Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[xrunner]

Have you checked, if the power cord is plugged in? On both sides? 

*duck and run*

Yea and the breaker panel - maybe the power is cut ...

*duck and cover*

[Neomys Sapiens]

I must be bored, Just bid on and won a Selectest Super 50 analog multimeter "parts or not working" It's in an unusual split door case and while looking OK the cut-out has tripped and it looks like the paralax mirror has partially detached.
Hopefully not too much wrong with it.
I won one last year but it got "lost" I got my money back at least. One meter I don't have is a long scale analog but don't really want to be another AVO 8 owner.

The Super 50 is a nice meter, used those in college years ago and I've been looking for one of those myself, nice win.

What's wrong with being an Avo 8 owner I ask, I have a few of those myself, and they are a very capable meter.

Nothing wrong with the AVO 8 per se, mostly I like to be different but also they are pretty expensive at the moment and more likely to have been abused by people because they are recognisable.
I've used and owned severl over the years.

Ok, but there are alternatives without going for ugly.
- I saw a beautiful precision AVO on EBay UK not too long ago
(I would be tempted myself)
Ask a continental co-afflicted for cooperation and there are wayyy more possibilities:
- In relation to their specifications, PM2505 are dirt cheap over here
(just gave one away after a quick check, which I aquired for 25.-)
- If you want really prime performance, look for a Unigor 6e or 6ep
- Unigor 1n/3n/4n are large passive ones
- prime performance in a modern form factor (with a twist) Siemens Multizet A1000
- a Multizet S or T is a reliable and precise device
- another fine Hi-Z instrument is the Metravo 4E
- If you insist on passive, Unigor A41/42/43 or Metravo 4H
- The Hartmann & Braun MMs are a bit shoebox-like, but the Elavitron or one of the Multavis might be considered

And that were only the better known ones.
(Details on the A1000, Unigor 6e and the 'Viererbande' (Gang or fours) Metravos can bee seen in my earlier posts under 'show your multimeter'
I'm not going to recommend the aquisition of a Neuberger PKD4 (also shown there), because it would be unlikely to succeed.

[tautech]

*airmails med a palletload of Q-tips & Windex*

mnem
 

Huh? 

To clean that still quite grubby Tek !

Or are you planning to use a waterblaster ? 

I shall consider further cleaning if and when I get the damn thing to power up.  

Have you checked, if the power cord is plugged in? On both sides? 

*duck and run*

Yet Med is being wisely cautious with this old tooobe scope as hollow glass rectifiers and regulators are not as forgiving with PSU issues along with the difficulty of getting replacements in this day and age.

I'm sure we all admire his perseverance. 

[Specmaster]

Oh dear.. I was kinda thinking that the rare calculator I referred to a few days would be either with me by now, or well on its way, turns out that since landing here in the UK from the USA, its just been sitting, going nowhere, even though I was told it was with the UK carrier, Hermes  It has just cleared customs and is not yet with the carrier, who say that they are aware of it but have yet to receive it. I'm getting a bit worried now and wondering if it has gone AWOL 

[beanflying]

Oh dear.. I was kinda thinking that the rare calculator I referred to a few days would be either with me by now, or well on its way, turns out that since landing here in the UK from the USA, its just been sitting, going nowhere, even though I was told it was with the UK carrier, Hermes  It has just cleared customs and is not yet with the carrier, who say that they are aware of it but have yet to receive it. I'm getting a bit worried now and wondering if it has gone AWOL 

This one of mine is certainly AWOL or taking a holiday somewhere  Sydney to me was 2-3 days max for what is an oversized envelope in this case.

Escalation time 

[med6753]

*airmails med a palletload of Q-tips & Windex*

mnem
 

Huh? 

To clean that still quite grubby Tek !

Or are you planning to use a waterblaster ? 

I shall consider further cleaning if and when I get the damn thing to power up.  

Have you checked, if the power cord is plugged in? On both sides? 

*duck and run*

Yet Med is being wisely cautious with this old tooobe scope as hollow glass rectifiers and regulators are not as forgiving with PSU issues along with the difficulty of getting replacements in this day and age.

I'm sure we all admire his perseverance. 

The rectifiers are sand state so blowing them up is no big deal. But the +100V series regulator is a 6080 which is the industrial version of I think a 6AS7. I've already had one go completely dead and I don't want to damage another. 

[kj7e]

I have nothing useful to add, so Ill just post this photo titled "I have a problem, I'm a needle addict"

[vk6zgo]

I have nothing useful to add, so Ill just post this photo titled "I have a problem, I'm a needle addict"

I really like the appearance of that generation of HP meters-------I think I'll go & have a "perv" on my 410C.

[Robert763]

I must be bored, Just bid on and won a Selectest Super 50 analog multimeter "parts or not working" It's in an unusual split door case and while looking OK the cut-out has tripped and it looks like the paralax mirror has partially detached.
Hopefully not too much wrong with it.
I won one last year but it got "lost" I got my money back at least. One meter I don't have is a long scale analog but don't really want to be another AVO 8 owner.

The Super 50 is a nice meter, used those in college years ago and I've been looking for one of those myself, nice win.

What's wrong with being an Avo 8 owner I ask, I have a few of those myself, and they are a very capable meter.

Nothing wrong with the AVO 8 per se, mostly I like to be different but also they are pretty expensive at the moment and more likely to have been abused by people because they are recognisable.
I've used and owned severl over the years.

Ok, but there are alternatives without going for ugly.
- I saw a beautiful precision AVO on EBay UK not too long ago
(I would be tempted myself)
Ask a continental co-afflicted for cooperation and there are wayyy more possibilities:
- In relation to their specifications, PM2505 are dirt cheap over here
(just gave one away after a quick check, which I aquired for 25.-)
- If you want really prime performance, look for a Unigor 6e or 6ep
- Unigor 1n/3n/4n are large passive ones
- prime performance in a modern form factor (with a twist) Siemens Multizet A1000
- a Multizet S or T is a reliable and precise device
- another fine Hi-Z instrument is the Metravo 4E
- If you insist on passive, Unigor A41/42/43 or Metravo 4H
- The Hartmann & Braun MMs are a bit shoebox-like, but the Elavitron or one of the Multavis might be considered

And that were only the better known ones.
(Details on the A1000, Unigor 6e and the 'Viererbande' (Gang or fours) Metravos can bee seen in my earlier posts under 'show your multimeter'
I'm not going to recommend the aquisition of a Neuberger PKD4 (also shown there), because it would be unlikely to succeed.

I've got a PM2505 (and an AVO EM272 electronic analog) and other than the precision AVO none of those have large/long scale meter movements like the Avo 8 Selectest 50.

[BU508A]

Found a Keithley 616 without any Triax cables for 85 Euro.
Seller is saying it is working but since he cannot test it properly, he is selling it as defective.
Will arrive next week.

Picture of the suspect:

[Cubdriver]

I have nothing useful to add, so Ill just post this photo titled "I have a problem, I'm a needle addict"

You could probably get a shot for that, you know...   

Nice collection of meters - they definitely have a classic design aesthetic to them.

The subject of analog meters came up a while back on another forum I'm on and it prompted me to run around the house taking pictures to make a composite.  A rather silly waste of time, but they do come in many styles, sizes and shapes..


-Pat

[McBryce]

So I tend to read, rarely post.  Recently I have been debating if I should join this Nuttery club or not.  Because that would be admitting that I "MAY" have a problem.
So with that said....
Here I am breaking in an Audiophile LED for an Amplifier.  I figure 24 hours burn in should do it.
For starters....

In case anyone says "Damn, that's one sweet looking 5100A"
It is NEW old stock I got recently for the princely sum of $0!

It did not boot.  After much hair pulling, it turned out to be caused by a dead 555 timer on the regulator board, that for some reason Fluke decided was the perfect way to generate the clock signal for the machine INSTEAD of using the oscillator on the actual logic board.

THAT was fun!

I'm almost scared to ask... What's an Audiophile LED? Gold pins? Or does it possess some magical attributes for making music sound (subjectively) better?

McBryce.

P.s. Anyone looking for a really weird format Scope? Never seen one of these before: https://www.ebay.de/itm/294226941853

[med6753]

Been very pleasant weather wise here for a few days and able to open windows and give the A/C a break. But last night the temperature dropped to 7 C. It's chilly in here and the central heating is shut down for the Summer.

Correction...it was chilly in here.      Later this morning it will be a giant tube tester.



 

[tautech]

The subject of analog meters came up a while back on another forum I'm on and it prompted me to run around the house taking pictures to make a composite.  A rather silly waste of time, but they do come in many styles, sizes and shapes..


-Pat

One it seems you don't have I've been meaning to post here for years......pops '40's meter he made from a kit of University brand.
It was my first meter that I used as a kid for mostly LV stuff until I could be trusted to build HV valve PSU's.
It was a quite well spec'ed VOM with AC & DC ranges to 1000V however the homebuilt probes we used could certainly not be described as safe and I well remember now some 50 yrs later getting thrown across the bedroom when not holding them safely and probing 800V ! 
Lettering for the ranges was written in pencil and now long gone although I still have the original schematic in very ordinary condition now and held together with sticky tape.



Now among other junk under the bench...........

[AVGresponding]

P.s. Anyone looking for a really weird format Scope? Never seen one of these before: https://www.ebay.de/itm/294226941853

Yes, have seen these before if rarely. That one looks a bargain, clearly power supply issues rather than anything difficult.

I'd buy it myself, but I want to see how well the border crossings are working first. I have some precision resistors currently sitting in Dorsten on their way to me, with the real test being when they reach UK customs...

[Specmaster]

Oh dear.. I was kinda thinking that the rare calculator I referred to a few days would be either with me by now, or well on its way, turns out that since landing here in the UK from the USA, its just been sitting, going nowhere, even though I was told it was with the UK carrier, Hermes  It has just cleared customs and is not yet with the carrier, who say that they are aware of it but have yet to receive it. I'm getting a bit worried now and wondering if it has gone AWOL 

This one of mine is certainly AWOL or taking a holiday somewhere  Sydney to me was 2-3 days max for what is an oversized envelope in this case.

Escalation time 

God speed with that then, at least mine appears this morning to be moving. Hermes are claiming that it is now at their national sorting hub. The Brits have let the side down again. It managed to be shipped halfway across USA and left American soil in 3 days so in theory has been in the UK now since the 12th July and then taken 6 days to depart the airport and get to a national sorting hub 

Lets see how much longer they can make it last.

[med6753]

Oh dear.. I was kinda thinking that the rare calculator I referred to a few days would be either with me by now, or well on its way, turns out that since landing here in the UK from the USA, its just been sitting, going nowhere, even though I was told it was with the UK carrier, Hermes  It has just cleared customs and is not yet with the carrier, who say that they are aware of it but have yet to receive it. I'm getting a bit worried now and wondering if it has gone AWOL 

This one of mine is certainly AWOL or taking a holiday somewhere  Sydney to me was 2-3 days max for what is an oversized envelope in this case.

Escalation time 

God speed with that then, at least mine appears this morning to be moving. Hermes are claiming that it is now at their national sorting hub. The Brits have let the side down again. It managed to be shipped halfway across USA and left American soil in 3 days so in theory has been in the UK now since the 12th July and then taken 6 days to depart the airport and get to a national sorting hub 

Lets see how much longer they can make it last.

The 12th of July?  Is this Back to the Future? 

[AVGresponding]

Lets see how much longer they can make it last.

Until they get bored of writing "BOOBIES"   

[McBryce]

P.s. Anyone looking for a really weird format Scope? Never seen one of these before: https://www.ebay.de/itm/294226941853

Yes, have seen these before if rarely. That one looks a bargain, clearly power supply issues rather than anything difficult.

I'd buy it myself, but I want to see how well the border crossings are working first. I have some precision resistors currently sitting in Dorsten on their way to me, with the real test being when they reach UK customs...

If it goes for €20 it's a bargain. I'm tempted too, but that weird-ass form factor means it's not stackable and would take up serious bench space, so I'm skipping it.

McBryce.

[AVGresponding]

If it goes for €20 it's a bargain. I'm tempted too, but that weird-ass form factor means it's not stackable and would take up serious bench space, so I'm skipping it.

McBryce.

I'd regard it in the same vein as a Fluke Scopemeter; it's a portable/handheld device. A flip-up screen arguably makes it better/more stable in some circumstances than a kickstand/tilting bail. And probably worse in some circumstances... swings and roundabouts!

[McBryce]

I have a Siglent SHS806, so I've no real need* for another portable scope.

McBryce.

* Excuse the "n" word, I know it has no place in this thread.

[Runco990]

I'm almost scared to ask... What's an Audiophile LED? Gold pins? Or does it possess some magical attributes for making music sound (subjectively) better?

McBryce.

YES!! 

[Saskia]

Got a strange gizmo today ... Strange in the sense that I do not know if it is any good.
Peak tech P4046 AWG 1uHz to 160 MHz.

It is probably better than my GW Instek 25 MHz AWG, and it was heavily discounted.

[Robert763]

Remember that resistive load bank, 200VA AC PSU, Fluke 8022B  and 3 electrical test meters I bought for £26.65 a couple of weeks ago?

I just flipped the 3 Martingdale meters for £40 on fleabay 
I love it when a plan comes together. My TEA is self financing.

[factory]

P.s. Anyone looking for a really weird format Scope? Never seen one of these before: https://www.ebay.de/itm/294226941853

Yes, have seen these before if rarely. That one looks a bargain, clearly power supply issues rather than anything difficult.

I'd buy it myself, but I want to see how well the border crossings are working first. I have some precision resistors currently sitting in Dorsten on their way to me, with the real test being when they reach UK customs...

If it goes for €20 it's a bargain. I'm tempted too, but that weird-ass form factor means it's not stackable and would take up serious bench space, so I'm skipping it.

McBryce.

Very tempted as I lack any kind of portable battery powered scope (at least I hope that is what the battery holder is for). Any know of a manual for it?

David