Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[factory]

They aren't too bad, they get a bit stuck to the rubber seal from being in there for decades, just be careful.

David

[med6753]

So I hit the Time Base plug-in with some deoxit and put it on the torture rack. That was over 4 hours ago. Been running without a hitch. So I think I can call the intermittent fixed. But I'll keep it running daily for a few hours each day for about a week.

[mnementh]

...I opened up one of the six identical boards from the 5248M, which seems to have no corrosion. 
The decoder plate is the same as used in the faulty board, I've moved it to the high speed board. Sphere have some of the lower speed boards of this type and I've ordered some.

David

Okayyy... that looks gold-plated from here, at least the final layers. Not the same as the remotes I'm thinking of. First guess is that they laid down silver then gold as a final protective layer. If so, no idea whether you could even make a connection with the conductive pen, even having this nice one to use as a template.

Good thing Sphere has one you might be able to make work... even if the source does make me cringe a bit.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[0culus]

...I opened up one of the six identical boards from the 5248M, which seems to have no corrosion. 
The decoder plate is the same as used in the faulty board, I've moved it to the high speed board. Sphere have some of the lower speed boards of this type and I've ordered some.

David

Okayyy... that looks gold-plated from here, at least the final layers. Not the same as the remotes I'm thinking of. First guess is that they laid down silver then gold as a final protective layer. If so, no idea whether you could even make a connection with the conductive pen, even having this nice one to use as a template.

Good thing Sphere has one you might be able to make work... even if the source does make me cringe a bit.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

What?? 

[Brumby]

And this is a resistor.

You call that a resistor? This is a resistor:

They look identical to me....

[bd139]

...I opened up one of the six identical boards from the 5248M, which seems to have no corrosion. 
The decoder plate is the same as used in the faulty board, I've moved it to the high speed board. Sphere have some of the lower speed boards of this type and I've ordered some.

David

Okayyy... that looks gold-plated from here, at least the final layers. Not the same as the remotes I'm thinking of. First guess is that they laid down silver then gold as a final protective layer. If so, no idea whether you could even make a connection with the conductive pen, even having this nice one to use as a template.

Good thing Sphere has one you might be able to make work... even if the source does make me cringe a bit.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

What?? 

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

[capt bullshot]

What's that strange white stuff covering the garden and roofs?
When did I see that last time here - can't remember.

[DC1MC]

What's that strange white stuff covering the garden and roofs?
When did I see that last time here - can't remember.

Got it here as well, it's disappearing fast, but maybe I'll be able to touch it, the electro-scooter hipsters not happy 

[Robert763]

How difficult was it to remove the ceramic substrate from the 5245L decoder module?

I have a bad decoder module which requires a replacement neon but I haven't been brave enough to attempt removing the ceramic substrate for fear of cracking it.

As factory says they are not too hard to remove. The most important thing is don't use a screwdriver or other metal tool to pry at them. This is very likey to crack the substrate. Use a plastic tool. I keep a selection of guitar plectrums for this sort of thing but the plastic tools they sell for opning cellphones are OK. Even a bit of bare FR4 circit board filed to shape will do.

[tggzzz]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

[bd139]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

I didn't get graced with a response the last time. I ended up buying another scope for parts for less! 

[syau]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

I didn't get graced with a response the last time. I ended up buying another scope for parts for less! 

I end up grouping the purchase and provide them my shipper account 

[med6753]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

I didn't get graced with a response the last time. I ended up buying another scope for parts for less! 

Oh yea, those clowns who don't update their on line inventory. I forget exactly what it was (I think a transistor) and it stated was in stock. Send an e-mail order. Now that's the first clue because they don't even have an official order form. I get a curt e-mail back a day or so later saying part is out of stock. I went with an NTE equivalent instead.

Now QService out of Greece is great but they don't have as an extensive inventory has Sphere claims.

[tggzzz]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

I didn't get graced with a response the last time. I ended up buying another scope for parts for less! 

Oh yea, those clowns who don't update their on line inventory. I forget exactly what it was (I think a transistor) and it stated was in stock. Send an e-mail order. Now that's the first clue because they don't even have an official order form. I get a curt e-mail back a day or so later saying part is out of stock. I went with an NTE equivalent instead.

They really are a mom-and-pop operation. Mom does all the website stuff, hence the somewhat archaic appearance.

[factory]

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada.

For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

They were obliging when I asked them to cut corners to reduce shipping costs - at my time/risk, of course.

I didn't get graced with a response the last time. I ended up buying another scope for parts for less! 

Yeah the other option would be to find a donor, but they are too expensive in the UK & usually in poor condition too, also no guarantee of finding the correct parts. There has been a few sold in the UK this year, no idea what happens too them as I never see any posts about restoring/repairing them afterwards.

I got shipping quotes (for a dozen boards) of $102 for express post & $68 for regular post from Sphere, I always go with regular post for stuff from either the US or Canada the premium post just isn't worth it, plus we get charged 20% tax on the shipping too. Been a very long time since I've had something lost with the regular post from the US.

USPS is stupid expensive for Priority International these days as it doesn't have a rate below 1lb, hence shit loads of US ePay listings with $60-70 post for tiny items.

David

P.S. I did ask if they had a few other boards for the HP counters, I got a fairly quick reply to say they only have the display boards.

[Robert763]

No bargains at the Ramco TE sale today 

[Specmaster]

No bargains at the Ramco TE sale today 

Nope, I'd given up on that sale earlier as it was evidently suffering from more than usual buyers while the lockdown is on 

[mnementh]

...I opened up one of the six identical boards from the 5248M, which seems to have no corrosion. 
The decoder plate is the same as used in the faulty board, I've moved it to the high speed board. Sphere have some of the lower speed boards of this type and I've ordered some.

David

Okayyy... that looks gold-plated from here, at least the final layers. Not the same as the remotes I'm thinking of. First guess is that they laid down silver then gold as a final protective layer. If so, no idea whether you could even make a connection with the conductive pen, even having this nice one to use as a template.

Good thing Sphere has one you might be able to make work... even if the source does make me cringe a bit.

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

What?? 

Sphere is nasty if you’re not in the US or Canada. For one $5 tek IC they wanted to charge me $40 carriage with no insurance.

Well no... it's not any of that. It's the "abattoir" factor.

You want to believe their parts were all "ethically sourced" from dead units according to TEA ethos; but really... it is their business, their livelihood. You know at least a few working units went under the knife, if not most. It's just easier to provide known-good parts if you primarily scavenge from working units. 

mnem
*out into the snowstorm to clear off the car for wifey*

[jxjbsd]

I got a plug-in 176 for 576 today.Looks good.

[med6753]

I got a plug-in 172 for 576 today.Looks good.

I never knew that existed. Neat. 

[Robert763]

No bargains at the Ramco TE sale today 

Nope, I'd given up on that sale earlier as it was evidently suffering from more than usual buyers while the lockdown is on 

Indeed, Hopefully some of them will realise that they are not getting fully working items and stop bidding high retail prices even before commission and tax. Some of the Pye / Cametric Wheatstone bridges that featured on here a few weeks ago hit £60 (£81 + shipping with commission and VAT). Maybe I should put some of my old broken or gutted stuff on there for sale and see how it goes 

[mnementh]

I got a plug-in 172 for 576 today.Looks good.

I never knew that existed. Neat. 

Ditto. A body could get into some serious trouble widda toy like dat...

mnem
 

[Specmaster]

No bargains at the Ramco TE sale today 

Nope, I'd given up on that sale earlier as it was evidently suffering from more than usual buyers while the lockdown is on 

Indeed, Hopefully some of them will realise that they are not getting fully working items and stop bidding high retail prices even before commission and tax. Some of the Pye / Cametric Wheatstone bridges that featured on here a few weeks ago hit £60 (£81 + shipping with commission and VAT). Maybe I should put some of my old broken or gutted stuff on there for sale and see how it goes 

I, don't know about them not working, so far I have bid for and won at various auctions 2 x Solartron 7150 plus's and a lovely Fluke PM3390B scope and all worked perfectly but of course YMMV.

[Ice-Tea]

I, don't know about them not working, so far I have bid for and won at various auctions 2 x Solartron 7150 plus's and a lovely Fluke PM3390B scope and all worked perfectly but of course YMMV.

I can assure you it does.

[med6753]

Check this out. The Time base plug-in and Vertical plug-in are reversed. He sez "seems to work" but then he sez he knows nothing about it.

No jackass....can't you tell by the weird glow on the CRT that something ain't right? 

And no, I'm not bidding. Not interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Type-561a-Oscilloscope-Voltage-Test-Instrument-O-Scope-Tektronix-Tubes/143867685824?hash=item217f2eabc0:g:XIMAAOSw2V5fvAaF