Weller gun and a simple pencil soldering iron in the late 60's building RS and Heathkits. I have had a Weller WTCP since 1981. I use it for everything from soldering old tube radios to SMD parts (603 resistors are a little tricky, quad flat packs with 100+ pins not much of a problem). Only need one tip style. They last about 10 years each if you use them correctly. I do almost all lead based soldering but I have a tip for the newer annoying higher temp solders. A flux pin and solder wik are a must so get some. 95% of all my desoldering is done with a Soldapullt DS-17, about 1% with solder wik and the rest with a vacuum style desoldering station. If you decide to fix old tube radios and need to solder to the metal chassis, get an old Weller 150W/250W solder gun.  Later in life you might invest in a temp controlled hot plate for mass soldering SMD.  So my point here is very little low tech equipment is needed to do soldering if you get the right stuff and learn to use it.

How to spend the rest of the $2000 budget:
Invest in a set of 1% resistors and an assortment of caps. Nothing like needing a specific resistor and having to wait a few days to get one. I would get an old used Heathkit resistor decade box (six decades).

That is all I have time to cover tonight but I suggest you look at used equipment if possible, get focused function easy to use devices, and take the time to learn to use them.  I think you will be happier with this and so will your wallet. You want your focus on the project you are designing, not the equipment.

Regards
Keith956:

--- Quote from: ehobby on March 29, 2022, 08:34:32 am ---That is all I have time to cover tonight but I suggest you look at used equipment if possible, get focused function easy to use devices, and take the time to learn to use them.  I think you will be happier with this and so will your wallet. You want your focus on the project you are designing, not the equipment.

--- End quote ---

The most sensible post on this thread. I bought secondhand stuff - which you can usually sell for what you paid for - until I knew what was really necessary and what were just expensive new toys. A cheap DMM or two, a used dual tracking power supply, a cheap old dual trace scope will get you a long way. HP and Tek stuff from the 80's can be picked up cheaply. Yes a new SDS2104X+ is a great scope when the time comes you know you need one. Learn to walk before you run, you will save a lot of money instead of buying stuff that a year or two later doesn't cut it anymore and you have to take the (massive) depreciation on that shiny Chinese bit of kit.
nctnico:

--- Quote from: bdunham7 on March 29, 2022, 02:38:08 am ---
--- Quote from: nctnico on March 29, 2022, 12:04:24 am ---I only had that problem (expensive mistakes) with Siglent equipment  >:D Expensive does not equal high quality though.

--- End quote ---

Do tell.  You appear not to like them and you may have valid reasons, but I can't think of anything Siglent has that can reasonably be called 'expensive' for what it is.

--- End quote ---
In the past decade I have spend (directly and indirectly) over 5k euro on Siglent gear for professional use and it all fell short when the pedal had to go to the metal. Useless for the purpose it was bought for and thus a waste of money (= expensive mistake). The most recent low was the SDG2k generator which is highly recommended on this forum and was supposed to have mature firmware. NOT! A few of these generators are sitting idle in a cabinet somewhere and they may end up in the trash in a few years with only several tens of hours of runtime on them. In short: based on my own (repeated) experiences I have lost all trust in Siglent. I'm truly sad to write it; I used to be very enthousiastic about them in the past (Siglent being a newcomer to the test equipment market with good hardware at decent prices). And the problem is not in the hardware but the lack of firmware (regression) testing that they appearantly have not been able to solve.
Fungus:

--- Quote from: nctnico on March 29, 2022, 11:26:32 am ---
--- Quote from: bdunham7 on March 29, 2022, 02:38:08 am ---Do tell.  You appear not to like them and you may have valid reasons, but I can't think of anything Siglent has that can reasonably be called 'expensive' for what it is.

--- End quote ---
In the past decade I have spend (directly and indirectly) over 5k euro on Siglent gear for professional use and it all fell short when the pedal had to go to the metal. Useless for the purpose it was bought for and thus a waste of money (= expensive mistake). The most recent low was the SDG2k generator which is highly recommended on this forum and was supposed to have mature firmware. NOT!

--- End quote ---

Are you referring to things like this?

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/siglent-sgd2042x-rotary-encoder-poor-performance/msg3565446/#msg3565446

(look at the dates, that's been years without a fix and it's quite fundamental)
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