Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Robert763]

Hi,
I have  fair few tubes that will work with the ESI scaller. More sensitive gamma, thin wall/window alpha beta  gamma, marinelli beaker etc. The PET 100 was changed at the buyers request even 10 years ago they were getting scaarce.
The adjustable DC with a knob rather than a preset or locking 10 turn is an education thing. As well as accomodating different tubes it allows for demonstration of the count rate vs voltage plateau of a GM tube.
I have a matching ESI scintillation counter adaptor for the scaller somewere.
These are from the small (9l) box, I have 3 large (18l) boxes too..  There is a NOS FH-Z76 tube in the sealed plastic bag date code 1980.
I've got complete meters, modern scallers too.

[m k]

The counter side has a 555 based reference clock, no fancy quartz rubbish in sight

And slim lined with axial capacitors.

[timeandfrequency]

ESI-NUCLEAR 237

Is that a crack in the BC148 package ?

What nice red standoff parts they used for the diodes
It is worth duplicating them by 3D printing

[factory]

ESI-NUCLEAR 237

Is that a crack in the BC148 package ?

It's not a crack, just part of the flash from the molding process, they are Lockfit type transistor, a type that has a bad reputation and not just from BD;

Forgot about those bastard lockfit transistors (BC148) though. Nothing but aggro those things.

They are a known problem in vintage radios, but that has been solved for me, as all the good music radio stations either; no longer transmit on AM or have ceased to exist. 

What nice red standoff parts they used for the diodes
It is worth duplicating them by 3D printing

Red standoff aka "diode cradle" was probably made by this company; https://web.archive.org/web/20120515054220/http://www.mecint.co.uk/Catalogue/38
Sadly the company has since been taken over/renamed? and the pdf catalog I linked a while back has been cancelled, I haven't got a copy on the PC, maybe someone else downloaded it, the dead link is below (web archive hasn't got it).
https://www.mecint.co.uk/sitedocuments/1322062180transistormountingpaddata.pdf

I should mention they used to burn up well, when power diodes & zeners cooked themselves, they were used in GEC train battery charger units we once repaired at work.

David

[factory]

Talking of th RF bits does anyone in the UK have a slotted line they want to sell? It's only for a demonstration so don't mind what make model or even condition. 

Robert.

OK I've dug out the other HP 809B slotted line, the grey one was imported from the US in 2015, cost was approx £44 including GSP, the seller should have packed it better and I probably should have filed a damage claim, but I never did.

The brown one I acquired this year, apart from a little rust it's in far better condition.
I think I should sell the grey one if you are interested, or maybe exchange it for other stuff, let me know what you think.

David

[McBryce]

What nice red standoff parts they used for the diodes
It is worth duplicating them by 3D printing

Red standoff aka "diode cradle" was probably made by this company; https://web.archive.org/web/20120515054220/http://www.mecint.co.uk/Catalogue/38
Sadly the company has since been taken over/renamed? and the pdf catalog I linked a while back has been cancelled, I haven't got a copy on the PC, maybe someone else downloaded it, the dead link is below (web archive hasn't got it).
https://www.mecint.co.uk/sitedocuments/1322062180transistormountingpaddata.pdf

I should mention they used to burn up well, when power diodes & zeners cooked themselves, they were used in GEC train battery charger units we once repaired at work.

David

It's better for the cradle to burn up and needing to be replaced, than the diode turning the PCB into charcoal and creating a problem that's much more difficult to repair.

McBryce.

[TERRA Operative]

They look very 3D printable, especially with a resin printer.

[tggzzz]

What nice red standoff parts they used for the diodes
It is worth duplicating them by 3D printing

Red standoff aka "diode cradle" was probably made by this company; https://web.archive.org/web/20120515054220/http://www.mecint.co.uk/Catalogue/38
Sadly the company has since been taken over/renamed? and the pdf catalog I linked a while back has been cancelled, I haven't got a copy on the PC, maybe someone else downloaded it, the dead link is below (web archive hasn't got it).
https://www.mecint.co.uk/sitedocuments/1322062180transistormountingpaddata.pdf

I should mention they used to burn up well, when power diodes & zeners cooked themselves, they were used in GEC train battery charger units we once repaired at work.

David

It's better for the cradle to burn up and needing to be replaced, than the diode turning the PCB into charcoal and creating a problem that's much more difficult to repair.

McBryce.

I've seen something similar for the backup battery inside Quad FM4 tuners. Not heat, but just as destructive.

[Ice-Tea]

Ebay.de suspended my account. You have to provide your VAT registration number (which I did), file OSS (which I do) but their automatic check still flagged something and thus here we are...

[44kgk1lkf6u]

This is probably a good chance to start refraining from the urge of buying stuff.

[Ice-Tea]

Sadly, it's me selling the stuff so that's not really an option 

[factory]

That really sucks, I hope you manage to get it sorted and your shop back on feeBay.

This is probably a good chance to start refraining from the urge of buying stuff.

 

FeeBay have helped with that too, the program intended for the pocket computer rectangle device, is no longer useable for my device (too old), the worst is I can still see the current auctions in the background when trying to open the program. I really don't want a new device, as they are expensive and the screens are now all extra long/narrow aspect ratio.
The website is of course still useable on the device, but it sucks, can't view the saved sellers list anymore, there is no way to change postage address to the forwarding address and it eats through the data allowance too fast, options are to search less often or pay more for data.  The worst is the complete lack of notifications, not that they were very good before.

---rant over.

David

[Ice-Tea]

That really sucks, I hope you manage to get it sorted and your shop back on feeBay.

Thanks. Everytime stuff like this happens, I consider considering this a sign of...,well, not God, but, you know... that maybe I ship stop paying a 20% fee to sods like that. But I won't.

Also: you can get surprisingly good phone HW for very little. I have a Moto G24 Power, which is already a step up from the G24 which would have done fine as well. 150€.

[Ice-Tea]

Update: earlier this year, my town  (Ham (yes, Ham)) merged with the one next door (Tessenderlo). The resulting adminstrative unity is now called Tessenderlo-Ham (no prices for originality there...).

Because my account still had "Ham", my account got suspended and all listings deleted (not sure if I'll be able to retrieve those).

[Robert763]

The ESI Scintillation adaptor.

[tggzzz]

Update: earlier this year, my town  (Ham (yes, Ham)) merged with the one next door (Tessenderlo). The resulting adminstrative unity is now called Tessenderlo-Ham (no prices for originality there...).

Because my account still had "Ham", my account got suspended and all listings deleted (not sure if I'll be able to retrieve those).

That shouldn't be a major impediment

When fleabay added the requirement that I add credit card and address information, they insisted I filled in the "county" field[1]. The only problem was that my county wasn't listed; the only option was a county that ceased to exist in 1996! Yes I repeatedly contacted the CSRs; they couldn't change anything and suggested I used the non-existent county. It worked.

Dontcha just luv pooter systems.

https://www.mjt.me.uk/posts/falsehoods-programmers-believe-about-addresses/ read that then laugh and cry.

[1] County is - approximately - the local government area, containing cities towns and villages.

[m k]

I live in a known county, but my postal address has an unknown village of that known county.
It used to be even smaller, more detailed post number village, but that's mostly from reader service card era.

Here a post number is the thing, but same place can have at least two addresses, one for post and one for municipality, old small houses and street corners is a common case.

[Addicted2AnalogTek]

Well, after 3 moves/life upgrades, 4 pets, and a wife, I'm back around with a little spare time to learn some more, build some more, repair some more... and, despite what I did sell, I think I have more gear now than I had when I had to stick it all in storage. This is what I've unpacked so far, in no particular order, as most things still need to be powered and checked. I'm still missing some key pieces I'd like to buy again (bench DMMs).

I'm really more of a collector & device repair enthusiast who loves to learn than anything close to an EE, and a lot of this equipment was acquired chasing the Tek repair/calibration projects I immersed myself in through a particularly difficult time in my life. While that time has passed, I'm still finding myself eager to make time to expand my knowledge base and skills.

Have a look and let me know if I'm worthy of a spot at the TEA table, or maybe the kids TEA table:

[tggzzz]

Have a look and let me know if I'm worthy of a spot at the TEA table, or maybe the kids TEA table:

Yeah. You'll do.

And we are all kids here, with a childlike sense of fun.

[tautech]

Well, after 3 moves/life upgrades, 4 pets, and a wife, I'm back around with a little spare time to learn some more, build some more, repair some more... and, despite what I did sell, I think I have more gear now than I had when I had to stick it all in storage. This is what I've unpacked so far, in no particular order, as most things still need to be powered and checked. I'm still missing some key pieces I'd like to buy again (bench DMMs).

I'm really more of a collector & device repair enthusiast who loves to learn than anything close to an EE, and a lot of this equipment was acquired chasing the Tek repair/calibration projects I immersed myself in through a particularly difficult time in my life. While that time has passed, I'm still finding myself eager to make time to expand my knowledge base and skills.

Have a look and let me know if I'm worthy of a spot at the TEA table, or maybe the kids TEA table:

Good thing you have a structural steel beam above to help the bench carry all them boat anchors. 

[Addicted2AnalogTek]

Good thing you have a structural steel beam above to help the bench carry all them boat anchors. 

The cheap-o local tool store sells a 1T beam trolley for 60USD if the need arises... 
I also built the bench out of solid (oak veneer laminated) door slabs and walked around on it to spray foam the rim joist, so no concerns there!

[wkb]

This one followed me home today

[TERRA Operative]

... and, despite what I did sell, I think I have more gear now than I had when I had to stick it all in storage.

Have a look and let me know if I'm worthy of a spot at the TEA table, or maybe the kids TEA table:

The fact you ended up with more gear despite selling stuff lands you right here with us. Pull up a chair and join the circle of enablers.

[m k]

What's with the black frame, wider upper selves?

[Addicted2AnalogTek]

What's with the black frame, wider upper selves?

The black frame (wire shelving unit) is just a quick and removable solution for some additional shelving. I'm still not decided on exactly how I want my shelving on that side of the bench. Maybe a rack mount enclosure and floating shelves (no intrusion on bench space up to X height), maybe just leave it all open, I'm not sure. By no means is the workbench finished, though. I still need to add lighting under the shelves that are directly over the work bench and some more receptacles, as well as some sensible organization.

I'm not sure what you're referring to regarding the 'wider upper shelves', though. Do you mean the odd arrangement for the corner shelves? They're for those extremely long and heavy boat anchors, like that 7854, with room to stuff accessories on the sides.