Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 14550261 times)

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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15650 on: August 30, 2018, 11:38:21 pm »
@neo, chuck a few brooms out to make a bit more space then. Problem is if your like me, you accumulate new items and also the repair queue grows longer by the day, or how I long for a space the size of a garage, problem in reality, no mater how big the space, given the cash, we'd soon fill it again and some  :palm: 
Who let Murphy in?

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Offline xrunner

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15651 on: August 30, 2018, 11:42:06 pm »
Small variac received.

*good enough*

Now being placed in closet until needed.  :clap:
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Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15652 on: August 31, 2018, 12:01:27 am »
Just updated the input sockets on my VTVM as the original ones were designed to suit the very short Heathkit plugs and if using leads fitted with standard 4mm banana plugs then it leaves approx 6mm of exposed plug, not an ideal situation. Had a good look at the clearances between the rear enclose and the front bezel and decided that there was just sufficient room to go the whole hog and update to accept modern safety shrouded plugs so thats now perfectly feasible to use the same leads as you would with any decent bench or handheld meter, no compromises there.

I also (previously) had decided to make my meter more AC measurement friendly in terms of its safety as it was originally designed to have the common connected to the chassis and the chassis is not earthed, this meant that if the probes were connected to any AC voltages that were ground referenced there was always the risk of the entire chassis and case being accidentally connected to live and therefore hazardous. I removed all internal connections to the chassis and connected them together to form a wired common within the meter but the DC jack by its very nature was automatically ground connected and needed to be bonded to the common so this had to go. In its place I have fitted an LED indicator wired across the heater supply in the same fashion as the original indicator behind the meter glass was.

The 1M resistor that was in the DC probe tip was transposed to the function switch and is switched in when the DC function is selected so now the whole meter can be used as if it was a modern meter with the same leads being used throughout without the need to swap leads over to measure DC volts and resistance and then change again for AC volts. I have learned today that positioning the 1M resistor inside the meter may affect the tuning of "IF" circuits while measuring DC volts in parts of a radio. Personally I can't say that I have ever noticed this before when I have used a normal multimeter for this purpose but perhaps it is more noticeable on some radios, like ham radios as opposed to normal domestic broadcast radios, I don't know, I not as knowledgeable on these things as others are.

One other modification I have done, this been posted before, so no great detail here, but I have installed a battery eliminator, driven of the heater supply and regulated to 1.6V so now the meter can sit on the shelf for years and no worries about the battery leaking, so that for me is a major advantage. Next to do on this to swap out the 2 core lead for 3 core so the whole meter will be perfectly safe to use so in the event of any problem occuring inside, the cause will safely dump it earth and case the RCD to trip and or the MCB and plug fuse to operate and break the supply.

A nice clean conversion. Looks good!  :-+
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Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15653 on: August 31, 2018, 12:31:10 am »
I think my wife tolerates the new bench because anytime she or the kids fuck something up, all she has to do now is walk to the back of the living room and plop it down...  :-DD

mnem
"Hann'el it daddeh! Hann'el it, hann'el itt!"
You make your living room sound massive.
It WAS... before I set up shop in one corner of it; where the treadmill used to be. Still big enough for two couches though.  :P

mnem
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Offline Cubdriver

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15654 on: August 31, 2018, 12:48:47 am »
My stuff is in the living room. I can’t work out if she’s tolerant or collecting ammunition.

Incidentally on the VTVM front I don’t want to put the resistor in the case because the whole point is it presents a large impedance at the probe tip, not after 3 feet of low quality inductor and capacitor (test lead). That means you can actually just whack the thing on a point in an RF or valve circuit without it getting annoyed.

Just got my knob for the 7603 and installed it.  All good there now. It’s basically done  :-+ ... however on the space front I’m not sure I can keep it. It doesn’t fit on the drawer units :(

I have all my stuff in the living room too! LOL
Well apart from the stuff I have jammed under the bed and in a few cupboards and stuff  ;D

It's brutal not having a separate room for all your stuff eh?

Living room, dining room, kitchen, hall, bedroom/lab, basement, barn attic.   :o

It's brutal not having a female type about to moderate my Ebay surfing...   :-DD

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 

Offline Gtx21

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15655 on: August 31, 2018, 03:08:22 am »
Any decent Labor Day sales going on where one may obtain Rigol or Siglent gear?
 

Offline neo

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15656 on: August 31, 2018, 03:09:37 am »
@neo, chuck a few brooms out to make a bit more space then. Problem is if your like me, you accumulate new items and also the repair queue grows longer by the day, or how I long for a space the size of a garage, problem in reality, no mater how big the space, given the cash, we'd soon fill it again and some  :palm:

 :-DD :-DD :-DD Unfortunately i already chucked out the brooms. I HAD an entire garage and a dining room, until that is i bought an entire shed (minus the actual building). Got a couple TEA goodies and alot of things to screw with. That was a couple of years now and I've spent alot of  the time since either buying more (HAMFESTS!) or trying to get rid of the crap. I'm sure getting rid of crap is easier when you aren't a hoarder like i am.

A hopeless addict (and slave) to TEA and a firm believer that high frequency is little more than modern hoodoo.
 

Offline tautech

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15657 on: August 31, 2018, 04:12:58 am »
Any decent Labor Day sales going on where one may obtain Rigol or Siglent gear?
Some of the best deals are from Saelig with the EEVblog member discount code.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/equipment-discounts-from-saelig/

However another member found they were out of stock of what he wanted so contacted another dealer closer and they matched Saelig's price.
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Offline URI

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15658 on: August 31, 2018, 06:04:27 am »
My HP 4260A just arrived.
Announced delivery from 07:30 to 11:30 AM today, announced by.. -Hermes yesterday.

But no worries so far, a new Hermesbote (=delivery driver/have seen him never before) brought the package to me today at 07:55 AM!   :-+

I'll build up tension by leaving it now and will open and inspect it after my work I now hurry up to..    >:D
A life without TEA is possible but pointless.
 

Offline mnementh

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15659 on: August 31, 2018, 06:50:38 am »
Fekking muppets on fleaBay... Looks like I'm going to have to file another "Not as described" claim for this dingle.

Quote from: mnemennth
From:mnemennth
To:geyanboy_8
Sent:Aug-28-18 08:22
mnemennth:

I received this item and another item in yesterday's mail via ePACKET TRK # LK594*****CN; unfortunately both these items were in a plain sleeve mailer and got severely crushed in transit.

As you can see from the photos, this caddy arrived badly twisted and will not go more than halfway into either of my laptops. Worse yet, it is not the item I ordered. As you can see by the last two pictures, I ordered the version WITH front faceplate; this caddy does not have it.


How do we make this right? I believe you have to initiate the process to file for a shipping damage claim.

Thank you for your attention in this matter,

mnemennth
Quote from: geyanboy_8
From:geyanboy_8
To:mnemennth
Sent:Aug-29-18 11:07
geyanboy_8:

Sorry for all inconvinece to you.
Can you check it again?
If still not work, please message us, I will do my best serve for you.
Thanks for your attention.
Best regards,

geyanboy_8
Quote from: mnemennth
From:mnemennth
To:geyanboy_8
Sent:Aug-30-18 15:19
New message to: geyanboy_8

Yeah, I checked again this morning; no magic elves fixed the stuff overnight. The mouse pad is still messed up, and the caddy still isn't what I ordered, and it still doesn't fit in either of my laptops.

Now will you please file a shipping damage claim?


Thank you for your time,

mnemennth

mnem
"Always some muthafu**er tryin' to ice-skate uphill..."
alt-codes work here:  alt-0128 = €  alt-156 = £  alt-0216 = Ø  alt-225 = ß  alt-230 = µ  alt-234 = Ω  alt-236 = ∞  alt-248 = °
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15660 on: August 31, 2018, 07:21:28 am »
Fekking muppets on fleaBay... Looks like I'm going to have to file another "Not as described" claim for this dingle.

Quote from: mnemennth
From:mnemennth
To:geyanboy_8
Sent:Aug-28-18 08:22
mnemennth:

I received this item and another item in yesterday's mail via ePACKET TRK # LK594*****CN; unfortunately both these items were in a plain sleeve mailer and got severely crushed in transit.

As you can see from the photos, this caddy arrived badly twisted and will not go more than halfway into either of my laptops. Worse yet, it is not the item I ordered. As you can see by the last two pictures, I ordered the version WITH front faceplate; this caddy does not have it.


How do we make this right? I believe you have to initiate the process to file for a shipping damage claim.

Thank you for your attention in this matter,

mnemennth
Quote from: geyanboy_8
From:geyanboy_8
To:mnemennth
Sent:Aug-29-18 11:07
geyanboy_8:

Sorry for all inconvinece to you.
Can you check it again?
If still not work, please message us, I will do my best serve for you.
Thanks for your attention.
Best regards,

geyanboy_8
Quote from: mnemennth
From:mnemennth
To:geyanboy_8
Sent:Aug-30-18 15:19
New message to: geyanboy_8

Yeah, I checked again this morning; no magic elves fixed the stuff overnight. The mouse pad is still messed up, and the caddy still isn't what I ordered, and it still doesn't fit in either of my laptops.

Now will you please file a shipping damage claim?


Thank you for your time,

mnemennth

mnem
"Always some muthafu**er tryin' to ice-skate uphill..."
That sounds like typical response from a Chinese seller. Personally I would press for a refund now via the eBay system. This muppets  next move will be to offer sending replacements which probably, like mine, will never arrive. Of course they will keep some sparse dialogue going upto the eBay cutoff point for filing a claim expires then they will ignore you. Claim now, once bitten twice shy as dear old Mum used to say.
Who let Murphy in?

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

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15661 on: August 31, 2018, 07:37:12 am »
TBH it's the Chinese sellers I get no problems with usually other than selling crap to start with. Best to buy that sort of stuff on Aliexpress though. They don't get their money until you confirm the delivery and leave feedback so they will generally lick butt.
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15662 on: August 31, 2018, 07:57:25 am »
TBH it's the Chinese sellers I get no problems with usually other than selling crap to start with. Best to buy that sort of stuff on Aliexpress though. They don't get their money until you confirm the delivery and leave feedback so they will generally lick butt.
I don't normally, but it's that opening gambit, it's like a giveaway to what's going to follow. They know it's still going to be the same result, no matter how many times it's tried. It's a stalling tactic.
Who let Murphy in?

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

Offline tautech

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15663 on: August 31, 2018, 08:15:02 am »
TBH it's the Chinese sellers I get no problems with usually other than selling crap to start with. Best to buy that sort of stuff on Aliexpress though. They don't get their money until you confirm the delivery and leave feedback so they will generally lick butt.
I don't normally, but it's that opening gambit, it's like a giveaway to what's going to follow. They know it's still going to be the same result, no matter how many times it's tried. It's a stalling tactic.
Yeah they can be good at that.
Two lots of comms back and forth and if it's not sorted.......claim !
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Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15664 on: August 31, 2018, 08:54:41 am »
@neo, chuck a few brooms out to make a bit more space then. Problem is if your like me, you accumulate new items and also the repair queue grows longer by the day, or how I long for a space the size of a garage, problem in reality, no mater how big the space, given the cash, we'd soon fill it again and some  :palm:

 :-DD :-DD :-DD Unfortunately i already chucked out the brooms. I HAD an entire garage and a dining room, until that is i bought an entire shed (minus the actual building). Got a couple TEA goodies and alot of things to screw with. That was a couple of years now and I've spent alot of  the time since either buying more (HAMFESTS!) or trying to get rid of the crap. I'm sure getting rid of crap is easier when you aren't a hoarder like i am.


I'm thinking maybe hoarding is either a by product of having TEA or its a prerequisite for TEA  :-DD
Who let Murphy in?

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

Offline Ero-Shan

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15665 on: August 31, 2018, 12:26:44 pm »

I have all my stuff in the living room too! LOL
Well apart from the stuff I have jammed under the bed and in a few cupboards and stuff  ;D

It's brutal not having a separate room for all your stuff eh?

Living room, dining room, kitchen, hall, bedroom/lab, basement, barn attic.   :o

It's brutal not having a female type about to moderate my Ebay surfing...   :-DD

-Pat

Exactly my sentiment after reading yesterdays posts. Strangely, I quite often wish I had a girlfriend or wife to stop me piling up ever more stuff, converting the whole house into a store-room. At least she'd kick me in the butt so I'd let go of some of it ...  :palm:
My (main) computer is in the living-cum-dining-cum-office-room, but this is where I will tolerate no TEA stuff (except for unpacking and a first photo session). As long as I can keep it that way, I pretend being a 'normal' person ...

Ero-shan
 

Offline Specmaster

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15666 on: August 31, 2018, 12:40:31 pm »

I have all my stuff in the living room too! LOL
Well apart from the stuff I have jammed under the bed and in a few cupboards and stuff  ;D

It's brutal not having a separate room for all your stuff eh?

Living room, dining room, kitchen, hall, bedroom/lab, basement, barn attic.   :o

It's brutal not having a female type about to moderate my Ebay surfing...   :-DD

-Pat

Exactly my sentiment after reading yesterdays posts. Strangely, I quite often wish I had a girlfriend or wife to stop me piling up ever more stuff, converting the whole house into a store-room. At least she'd kick me in the butt so I'd let go of some of it ...  :palm:
My (main) computer is in the living-cum-dining-cum-office-room, but this is where I will tolerate no TEA stuff (except for unpacking and a first photo session). As long as I can keep it that way, I pretend being a 'normal' person ...

Ero-shan
You are kidding of course, it could be full of.... Shoes.... Handbags...... Clothes....... Makeup..... Jewellery....
Knitting.... Cake making or cake decoration bits and bobs. So which would you prefer? [emoji16]



Who let Murphy in?

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

Offline med6753

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15667 on: August 31, 2018, 01:14:29 pm »

I have all my stuff in the living room too! LOL
Well apart from the stuff I have jammed under the bed and in a few cupboards and stuff  ;D

It's brutal not having a separate room for all your stuff eh?

Living room, dining room, kitchen, hall, bedroom/lab, basement, barn attic.   :o

It's brutal not having a female type about to moderate my Ebay surfing...   :-DD

-Pat

Exactly my sentiment after reading yesterdays posts. Strangely, I quite often wish I had a girlfriend or wife to stop me piling up ever more stuff, converting the whole house into a store-room. At least she'd kick me in the butt so I'd let go of some of it ...  :palm:
My (main) computer is in the living-cum-dining-cum-office-room, but this is where I will tolerate no TEA stuff (except for unpacking and a first photo session). As long as I can keep it that way, I pretend being a 'normal' person ...

Ero-shan
You are kidding of course, it could be full of.... Shoes.... Handbags...... Clothes....... Makeup..... Jewellery....
Knitting.... Cake making or cake decoration bits and bobs. So which would you prefer? [emoji16]

Yep, she has all that...and more. In her own place.  :-DD I have my TEA all over my place.  :-DMM

Life is good.  :-+
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Offline Cerebus

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15668 on: August 31, 2018, 01:39:11 pm »
You are kidding of course, it could be full of.... Shoes.... Handbags...... Clothes....... Makeup..... Jewellery....
Knitting.... Cake making or cake decoration bits and bobs. So which would you prefer? [emoji16]

Did somebody say cake?

Cerebus
"You can call me anything you like, but don't call me late for dinner!" [Fx: Duckwalks off, waggling cigar]
Anybody got a syringe I can use to squeeze the magic smoke back into this?
 

Online factory

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15669 on: August 31, 2018, 02:09:23 pm »


Did anyone buy this very nice but very expensive boatanchor?



David
« Last Edit: August 31, 2018, 05:59:34 pm by factory »
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15670 on: August 31, 2018, 02:16:25 pm »
Not guilty. I'm not buying anything until I've got rid of some bits  :-DD
 

Offline xrunner

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15671 on: August 31, 2018, 02:18:49 pm »
I posted this in another thread but you might get a kick out of it - check the label.  :popcorn:
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 

Offline bd139

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15672 on: August 31, 2018, 02:24:20 pm »
I think that's probably a passive aggressive tidy person (like me) doing the labels :)

Question for the Tektronix experts in here: does anyone know what size nut spinners I need to get the vertical board out on my 465? It's the nuts on the front panel. Looks like 1/4" to me.

I have actually lost my set of smelly old Xcelite ones somewhere or they have been nicked  :--
 

Online factory

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15673 on: August 31, 2018, 02:24:33 pm »
Not guilty. I'm not buying anything until I've got rid of some bits  :-DD

 :-DD

I dread to think how much it would have cost to move, if they had offered international shipping.

David
 

Online factory

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Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #15674 on: August 31, 2018, 02:32:34 pm »
I think that's probably a passive aggressive tidy person (like me) doing the labels :)

Question for the Tektronix experts in here: does anyone know what size nut spinners I need to get the vertical board out on my 465? It's the nuts on the front panel. Looks like 1/4" to me.

I have actually lost my set of smelly old Xcelite ones somewhere or they have been nicked  :--

Don't know about the Tek 465 or the nut you are trying to remove, but I find a set of Imperial size AF ignition spanners or similar is a must for repairing old Tek & HP TED's, along with the appropriate Allen keys for the knobs. I actually have quite a large collection of old miniature spanners now.

David
« Last Edit: August 31, 2018, 02:34:44 pm by factory »
 


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