Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[med6753]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted. The 50mV Vertical range is FUBAR. Trigger seems a little odd in the way it operates. Already mentioned scale illum dead. But considering the filthy mess it was this is pretty damn good.   

[Wolfgang]

Nice. I remember SINIX on some university computers ...

... was nicknamed ISNIX by the few fanboys it had

[tautech]

I wonder just how many of the newer scopes would do that when they reach the same age, probably zero 

Yes indeed. I've decided I'm going to keep the SDS1202X-E until it snuffs it. I reckon ~5 years and it'll brick itself irrecoverably somehow.

After a bite weren't you ?   
Oldest units I have 'out there' are a bit over 7 years and still going strong. Not X-E though but some earlier and much less well featured incarnation.
They weren't fan cooled though which IMO are more of a ticking time bomb. 

[bd139]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted. The 50mV Vertical range is FUBAR. Trigger seems a little odd in the way it operates. Already mentioned scale illum dead. But considering the filthy mess it was this is pretty damn good.   

At least it's dry inside then 

[Wolfgang]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted. The 50mV Vertical range is FUBAR. Trigger seems a little odd in the way it operates. Already mentioned scale illum dead. But considering the filthy mess it was this is pretty damn good.   

VEPHAGANI (vintage equipment performing half as good as new instruments). But anyway, its TEA time 

[Mr. Scram]

I use Malwarebytes, it has almost zero impact on the speed of my PC and is constantly scanning in the background and will often pop a report in the bottom right of the screen giving the results of its back scans. Take a look at this, I used to have the free one but it was only basic and then I upgraded to the premium single user with a voucher after I had an email from a scammer who claimed they had details of my passwords etc and demanded payment in bitcoins or else. Probably got my details from one of the hacks on various companies systems. Passwords have been changed as a precaution though. Malwarebytes also includes anti ransomware as well.

Malwarebytes doesn't score well in tests compared to others.

[mansaxel]

It's not undocumented, you just haven't got the right version of the manual* for your later PSU, I've had to change quite a few toggle switches in boat-anchor grade HP stuff, they often fail open circuit.

*I have the same problem, the manual I possess is never the right version for whatever revision of TE I'm working on, followed by lots of head-scratching trying to work out all the design changes due to obsolete Ge components or elf"n"safety non-improvements. 

True! There probably is a proper manual somewhere. 

This toggle failed with "no toggle" but with a suitable set of pliers it can be told to switch on, so while it failed while being open circuit it did not do so for good. Of course I'm replacing it -- just had to find a non-metric switch. They all are for 12mm holes these days, but I need just below that, 11.90625 mm or 15/32". (the calipers say 11.9mm, I don't have better than that, but bc gives that many decimals for said fraction.. )

Also, modding to DPST from SPST is a Good Thing. I like that. I'd just want it to be documented in my manual. 

Edit: The revision Keysight publishes does not mention the DPST switch...

Today's score: A 500VA 1:1 220V toroid transformer for isolation purposes. Free. Haven't checked it out, but hauled it home. It never hurts to have an isolated mains supply. I'd really have liked for it to have a centre tap, but alas. At the price, though, I'm happy.

[tautech]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted.

That was the first thing I suspected when spotting your pic of its trace. Burn in first then adjust the HV.

[bd139]

I wonder just how many of the newer scopes would do that when they reach the same age, probably zero 

Yes indeed. I've decided I'm going to keep the SDS1202X-E until it snuffs it. I reckon ~5 years and it'll brick itself irrecoverably somehow.

After a bite weren't you ?   
Oldest units I have 'out there' are a bit over 7 years and still going strong. Not X-E though but some earlier and much less well featured incarnation.
They weren't fan cooled though which IMO are more of a ticking time bomb. 

Haha. No it's just the standard failure bell curve of modern tech these days.

[capt bullshot]

Nice. I remember SINIX on some university computers ...

... was nicknamed ISNIX by the few fanboys it had

That nickname was kind of self inviting. I've "invented" it too, about the same time I called XENIX "Sehnix".

[med6753]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted. The 50mV Vertical range is FUBAR. Trigger seems a little odd in the way it operates. Already mentioned scale illum dead. But considering the filthy mess it was this is pretty damn good.   

VEPHAGANI (vintage equipment performing half as good as new instruments). But anyway, its TEA time 

Well of course. Who knows how many years this scope sat unused and collecting dust/dirt. It's going to have a few issues that will need to be addressed. But once I get done it will perform as near as I can get it to factory specs limited only by the equipment I have available to calibrate it.     

And I already fixed one issue. It was an operator error. Since the scale illumination control also functions as the power off/on switch the max intensity for the scale light bulbs is full anti-clockwise, not full clockwise as is normal and you would expect. The bulbs are fine. 

[mnementh]

I give up. After multiple attempts to convert the translated QRV-HB100 article to .pdf without copying it to a fucking Word document first, I cut my losses and just zipped the .html.

EDIT:   And now I see that the problem was Gurrgle all along; they have some DRM crap in the document so it will only open in a new window at Google Translate. The .html below is useless.

mnem
Google, man.

[Wolfgang]

Who was it that said that the Type 310A was a hot box? They weren't kidding. This little SOB has only been on 15 minutes and already throwing off tons of heat...even with the covers off.

I've noticed a few issues. The trace "blooms" and goes out of focus if you crank the intensity up. Probably needs HV checked and adjusted. The 50mV Vertical range is FUBAR. Trigger seems a little odd in the way it operates. Already mentioned scale illum dead. But considering the filthy mess it was this is pretty damn good.   

VEPHAGANI (vintage equipment performing half as good as new instruments). But anyway, its TEA time 

Well of course. Who knows how many years this scope sat unused and collecting dust/dirt. It's going to have a few issues that will need to be addressed. But once I get done it will perform as near as I can get it to factory specs limited only by the equipment I have available to calibrate it.     

And I already fixed one issue. It was an operator error. Since the scale illumination control also functions as the power off/on switch the max intensity for the scale light bulbs is full anti-clockwise, not full clockwise as is normal and you would expect. The bulbs are fine. 

I am fine if you have fun.  What I wonder, however, is in which holy grail Tek museum all these beautifully and fully functional instruments will land. And, who is gonna come and visit these museums ? My first guess: Old farts as we are ourselves.
Best example: Wellenkino (largest collection of tube based Teks in perfectly working order I know of). Awesome but futile. I love it. 

[Specmaster]

I give up. After multiple attempts to convert the translated QRV-HB100 article to .pdf without copying it to a fucking Word document first, I cut my losses and just zipped the .html.

mnem
Google, man.

Gah, its another shit show unfortunately, if like me, your running Firefox as a browser, Google will not allow it to run.

[bd139]

I give up. After multiple attempts to convert the translated QRV-HB100 article to .pdf without copying it to a fucking Word document first, I cut my losses and just zipped the .html.

mnem
Google, man.

Gah, its another shit show unfortunately, if like me, your running Firefox as a browser, Google will not allow it to run.

Ctrl+P .... print to PDF 

[mnementh]

Nope. The problem was Gurrgle all along; they have some DRM crap in the document so it will only open in a new window at Google Translate. Doesn't matter what fucking browser. Doesn't matter what print to .pdf plugin either; I tried several.

Like I said; Google, man.

mnem
*pees on Google just on GP*

[Specmaster]

Nope. The problem was Gurrgle all along; they have some DRM crap in the document so it will only open in a new window at Google Translate. Doesn't matter what fucking browser. Doesn't matter what print to .pdf plugin either; I tried several.

Like I said; Google, man.

mnem
*pees on Google just on GP*

Correct, I can at least open the document from your zip file, in a new window any form of printing results in page 1 only and then at almost double the size so only the left side prints to pdf 

[bd139]

I just did this on edge on windows 10 fine 

[Specmaster]

Edge sucks. I disabled that sucker ages ago.

[tautech]

320m long 3ph service submain line to the pump shed emergency maintenance.
Rust sucks.....and splits porcelain insulators. 



Blowing like a right SOB here today and not wanting to be 7m up a ladder so grabbed the boi as he was passing in his digga and worked outta the bucket.

Not been formally shown how to do the powerline bindings however it looks fairly close to what was unwrapped. 

[hendorog]

[mnementh]

I just did this on edge on windows 10 fine 

No, it opens a new window/tab, then reloads the original page from Google Translate; not the local document. Try and print it to .pdf; you'll see what we're talking about.

mnem

[mnementh]

320m long 3ph service submain line to the pump shed emergency maintenance.      Rust sucks.....and splits porcelain insulators. 

Blowing like a right SOB here today and not wanting to be 7m up a ladder so grabbed the boi as he was passing in his digga and worked outta the bucket.
Not been formally shown how to do the powerline bindings however it looks fairly close to what was unwrapped.      

And of course you had a spare in yer hip pocket. 

Seriously tho; looks good to me.

mnem
 

[Cerebus]

Unfortunately, the boi now looks like this:

[tautech]

320m long 3ph service submain line to the pump shed emergency maintenance.      Rust sucks.....and splits porcelain insulators. 

Blowing like a right SOB here today and not wanting to be 7m up a ladder so grabbed the boi as he was passing in his digga and worked outta the bucket.
Not been formally shown how to do the powerline bindings however it looks fairly close to what was unwrapped.      

And of course you had a spare in yer hip pocket. 

Seriously tho; looks good to me.

mnem
 

Of course, we jump on anything that Powerco's replace as soon as it hits the ground. 
Not allowed their old copper though as it's destined for payment of stocking their staff bar/club. 
Not got a lot of spare on hand now after building that 320m line a few years back after which my linesman mate wanted to gimme a job. F that for a job as way too old for that shit and always in the shittyest weather.
However they certainly have my respect for what they keep working through and put up with.

Unfortunately, the boi now looks like this:

Nah, pop had to swat the lines with the back of his hand to show it weren't hot.
Main OFF, Submain OFF and 25A MCB OFF…..3 stages of isolation from bites.