Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

Dayum!!!     I thought I remembered seeing a bunch of fuses on that backplane when I had mine open.  Apparently those particular lines are not protected, huh?  Or did someone in the past replace that fuse with a piece of copper refrigeration tubing?  Nice work extracting the edge connector without hamburgering the circuit board!   

-Pat

[Rerouter]

The backplane fuses are just spares, the real fuse is before the transformer on the back.

[Housedad]

definitely 301 and no possibility of 801?  I have this problem that I enjoy scrounging  the net to find an obscure part for anything.  Been trying to find a sub for this thing for hours now.   

[xrunner]

definitely 301 and no possibility of 801?  I have this problem that I enjoy scrounging  the net to find an obscure part for anything.  Been trying to find a sub for this thing for hours now.

301 - no possibility of error.

I'm not saying the part on Digikey will not work, I just have to study some dimensions tomorrow.

I'll let you know ... 

[xrunner]

OK we have original -

303-056-520-301

vs. new

305-056-520-201

The first part - 305, refers to insulator color and card slot length. Color is OK and card slot length is "standard length per MIL-C-21097". I'm not sure what the original number referred to (303), but I'm not worried about the length because all the pins will be there and they are the same size, so the length will be nearly the same.

056 and 520 refer to parts that are the same so that leaves 301 vs 201 ...

the "2" vs "3' has to do with card slot depth. 2 means card slot depth of 7.49 mm. My old part has a depth of about 8.5mm. But I cut it in half and the reason for that is that they made the housing a little higher above the pins than the new one, so I do not believe that matters. Finally the 01 means no mounting lugs and that is fine. So I think it's going to work out.

The same part is also offered by Mouser, so I can get it really fast since Mouser is close to where I live. basically next day service.

[Housedad]

Ye Gods!  I just realized that we are now feeding each others Tea!   Oh, Lord, what have I done, helping another poor fool like myself to increase their addiction.  I think I need to go to the corner and sing with the Salvation Army group.

"Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves,
We shall come rejoicing, bringing in the sheaves;
Bringing in the sheaves, bringing in the sheaves, ......"

Oh, Lord, please save my wretched soul!

[xrunner]

Ye Gods!  I just realized that we are now feeding each others Tea!   Oh, Lord, what have I done, helping another poor fool like myself to increase their addiction.  I think I need to go to the corner and sing with the Salvation Army group.

Yea really and thanks for searching for that part. Remember if there's anything you are thinking about buying and aren't sure, don't forget to mention it here. Before you know it we'll have you convinced you can't live without it. 

[mtdoc]

Ye Gods!  I just realized that we are now feeding each others Tea!   

I thought that was the point of this thread     

[rrinker]

 Yeah I think we figured out a few pages back this isn't 'that' sort of support group. No one reading this thread is going to be saved from anything, except perhaps accumulating too much savings.

[mtdoc]

Yes, perhaps the word therapy in the title is a bit misleading.

We do not judge here.
We do not try to "cure" here.
The TEA room is a safe place to share and support others with a similar test equipment addiction.

Amen! 🙏

[AF6LJ]

Yes, perhaps the word therapy in the title is a bit misleading.

We do not judge here.
We do not try to "cure" here.
The TEA room is a safe place to share and support others with a similar test equipment addiction.

Amen! 🙏

I don't know...............
I think the acquisition of new gear is very therapeutic.

[Cubdriver]

Ye Gods!  I just realized that we are now feeding each others Tea!   Oh, Lord, what have I done, helping another poor fool like myself to increase their addiction.

You only JUST realized this?!?      

 

 

 

-Pat

[Housedad]

There is no salvation for my soul.....


I've been searching for a Heathkit curve tracer.    I just can't stop!!!!

[bitseeker]

I think the acquisition of new gear is very therapeutic.

It is. Sometimes it's even euphoric. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be addictive. 

Aside: Why don't we have a scope smiley that's smiling?

[bitseeker]

I just realized that we are now feeding each others Tea! Oh, Lord, what have I done, helping another poor fool like myself to increase their addiction.

The only way that'll end is when we all own the same equipment. Although, the way I bump into folks on eBay, you'd think we were all trying to accomplish test gear equilibrium.

No one reading this thread is going to be saved from anything, except perhaps accumulating too much savings.

True. However, some test equipment does appear to increase in value, depending on how good a shopper you are. So, it's not all a loss.

[AF6LJ]

I think the acquisition of new gear is very therapeutic.

It is. Sometimes it's even euphoric. If it wasn't, it wouldn't be addictive. 

Aside: Why don't we have a scope smiley that's smiling?

The euphoria will come after I finish the second HP-8569.
(because that one belongs to ME)

[Berni]

The euphoria will come after I finish the second HP-8569.
(because that one belongs to ME)

I find the roller coaster exiting where you buy something advertised as working, finnaly get it after the long shipping only to find out that it does power on but not work properly. You are angry at the seller that he didn't test it (Then again in most good deal sales they don't have the knowledge to test it). Nice excuse to do a proper teardown of it, getting a nice look at all the boards inside, realizing the problem is a bit more complex than a loose connection. Out come the service manuals to figure out how it works so you can methodically test the troublesome area, replace the faulty component and BAM the thing works like new! A lovely new piece of gear to add to the collection.

[Brumby]

There is no salvation for my soul.....


I've been searching for a Heathkit curve tracer.    I just can't stop!!!!

You'll fit right in here!!   

[VK5RC]

I think TEA does have phases - like a lot of addicts - burn out esp with age does effect continued dependance.

I relate I took 2 Tek 453 and some other stuff to a Ham buy and sell - I still do have 2 other Tek 453s at home (don't ask me how I ended up with 4 - my wife hasn't) - and I came home with NOTHING ! Arrrggghhh. I think I am getting picky. There was a lot of junk there the only decent pieces were an yaesu FTDX400 for about $400AUD and a broken FT 897 for $200AUD.
I was glad to see the Teks "went to a good home" another Tek fan - one was fully working the other a parts unit - dead HV supply and dead fan.

Got my HP 8662 - boy they are heavy - 30kg - bought as 'powered up' for not a crazy price - amazing how much better it works if you push the button to get it to use its internal oscillator!!

[Housedad]

It is addictive for sure.  Then there is the other sneaky, nagging monster from the past:  Now that I'm older and have more money and time, I yearn to have those things that I drooled and slobbered over years ago.  Now, they can be had in near new condition at times, and at a vastly lower price. 

Take the Tek scopes.  One of my biggest dreams when younger was to have a state of the art Tektronix scope.  The look and feel of them is like no other. 

Due to my finances,  I have to wait to buy almost anything else until December.  But There is a guy on Ebay that refurbishes and calibrates 2465B's.  Drool.   I have to keep a towel with me whenever I check out the stuff he sells so I can mop the keyboard dry every minute or so.

[xrunner]

Due to my finances,  I have to wait to buy almost anything else until December. 

T - 7 months and counting.

 

[rrinker]

 The way I see it, buying more test equipment doesn't hurt anyone. And it saves more electronics from ending up in landfills. And you feel good when you have a new toy to play with.
 Now, if you mortgage the house and start selling the children's toys to fiance your addiction, you may have a bigger problem beyond the abilities of this forum to solve. But otherwise - acquire away, and feel good about it.
 Now, off to eBay....

[bitseeker]

Well, at a recent recycler auction were some lots that contained old test gear. I've got too much in my clean/verify/repair/adjust queue already and am suffering some of the burnout that Rob mentioned. So, I didn't bid in earnest, but I had to bid something, right? Otherwise, I wouldn't be a proper TEA member and a good bit of old kit would end up in a landfill or shredded and melted down as a result of getting no bids (i.e., PETA).

After bidding on half a dozen lots, I ended up winning just one of them: An Eppley Standard Voltage Reference, Model 125. Prior to the auction, I wasn't able to find much about it. Most search results are eBay listings (or other sites republishing eBay listings; I hate those) or info about Eppley standard cells. I've attached a photo from eBay of a similar unit in case anyone knows more about it.

I'll pick it up tonight or tomorrow and see if I got a dud. It looked to be in good condition. If it ends up being a dud, I can always put a variac and analog meters into it.

[rrinker]

Certainly looks like an interesting bit there. Pretty wide voltage range too 

Hmm, PETTE? People for the Ethical Treatment of Test Equipment

[bitseeker]

I think the 110VAC and 12VDC indicators are for the power inputs. There's also a heater indicator, so it must be using an ovenized reference inside.

Added PETTE.