EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: erichousetkc on December 14, 2020, 10:49:11 am
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Hi,
I am considering to exchange my faulty AM503 to AM503B. When I check AM503B instruction manual, I noticed that for older A6302 probes (Mine has SN. B013004), the specs are not warranted.
(https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tek-am503b-with-old-a6302-current-probe/?action=dlattach;attach=1131802)
Do anyone has any experience with regards to this?
The manual also states that this is due to a change in the input connector and can be updated, which obviously is no longer available. I want to know what is changed at the input connector and whether it can be implemented by myself.
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I have two A6302 probes, one below B050000 and one above.
The connectors are different. The older connector is marked Amphenol 165-9, and the newer one has no markings on it at all. The older one is made of anodized aluminum, according to the datasheet, and the newer one is a much heavier material, I'm going to guess chrome plated brass. (Why Tek chose such a chunky Mil-spec aircraft connector for a bench probe is beyond me.)
I don't see any significant performance differences on a AM503 between the two. I would recommend you do the performance verification procedure to see if there's anything odd with your probe and AM503B combination.
Maybe they moved away from that specific Amphenol connector and went with a different mating connector on the AM503B, possibly because of contact integrity issues or maybe it caused some issues. But that's only a guess. Wiggle the connector while doing your performance verification.
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I will surely test that when I have it. Thanks for the input.
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I have noted inconsistencies in operation of older serial # 6302 & 6303 probes most particularly when used / attempted to use with AM503A & AM503B . At least one probe which failed to work with 503A when retested with a much later production 503B worked just fine . Lower serial # probes in all but the example just given have been the common factor with problems .
I have searched exhaustively for more information and none seems available from Tektronix . The excerpt from the Tektronix manual you posted is all I have managed to find .
In almost all cases problematic probes type 6302 & 6303 have worked fine in the original non digital readout AM503 .
I have 6 - 6302 & 5 - 6303 probes, 14 - 503 & 1 - 503b my experience tracks well with that of 2 surplus dealers I know both were unaware of the lower serial # issue .
Does anyone have additional information or insights ?