Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 14555740 times)

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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12700 on: July 02, 2018, 11:33:54 am »
Rowan wine. Stuff is like drinking tasty petrol.

Wow. Given its astringency, I'm surprised it is possible to drink it.

Mind you, a wine importer / hotelier was once quite candid about his product: the only generalisation about wine is that the more you drink the better it gets.

Now, where's that last misshapen Coke bottle of elderflower fizz? I'll have some when the sun's gon down :)

It's an acquired taste. Mainly from my youth which was mostly spent trying to make alcohol of varying kinds from anything. Even boiled supermarket apple juice (to kill the preservatives) was brewed into cider in the old glass "dalek style" lucozade bottles under the bed with merely a bag of sugar and some bread yeast :D

Nothing TEA related today although I shall have to do something as my WSPR transmitter blew up last night spontaneously. Think there was an antenna problem as the finals have gone to silicon heaven. Fortunately they're only BS170s and I bought a massive bag of them.

Really need to buy or build an antenna analyser. Oh there we go, back on TEA :D
 

Offline nixiefreqq

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12701 on: July 02, 2018, 12:19:20 pm »
Check out this unexpected pron. What we have here are the internal structures of a 450 lumen LED bulb (left) and an 800 lumen LED bulb (right). And how did I get these plus 2 others? By simply installing them in the 2 gooseneck lamps I recently bought. For some reason the glass bulb spontaneously shatters at the base and falls off. I don't have to touch or move the lamps. I hear this “clink” and the bulb falls off. I have no idea why. And the LED's continue to function. It is really weird.

I haven't had this happen in any other lamps. And I'm not screwing them in real tight either. As I stated the bulbs continue to function so I'll be damned if I'm going to throw them away. Just don't go sticking your fingers up there with power on and possibly get a shock.

what?   no...….really......how did you do that?  (thought those envelopes were plastic).


free range primate
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12702 on: July 02, 2018, 12:20:46 pm »
OK, let me bring us back to TEA. For a while I've been contemplating as to what to do with that space above the Flukes. It's just begging for something to occupy it. Ebay has come to the rescue and provided the answer. It should be here in a few days. I'm not going to say what it is just yet but of course when it arrives I will give full details as well as naughty pron.  :-+

I will provide a clue....I love the look of ruby red LED displays in the morning.


What! You have space above the Flukes, that surely was a Fluke 🤣[emoji16]

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12703 on: July 02, 2018, 12:24:18 pm »
OK, let me bring us back to TEA. For a while I've been contemplating as to what to do with that space above the Flukes. It's just begging for something to occupy it. Ebay has come to the rescue and provided the answer. It should be here in a few days. I'm not going to say what it is just yet but of course when it arrives I will give full details as well as naughty pron.  :-+

I will provide a clue....I love the look of ruby red LED displays in the morning.


Would that be a Keithly 175 with red LEDS from Ebay by any chance, the one I was after[emoji48]

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 

Offline Cerebus

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12704 on: July 02, 2018, 12:24:39 pm »
There's the infamous notation on doctors' notes: NFN, or "normal for norfolk" implying that the patient has a limited intellect. I'm sure there's the equivalent for the fens.

I believe that was not so much intellectual capacity as number of toes, heads etc.
Anybody got a syringe I can use to squeeze the magic smoke back into this?
 

Offline Cerebus

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12705 on: July 02, 2018, 12:32:24 pm »
Would that be a Keithly 175 with red LEDS from Ebay by any chance, the one I was after[emoji48]

Oh, that was you bastards was it?  :)

I had my eye on that to sit next to its cousin, my brown Keithley 197.
Anybody got a syringe I can use to squeeze the magic smoke back into this?
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12706 on: July 02, 2018, 12:35:12 pm »
Wasn’t me for once :D
 

Offline Zucca

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12707 on: July 02, 2018, 12:56:30 pm »
bd139 if you want to make me happy please teardown the PS-900 unit.
Thanks. Now my TEA disease escalated in a battery powered Metcal unit and I need to see how the circuit look like.

Of course there is this:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/diy-metcal-13-56-mhz-rf-supply/

but I rather prefer to rip apart a PS-900...  >:D

if your reactions is this


I fully understand no worries.
« Last Edit: July 02, 2018, 01:00:27 pm by zucca »
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12708 on: July 02, 2018, 01:01:12 pm »
Check out this unexpected pron. What we have here are the internal structures of a 450 lumen LED bulb (left) and an 800 lumen LED bulb (right). And how did I get these plus 2 others? By simply installing them in the 2 gooseneck lamps I recently bought. For some reason the glass bulb spontaneously shatters at the base and falls off. I don't have to touch or move the lamps. I hear this “clink” and the bulb falls off. I have no idea why. And the LED's continue to function. It is really weird.

I haven't had this happen in any other lamps. And I'm not screwing them in real tight either. As I stated the bulbs continue to function so I'll be damned if I'm going to throw them away. Just don't go sticking your fingers up there with power on and possibly get a shock.

what?   no...….really......how did you do that?  (thought those envelopes were plastic).



I thought all LED bulbs were plastic too. Apparently not. These bulbs were from GE.
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12709 on: July 02, 2018, 01:03:17 pm »
OK, let me bring us back to TEA. For a while I've been contemplating as to what to do with that space above the Flukes. It's just begging for something to occupy it. Ebay has come to the rescue and provided the answer. It should be here in a few days. I'm not going to say what it is just yet but of course when it arrives I will give full details as well as naughty pron.  :-+

I will provide a clue....I love the look of ruby red LED displays in the morning.


Would that be a Keithly 175 with red LEDS from Ebay by any chance, the one I was after[emoji48]

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

Wasn't me
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12710 on: July 02, 2018, 02:27:16 pm »
bd139 if you want to make me happy please teardown the PS-900 unit.
Thanks. Now my TEA disease escalated in a battery powered Metcal unit and I need to see how the circuit look like.

Of course there is this:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/diy-metcal-13-56-mhz-rf-supply/

but I rather prefer to rip apart a PS-900...  >:D

if your reactions is this


I fully understand no worries.

It’s on the todo list already :)

The case of the base unit is a chunk of cast aluminium so should be interesting.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12711 on: July 02, 2018, 02:41:35 pm »
Would that be a Keithly 175 with red LEDS from Ebay by any chance, the one I was after[emoji48]

Oh, that was you bastards was it?  :)

I had my eye on that to sit next to its cousin, my brown Keithley 197.
Not me, I gave up at £30 it wasn't well presented and only 4.5 digits, I gave £35 for a 5.5 digit 8400A so it was out of my value range[emoji16]

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 

Online tggzzz

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12712 on: July 02, 2018, 04:01:46 pm »
Nothing TEA related today although I shall have to do something as my WSPR transmitter blew up last night spontaneously. Think there was an antenna problem as the finals have gone to silicon heaven. Fortunately they're only BS170s and I bought a massive bag of them.

Really need to buy or build an antenna analyser. Oh there we go, back on TEA :D

Now you'll have to actually use the TE, cf talking about it :)
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12713 on: July 02, 2018, 04:27:15 pm »
Actually this thing has ridiculously useful TE built in. It's rudimentary but works very well for the purpose. Managed to test my theory about the dead PA MOSFETs with the built in DVM and RF power meter!

Turned out the problem was a dodgy BNC patch after the SO239/BNC adapter. Went open circuit intermittently allowing Vds to be somewhat exceeded.

Working now... and a welcome distraction from a less interesting problem to deal with.

 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12714 on: July 02, 2018, 05:18:38 pm »
bd139 if you want to make me happy please teardown the PS-900 unit.
Thanks. Now my TEA disease escalated in a battery powered Metcal unit and I need to see how the circuit look like.

Of course there is this:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/diy-metcal-13-56-mhz-rf-supply/

but I rather prefer to rip apart a PS-900...  >:D

if your reactions is this


I fully understand no worries.

It’s on the todo list already :)

The case of the base unit is a chunk of cast aluminium so should be interesting.


Here's a link to a .pdf of the technical reference one of our MetCal junkies put together himself via reverse-engineering and documentation distilled from the Patent Office notes on the MX-500: http://colinoflynn.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/MX-500P-11.pdf


Actually this thing has ridiculously useful TE built in. It's rudimentary but works very well for the purpose. Managed to test my theory about the dead PA MOSFETs with the built in DVM and RF power meter!

Turned out the problem was a dodgy BNC patch after the SO239/BNC adapter. Went open circuit intermittently allowing Vds to be somewhat exceeded.

Working now... and a welcome distraction from a less interesting problem to deal with.




Must be your Penis Fingers repellent arrived today.  :-DD





In other news...

I found this stuff at my local Dollar Tree store; looks ve-e-e-ry useful to have around for 8 bits. I bought... several.  :-DD



mnem
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Offline Zucca

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12715 on: July 02, 2018, 09:42:18 pm »
Thanks also there looks like I need a 50VDC and a 25VDC to run a Metcal
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12716 on: July 03, 2018, 01:23:43 am »
Check out this unexpected pron. What we have here are the internal structures of a 450 lumen LED bulb (left) and an 800 lumen LED bulb (right). And how did I get these plus 2 others? By simply installing them in the 2 gooseneck lamps I recently bought. For some reason the glass bulb spontaneously shatters at the base and falls off. I don't have to touch or move the lamps. I hear this “clink” and the bulb falls off. I have no idea why. And the LED's continue to function. It is really weird.

Perhaps a defect is being introduced during manufacturing, e.g., when attaching the base. With some thermal cycling, the glass initiates a fracture and the rest is, "clink," bye-bye bulb.

Quote
I haven't had this happen in any other lamps. And I'm not screwing them in real tight either. As I stated the bulbs continue to function so I'll be damned if I'm going to throw them away.

I've not seen such a thing happen, either. At least they're LED, so they'll just keep going regardless. I assume the shade on the lamp provides sufficient dispersion of light in lieu of the frosted glass covering.
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12717 on: July 03, 2018, 02:59:03 am »
Check out this unexpected pron. What we have here are the internal structures of a 450 lumen LED bulb (left) and an 800 lumen LED bulb (right). And how did I get these plus 2 others? By simply installing them in the 2 gooseneck lamps I recently bought. For some reason the glass bulb spontaneously shatters at the base and falls off. I don't have to touch or move the lamps. I hear this “clink” and the bulb falls off. I have no idea why. And the LED's continue to function. It is really weird.

Perhaps a defect is being introduced during manufacturing, e.g., when attaching the base. With some thermal cycling, the glass initiates a fracture and the rest is, "clink," bye-bye bulb.

Quote
I haven't had this happen in any other lamps. And I'm not screwing them in real tight either. As I stated the bulbs continue to function so I'll be damned if I'm going to throw them away.

I've not seen such a thing happen, either. At least they're LED, so they'll just keep going regardless. I assume the shade on the lamp provides sufficient dispersion of light in lieu of the frosted glass covering.

Yes, I've noticed no difference in the light dispersion so I'm going to keep using them.
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12718 on: July 03, 2018, 05:05:03 am »
tzzzzt.


mnem
That is all.
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Offline bitseekerTopic starter

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12719 on: July 03, 2018, 05:23:34 am »
 :popcorn:
TEA is the way. | TEA Time channel
 

Offline Berni

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12720 on: July 03, 2018, 05:37:11 am »
The excuse for a teardown is sometimes given by the test gear it self. When a new piece of gear arrives there is often something wrong with it, be it a dicky switch somewhere or just simply needing the internal only 110/220V selector switched over.

Once you have the lid off you might as well have a bit of a stroll around to see whats making it tick. Hopefully the stroll around is not extend by finding out the fault is actually a lot more complicated than a dicky switch and you now have to start reverse engineering it to figure out what the actual issue is (While you curse the people who made the service manual about only including a barely usefully block diagram and no schematics).
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12721 on: July 03, 2018, 07:26:13 am »
I never needed an excuse.   >:D


mnem
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12722 on: July 03, 2018, 10:04:25 am »
I would have thought that since my latest Ebay order originated in New Hampshire that it would go directly to a UPS depot in New York. But no.....it's bouncing all over New England. First to another depot in NH, then to Masshole, and now it just departed a depot in Rhode Island. I figured even with the holiday on Wednesday that I'd get it no later than Friday. Now I'm not so sure and who the hell knows where it will go next.  |O   
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Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12723 on: July 03, 2018, 10:12:54 am »
I had that with UPS a while ago. From Leeds to London, via Belgium  :-//
 

Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #12724 on: July 03, 2018, 10:17:22 am »
Yep, who knows...the damn thing is liable to wind up in Canada next.  :wtf:
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