Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 20877358 times)

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Offline zrq

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133075 on: February 19, 2023, 02:30:32 pm »
Found the first real use case of the Agilent 53310A that I found in a trash dump: Characterizing two Perkin Elmer APD SPCMs salvaged from a decommissioned fluorescence microscope in the same trash dump.
Result is rather disappointing, one have >500 Hz dark count rate and another is ~225 Hz.

I haven't got an idea on what to do with them, maybe they will end up for sale soon (I will sell trash at trash price, not doing it as a business).
 
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Offline m k

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133076 on: February 19, 2023, 02:48:14 pm »
@m k Kindly please repost in the new and fresh created thread, or the addicts will be pissed off :)

I thought it's OT since it's not about FAS.
Advance-Aneng-Appa-AVO-Beckman-Danbridge-Data Tech-Fluke-General Radio-H. W. Sullivan-Heathkit-HP-Kaise-Kyoritsu-Leeds & Northrup-Mastech-OR-X-REO-Simpson-Sinclair-Tektronix-Tokyo Rikosha-Topward-Triplett-Tritron-YFE
(plus lesser brands from the work shop of the world)
 

Offline Robert763

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133077 on: February 19, 2023, 06:22:38 pm »
Huh. Didn't see that coming.

Working on a HP 334A. Needed a sig gen and since that recently acquired Sigilent was around I grabbed that. Seems to work fine and yes its updated. Actually, the rotary is shit and some of the buttons have problems but I won't hold that against them as it has been with a smoker for quite some time.

What I DO hold against it is what happens next. Starting out with the simplest measurement, just use it as voltmeter. So, the 334A reads well over a volt when I feed it a 1V signal. So, I figure, well, old gear. Unfortunate, but it's somewhat expected it would drift over time.

Just for fun and giggles I figured to double check.



@Ice-Tea
I came across the attached. Seems that the cracks around the display on the 87V Ex don't affect the ATEX rating  :-DMM
The ones you bought from Ramco may still be saleable.


Robert.

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OK if I use that picture?
Fine by me.
 

Offline Ero-Shan

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133078 on: February 20, 2023, 10:39:49 am »
New few acquisitions are on the way to meeee!... (Photos from the auctions)

I finally got myself an AC volt/current calibrator.  8) This one is a Yokogawa 2558, good for 1000V@6mA and 50A@0.6V up to 500Hz (or seemingly 800Hz with an external frequency reference). Now I'll be able to calibrate all my multimeters!

Merry Christmas to meeeeee.....  ;D

Sorry for excavating this old posting (I just can't keep up ...). As I have the same 2558 calibrator: Do you by any chance have a manual or schematics for it? While mine basically works, the output seems to be not really stable enough for doing any calibration.

Yeah, merry Christmas to you  ;D
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133079 on: February 20, 2023, 11:17:02 am »
New few acquisitions are on the way to meeee!... (Photos from the auctions)

I finally got myself an AC volt/current calibrator.  8) This one is a Yokogawa 2558, good for 1000V@6mA and 50A@0.6V up to 500Hz (or seemingly 800Hz with an external frequency reference). Now I'll be able to calibrate all my multimeters!

Merry Christmas to meeeeee.....  ;D

Sorry for excavating this old posting (I just can't keep up ...). As I have the same 2558 calibrator: Do you by any chance have a manual or schematics for it? While mine basically works, the output seems to be not really stable enough for doing any calibration.

Yeah, merry Christmas to you  ;D
Wow, where have you been, long time since we heard from you, welcome back again.
Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 
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Online TERRA Operative

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133080 on: February 20, 2023, 03:15:56 pm »
New few acquisitions are on the way to meeee!... (Photos from the auctions)

I finally got myself an AC volt/current calibrator.  8) This one is a Yokogawa 2558, good for 1000V@6mA and 50A@0.6V up to 500Hz (or seemingly 800Hz with an external frequency reference). Now I'll be able to calibrate all my multimeters!

Merry Christmas to meeeeee.....  ;D

Sorry for excavating this old posting (I just can't keep up ...). As I have the same 2558 calibrator: Do you by any chance have a manual or schematics for it? While mine basically works, the output seems to be not really stable enough for doing any calibration.

Yeah, merry Christmas to you  ;D


And Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you too! :)


I had many much beer, including good German beer, tonight in Kinshicho (a  very good drinking district in Tokyo) but I will reply again tomorrow with all the information I have once I can see straight. :D

Point of note, if your budget allows it, replacing the single-turn trimpots with Bourns mutliturn pots makes for a much more precise adjusrment... Details of what trimpot series I used to come later.

Also, using the external frequency input, you can go waaayyy above the rates specs of (what is it?) 800KHz-ish, not sure for the higher voltage ratings, but it's something I have to test as my unit is working quite well


(This post was somewhat hard to write, 6 pints of various beer,  and two shots (fireball and Jagermister, OMG yum) into the fun..... lol )
« Last Edit: February 20, 2023, 03:18:36 pm by TERRA Operative »
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 

Offline BU508A

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133081 on: February 20, 2023, 07:46:07 pm »
Received today this bad boy: Tantal Mallory 150 µF 270 Volt

It weighs nearly 200g!  :o

Anybody in the Netherlands interested in a HP 4275A LCR meter?
https://www.ebay-kleinanzeigen.de/s-anzeige/hp-4275a-multi-frequency-lcr-meter-keysight-frequentie/2364033837-168-1182

“Chaos is found in greatest abundance wherever order is being sought. It always defeats order, because it is better organized.”            - Terry Pratchett -
 

Online nikodem

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133082 on: February 20, 2023, 10:36:42 pm »
Found the first real use case of the Agilent 53310A that I found in a trash dump: Characterizing two Perkin Elmer APD SPCMs salvaged from a decommissioned fluorescence microscope in the same trash dump.
Result is rather disappointing, one have >500 Hz dark count rate and another is ~225 Hz.

I haven't got an idea on what to do with them, maybe they will end up for sale soon (I will sell trash at trash price, not doing it as a business).


If you would be interested in selling this, I'm kind of interested in buying them ;). I'm looking for some SPADs for my spectrometer.
 

Online xrunner

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133083 on: February 20, 2023, 11:07:26 pm »
Inside a male N connector I bought from a Chinese supplier on Ebay. It was crimped (both the shield and the pin) and causing weird readings. Decided to destroy the connector to see why. No I did not cause the broken wires - that is what it was when I pushed out the pin after cutting the braid so I could get it out. Threw it away and also the other one I bought. Will make my own to replace ...  :palm:
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 
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Offline T3AR5

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133084 on: February 21, 2023, 08:40:52 am »
Hi everyone,

I just bought a used Rigol MSO5074 and apparently the previous owner was a smoker and it reeks of old cigarette smoke.

As the scope still has over a year left of warranty, I would like to avoid dismantling the scope and breaking the seal.

Is there a good way to get rid of the smell? I tried packing it with grind coffee for over a week, but nothing changed :/

thanks for your help!
 

Online TERRA Operative

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133085 on: February 21, 2023, 09:51:21 am »
New few acquisitions are on the way to meeee!... (Photos from the auctions)

I finally got myself an AC volt/current calibrator.  8) This one is a Yokogawa 2558, good for 1000V@6mA and 50A@0.6V up to 500Hz (or seemingly 800Hz with an external frequency reference). Now I'll be able to calibrate all my multimeters!

Merry Christmas to meeeeee.....  ;D

Sorry for excavating this old posting (I just can't keep up ...). As I have the same 2558 calibrator: Do you by any chance have a manual or schematics for it? While mine basically works, the output seems to be not really stable enough for doing any calibration.

Yeah, merry Christmas to you  ;D

Here's a link to my Google Drive with the manuals, both user and service (and a Japanese copy, just because :) )
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y4NSM38e2OUMqakt7OyzbUuG0Ck__uvy?usp=sharing
There are full schematics, PCB layouts and even a troubleshooting flowchart. It's a pretty good service manual.

In mine, I replaced a few capacitors on the vertical plugin boards, dismantled the unit and cleaned out all the dust, replaced the single-turn trimpots with multiturn (Bourns 3299P on the vertical boards with a little reforming of the legs to fit the PCB footprint and Copal TM-7EP 3 turn trimpots on the larger Amplifier PCB, but you could use something like Bourns 3339 series or similar) which let me really dial in the adjustment. A few of the adjustments are quite touchy with the single turn trimpots.

Once I'm back from holiday, I plan to characterise the actual upper extents of the external frequency input. Will update in a week or two.






Hi everyone,

I just bought a used Rigol MSO5074 and apparently the previous owner was a smoker and it reeks of old cigarette smoke.

As the scope still has over a year left of warranty, I would like to avoid dismantling the scope and breaking the seal.

Is there a good way to get rid of the smell? I tried packing it with grind coffee for over a week, but nothing changed :/

thanks for your help!

To clean the smell out properly, you're gonna have to get it into pieces to clean all the smoke and tar out.....

Got a dishwasher? The plastic pieces will come up like new. ;)
I also find often that good dish soap is better than isopropyl alcohol for cigarette residue.
« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 09:59:51 am by TERRA Operative »
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 
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Offline timeandfrequency

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133086 on: February 21, 2023, 09:54:02 am »
Hi T3AR5,

[...]
Is there a good way to get rid of the smell? I tried packing it with grind coffee for over a week, but nothing changed :/
This is not an easy question and leaving your scope outside in the fresh air for a year is certainly not a quick win.
I've never had to deal with such a pesky smell problem, but I would give it a try as follows.


Dismantle your device and soak all of the plastic parts of the enclosure for at least one week in lukewarm water + liquid disk soap + baking soda.  Change the water each day.

Rinse the PCB with IPA alcohol several times. Replace the fan with a new one, if any.
Take care of the LCD screen which can only get cleaned with wipes. Ideally, you should use ESD wipes.

Dry each part in the kitchen oven (turn 'hot air' ON):
- Plastic parts : 1 hour @ 40°C
- PCB : 3 hours @ 50°C


[update #1 : added two links]
« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 10:08:22 am by timeandfrequency »
 

Offline T3AR5

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133087 on: February 21, 2023, 09:54:31 am »
Quote
To clean the smell out properly, you're gonna have to get it into pieces to clean all the smoke and tar out.....

Got a dishwasher? The plastic pieces will come up like new. ;)
I also find often that good dish soap is better than isopropyl alcohol for cigarette residue.

So you think there is no way around taking it apart? On the plus side I could swap the fan for a quiter one while I am at it :D
 

Online TERRA Operative

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133088 on: February 21, 2023, 10:01:27 am »
Gotta get in there right up to your elbows and get your hands dirty... (Wear gloves!) :D

At least you aren't the first to dismantle one of these so you can avoid breaking too many bits. :P
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 

Offline Ero-Shan

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133089 on: February 21, 2023, 10:46:06 am »
I had many much beer, including good German beer, tonight in Kinshicho (a  very good drinking district in Tokyo) but I will reply again tomorrow with all the information I have once I can see straight. :D

I like the term 'drinking district'. ;D

Quote
Point of note, if your budget allows it, replacing the single-turn trimpots with Bourns mutliturn pots makes for a much more precise adjusrment... Details of what trimpot series I used to come later.

Like those?

1721996-0

[Trying this attachment thing ... hope it works.]

Quote

Also, using the external frequency input, you can go waaayyy above the rates specs of (what is it?) 800KHz-ish, not sure for the higher voltage ratings, but it's something I have to test as my unit is working quite well


(This post was somewhat hard to write, 6 pints of various beer,  and two shots (fireball and Jagermister, OMG yum) into the fun..... lol )

Hope you don't suffer a hangover ... I probably wouldn't even survive that dose. After 2 beer's I've had enough.
 

Offline Ero-Shan

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133090 on: February 21, 2023, 11:50:28 am »

Here's a link to my Google Drive with the manuals, both user and service (and a Japanese copy, just because :) )
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1Y4NSM38e2OUMqakt7OyzbUuG0Ck__uvy?usp=sharing
There are full schematics, PCB layouts and even a troubleshooting flowchart. It's a pretty good service manual.

Thanks so much, TERRA-san! It probably will be months until I'll start to work on it, though. My repair queue is longer than [insert your favorite 'long' thing], and I haven't been doing anything since a year ago. But having the manuals will ensure that it'll jump almost to the front of the queue.

Quote
In mine, I replaced a few capacitors on the vertical plugin boards, dismantled the unit and cleaned out all the dust, replaced the single-turn trimpots with multiturn (Bourns 3299P on the vertical boards with a little reforming of the legs to fit the PCB footprint and Copal TM-7EP 3 turn trimpots on the larger Amplifier PCB, but you could use something like Bourns 3339 series or similar) which let me really dial in the adjustment. A few of the adjustments are quite touchy with the single turn trimpots.

Once I'm back from holiday, I plan to characterise the actual upper extents of the external frequency input. Will update in a week or two.

Before even thinking about calibrating, I need to make sure that it works satisfactorily.

 
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Online TERRA Operative

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133091 on: February 21, 2023, 11:53:01 am »
No problems. :)
If you need some measurements or photos or whatever from my unit, just ask! :)

This is the type of trimpot you'll need to use on the vertical plugin cards so the adjustment screw can be accessed. Any brand trimpot with this form factor would work ok. (You'll just need to tally up what values you need).

https://www.digikey.com/en/products/detail/bourns-inc/3299P-1-204LF/1088128


But yeah, get that thing working right first then modify it..  :-/O
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 

Offline Ingeniq

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133092 on: February 21, 2023, 07:46:29 pm »
Hello, my name is Florian.

I have a TE problem (they say).

Would call it curated hoarding which got worse admittedly.

For some time I have been trying to prevent the scrapping of old measurement equipment in the company by looking for a new home for the dumpster contents (donations to makerspaces, repair coffees, colleagues). Unfortunately, I have not succeeded in doing this for all the devices.
Am still left with some crap (really crap, mostly from 70ies and 80ies), that nobody wants.

Still (related to my problem) I'd consider it a pity having to throw the stuff away. But it needs to go. Am drowning in stuff.

Maybe there is someone here who still enjoys the old stuff?

Does the forum policy allow to offer it here (and make someones TE problem/addiction/hoarding worse)?

- Stuff is free, am not(!) going to sell it.

Some of the devices might have some value, I'd prefer to give it to someone who is actually planning to keep (use/collect) it.

- There is NO guarantee. The stuff might or might not be broken (in some cases is). It might blow out the magic smoke the first time you switch it on.

- I'll not pay for shipping. Either local pickup (munich area), meeting/handover in greater munich area might also be possible upon agreement. Or you ideally send me a suitable package with paid postage/address for me to fill it and ship it back.

Any idea if this makes sense here?
If not, I'll have to take it back to the dumpster again.
Which wouldn't be good as there is new stuff every time I see the dumpster...
 
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Offline Vince

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133093 on: February 21, 2023, 08:28:26 pm »
Welcome where you belong....

I guess it would be easier for people to reply to you if you actually showed / listed the gear you want to part with...

TE is not crap/junk just because  it's old... nice TE is still nice TE 50 year later... crap brand new TE is crap from day one and still will be 50 years later....
Design / specs / engineering / construction / build quality make it good or crap... not age  8)

So what have you got on offer for us ?!  ;D

...maybe it's not all crap as you say... maybe something interesting went under the radar of the other people you contacted...simply because maybe they just don't know much about old TE, what good, what's bad...



« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 08:31:50 pm by Vince »
 
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Offline wkb

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133094 on: February 21, 2023, 08:40:40 pm »
crap brand new TE is crap from day one and still will be 50 years later....

Well, no, brand new crap TE will be in the bin a couple of years from now. Noone in their right mind will keep crap TE around for 50 odd years.

Darwinism applied to TE
 
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Offline Ingeniq

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133095 on: February 21, 2023, 08:46:11 pm »
I have lots of old stuff, too. Just this stuff is too much. Will most probably need it. It's just getting too much really.

Don't have the complete list. Will dig out the stuff in batches.
Am planning to deal with the smaller/crappier stuff in batches as well, in order to minimize effort.

There is stuff like:

Fluke 8000A multimeter (2x)
Fluke 8600AU multimeter
Fluke 2166A thermometer (broken, just stopped working, was used as a office thermometer for a while).
HP5315A counter (2x).

There is more stuff I currently don't know the exact model numbers:
One Fluke Lab Voltmeter with both needle and digital displays.
Some old linear power supplies as well (Mostly Gossen).

Will add more to the list as I dig it out of the pile.
 
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Offline Neomys Sapiens

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133096 on: February 21, 2023, 08:56:08 pm »
« Last Edit: February 21, 2023, 09:04:26 pm by Neomys Sapiens »
 

Offline BU508A

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133097 on: February 22, 2023, 06:04:52 am »
It's a LeCroy. Shoot it before it grows up!

There is a nice LeCroy Wavesurfer in Lampertheim. Pick-up only, for EUR 950,-   ;D  8)  (NAWTS)

Just saying ...

« Last Edit: February 22, 2023, 06:15:03 am by BU508A »
“Chaos is found in greatest abundance wherever order is being sought. It always defeats order, because it is better organized.”            - Terry Pratchett -
 

Offline McBryce

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133098 on: February 22, 2023, 04:01:49 pm »
Inside a male N connector I bought from a Chinese supplier on Ebay. It was crimped (both the shield and the pin) and causing weird readings. Decided to destroy the connector to see why. No I did not cause the broken wires - that is what it was when I pushed out the pin after cutting the braid so I could get it out. Threw it away and also the other one I bought. Will make my own to replace ...  :palm:

Did it have the obligatory Chinese QC sticker?

This thread seems to be slowing down. I was away for 5 days and only had 3 pages of new posts to read!

McBryce.
30 Years making cars more difficult to repair.
 

Offline Ice-Tea

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #133099 on: February 22, 2023, 04:36:59 pm »
You're aware there was a minor curfuffle a few weeks ago, right? :scared:
 


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