Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Mr. Scram]

Looks like a black and white minstrel 

Just finished putting my daughter’s new PC together. It’s her 17th birthday present. Ryzen 5 3400G/16Gb RAM and MSI B550M board. My that one was a dick. Firstly green garbled junk out due to dodgy HDMI cable. Then wouldn’t detect SSD until I’d done a BIOS update. Then WiFi drop outs until drivers updated. Nice and stable now. 

Sounds like you just adopted a new child! Tell me a bedtime story, daddy!

[Cerebus]

Yes, unfortunately Britain's art schools managed to turn out almost a complete two generations of the former as the "YBAs".

Ah yes I got a photo of one of those artists at work at Colchester Zoo about a decade ago:

Ah yes, unless I'm much mistaken that's Mr. Hurst trying to get his head low enough to put his hat on.

[Mr. Scram]

there really should be a law against this sort of thing 

I'm fairly sure we have crimes against humanity already covered.

[Ice-Tea]

Firstly green garbled junk out due to dodgy HDMI cable.

It's *always* the cable ;-)

Nice bit of kit!

[Ice-Tea]

So, had a return the other day:



I obviously didn't send it like this. The package had some damage but nothing out of the ordinary. The packing could have been better (it can always be better...) but I simply don't see how any of that could lead to this kind of damage. I try to imagine how the box could have dropped and what it would have to hit to end up with damage to the BNC like this and *only* the BNC...

I end up with three options:

- customer had another Racal around that had a bad BNC and he figured that getting a spare one for free for the price of the returns shipping fee wasn't too bad.
- bad luck. actual shipping damage
- minor damage, "enhanced" by the customer to avoid discussions

Anyways, I don't like this day.

[tonyalbus]

So, had a return the other day:

(Attachment Link)

I obviously didn't send it like this. The package had some damage but nothing out of the ordinary. The packing could have been better (it can always be better...) but I simply don't see how any of that could lead to this kind of damage. I try to imagine how the box could have dropped and what it would have to hit to end up with damage to the BNC like this and *only* the BNC...

I end up with three options:

- customer had another Racal around that had a bad BNC and he figured that getting a spare one for free for the price of the returns shipping fee wasn't too bad.
- bad luck. actual shipping damage
- minor damage, "enhanced" by the customer to avoid discussions

Anyways, I don't like this day.

are you sure the picture is from your device?
it looks dirty... do you sent it like that?   ..could be something..

[Ice-Tea]

Yup. Checked. I do a rough cleanup, I don't detail devices.

EDIT: was getting ready to take it apart; but no need for that. It turns out to be some kind of quick-change BNC.

Thickens the plot; eh? 

[AVGresponding]

It also clearly has marks from unskilled use of pliers/similar to loosen/tighten it.

[Specmaster]

Here are some photos of the new Avo 8 MK5, still needs more cleaning but it is far better than when I first saw it  as you see it has suffered some clown doing something inappropriate with it causing flash over burning on one of the switch boards, vaporising that nice fat DC current track and you can see looking at the ends of the track, remnants of the copper track where it meets the solder joints. Good battery compartment, dirt has ingressed into the meter movement so it is sticky at the zero end of the scale. The close of the Cut Out and Rev MC buttons shows the "Boots" that are not really perished but misshapen and rather hard, cutout I think is welded and not sure at this stage about the meter reverse switches condition.

Hopefully if I can get the meter movement cleaned up and resolve the stickiness of the movement, it might well be a candidate for a restoration like the last one I did. I'll find out later as I begin the tear down to the parts level.

[Specmaster]

So, had a return the other day:

(Attachment Link)

I obviously didn't send it like this. The package had some damage but nothing out of the ordinary. The packing could have been better (it can always be better...) but I simply don't see how any of that could lead to this kind of damage. I try to imagine how the box could have dropped and what it would have to hit to end up with damage to the BNC like this and *only* the BNC...

I end up with three options:

- customer had another Racal around that had a bad BNC and he figured that getting a spare one for free for the price of the returns shipping fee wasn't too bad.
- bad luck. actual shipping damage
- minor damage, "enhanced" by the customer to avoid discussions

Anyways, I don't like this day.

Was it returned to you in the same packing as you sent it? If so, did it show any signs of external damage that could have corresponded with the BNC location?

[Specmaster]

Yup. Checked. I do a rough cleanup, I don't detail devices.

EDIT: was getting ready to take it apart; but no need for that. It turns out to be some kind of quick-change BNC.

Thickens the plot; eh? 

There is your smoking gun for sure, if only you can prove it. Some customers are rogues for sure.

[Ice-Tea]

So, had a return the other day:

(Attachment Link)

I obviously didn't send it like this. The package had some damage but nothing out of the ordinary. The packing could have been better (it can always be better...) but I simply don't see how any of that could lead to this kind of damage. I try to imagine how the box could have dropped and what it would have to hit to end up with damage to the BNC like this and *only* the BNC...

I end up with three options:

- customer had another Racal around that had a bad BNC and he figured that getting a spare one for free for the price of the returns shipping fee wasn't too bad.
- bad luck. actual shipping damage
- minor damage, "enhanced" by the customer to avoid discussions

Anyways, I don't like this day.

Was it returned to you in the same packing as you sent it? If so, did it show any signs of external damage that could have corresponded with the BNC location?

I asked for pictures of the box:




Again, I suppose I see room for improvement but also again: I don't see how *that* damage could have happened 

Then again, I have long learned not to underestimate parcel monkeys.

[Robert763]

Do you have pre-shipping photos of the counter? do they show the plier marks on the socket. It does look like a parts swap exercise. Make sure everthing else is working and there.

[mansaxel]

Would the ammo and hard hat be of use to you? Yours for "£250.00 From £12 per month for 24 months", apparently.

 

[Specmaster]

So, had a return the other day:

(Attachment Link)

I obviously didn't send it like this. The package had some damage but nothing out of the ordinary. The packing could have been better (it can always be better...) but I simply don't see how any of that could lead to this kind of damage. I try to imagine how the box could have dropped and what it would have to hit to end up with damage to the BNC like this and *only* the BNC...

I end up with three options:

- customer had another Racal around that had a bad BNC and he figured that getting a spare one for free for the price of the returns shipping fee wasn't too bad.
- bad luck. actual shipping damage
- minor damage, "enhanced" by the customer to avoid discussions

Anyways, I don't like this day.

Was it returned to you in the same packing as you sent it? If so, did it show any signs of external damage that could have corresponded with the BNC location?

I asked for pictures of the box:




Again, I suppose I see room for improvement but also again: I don't see how *that* damage could have happened 

Then again, I have long learned not to underestimate parcel monkeys.

It looks to be a little light on bubble wrap TBH, there is too much movement in the box for my liking. I always pack anything like with about 50mm or more thickness of protection all round, especially where there are controls or sockets.

[Ice-Tea]

Do you have pre-shipping photos of the counter? do they show the plier marks on the socket. It does look like a parts swap exercise. Make sure everthing else is working and there.

Yeah; not of the side where the marks are unfortunately. Not that it matters, I refunded him already, couldn't weasel out of it anyways.

[Ice-Tea]

It looks to be a little light on bubble wrap TBH, there is too much movement in the box for my liking. I always pack anything like with about 50mm or more thickness of protection all round, especially where there are controls or sockets.

Some of the bubble wrap was already taken out but in general I agree. Always a bit of a tradeof between a well fitting box and a large box where you loose tons of padding material and you still risk the device shifting around in the box. That said, not my best work so I could see how you can get some damage, just not that damage...

[tggzzz]

Yes, unfortunately Britain's art schools managed to turn out almost a complete two generations of the former as the "YBAs".

Ah yes I got a photo of one of those artists at work at Colchester Zoo about a decade ago:

I admire the YBAs' ability to separate money from fools.

[Ice-Tea]

Since I'm spamming up the place anyways..

Whay would you guys consider a fair price for one of these? And I mean *fair*; not the price one of you cheapskates would give for it...

[bd139]

Yes, unfortunately Britain's art schools managed to turn out almost a complete two generations of the former as the "YBAs".

Ah yes I got a photo of one of those artists at work at Colchester Zoo about a decade ago:

I admire the YBAs' ability to separate money from fools.

That’s why I got into software. 

[bd139]

It looks to be a little light on bubble wrap TBH, there is too much movement in the box for my liking. I always pack anything like with about 50mm or more thickness of protection all round, especially where there are controls or sockets.

Some of the bubble wrap was already taken out but in general I agree. Always a bit of a tradeof between a well fitting box and a large box where you loose tons of padding material and you still risk the device shifting around in the box. That said, not my best work so I could see how you can get some damage, just not that damage...

I wouldn’t rely on bubble wrap for that sort of thing. Needs some polystyrene with cut outs for sticky outy bits then bubble wrap around that. Need to support the main mass of the unit and make sure that any impacts are absorbed by that rather than smaller parts.

230 items sent here. Zero broken.

[capt bullshot]

Working on a TDS784D. Decently bright display (sucks by modern day standards but for the series and the age not terrible...). All channels work. Off course, SPC doesn't. Not the first time I tangoed with these so I proceed with all haste to excavate the hybrids. Which are, I'm sure, marvels of black magic RF engineering but they also suck donkey balls to work on. Sure enough, one cracks while getting it out. Measuring relays yields at least one dud (4 ohm resistance) and a few doubtfulls.

Now the fun really starts. I have attempted to repair these in the past, with limited success. Long story short: some of the pins are not accesible by soldering iron. Using the hot air gun has, thus far, always resulted in the relay and its neighbours melting before I could make it "stick". The plan was to make an attempt with a hotplate and/or chipquick low temp solder. As I don't have a hotplate (yet): chipquick + hot air it is.



Removing the relay is not the issue (cut the legs). Cleaned the pads of old solder after that. Applied some of the special flux to the pads; applied the solder. Observation: it doens't flow nearly as nice as normal paste. Has a tendency to "tear". Wetted the relay as well for good measure, more flux applied.

First attempt: as the solder offers less visual clues versus normal, I pick up the board and the relay slides off the board. Not yet cured.

Second attempt: better. But the least accesible leg is up in the air.



Pressing the relay down a bit while applying hot air seems to have done the trick:



Pretty it ain't but it'll do...

I once replaced all the relays on these hybrids. Used a homemade hotplate, just a large resistor (similar to this poor one: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3278930/#msg3278930).
Desoldering worked just fine, once the ceramic is hot enough, lift them off. Soldering the new ones was somewhat more problematic, in the end it worked.

[Saskia]

Mafiamarket just suckered me out of some hard earned mooolah ...
could not resist a Nintendo Switch, a PF Ummagumma CD, a straycats CD, an SSD and a Canon EF 1.4 Mk 3 Extender.

There goes my lunch money for November ...

[tggzzz]

Yes, unfortunately Britain's art schools managed to turn out almost a complete two generations of the former as the "YBAs".

Ah yes I got a photo of one of those artists at work at Colchester Zoo about a decade ago:

I admire the YBAs' ability to separate money from fools.

That’s why I got into software. 

My aim was to separate intelligent people from their money, which is probably more difficult and definitely more satisfying.

[bd139]

Yes, unfortunately Britain's art schools managed to turn out almost a complete two generations of the former as the "YBAs".

Ah yes I got a photo of one of those artists at work at Colchester Zoo about a decade ago:

I admire the YBAs' ability to separate money from fools.

That’s why I got into software. 

My aim was to separate intelligent people from their money, which is probably more difficult and definitely more satisfying.

Smaller market though

Got to be honest here but the intelligent folk I know don’t have a lot of money to spare. They either gave it away, couldn’t be coerced into producing much of it by the usual cogs or are trying to hold onto it so field an upcoming shit storm.