Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bitseeker]

Yep very nice one. The built-in meter they have isn't half bad either. 

Indeed. And you can mod the front panel for higher update rate of the meter, too, if so inclined.

[bitseeker]

The user manual is attached. I got the user manual from Kikusui's web site (yes it's still there!). However; there is no service manual or schematic there. I hope I will not need one. 

Thanks! Looks the same as the one I got. I also have similar for the 5040 and 5060 series, but no schematics or board layout in them, either. Ah, well. Was worth a shot.

Looking forward to your restoration!

[mnementh]

4503 UPDATE - Don't shout to loud but it looks I have it beaten now, took the Caddock resistor bank out and checked it out of circuit, all OK, did the same with the relays, checked out OK, reflowed some solder joints, switched it on, the 9M reading on ohms when in the auto range with open leads has gone. Calibrated OK on ohms and DCV, readings are spot on. ACV is still a bit off, 238V mains reads as 232V. I think I'll reassemble the meter at this juncture as the manual says to calibrate the AC with all the screening and case sealed up, so thats what I'll do. Need to check the ASC and DC current as well yet, fingers crossed.                                                                                                                                                                                                                

Must have been some contamination on the board. I had some similar issues with a Fluke 8010A and I had to eventually replace the resistor network for discrete resistors to completely fix the problem.

Yes, I think you're right. I had already thoughly scrubbed this board, both sides with 99.9% Isopropyl. I still can't physically see any contamination anywhere but under the microscope there are a number of joints where the solder has not fed through the holes very well as the leads in them are tight. It is not easy to get a soldering tip into some of these joints on the component side due to the close proximity of other parts, so I may have to resort to flooding the area with liquid rozin and using the hot air gun to try and flow some solder to make sure of a good connection to the top pads . But first lets stick it back in the case and see how it goes.

I'd be inclined to use 70% IPA, too - sometimes it's a better solvent than the nearly pure stuff because there are some things that won't dissolve in alcohol, but will in the water contained therein.

-Pat

I’ve found this as well, but the last time I said anything to that effect I got dogpiled for using/suggesting folks use “contaminated” IPA. So now I just keep my mouth shut, and keep a spray bottle of each on the bench. 

Returned the Heathkit IG-18 sine / square wave generator to the owner this morning. I wanted to show him the sine wave output amplitude as related to the Int. / Ext. 600 ohm termination - I asked if I could use his scope. He said yea sure but it hasn't been on in years. I was able to use it but the controls were very dirty, as was the whole unit. Really filthy.

I asked him, if the scope worked well, would he use it? He said he would. So now, I have another project - restoring a Kikusui 20 MHz scope to full operation. I think it just needs a little TLC, no - a lot. Check the pics. One of the dirtiest scopes I've seen in a long while. Right now the cover is off and its airing-out on the front porch. 

Oh dear... here comes another installment of "experiments with bleach paste & UV light"; lemme pull up a chair and get comfortable... 

mnem
 

I might be able to produce the second episode. Got a yellow case and some new UVC lights 

That’s kewl. I just got back from the grocery with 4 flats of Oreos and a 30-pack of popcorn.

mnem
 

[mnementh]

Crap. This thing is noisy. I mean really noisy. I can barley touch any knob or tap on a board and the signal gives a flash of noise.

This is going to require a lot of cleaning and pulling every connector off.   What did I get myself into this time. 

Keep the faith, brother. 

mnem
“You very nice; Kiki love you long time!”

[mnementh]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/10000199637975.html

Ummm... oklay... so this isn't the correct vendor on AliEx anymore...? Or is the difference that the ones being sold on the Tindie Store have been "calibrated"...?

Kindof discouraging, especially since they're now showing 144 pieces in stock with delivery by end of June...   

mnem
 

Hmmm... okay. Buy a nanovna from hugen on his aliexpress page. That's the real deal and there are two screen sizes, the bigger of them is 4".  There's a designer here  (OW something or other), Gabriel, who designed another version for a client. I think he was focused on improving its high frequency end performance.

I have both the small and larger versions of the Hugen nanovna and an SDR-KITs VNWA 3 and have used each side-by-side. The nanovna is a good rough and ready VNA, at least below 100MHz. It has lots of flaws... cheap connectors, limited number of data points, weird little measurement inconsistencies. That said, for fifty bucks or whatever it costs now it is a serious bargain, especially if you are just learning about VNAs, want a VNA that you don't have to worry about blowing up, or are doing hobbyist level measurements, especially below 100MHz.

If you are a measurement nut you will hate it. If you want to figure out whether the filter you just built meets spec, it's valuable.

EDIT: Disclaimer: I love weird little cheap test equipment. I have a stack of stuff from Autek, Palomar Engineers, etc that are a lot like the nanovna... kinda good at one thing, not very expensive, often exasperating, and yeah cute as a button small. So my thoughts might be biased.

Yeah, okay. Now we've come back full-circle to my original post asking if that was the correct vendor on AliEx.  There are several vendors supposedly selling the V2, and several supposedly selling the Hugen NanoVNA.   

The one above supposedly has the V2 IN STOCK now, while the Tindie Store listing I saw in here says out of stock for the last 6 weeks and months of delay before they get to you: https://www.tindie.com/products/hcxqsgroup/nanovna-v2/

mnem
 

sorry, i guess i missed the beginning of the thread. here's hugen's webpage:

https://www.alibaba.com/product-detail/Hugen-NanoVNA-H-New-item-Original_62342877955.html

The trading company is wuyi zeenko industrial and Maggie King is the contact person. She will bill you through paypal if you don't want to give your info to alibaba.

Thanks... they’re showing 25 days lead time on the NanoVNA V2, so I’m guessing that all the vendors who say they have the V2 in stock are either playing the drop-ship shell game, or they’re offering someone’s clone product. 

mnem
”No new toy for YOOOU!!!”

[beanflying]

More in the dark than normal. No power for three hours and the Beer is getting warm 

[beanflying]

Things you can only see in the Winter twilight over a warm beer  Do I need a new cover to hide a 'problem' or a time limit on WASD SPACE keys to extend the life of this one.....

[bitseeker]

I lost power for about an hour today. No beer, though. Ah, well.

Bean, have you tried beer with coffee in it? "Interesting" experience.

[drussell]

[...] Currently installing W7 Ultimate and downloading about 1.8 GB patches. [...]

Microsoft does a couple of "Convenience Rollups" that take you to about 2016,  which can be applied offline in one go like a service pack.  Then the rest of the updates are not so bad.

Good lord, you guys haven't just always been using something like WSUS offline updates so you only just download things once for all your "windoze" <shudder> machines?!

You're nuts! 

[beanflying]

We have had some squally gusts here that I suspect have taken out an aging pole or timber crossarm. So it still mught be a while.

I haven't been tempted to try Coffee infused beer or the Carbonated chilled Coffee either. Keeping beverages in their own slot is my preference 

[tggzzz]

Would that be better rephrased as

Good lord, you guys haven't just always been using something like WSUS offline updates so you only just download things once for all <shudder> your "windoze"  machines?!

[Saskia]

umm, no, have not done so. I am not setting up that many Windose thingies these days.
BTW it's running now, VS2019 and VSCode installed.
need to grab one cheap stick of ddr4 2133 to bring it to 64GB 4way which should help big time.
Decent Home Computer eet eeez.

The biggest problem is finding all those drivers. I have no intention to toss my bloody expensive scanners, cameras, and stuff.

[Specmaster]

I’ve found this as well, but the last time I said anything to that effect I got dogpiled for using/suggesting folks use “contaminated” IPA. So now I just keep my mouth shut, and keep a spray bottle of each on the bench. 

mnem
 

Oh no, are you feeling feverish, have a headache, loss of taste and smell? You must be suffering from CVD19 (sounds of a klaxon horn going off to alert everyone). This is not the mnem that all know and love, can't be, keeping mouth shut  Get well soon please old buddy, its discord day today 

[Specmaster]

[...] Currently installing W7 Ultimate and downloading about 1.8 GB patches. [...]

Microsoft does a couple of "Convenience Rollups" that take you to about 2016,  which can be applied offline in one go like a service pack.  Then the rest of the updates are not so bad.

Good lord, you guys haven't just always been using something like WSUS offline updates so you only just download things once for all your "windoze" <shudder> machines?!

You're nuts! 

Fraid so, many of them hate Windoze with a very strong passion, personally I like Windoze and keep mine up-to-date.

[Specmaster]

We have had some squally gusts here that I suspect have taken out an aging pole or timber crossarm. So it still mught be a while.

I haven't been tempted to try Coffee infused beer or the Carbonated chilled Coffee either. Keeping beverages in their own slot is my preference 

Oh go on, were's your sense of adventure, you never know, it could be the start of something massive, like a new energy drink that could give Red Bull Wings a run for its money 

[bd139]

As for people’s approach with windows I suspect a lot of people like self-flaggelation.

Tip: with computing, the  path of least resistance rewards you with both time and fortune. All other routes lead to hell.

[capt bullshot]

Tip: with computing, the  path of least resistance rewards you with both time and fortune. All other routes lead to hell.

And rewards the vendors with your money (or something equivalent) as today the path of least resistance brings you into vendor lock-in situations ... It's quite an obvious strategy.

[bd139]

Apply with my third law and that problem is solved: "Always have an exit plan"

[BU508A]

Apply with my third law and that problem is solved: "Always have an exit plan"

This goes along with my first law: "Always have a plan B, C, D, ... at least a plan B"

[bd139]

My first law is simply: time is the only currency worth considering.

[BU508A]

My first law is simply: time is the only currency worth considering.

Probably you are a more wiser man than me.

A good friend of mine died this week at the consequences of a cerebral haemorrhage.
He was an EEVBlog forum member here as well and was around 40 years old.

Only HE knows, how much time you have left. (Except Rincewind)

[Saskia]

my condolences. Actually time is the only currency which is priceless.

[bd139]

Indeed. Sorry to hear 

[Specmaster]

@BU508A, please accept my condolences.

[Specmaster]

Today I did the hot air gun repair to the 4503 meter and I'm very pleased to report that it worked a treat, suspect joints that under a microscope appeared to be flawed on the component side of the board (2 layer board) where perfect on the solder side and after treating the top of those joints with rosin and gently warming with the hot air gun, the joints flowed nicely. However, there were 2 slight casualties, 2 polyester caps 22nF each used as HF filters had their outer cases slightly blistered, but still work OK. I'll get these replaced soon with new ones arrive.

The residual 9Meg that resistance ranges were seeing has now completely been cured and the meter calibrated and is in complete agreement my other meters, "winner winner chicken dinner" as Dave would say. The photos below show it in resistance range with open leads and also measuring 4 x 10M resistors soldered together quickly to test the meters capability.