Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[orin]

3478A quote from Lambda Calibrations for the calibration and return carriage of the meter, all up including VAT for the princely sum of £208.92, thats nearly 6 times what I paid for the meter, that makes RS look like a real bargain. 

What the fuck were they thinking?!?!? That's a "go away" quote!

So Keysight USA want $200 to calibrate a 3478A excluding taxes and shipping.  They'd probably add $20 to $30 shipping and at least 8.6% sales tax* so £208.92 isn't out of line...  Perhaps they are passing it on to Keysight?

FWIW, Fluke are charging $272 plus tax to calibrate an 8845A with data.  No shipping since I live close enough to drop it off and pick it up at their Everett Service Center.

*my local rate, though Newark/Element 14 and others try to charge 10% which is the rate a hundred yards up the road from where I live.

[Specmaster]

Speaking of handles, do you all actually use them? Although I've kept them on the instruments thus far so as not to misplace them, I find them to just be in the way and interfere with a nicely stacked arrangement.

When the meter is used on a bench then the handle doubles as a tilting bail so from that aspect, yes the handle would be used. If the meter is on a shelf or part of a stack then no it would be normally be used. It is used though in a fashion to keep and creepy crawly bugs from entering the meter and making it their home.

[Specmaster]

3478A quote from Lambda Calibrations for the calibration and return carriage of the meter, all up including VAT for the princely sum of £208.92, thats nearly 6 times what I paid for the meter, that makes RS look like a real bargain. 

What the fuck were they thinking?!?!? That's a "go away" quote!

So Keysight USA want $200 to calibrate a 3478A excluding taxes and shipping.  They'd probably add $20 to $30 shipping and at least 8.6% sales tax* so £208.92 isn't out of line...  Perhaps they are passing it on to Keysight?

FWIW, Fluke are charging $272 plus tax to calibrate an 8845A with data.  No shipping since I live close enough to drop it off and pick it up at their Everett Service Center.

*my local rate, though Newark/Element 14 and others try to charge 10% which is the rate a hundred yards up the road from where I live.

I doubt it very much if they are passing it on to Keysight for calibration seeing as they only take three days from the date they receive the meter to you have it back in your hands again, it is however a UKAS calibration.

That being said, the self same calibration from RS is according to what they told me and their website backs this up, 5 days from collection to delivery and that is only £83 which includes collection and delivery back again. Then if you don't require to be able to prove the calibration in any country in the world, i.e., it is good for your own country only (perfect for a hobbyist) then the same service is £54 and for the 3478A that was reduced to just £50.40.

[mnementh]

Indeed. I was quite pleased when I saw the condition. There is some damage to the front panel mounts as you can see in the right of that picture. Doesn't affect operation though and isn't visible when it's closed so meh.

Awww... not even gonna commit some ritual epoxy abuse to mitigate the damage? 


mnem
 

[bitseeker]

Speaking of handles, do you all actually use them? Although I've kept them on the instruments thus far so as not to misplace them, I find them to just be in the way and interfere with a nicely stacked arrangement.

When the meter is used on a bench then the handle doubles as a tilting bail so from that aspect, yes the handle would be used. ...

Do you use it as a tilting bail? I've seen that in photos, but it takes a lot of valuable bench space to have a single device positioned that way. So, my instruments usually stay in the stacks.

[Specmaster]

Speaking of handles, do you all actually use them? Although I've kept them on the instruments thus far so as not to misplace them, I find them to just be in the way and interfere with a nicely stacked arrangement.

When the meter is used on a bench then the handle doubles as a tilting bail so from that aspect, yes the handle would be used. ...

Do you use it as a tilting bail? I've seen that in photos, but it takes a lot of valuable bench space to have a single device positioned that way. So, my instruments usually stay in the stacks.

If I was placing the meter directly onto the bench, yes I would use it as a tilting bail otherwise its hard to read the display. As it is, I'm using an old office desk with a near enough full width monitor shelf that I stack my smaller items of test gear on along side my computer monitor, so in that position I don't use tilting bails as they are almost at eye height when sitting at the desk.

[orin]

That being said, the self same calibration from RS is according to what they told me and their website backs this up, 5 days from collection to delivery and that is only £83 which includes collection and delivery back again. Then if you don't require to be able to prove the calibration in any country in the world, i.e., it is good for your own country only (perfect for a hobbyist) then the same service is £54 and for the 3478A that was reduced to just £50.40.

Well, that does seem to be a great deal.  Anyone got an example cal certificate from them?

[Specmaster]

Indeed. I was quite pleased when I saw the condition. There is some damage to the front panel mounts as you can see in the right of that picture. Doesn't affect operation though and isn't visible when it's closed so meh.

I was sitting here thinking that a few months ago there was scores of these Leaders on the Bay, when I was seriously looking for that all elusive AM/FM generator all I could find was them and way more expensive models but not any AM/FM. Then it struck me that I haven't spotted any of late so I went looking.

I could not find a single Leader at all but I did come up with this from Australia a real genuine badged one, and I wonder if our Australian friends think the price is about for their market? Personally I think its a ridiculous price for it but then I don't live down under.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RS-Components-Ltd-Signal-Generator-17A-611-133/123102793607?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649 

[bd139]

Jebus Christicles. Rip off.

Awww... not even gonna commit some ritual epoxy abuse to mitigate the damage? 


mnem
 

Can't be bothered today 

[GerryBags]

Um... talking of epoxy. I have some good quality epoxy, and I have some very good quality graphite. I want to end up with thermal epoxy. I'm thinking that as long as I stay well below the concentration where the graphite grains can join up and make it conductive, which is about 30% or so, I'll be improving the thermal conductivity of the epoxy by mixing them. I'm thinking around 10% would be a good start. Does this sound reasonable? Has anyone here rolled their own thermal epoxy?

I also fancied having a go at making a carbon-fiber PCB with the same epoxy, as it's the infusion grade low-viscosity stuff, without graphite for the basic fiber layers, and with graphite for bonding the copper sheet to the part-cured sheet.

I just found this study on the thermal properties of graphite/epoxy composites, which is quite interesting: http://www.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a128774.pdf

E2A, they only tested a certain type of aerospace tape with graphite fibers in an epoxy matrix, which is not very representative.

[Specmaster]

Handle is now glued back together strong enough to allow it to be fitted back to the meter and placed under it, in the stack to allow it cure over the next few days. Battery I believe is slowly charging up, it reads nearly 2 volts so if I leave it connected for a few days it may recover and save on the cost of replacing it  as it is not likely to get used all that much off line, besides the other one has a new battery fitted and it is handy to have it so I can use a meter without having to connect the whole stack or grab a hand held.

Inside is remarkably clean and as ever with HP is pure TE porn especially the gold plated PCB's nice touch, the midas touch. It was made in 1985 and does not have any calibration stickers on it so it may still be working on its factory calibration, who knows.

I have not yet cleaned it up, this I will do in a few days when the handle has cured and the battery charged a bit more.

Does any know what the actual colour that HP used on the front panel is called, I'd like to try and get some paint to touch up the front panel where someone at one point in time had a sticker and when it was removed (not by me) it took some of the paint off as well.

[bd139]

Nice bit of kit 

Same power supply my old 5315A had in it. Batteries leaked inside that badly but didn't kill anything fortunately. Whip 'em out quick!

[Specmaster]

Nice bit of kit 

Same power supply my old 5315A had in it. Batteries leaked inside that badly but didn't kill anything fortunately. Whip 'em out quick!

That one had a rare item on it IIRC, didn't it have a fused BNC socket in between channel A and B sockets? If whip the battery out I have make up a bridge plug for the power header as it uses the charging board as the as switch between mains and battery power. But I quite like the 4.5 digit portable meter it offers when the battery is charged.

[VK5RC]

I don't know if they are identical but look pretty close, Dick Smith was a good Aussie electronic supplier, he did quite a bit of re-badging.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dick-Smith-Radio-Frequency-Signal-Generator-SG-4160B/302705234239?hash=item467aa3513f:g:nJoAAOSwl8Ja0paE

[bd139]

Nice bit of kit 

Same power supply my old 5315A had in it. Batteries leaked inside that badly but didn't kill anything fortunately. Whip 'em out quick!

That one had a rare item on it IIRC, didn't it have a fused BNC socket in between channel A and B sockets? If whip the battery out I have make up a bridge plug for the power header as it uses the charging board as the as switch between mains and battery power. But I quite like the 4.5 digit portable meter it offers when the battery is charged.

Yes that was the channel C (1.3GHz option). When I pulled the charger board plug out it still worked on mains power.

You can still get the batteries on RS if you fancy replacing them but they’re pretty expensive. I think it’s these ones x3 (needs confirming): https://uk.rs-online.com/mobile/p/lead-acid-rechargeable-batteries/0591483/

Then again with what you pay for a laptop battery, is it that expensive? Certainly better engineered than the laptop battery. I mean a genuine Motorola 2n3055 

[bd139]

I don't know if they are identical but look pretty close, Dick Smith was a good Aussie electronic supplier, he did quite a bit of re-badging.
https://m.ebay.co.uk/itm/Dick-Smith-Radio-Frequency-Signal-Generator-SG-4160B/302705234239?hash=item467aa3513f:g:nJoAAOSwl8Ja0paE

That’s one of the early clone Chinese varieties. I think the original OEM was Altai for that variant.

[Specmaster]

Nice bit of kit 

Same power supply my old 5315A had in it. Batteries leaked inside that badly but didn't kill anything fortunately. Whip 'em out quick!

That one had a rare item on it IIRC, didn't it have a fused BNC socket in between channel A and B sockets? If whip the battery out I have make up a bridge plug for the power header as it uses the charging board as the as switch between mains and battery power. But I quite like the 4.5 digit portable meter it offers when the battery is charged.

Yes that was the channel C (1.3GHz option). When I pulled the charger board plug out it still worked on mains power.

You can still get the batteries on RS if you fancy replacing them but they’re pretty expensive. I think it’s these ones x3 (needs confirming): https://uk.rs-online.com/mobile/p/lead-acid-rechargeable-batteries/0591483/

Then again with what you pay for a laptop battery, is it that expensive? Certainly better engineered than the laptop battery. I mean a genuine Motorola 2n3055 

Instead of breaking the old casing apart to remove the cells, you can get a replacement battery complete for around £17. Lead acid, sealed, leak proof etc, the terminals are arranged differently so the leads need modifying but it fits in the old holder with a little packing to stop it rattling about.

Replaced the battery in my first 3466A and now that is my go to meter as it works without powering up the 240v power unless I need to use it away from the bench or I need a function not on it, then I tend to go to a Fluke 27.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[bd139]

Makes sense actually. Did you stick one of those Yuasa 6V gel ones in or something similar instead?

[Specmaster]

Makes sense actually. Did you stick one of those Yuasa 6V gel ones in or something similar instead?

Not sure if it was gel, it was sold as sealed lead acid, works a treat. Slightly larger capacity I think.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[tautech]

Makes sense actually. Did you stick one of those Yuasa 6V gel ones in or something similar instead?

Not sure if it was gel, it was sold as sealed lead acid, works a treat. Slightly larger capacity I think.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

Gel cell/SLA, same aren't they ?

[bd139]

Yep.

[Specmaster]

In that case it's a Gel battery 🤣🤣🤣

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[bd139]

I need to stop reading this thread walking along. Nearly landed my foot in the middle of a gigantic dog turd 

[tautech]

I need to stop reading this thread walking along. Nearly landed my foot in the middle of a gigantic dog turd 

What are you off to buy ? More components ?
Has penis fingers stuck again ?

[Specmaster]

Not only is a dog turd smelly, it can as dangerous as a banana skin to boot