EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: mbratch on February 08, 2023, 04:33:15 pm
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I have a Rigol DS1054Z and have noticed that the stock probes sometimes don't seem to be making good contact. The symptom is that I will sometimes get readings from the probe which have a reduced voltage compared to actual, roughly around 50% of the actual level. The signal integrity otherwise is good (relative levels, frequency, etc). If I fuss with the probe a bit, twisting it, reinserting the spring hook adapter, reconnecting the ground lead, etc, I can eventually get it to read full signal. But sometimes if I wiggle it a little inadvertently, it might go back to reduced level.
Is this typical of probes, or are these probes suffering from some minor quality issue? The probes are RP2200 (c) 2007. Not sure of their date of manufacture. I bought the scope new within the last 2 years.
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Try to flip a couple of times back and forth the 10x-1x mechanical switch. Check the GND and the tip clamps are firmly inserted. If not, maybe it's a defective probe.
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I have Two rigol scopes with probes as follows:
RP2200 copyright year 2007 - all four of these are reliable on 10x setting, but very unreliable on 1x - rattling the switches and/or spraying with switch cleaner helps a little, but not for long. I only ever use these on 10x setting.
PVP2150 copyright 2016 - never had any problems of any kind
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Try to flip a couple of times back and forth the 10x-1x mechanical switch. Check the GND and the tip clamps are firmly inserted. If not, maybe it's a defective probe.
Thanks for the suggestion! The inaccuracy is usually a factor of 2x, not 10x. I'll try this but I'm skeptical that it will help.
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I have Two rigol scopes with probes as follows:
RP2200 copyright year 2007 - all four of these are reliable on 10x setting, but very unreliable on 1x - rattling the switches and/or spraying with switch cleaner helps a little, but not for long. I only ever use these on 10x setting.
PVP2150 copyright 2016 - never had any problems of any kind
I'm using RP2200 (c) 2007 probes. I usually am on 10x settings, and see the issues there. So my experience differs from yours. The date of manufacture of RP2200 probes is probably over a number of years, so we could easily have probes from totally different years. The probes seem otherwise reasonably good quality. There are a few variable contact points: where the clip goes on the device, where the probe pin inserts into the probe clip adapter, and where the probe connector connects to the scope. I suspect the probe pin to clip adapter contact is not great.