Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

Yeah I am not selling anything any more on there. The new payments system is fine in concept and is cheaper than the old one via paypal but the margin on ebay fees is too fucking high unless it's an offer day and even the offer days are shit because they're trying to ween people off £1 listing days now. Plus there's a lot of uncertainty on how much final value fees are based on the longevity of auction and categories now.

There's no financial or space pressure now so quite frankly I'm only buying stuff now if I'm going to use it until it falls to bits or can shift it via a side channel. Exploratory purchases and arbitrage is gone.

Really annoying thing is the stupid buyers. Last thing I sold was my circa 2016 iPad Pro to offset the cost of my eldest's new 8th gen iPad. However the charger disappeared a few months back so it wasn't included. In the auction body: NO CHARGER OR CABLE INCLUDED. In the title: NO CHARGER. In the pictures: NO CHARGER. So a week after it arrived and feedback left and clearly when the battery went flat the first time I got an INAD case opened against me because the charger was missing . One angry call to ebay later and they closed it down but still if you miss that, you should have your computer license revoked.

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

[tggzzz]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

I presume that is two independent transactions.

EBay should be able to justify the 120%. Where is the non-UK sale cost specified? Did you sell using GSP?

[Specmaster]

I'm not sure which surprised me more.  Finding these in the house, or that the hardware store in the village had a good stock of fuse wire.

Rewireable fuse consumer units haven't been fitted for 40 years or more.

I don't think you could sell a house with one nowadays; the mortgage company wouldn't lend.

Nope, I don't think that a 60W candle lamp is excessive for a lamp holder to handle without the pins sinking into the solder, I even replaced the lamps with 40W candles with the same results after a few years of use. This is a very common failure mode, especially when the lamp hangs down, as all the heat is then concentrated in the base of the lamp, directly beneath the solder pads.

The BC design goes back a ways, and a typical candle lamp back then would probably be no more than 15 or 20W. Candle lamps have a much poorer heat dissipation rate than a standard shape, which would have been likely 60W maximum back then too.

If you want to exceed those ratings you really need a heavy duty holder, ceramic or metal. The amp ratings are very misleading; a cheap shitty ceiling rose or pendant will be rated for 3A, but if you run a 720W lamp in it, it's gonna get more than hot...
The better quality ones like Crabtree and some MK lines for example will have a maximum wattage rating.

I've run 150W lamps in an enlarged standard envelope shape in standard pendants without issues, the only time I've had the pins sink into the solder was with a 250W lamp...

I can't see what difference the lamp holder would make when it comes down to the pins / solder problem, especially given that these lamps are in a chandelier which has metal tubular arms with a brass BC lamp holder threaded onto the end of each arm and the other end terminates into a large metal central hub with plenty of airflow though the fittings. I have also come across the identical issue with 60 and 100W ordinary GLS lamps, suspended 250 mm below the ceiling in a cylindrical shade approx 25 to 30 cm dia, open at each end, so once again perfect cooling scenario.

[Cerebus]

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

Note to self: Make sure that self test routines count the knobs to see if they are still all there.

[bd139]

I’m not sure the encoders under the knobs are even there   

[Specmaster]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

Yeah I am not selling anything any more on there. The new payments system is fine in concept and is cheaper than the old one via paypal but the margin on ebay fees is too fucking high unless it's an offer day and even the offer days are shit because they're trying to ween people off £1 listing days now. Plus there's a lot of uncertainty on how much final value fees are based on the longevity of auction and categories now.

There's no financial or space pressure now so quite frankly I'm only buying stuff now if I'm going to use it until it falls to bits or can shift it via a side channel. Exploratory purchases and arbitrage is gone.

Really annoying thing is the stupid buyers. Last thing I sold was my circa 2016 iPad Pro to offset the cost of my eldest's new 8th gen iPad. However the charger disappeared a few months back so it wasn't included. In the auction body: NO CHARGER OR CABLE INCLUDED. In the title: NO CHARGER. In the pictures: NO CHARGER. So a week after it arrived and feedback left and clearly when the battery went flat the first time I got an INAD case opened against me because the charger was missing . One angry call to ebay later and they closed it down but still if you miss that, you should have your computer license revoked.

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

What the... Just because it passes the power on test does not mean that its going to work correctly. The Volts/Div knobs are just not there, neither are Ffing encoders, and the state of that, it looks like its been sitting in water for a long time too and the valuation has just been plucked from the Ether, Geez..

[AVGresponding]

Well, those Fluke 787's that went unsold twice at £370 have been relisted at £555, and the pictures changed to one from a Fluke catalogue. That's not suspicious at all...



Just accidentally bought a Keithley 480 picoammeter, really didn't expect my maiden bid to win. Anyone got a source of cheap triaxial cables and connectors..?   



My new phone is driving me round the sodding bend. Even though it's an Android phone like my previous Samsungs, the Caterpillar way is very different and is taking a lot of getting used to. At least now I have a reliable FLIR.



@Robert, yes, ring circuits have their place. It's possible part of the driving force behind the change to radials is cost; 2x 2.5mm² T+E uses slightly more copper than 1x 4mm² for a given length, with the added benefit of completely omitting the return leg. I seem to remember copper scrap prices being at an all time high, at the kind of time they were probably drawing up the 18th edition regs.
Personally, I prefer a ring, as it's easier to get the 2.5's through containment, and for damn sure easier to terminate.

I can't see what difference the lamp holder would make when it comes down to the pins / solder problem, especially given that these lamps are in a chandelier which has metal tubular arms with a brass BC lamp holder threaded onto the end of each arm and the other end terminates into a large metal central hub with plenty of airflow though the fittings. I have also come across the identical issue with 60 and 100W ordinary GLS lamps, suspended 250 mm below the ceiling in a cylindrical shade approx 25 to 30 cm dia, open at each end, so once again perfect cooling scenario.

You must be just really unlucky?   

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

Note to self: Make sure that self test routines count the knobs to see if they are still all there.

That seller often way overprices things, and often used to put collection only as well. I ended up deleting him from my saved sellers, even though Leeds is quite close to me, relatively speaking.

[tggzzz]

Just accidentally bought a Keithley 480 picoammeter, really didn't expect my maiden bid to win. Anyone got a source of cheap triaxial cables and connectors..?   

Synchrotonicity strikes; there's a current thread on groups.io "[HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] Reasonably priced triax cables?", e.g.
  Hi,
  I bought it on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/254949089562
  Works fine with my 4145B, and you can choose the length and the color of the cable if you want. The seller listens to all wishes.
  Regards,
  Krisztian

[Cerebus]

Well, those Fluke 787's that went unsold twice at £370 have been relisted at £555, and the pictures changed to one from a Fluke catalogue. That's not suspicious at all...



Just accidentally bought a Keithley 480 picoammeter, really didn't expect my maiden bid to win. Anyone got a source of cheap triaxial cables and connectors..?   

Ah, that's probably because I forgot to put a bid on that...

[Specmaster]

Well, those Fluke 787's that went unsold twice at £370 have been relisted at £555, and the pictures changed to one from a Fluke catalogue. That's not suspicious at all...

<snip>

No thats not suspicious at all, neither is the fact that they are listed as brand new and sealed in box or that he has one listed at £550 and the other at £555.

If you still have the original photos and or a copy of the listing, I'd be inclined to report that seller to eBay and see if they sort him out.

[Neomys Sapiens]

I wonder if one can beat a variable frequency drive into being a 208V 60Hz three-phase grid..

Should not be much of a problem. Add a suitable filter at the output to get rid of the PWM. It expects inductive loading in the order of magnitude of a motor. Have done that once in order to improvise a 3-phase 400Hz supply. If you need a proper neutral, run it over a transformer.

[mnementh]

...Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

What the... Just because it passes the power on test does not mean that its going to work correctly. The Volts/Div knobs are just not there, neither are Ffing encoders, and the state of that, it looks like its been sitting in water for a long time too and the valuation has just been plucked from the Ether, Geez..

IIRC, on those the encoder is actually the PCB, and the encoder sector assembly is a bit of plastic which is melt-swaged in place, such that the entire panel would be considered a FRU.

mnem
spew and a half...   

[bd139]

...Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

What the... Just because it passes the power on test does not mean that its going to work correctly. The Volts/Div knobs are just not there, neither are Ffing encoders, and the state of that, it looks like its been sitting in water for a long time too and the valuation has just been plucked from the Ether, Geez..

IIRC, on those the encoder is actually the PCB, and the encoder sector assembly is a bit of plastic which is melt-swaged in place, such that the entire panel would be considered a FRU.

mnem
spew and a half...   

Yeah and in this case the only thing that can be replaced is the Fucking Retard Unit selling it.

[Robert763]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

I presume that is two independent transactions.

EBay should be able to justify the 120%. Where is the non-UK sale cost specified? Did you sell using GSP?

Yes I bought the Huskeys, sold the other item. I'm a private seller and it's a used item at auction so they should not be charging the buyer VAT. I have no visibility of what the buyer actually paid to ebay.

[Robert763]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

Yeah I am not selling anything any more on there. The new payments system is fine in concept and is cheaper than the old one via paypal but the margin on ebay fees is too fucking high unless it's an offer day and even the offer days are shit because they're trying to ween people off £1 listing days now. Plus there's a lot of uncertainty on how much final value fees are based on the longevity of auction and categories now.

There's no financial or space pressure now so quite frankly I'm only buying stuff now if I'm going to use it until it falls to bits or can shift it via a side channel. Exploratory purchases and arbitrage is gone.

Really annoying thing is the stupid buyers. Last thing I sold was my circa 2016 iPad Pro to offset the cost of my eldest's new 8th gen iPad. However the charger disappeared a few months back so it wasn't included. In the auction body: NO CHARGER OR CABLE INCLUDED. In the title: NO CHARGER. In the pictures: NO CHARGER. So a week after it arrived and feedback left and clearly when the battery went flat the first time I got an INAD case opened against me because the charger was missing . One angry call to ebay later and they closed it down but still if you miss that, you should have your computer license revoked.

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

What the... Just because it passes the power on test does not mean that its going to work correctly. The Volts/Div knobs are just not there, neither are Ffing encoders, and the state of that, it looks like its been sitting in water for a long time too and the valuation has just been plucked from the Ether, Geez..

I've bought  couple of items from that seller. One I visited to collect, a HP 8568B spectrum analyser. Paid £150 for it and it worked perfectly once I made up a couple of from them. I said OK and when we got there I said "I'm just going for a drive...." 
He has no idea what he is selling. I think he is getting it from WEEE at his work or a customers site.

[Robert763]

Well, those Fluke 787's that went unsold twice at £370 have been relisted at £555, and the pictures changed to one from a Fluke catalogue. That's not suspicious at all...



Just accidentally bought a Keithley 480 picoammeter, really didn't expect my maiden bid to win. Anyone got a source of cheap triaxial cables and connectors..?   



My new phone is driving me round the sodding bend. Even though it's an Android phone like my previous Samsungs, the Caterpillar way is very different and is taking a lot of getting used to. At least now I have a reliable FLIR.



@Robert, yes, ring circuits have their place. It's possible part of the driving force behind the change to radials is cost; 2x 2.5mm² T+E uses slightly more copper than 1x 4mm² for a given length, with the added benefit of completely omitting the return leg. I seem to remember copper scrap prices being at an all time high, at the kind of time they were probably drawing up the 18th edition regs.
Personally, I prefer a ring, as it's easier to get the 2.5's through containment, and for damn sure easier to terminate.

I can't see what difference the lamp holder would make when it comes down to the pins / solder problem, especially given that these lamps are in a chandelier which has metal tubular arms with a brass BC lamp holder threaded onto the end of each arm and the other end terminates into a large metal central hub with plenty of airflow though the fittings. I have also come across the identical issue with 60 and 100W ordinary GLS lamps, suspended 250 mm below the ceiling in a cylindrical shade approx 25 to 30 cm dia, open at each end, so once again perfect cooling scenario.

You must be just really unlucky?   

Edit: also ultra-nope! https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/133828447205

Note to self: Make sure that self test routines count the knobs to see if they are still all there.

That seller often way overprices things, and often used to put collection only as well. I ended up deleting him from my saved sellers, even though Leeds is quite close to me, relatively speaking.

Is it a 2 or 3 lug socket? I have some plugs and also some double screened coax.

[Specmaster]

@Cerebus, here is that self same A406 junction you posted but a little later on, poor Mercedes Benz stuck in it.

[Robert763]

Just accidentally bought a Keithley 480 picoammeter, really didn't expect my maiden bid to win. Anyone got a source of cheap triaxial cables and connectors..?   

Synchrotonicity strikes; there's a current thread on groups.io "[HP-Agilent-Keysight-equipment] Reasonably priced triax cables?", e.g.
  Hi,
  I bought it on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/itm/254949089562
  Works fine with my 4145B, and you can choose the length and the color of the cable if you want. The seller listens to all wishes.
  Regards,
  Krisztian

Note that 1553 is TWINAX, not TRIAX. Connectors are intermatable but 1553 uses two twisted (78R) conductors with a single overall screen. TRIAX is single conductor with two separated screens.

[tggzzz]

Had  bit more experience with ebay's new system. Had a refund (the Huskey FS3s came poorly packed and smashed the base unit) took a week to get to my account. Papal was instantly available. Just sold an item to the EU. No idea what th buyer paid but ebay charged the fees based on 120% of the selling price plus postage. Then added extra for non UK sale. All in all they took about 20% of the auction price and shipping.
Looks like they really don't want private sellers anymore.

I presume that is two independent transactions.

EBay should be able to justify the 120%. Where is the non-UK sale cost specified? Did you sell using GSP?

Yes I bought the Huskeys, sold the other item. I'm a private seller and it's a used item at auction so they should not be charging the buyer VAT. I have no visibility of what the buyer actually paid to ebay.

Him. Concerning. I would consider asking the purchaser what they paid, and fleabay whether/why they added VAT.

[med6753]

I pulled and tested all the transistors on this vertical board. They are all OK.  But the two output transistors (not shown) to the deflection plates have definitely gone tits up. As I mentioned earlier they are on order.



Then I discovered that the Type 1A1 plug-in wasn't passing a waveform to the mainframe. That's weird, that plug-in worked in the Type 535A. So I plugged in the Type 1A2 plug-in and that works.  OK, just for giggles I sprayed deoxit on the 1A1 connector. That did the trick. And then I verified I have a good waveform through the entire vertical circuit and stops at the blown vertical output transistors. So once they are replaced the vertical circuit should be good to go. 

[tautech]

My new phone is driving me round the sodding bend. Even though it's an Android phone like my previous Samsungs, the Caterpillar way is very different and is taking a lot of getting used to. At least now I have a reliable FLIR.

Forum member and his lad came out Sat night to help reduce the possum population and when we couldn't spot one we knew from long distance was in a particular tree he got out his new cell/Flir to help find it......usless for that it was proven ! 

Didn't much like its temp scale autoranging either. 

[tautech]

I pulled and tested all the transistors on this vertical board. They are all OK.  But the two output transistors (not shown) to the deflection plates have definitely gone tits up. As I mentioned earlier they are on order.



Then I discovered that the Type 1A1 plug-in wasn't passing a waveform to the mainframe. That's weird, that plug-in worked in the Type 535A. So I plugged in the Type 1A2 plug-in and that works.  OK, just for giggles I sprayed deoxit on the 1A1 connector. That did the trick. And then I verified I have a good waveform through the entire vertical circuit and stops at the blown vertical output transistors. So once they are replaced the vertical circuit should be good to go. 

Double check that diode and zener before dropping any new silicon anywhere near them. You normally wouldn't expect a ~500 ohm WW to go open without good reason.

[med6753]

Double check that diode and zener before dropping any new silicon anywhere near them. You normally wouldn't expect a ~500 ohm WW to go open without good reason.

That diode and zener shown in the upper right corner, along with Q1109, are not present on my S/N. That was an added update on a much later S/N.

The 320/5W resistor blew out because the Q1114 and Q1134 shorted.

[Cerebus]

@Cerebus, here is that self same A406 junction you posted but a little later on, poor Mercedes Benz stuck in it.

Looking at that, and some other footage that's been coming in of the surrounding area we got away really lightly here. Another half to one mile away there was serious flooding. I could still drive here, carefully, but when I got to the local supermarket there was water pouring in through the roof there - which I omitted to say earlier. The last time I personally got so wet just by walking outside was in Scotland halfway up the Black Mount starting from Kinlochleven, the difference was getting that wet took me a hour or two there, today it took me about 30 seconds.

[tautech]

Double check that diode and zener before dropping any new silicon anywhere near them. You normally wouldn't expect a ~500 ohm WW to go open without good reason.

That diode and zener shown in the upper right corner, along with Q1109, are not present on my S/N. That was an added update on a much later S/N.

The 320/5W resistor blew out because the Q1114 and Q1134 shorted.

Ah OK, please carry on.