Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[ch_scr]

I Built this for current measurement with a DMM or clamp meter.
It's just a C13/C14 lead cut in two and taken through a box.
The neutral is taken through the loop on top.
A variation is to replace the loop stain reliefs with 4mm safety sockets and a loop with two shrouded 4mm plugs. It can then be used with DMM or clamp meter.

Edit: my cased variac has C13/C14 connectors and I have leads with C14 on one end and a 13A socket of safeblock on the other.
Most of the power distribution around the workshop is by C13 outlet strips.

on the C13 outlet strips, wayyy more space efficient!

[mansaxel]

Most of the power distribution around the workshop is by C13 outlet strips.

on the C13 outlet strips, wayyy more space efficient!

Yes, the C13 strip concept is Useful. I have rescued from the metal skip at work a bunch of 19" rack mount ones, with individually fused outlets. Mains inlet is Neutrik Powercon, and one is fed from my shop contactor system, the other is fixed. I also have two Schuko 19" outlet strips, one switched, one not. That together with a RJ45 patch panel takes almost all my bench 19" space. I should be getting a boat anchor rack too, if I get around to buying more anchors. Today, the only real anchor is my Solartron volt meter; the rest are small and compact. I mean, a 410b is both sleek and stylish!

[ch_scr]

New TE day 

Got a "LEM Memobox 800" on the bay of evil for 105€, comes with 1Ph and 3Ph voltage and current cables, flexible current clamps (1Ph+3Ph) but a gorilla cut the plug of the 3Ph current clamp harness  He also seemed to have left a mark of his "feather touch" on one of the sockets.

The device itself is only held inside the shiny metal box with 2 screws, very service friendly.

Inside we finde lots of analog and digital goodness: ADC's, CPLD's, a DSP aaand... a dead 3.6V battery.
I did open it up before turning it on  but I believe the seller showed it boot-looping.
Also it is worse than useless without software, and the only place having it is tequipment.net - but for me all the links are dead?
I did shoot them an email but have not heard back 
Also, the Fluke 1745 is similar but the plugs up front are different. Seems they bought LEM and did their own take on it?
Edit:
Upon closer inspection, it looks like there are two harnesses for external current sense transformers - with different cables and plugs. And one of the plugs looks like the one for the other flexible clamp. Seems like they needed two external ones and chopped up the original in a pinch? Another clue might be the 3Ph clamps beeing 2kA full scale - not enough resolution to get usefull low power logging in a domestic setting one could imagine.
The damaged socket clean up alright with a little bit of knife-and-file. Also, the box for the 1Ph clamp has the sound of something loose ratteling around inside, you know what that means 

Edit2: Ok, it looks like I might got incredibly lucky here:
The ratteling was a piece of loose glue and not only have both boxes the full 3Ph connection, meaning I get the pinout of the missing plug served on a silver platter, but also it looks like the only difference between the 200A range and the 2000A range pcb's are one resistor - 5000R on one and 500R on the other 

[Specmaster]

OT post. I'm my son's modify a Knight Rider model so that it sits at a more realistic height as the makers have made this particular model look like a low rider, and we need some metal rod 2.4 mm to make up replacement axles and while searching about the various likely shops, drew a blank. But I did discover a fantastic model railway shop that very few people actually know about as it is in a small building, not all shop like, in a small industrial estate in the middle of a housing estate, right here in my home City, so I thought I share the link with you all in case there are any modellers here as well. NAWTS

[tonyalbus]

PH-163 maybe this seller for the US, i am a bit scared to order there becouse of the shipping and imports etc.
https://www.techupv.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=618978

[vk6zgo]

Picked a great day to skive off kite fishing as nothing much happening here.
Caught a feed for the mate and I but nothing more. 

It was long overdue to have the rig see the light of day...one like this:
https://www.fishingtacklesale.co.nz/product/810164

So wait... what...?

You actually wanted to catch something...? 

That's just unnatural. Contravenes the whole purpose of going fishing; to kill a few bottles with your mate while enjoying a beautiful day out on a boat or on a sandbar...

As soon as you catch something, then you have to do work.

ewwwwwww.

mnem
*well-known to tie a bobber and nothing else on the end of his line*

I know a bloke they call "Matthew 14:15-21", because all he does is "loafs & fishes".

[mnementh]

   I Built this for current measurement with a DMM or clamp meter.  It's just a C13/C14 lead cut in two and taken through a box.

The neutral is taken through the loop on top. A variation is to replace the loop strain reliefs with 4mm safety sockets and a loop with two shrouded 4mm plugs. It can then be used with DMM or clamp meter.

Edit: my cased variac has C13/C14 connectors and I have leads with C14 on one end and a 13A socket of safeblock on the other. Most of the power distribution around the workshop is by C13 outlet strips.

Oh, that's entirely too nice a bit of purpose-built kit. 

Much nicer     than my old deathtrap dim-bulb tester, which also has a current loop in the white/neutral barely seen behind the duplex.

mnem
*tzzzzzzz*

[ch_scr]

State of the bench as of now, feast your eyes - it's not going to stay that way for long:

Also why does this (always?) feel like:
a) Doing this took way too long
b) I've waited to do this for way too long
c) I'm glad I have done it
all at the same time 

[Robert763]

TEA today 
Picked up an another bunch of kit. Mostly RF. A HP 8754A Vector Network Analyser complete with manuals and screen overlays. I've now got three of these compact 4-1300MHz VNAs. They have a built-in source. No RF "test set" built in but detectors are. This means you can make two port measurements with as little as a power splitter. I also picked up  8502B Transmission /Reflection test set. This is a 75R unit with N type test port. Looks identical to the 50R A model which I already have. To go with that is a HP 85036B 75R Calibration kit (current item $3300 from Keysight). Also 75R is a R&S ZRB2 SWR bridge.
Non RF are a couple of vintage PYE resistance decade boxes.

[AVGresponding]

Discord is currently a two-man operation...  >.>

[AVGresponding]

Goddammit BU508A is telling dad jokes on Discord, disregard, disregard, DO NOT LOG DISCORD!!!

[dl6lr]

PH-163 maybe this seller for the US, i am a bit scared to order there becouse of the shipping and imports etc.
https://www.techupv.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=618978

ALERT! I think this shop is scam. I've seen more of those shops, some with surprisingly low offers and always with free shipping, for things that are offered on eBay or other platforms. There is no legal address, only an email. If you try to find that image, you get i.e. the following links:

https://www.rwangary.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=394161
https://www.mshipusnow.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=513760
...

For more fun, compare this ebay offer

https://www.ebay.de/itm/283479872458?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

with this scam shop:

https://www.rangeier.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=6_43_55_978_1874&products_id=12018
https://www.nexteous.top/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=2_65_365_825_926&products_id=13096

[factory]

I tend to agree, it looks to be one of many sites that copy ePay listings. 

Edit: it loaded OK on my phone, but Norton really doesn't like it on the PC.


David

[mnementh]

Aside from Amazon; if they don't accept PayPal, as far as I'm concerned, they don't exist. 

mnem
*toddles off to Discord*

[med6753]

Shoot.  Took an afternoon nap, missed Discord. Anything exciting happen?

Edit....did BD check in? Was Saskia on and update us on her hubby?

[Specmaster]

Shoot.  Took an afternoon nap, missed Discord. Anything exciting happen?

Edit....did BD check in? Was Saskia on and update us on her hubby?

I missed it as well, Anders posted to say that it was basically just 2 people tonight.

[mnementh]

I got on Discord aboot a hour late. Saskia was there, but I didn't see any update aside from that he was grumpy like a grizzly bear woke up from a long winter's nap.

bd139 didn't show. I assume he had some form of MCP entanglement. 

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[Zucca]

Hey mansa,

what are you doing here in South Carolina USA?

It was yesterday in front of me.... 

[Saskia]

@med thx fer asking, he needs to undergo another heart surgery on Nov 5. They need to cut through scarring to free up a clogged blood vessel. They expect a. 4 hour endoscopic surgery and consider this a high risk issue. Not doing it is not an option though as you could count the days before the next cardiac attack. No fun.
In other news the building permit should arrive hopefully next week. we have a notary appointment on Friday.

[TERRA Operative]

Sooooo, any of you gents got a TDS500, 600 or 700 series scope and a gpib-pc interface?

If so, wanna take 10 mins and dump some firmware for me? I'm specifically looking for the elusive V5.3 firmware for my TDS784C, but any firmware I can get for any of these models I'll upload to the tek wiki.
https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/TDS784

Just need to follow steps 1-5 and 7 here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/unified-tektool-released-!-(firmware-flash-tools-for-old-tds-series)/msg3758918/#msg3758918

If you can help out, you'll get the adoration and appreciation of at least one person for at least a couple minutes until the next shiny thing distracts me.

[mansaxel]

Hey mansa,

what are you doing here in South Carolina USA?

It was yesterday in front of me.... 

I would never be caught owning a sedan! I'm strictly a estate person. (I have been known to drive sedans when renting abroad, and I and my employer are cheap, so I usually end up with a small sedan; last time it was a little GM something. )

[tggzzz]

@med thx fer asking, he needs to undergo another heart surgery on Nov 5. They need to cut through scarring to free up a clogged blood vessel. They expect a. 4 hour endoscopic surgery and consider this a high risk issue. Not doing it is not an option though as you could count the days before the next cardiac attack. No fun.

For what it is worth, my thoughts are with you.

[beanflying]

Sooooo, any of you gents got a TDS500, 600 or 700 series scope and a gpib-pc interface?

If so, wanna take 10 mins and dump some firmware for me? I'm specifically looking for the elusive V5.3 firmware for my TDS784C, but any firmware I can get for any of these models I'll upload to the tek wiki.
https://w140.com/tekwiki/wiki/TDS784

Just need to follow steps 1-5 and 7 here:
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/repair/unified-tektool-released-!-(firmware-flash-tools-for-old-tds-series)/msg3758918/#msg3758918

If you can help out, you'll get the adoration and appreciation of at least one person for at least a couple minutes until the next shiny thing distracts me.

Quickly booted up my 520 and it is running 2.16E yep I do have an Agilent GPIB adapter but never tried to hook them both together.

Might be of interest too I fell over this post and list of Firmwares and TEK models

http://www.ko4bb.com/doku2015/doku.php?id=test_equipment:tds_series_firmware

Team,

I was wondering if anyone knows what the latest firmware / software
revisions are for the three digit TDS series.

I am mostly looking for the 754 / 784 series but since the three
digit series is not being built any more, it might be a good idea to
collect this info and put in the files area for future reference.

Thanks
This is how it was about 5 years ago. Some may have changed but I doubt it. I know for sure that some 400's have a hardware depending last version and possibly that could also be true for some 500 and 700's that's why two versions are shown, I'm not 100& sure about that, though.

TDS310,F/W,2.04
TDS320,F/W,2.04
TDS340,F/W,1.09
TDS340A,F/W,1.09
TDS350,F/W,2.04
TDS360,F/W,1.09
TDS380,F/W,1.09
TDS410,F/W,2.53
TDS410A,F/W,1.02
TDS420,F/W,2.55
TDS420,F/W,2.60
TDS420A,F/W,1.02
TDS430A,F/W,1.02
TDS460,F/W,2.55
TDS460,F/W,2.60
TDS460A,F/W,1.02
TDS510A,F/W,1.00
TDS520,F/W,2.16
TDS520A,F/W,3.87
TDS520B,F/W,4.21
TDS520C,F/W,5.3
TDS520D,F/W,6.3
TDS520D,F/W,7.11
TDS524A,F/W,3.87
TDS540,F/W,2.16
TDS540A,F/W,3.84
TDS540B,F/W,4.21
TDS540C,F/W,5.3
TDS540D,F/W,6.6
TDS540D,F/W,7.11
TDS544A,F/W,3.84
TDS580C,F/W,5.3
TDS580D,F/W,6.3
TDS580D,F/W,7.11
TDS620,F/W,2.06
TDS620A,F/W,3.87
TDS620B,F/W,4.41
TDS640,F/W,2.06
TDS640A,F/W,3.88
TDS684B,F/W,4.41
TDS680B,F/W,4.41
TDS644A,F/W,3.85
TDS644B,F/W,4.41v

TDS714L,F/W,6.6
TDS714L,F/W,7.11
TDS724A,F/W,4.21
TDS724C,F/W,5.3
TDS754C,F/W,5.3
TDS724D,F/W,6.3
TDS724D,F/W,7.11
TDS724D,F/W,7.2e
TDS744A,F/W,4.21
TDS754A,F/W,4.21
TDS754C,F/W,5.11
TDS754D,F/W,6.6
TDS754D,F/W,7.11
TDS782A,F/W,4.21
TDS784A,F/W,4.21
TDS784C,F/W,5.3
TDS784D,F/W,6.6
TDS784D,F/W,7.11
TDS784D,F/W,7.4e
TDS794D,F/W,6.6
TDS794D,F/W,7.11
TDS820. F/W,2.03

TLS216,F/W,1.03

THS720,F/W,1.03
THS720A,F/W,1.16
THS710A,F/W,1.16
THS720P,F/W,1.16
THS730A,F/W,1.16
/Håkan

[TERRA Operative]

Yeah, I've seen that list, but trying to actually find those firmwares for download is a bit of a task....

Would be nice to start uploading them as we can find them for posterity I was thinking.

[Specmaster]

@med thx fer asking, he needs to undergo another heart surgery on Nov 5. They need to cut through scarring to free up a clogged blood vessel. They expect a. 4 hour endoscopic surgery and consider this a high risk issue. Not doing it is not an option though as you could count the days before the next cardiac attack. No fun.
In other news the building permit should arrive hopefully next week. we have a notary appointment on Friday.

Saskia, my thoughts are with you both, he really is having a tough time right now, its a stressful time for you both, lets hope and pray that this is a successful operation for him and sets him on the road to recovery.