new killer scope in town - a true game changer from R&S - RTB2002 & RTB2004

[Robaroni]

There's no oil of any kind in scope probes, that's external.

[Darkover]

I have RTB2002 for about 3 years and his 2 RT-ZP03 never show any sign of any leakage. They are perfectly dry. Maybe external causes? Proximity with some flowers, herbal decorations?

I never faced the problem you described! Is there any special gas in your enviroment?

However the probes from R&S not good anyhow. Buy some from PMK!

https://www.pmk.de/en/products/pml_high_z_tastkoepfe      PML712

They are smaler and the middle pin has a spring. They are so good that other famos company are buy them
and print there name on it and sold them for the double price 
Unfortunatly R&S is to stingy to put good probes to >4000Euro scope.

Especially if you use the probes with the ground-spring you will never look back to the old ones!

Olaf

[alonsojar]

Not a fan of the RT-ZP03, but PMK PML712 are selling 315 Euro plus VAT each... Is it a good price? Wow.

Btw, no problems with leakage in any of the four RT-ZP03 I own. I mainly complain  about the sliding hook mechanism that I feel tough and unpleasant.

J.Alonso

[Darkover]

PMK PML712 are selling 315 Euro plus VAT each...

Aehm..yes. I am using older PML211 on my scope I bought  a few years back. I remember something like 150Euro VAT included.

https://www.batronix.com/versand/messtechnik/tastkoepfe/PMK/PML211.html

It is always possible to exchange bandwith by euro. 

Olaf

[pdenisowski]

My warranty is past, that's my fault, but decided to call Rhode and Schwarz support to inquire about this.  No one there had ever heard of this(came with RT-ZP03). 

I have never heard of this before either (and believe me, I would have if it were a known issue), and I personally have a lot of ZP03 probes as well.  I think the other posters might be correct in that this was caused by some external substance getting on the probes at some point.

[Darkover]

I have seen something like this with computer parts, rubber, cable that are installed in an
industrial sewage treatment plant. You did not notice it with youre nose, but some
gas/fumes can have strange effect on some plastic.
Sometimes I wonder how people can work there!

Please show a high quality picture to us.

Olaf

[electronix27]

Thanks for all the replies.
This really has me stumped.  I know there's no oil inside the cable.  The outside jacket just appears to be degrading.  Has occurred to some degree on all probe cables but a couple have been a bit more.  No harsh environment, mostly just my home bench.  The scope itself still looks like new.  Shortly after original purchase, I bought the protection and transport case, model RTB-Z3, made just for this scope and 3000 series.  kind of expensive, but I don't regret the purchase, works really well.  All the probes and a few extra cables and a differential probe fit in there.  I thought that might be made in Germany.  It has a unique smell to it.  I used to roll all the probe cables and slide them inside front pouch, but after I noticed this wetness on the cables I put them in baggies first.  I don't think it's a reaction to case materials, none of the other cables inside have this issue.  When I first noticed the issue, I wiped them down with 91% Isopropyl, then water.  R&S Rep recommended same thing.  Few photos from storage baggie.

[Rydda]

@electronix27

I believe my probe cables (RT-ZP03) suffer from the same problem, although not to the degree to cause a 'puddle'. But they feel very sticky, and when you handle them they leave a greasy feeling, and make you want to wash your hands. I bought my scope about three years ago, and I probably first noticed the problem last fall. The probes, when not in use, hang on a wall with no contact with anything else.

Beside them hang the probes (HZ200) from my previous scope (Hameg), and they do not suffer from this problem. I have had that scope for 20 years+.

I have encountered this problem before, especially in audio equipment where the manufacturer has tried to create a very flexible cable. On my high-end headphones, the symptoms appeared after more than fifteen years, but did not get worse. On my not-so-high-end headphones the symptoms also took a long time to appear, but they got worse over time, so I had to replace the  cable.

The worst cable I have had was a headphone extension cable of unknown origin that lay looped in a drawer for a long time. That cable had become a sticky mess, almost 'melted'. It was impossible to separate the windings.

My net searches gave no solution, other than to periodically wipe the cables with isopropyl. The cause of the problem was claimed  to be the softener agent in the material leaking out over time.

/Rydda

[Darkover]

Hm..3years? I think my scope is now at the same age. I will check my probes very carefully later.
My probes stay unused in the delivery bag, most of the time, because I use the PMK probes
and only unpack them when I need 5-6 channels at the same time.

I think when it happens to more people it is a problem of the manufacturer of the plastic/rubber.

Olaf

[goaty]

Same here 4 probes in bag, because use others.
They are not sticky but it smells a bit like plasticky.

[Darkover]

I checked my probes, they are okay.

Olaf

[electronix27]

@ Rydda

Thanks for the very detailed and informative post.  At least I now know someone else has experienced this.

Russell

[electronix27]

This last thing may be of use to someone.  Decided to purchase four new probes.  According to the Rhode and Schwarz website, I could purchase new probes directly from the company.  Support told me as an individual, not a company or part of a company, they could not help me.  Something about being in the process of changing the way they deal with non company purchasers.  Maybe US market only.

Considered some other options, but decided on OEM probes.  The only place to purchase these in the US currently is TEquipment.  So I ordered four RT-ZP03S probes.  The image, description and specs listed were exactly the same as RT-ZP03 probes, 1X/10X switchable attenuation.  Upon arrival I found the RT-ZP03S are actually 10X only, and all three waveform adjustments are now inside the small enclosure at the BNC connector.  They work, but I really do prefer the switchable attenuation.  Possibly the original RT-ZP03 are no longer made.

Part of the reason I purchased this scope for the higher cost was the claimed superior support.  Other companies may have the same protocol.  Nonetheless my last Rhode and Schwarz purchase.

Russell

[Darkover]

I did not know that there was a kind of RT-ZP03 with 1x/10x switch, but is using this kind of probe not a
pain in the ass with a scope that can not autodetect the switch position?
There are very few reason why you should need a 1x probe with the limited bandwith on a 300Mhz scope with 12Bit.

> and all three waveform adjustments are now inside the small enclosure at the BNC connector.

I think that means your probes are the older type. The newer type has only two adjustment. The
third one is hidden behind the sticker.

> Nonetheless my last Rhode and Schwarz purchase.

I can understand. This company was always good in asking high price, but they became now bader in delivering a value for the money.
If I pay for a mercedes I like to drive one and not a beetle. (no 50R termination, no probe detection, fat probes)

Olaf

[2N3055]

I did not know that there was a kind of RT-ZP03 with 1x/10x switch, but is using this kind of probe not a
pain in the ass with a scope that can not autodetect the switch position?
There are very few reason why you should need a 1x probe with the limited bandwith on a 300Mhz scope with 12Bit.

> and all three waveform adjustments are now inside the small enclosure at the BNC connector.

I think that means your probes are the older type. The newer type has only two adjustment. The
third one is hidden behind the sticker.

> Nonetheless my last Rhode and Schwarz purchase.

I can understand. This company was always good in asking high price, but they became now bader in delivering a value for the money.
If I pay for a mercedes I like to drive one and not a beetle. (no 50R termination, no probe detection, fat probes)

Olaf

RTB2000 is not 12 bit.

[Darkover]

> RTB2000 is not 12 bit.

Ups, I invented two more bits. 
However, it is noisefree enought that I enjoy it and I think it is very seldom that
I need the gain of 1x probe, especialy if I had to pay with lower bandwith.

Olaf

[pdenisowski]

According to the Rhode and Schwarz website, I could purchase new probes directly from the company.  Support told me as an individual, not a company or part of a company, they could not help me.  Something about being in the process of changing the way they deal with non company purchasers.  Maybe US market only.

Part of the reason I purchased this scope for the higher cost was the claimed superior support.  Other companies may have the same protocol.  Nonetheless my last Rhode and Schwarz purchase.

Did support say they could not answer technical questions or that they could not help you purchase accessories as an individual?  This is an important distinction.