Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Saskia]

I went out for a kit to do something useful and visited https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/
when I stumbled across their current special offer which is free access to their online training material
https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/are-you-grounded-because-of-covid-19-flight-restrictions-we-have-a-solution/

maybe someone is interested. If not: no discussions please, just move on, nothing to see here ...

[BU508A]

There is a reason why this thread in the forum is growing rapidly and that reason I believe is because we don't have strict rules and is a very relaxed, friendly place to be and can be very entertaining and informative as long as we have open minds. 

Sing Kumbaya everyone!

(Attachment Link)

Interesting topic: check
friendly place: check
bizarre humor: check
congenial folks: check
different views and opinions, which is the basis of interesting discussions: check

Man, we do have here a very good place. Let's have a drink and talk about the great things we're going to do.
Like in this song (I like it a bit more than Kumbaya  ):

https://youtu.be/QO9A9u4GyGc

[mnementh]

There is a reason why this thread in the forum is growing rapidly and that reason I believe is because we don't have strict rules and is a very relaxed, friendly place to be and can be very entertaining and informative as long as we have open minds. 

   Sing Kumbaya everyone!

   I'm TRYING! But my fucking guitar isn't HERE yet!!! 

mnem
My non-fucking guitar is right over there, but it isn't NEARLY as much fun.

[mnementh]

I went out for a kit to do something useful and visited https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/
when I stumbled across their current special offer which is free access to their online training material
https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/are-you-grounded-because-of-covid-19-flight-restrictions-we-have-a-solution/   maybe someone is interested. If not: no discussions please, just move on, nothing to see here ...

Heh... lookit the fine print at the end: "Anyone who successfully finishes an on-line training course will receive a voucher for a free demo flight in one of our aircraft at your closest Pipistrel distributor’s location all over the World, valid until the end of September 2020."

Really... much better than the usual "free dinner over real-estate discussion" deals... 

mnem
*taxiing towards the runway* "Hold onto your butts..."

[mnementh]

there is still the dead x99 board with a blown VRM or mosfet that I cannot use because it was a doa and I don't have any spares ... which is a major pain. I wanted to rebuild my everyday puter and I wanted to use X99 ...

Is that why your attention drifted towards hot-air rework gear...?   

mnem
"I like the way this girl thinks." ~ grand-dad

[Specmaster]

I went out for a kit to do something useful and visited https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/
when I stumbled across their current special offer which is free access to their online training material
https://www.pipistrel-aircraft.com/are-you-grounded-because-of-covid-19-flight-restrictions-we-have-a-solution/   maybe someone is interested. If not: no discussions please, just move on, nothing to see here ...

Heh... lookit the fine print at the end: "Anyone who successfully finishes an on-line training course will receive a voucher for a free demo flight in one of our aircraft at your closest Pipistrel distributor’s location all over the World, valid until the end of September 2020."

Really... much better than the usual "free dinner over real-estate discussion" deals... 

mnem
*taxiing towards the runway* "Hold onto your butts..."

As always in these things, there's always a BUT in it somewhere, just when you think someone is actually doing something nice for a change 

[mnementh]

You're saying that as if it were a bad thing. 

I dunno about you, but I for one would much rather listen to someone try and sell me a plane while flying in it... especially knowing there's no way in hell I could POSSIBLY swing the paper...    than listen to someone similarly try to sell me real estate while grinding through overcooked bulk-pack marinated flank steak and crappy wine.

mnem
 

[Mr. Scram]

I love you man. I really do. But if you and Oculus are going to start being fucking topic nazis and threaten to ragequit every time a topic comes up, then please, don't let the screen door hit ya on yer way out.

Seriously. You've both turned into prickly bastards, getting your hackles up any time anything even remotely topical comes up; I'm tired of walking on eggshells. You are being too easily bothered, and that's the short of it.

Now either put on yer big boy pants and deal, or have some popcorn & TEA.

mnem
 

At least we have a magic word to make the complaints go away. I'm COnVIDent we won't have to resort to that.   

[mnementh]

Will you please go find something else to do besides trolling in here?

mnem
 

[Saskia]

there is still the dead x99 board with a blown VRM or mosfet that I cannot use because it was a doa and I don't have any spares ... which is a major pain. I wanted to rebuild my everyday puter and I wanted to use X99 ...

Is that why your attention drifted towards hot-air rework gear...?   

mnem
"I like the way this girl thinks." ~ grand-dad

Nope. I have my preheater, my Quick 861 DW, my Hakko 2032 Micropencil and my Weller WMRP all sitting here. Plus the microscope. I am waiting for the seller to either take it back or fix it, basically because I think that it is his job, not mine.

[Saskia]

to be honest, I have very seriously considered buying a pipistrel, because it would be just f*ing great for commuting.
I have an airfield 15 minutes from my workplace and one 15 minutes from home and it's 400 km straight to get home instead of 500 km with a car. So after doing the math and a lot of evaluations (of my bank account and my health to get my medical) the project is currently on ice. If I had won the lottery I would most likely be cruising in a DA62.

[Mr. Scram]

Will you please go find something else to do besides trolling in here?

mnem
 

Oh, lighten up.    I know we're all off our game but we don't have to prove it all the time.

[Mr. Scram]

to be honest, I have very seriously considered buying a pipistrel, because it would be just f*ing great for commuting.
I have an airfield 15 minutes from my workplace and one 15 minutes from home and it's 400 km straight to get home instead of 500 km with a car. So after doing the math and a lot of evaluations (of my bank account and my health to get my medical) the project is currently on ice. If I had won the lottery I would most likely be cruising in a DA62.

Don't tell me have a 500 km daily commute. I guess you don't do that every day?

[tggzzz]

OK, I'm out of here until May at the earliest.

Enjoy yourselves.

[Saskia]

no I don't, it's weekly. But I digress.

Battery spill repair - of any interest ?

[Wolfgang]

to be honest, I have very seriously considered buying a pipistrel, because it would be just f*ing great for commuting.
I have an airfield 15 minutes from my workplace and one 15 minutes from home and it's 400 km straight to get home instead of 500 km with a car. So after doing the math and a lot of evaluations (of my bank account and my health to get my medical) the project is currently on ice. If I had won the lottery I would most likely be cruising in a DA62.

... was once thinking in the same direction, but with a non-IFR aircraft there are way too many days where you cannot fly. If you live in a city, there is no landing space. In total, you dont save much time (Planning, preflght, maintenance, ...). Small planes are not really fast. Cost: car*5 in a reasonably plane. Chopper: *10. Summary: forget it.

[Saskia]

a tiny restoration project.
Battery leakage.

Hey now, hey now now, sing this corrosion to me ...

[Saskia]

corrosion here, corrosion there, corrosion everywhere ...

[Saskia]

and hiding under the solder mask. Nasty.

Obviously the first step is to remove the affected components and neutralize the caustic ...

I usually use 25% vinegar acid and wait until the bubbling stops (which is an indication of the reaction having finished).
When done, the pcb goes into the ultrasonic. Solder mask is removed with a fiberglass pen, any caustic that has crept under the solder mask can be discovered and any hidden corrosion can be removed.

Then it's repairing traces and redoing those little through holes and the contacts ...
A Bungard press is great for that.

After several hours of work the board was back in operations ...

Tools used: scalpel, fiberglass pen, soldering iron and desoldering station, ultrasonic, neutralizing agent (vinegar acid), compressed air, very fine copper wire, bungard press, DMM (for continuity checks), Oscilloscope (for checking the signals at the probe points and I/Os)

[BU508A]

OK, I'm out of here until May at the earliest.

  

[Cerebus]

Edit: fuck, have run out of coffee  . Monday sucks so far.

To misquote Lady Bracknell:

“Running out of tea, Mr. BD139, may be regarded as a misfortune; to run out of coffee looks like carelessness.”

[Cerebus]

... because I have zero interest in explosives, ...

Coo, somebody must have had a dull childhood! 

[Cerebus]

Sing Kumbaya everyone!

(Attachment Link)

Step away from the cuddly toy acoustic guitar!

If I hear the strains of "Streets of London" or "Stairway to Heaven" I may have to drop in on Saskia for some of the exothermic 'good stuff'!

 

[mnementh]

Will you please go find something else to do besides trolling in here?

mnem
 

Oh, lighten up.    I know we're all off our game but we don't have to prove it all the time.

Take a look at your recent message history. No, that's okay; I'll wait. You're trolling.

mnem
Again.

[Saskia]

quick addendum, but I guess y'all know that: when I have corroded PCBs I like to use a lot of Amtech NC 559 flux and a hot air station to reflow the solder.
Makes it tremendously easier to remove. Also, through hole components can be removed a lot easier with hot air than with a desoldering gun (at least that is my observation). Care must be taken though not to heat up the board too much, otherwise the traces will just curl off and disintegrate ...