Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

I set the 3400A aside until I find a donor unit that won't make me feel like I am spending $50 for a plug socket.

I make no promises, but give me a day or three to dig through my piles-o-stuff. I may have one of those chassis mount PH-163 connectors lurking about somewhere around here.

-Pat

[Brumby]

Hold up.... lemme feed the TEA monster....

[url=https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-HP-Keysight-3400A-Analog-RMS-Voltmeter-1mV-300V-full-scale/312735678162]https://www.ebay.com/itm/Lot-of-2-HP-Keysight-3400A-Analog-RMS-Voltmeter-1mV-300V-full-scale/312735678162[/url]
Unknown condition... but two units for 50 US blood-oil backed promissory notes?

I'd be tempted - but the cost of shipping to Oz is the question.

Distinctly lacking in footwear 

Noticed that.  I can see myself caving to the desire for a 3D printer.

This could become expensive.

There you go endering soon  eBay auction: #143384197830 Cathy who looks after their Australian account is a good chick.

I've been thinking of putting together a DIY version of the Prusa, but it seems the Ender has a couple of votes - and at that price, it's going to be hard to say no...  except that they're now sold out.     edit: Maybe not.


It would appear the Ender is a reasonable first machine - is this a fair statement?

[beanflying]

Plenty of stock in Sydney so no excuse there eBay auction: #142835028536

The extra Glass bed option is a better bet long term after the magnetic bed (easier to use for PLA) has died as it works on higher temperature plastics and is more durable. They are simple square and rugged for size. Not perfect but nothing ever is. I find mine get used more than firing up my bigger CR-10S. In Oz they are hard to get better for the $ when you factor in GST on most imports.

edit buy the PRO not the standard!!!!

[bd139]

It would appear the Ender is a reasonable first machine - is this a fair statement?

A former colleague of mine bought one a couple of weeks back. He has nothing nice to say about it. Then again he's a monkey with a gun with anything mechanical so I get the feeling that's a human issue rather than a machine issue. So it's probably good 

[med6753]

I set the 3400A aside until I find a donor unit that won't make me feel like I am spending $50 for a plug socket. Wandered into the storeroom and pulled the next thing out of the pile. Guess what it is from this photograph:



Yes that is a 0.009975mfd, 400V electrolytic capacitor. One of two in this unit.  The big capacitor above it has the negative lead removed and the entire case is soldered, along its length, directly to the printed circuit board.

It powers up and generates and appropriate signal (more or less), too, which was a surprise as it came out of the last "here take this stuff I need to get it out of my garage" trip.

Med or one of the other tek-addicts will probably recognize it.

Yep, it's a special timing capacitor. I think the Type 114 I have coming uses one if not the same or similar value. Also many of the older Tek scopes use very specialized, and unobtanium, tight tolerance timing capacitors. 

Edit....luckily they rarely go bad.

[tautech]

It would appear the Ender is a reasonable first machine - is this a fair statement?

A former colleague of mine bought one a couple of weeks back. He has nothing nice to say about it. Then again he's a monkey with a gun with anything mechanical so I get the feeling that's a human issue rather than a machine issue. So it's probably good 

Defpom has had an Ender for a couple of years and initially he had some issues with it.
Recently he replaced the bed bearings.
Anyways, his Ender playlist:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL2z3V9RkHQE1CvQF2iDmPqMtYvrKE73v0

[tggzzz]

I set the 3400A aside until I find a donor unit that won't make me feel like I am spending $50 for a plug socket. Wandered into the storeroom and pulled the next thing out of the pile. Guess what it is from this photograph:



Yes that is a 0.009975mfd, 400V electrolytic capacitor. One of two in this unit.  The big capacitor above it has the negative lead removed and the entire case is soldered, along its length, directly to the printed circuit board.

It powers up and generates and appropriate signal (more or less), too, which was a surprise as it came out of the last "here take this stuff I need to get it out of my garage" trip.

Med or one of the other tek-addicts will probably recognize it.

Yep, it's a special timing capacitor. I think the Type 114 I have coming uses one if not the same or similar value. Also many of the older Tek scopes use very specialized, and unobtanium, tight tolerance timing capacitors. 

Edit....luckily they rarely go bad.

And one of many in my Tek 115 pulse generator


with more pr0n at https://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/albums/72157690644170820/with/40065806620/

[med6753]

I'm keeping the courier/delivery services employed:

Parts from Mouser coming via UPS then transfer to USPS for delivery (Re-cap B&K 3010 and 1801)

Tek Type 114 coming via FedEx ground from LA.

Tunnel diode coming via USPS from NY.

No Herpes here. 

[med6753]

And one of many in my Tek 115 pulse generator


with more pr0n at https://www.flickr.com/photos/anachrocomputer/albums/72157690644170820/with/40065806620/

And another example here on the 465B timing board.

[BU508A]

Ok so after much research, I just ordered a Peak LCR45 and not a 3d printer. Well not yet anyway!

Why not a DER EE-5000?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/151970240054

Price is nearly the same.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/282767402279

[bd139]

Three reasons (1) import duty buggery (2) I need it this week to measure some inductors I'm building not in a month (3) peak offer repair/calibration and beyond excellent support.

[BU508A]

Three reasons (1) import duty buggery (2) I need it this week to measure some inductors I'm building not in a month (3) peak offer repair/calibration and beyond excellent support.

(4) support British economics.   

[bd139]

That too 

Random rant: fuck arduinos. All I needed was to get one to generate a single fucking frequency out of an Si5351A whacked in it. Fucking IDE has crashed twice, fucking library problems galore. What a steaming turd 

[xrunner]

And another example here on the 465B timing board.

I love those tall caps - look like skyscrapers in a small city. I'm also familiar with that long switch on the PCB. Interesting design.

[BU508A]

The question is: are there any better platforms than arduino?
And if yes: which are they and why?

 

[xrunner]

A former colleague of mine bought one a couple of weeks back. He has nothing nice to say about it. Then again he's a monkey with a gun with anything mechanical so I get the feeling that's a human issue rather than a machine issue. So it's probably good 

Yep. Don't get me wrong earlier - there are people in this world for which a 3D printer is a very bad idea. I've said that over the air on the 2 meter repeater too so I have given this advice to people in the clear. 

[bd139]

The question is: are there any better platforms than arduino?
And if yes: which are they and why?

 

AVR-gcc / AVR-libc. Better because not written by tards, choose your own IDE and get control over the toolchain. Downside is you need plenty of clue.

A former colleague of mine bought one a couple of weeks back. He has nothing nice to say about it. Then again he's a monkey with a gun with anything mechanical so I get the feeling that's a human issue rather than a machine issue. So it's probably good 

Yep. Don't get me wrong earlier - there are people in this world for which a 3D printer is a very bad idea. I've said that over the air on the 2 meter repeater too so I have given this advice to people in the clear. 

Yeah usually the same people you don't trust with Ikea furniture. Like my sister. She phoned me up last week and asked if she could borrow a saw to work around a problem with furniture she had bought. I dread to ask.

[xrunner]

Yeah usually the same people you don't trust with Ikea furniture. Like my sister. She phoned me up last week and asked if she could borrow a saw to work around a problem with furniture she had bought. I dread to ask.

But ... did you give her the saw? 

[BU508A]

Yeah usually the same people you don't trust with Ikea furniture. Like my sister. She phoned me up last week and asked if she could borrow a saw to work around a problem with furniture she had bought. I dread to ask.

But ... did you give her the saw? 

I'm sure, bd did. For entertainement reasons. 

[bd139]

Of course I did 

[Addicted2AnalogTek]

I set the 3400A aside until I find a donor unit that won't make me feel like I am spending $50 for a plug socket. Wandered into the storeroom and pulled the next thing out of the pile. Guess what it is from this photograph:



Yes that is a 0.009975mfd, 400V electrolytic capacitor. One of two in this unit.  The big capacitor above it has the negative lead removed and the entire case is soldered, along its length, directly to the printed circuit board.

It powers up and generates and appropriate signal (more or less), too, which was a surprise as it came out of the last "here take this stuff I need to get it out of my garage" trip.

Med or one of the other tek-addicts will probably recognize it.

I find that to be reminiscent of the 454A due to the layout, traces, pots, socket type, and all the comp resistors. If it's not a 453 or 454, it's something from that era for sure. Am I close?

[bd139]

Some quick HP porn...

HP 5316B arrived. Packaging was TERRIBLE. Literally 5mm of foam taped to it and then cardboard wrapped around it. Fortunately it survived fine!

Guts:



Quick calibration run against the GPSDO. I like it 



The thing, even though it has the basic default xtal oscillator is pretty stable. Hasn't budged 1Hz yet.

Oh plus I just bought an HP 3466A to go with it

[Kosmic]

The question is: are there any better platforms than arduino?
And if yes: which are they and why?

 

If you can't really code by yourself, yes I guess Arduino is a option. Or you could go with lego mindstorms 

Personally I really like STM32. Powerfull arm mcu, tons of libs, free ide and debugger. They even have a generator creating all the MCU low level interface and initialisation for you (optional).

[beanflying]

Surprised @bd is having crashing problems with the IDE, not an issue with me even if I am playing on a cruddy Intel Atom on my bedroom toy.  Arduino is getting low on power compared to some of the new toys but it still suits me for simple stuff.

[BU508A]

I am a horrible programmer and try to avoid it as possible. But, on the other side,
I can see the advantages of these nice and powerful µC. Grabbing some sensors,
connect them to an Arduino nano or so, process the inputs and control something else,
this IS really nice. And can be done easily, even by a lousy programmer like me.
As long as it isn't used for something important, e.g. live saving systems or nuclear power plants.