Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bitseeker]

After a little UART serial port interrogation, the raspberry pi is back online (literally).
Turns out the (updated) driver decided the device it creates is no longer called "wlan0" but "wlx1008c11aa1ac" instead.
Because obviously it should be called that Do I have to mention it is a broadcom device?

LOL! Good name, that.

[bitseeker]

so it seems that in modern era, words can be used in whatever way marketing Dept deem fit 

Yes, indeed. Existing word definitions are boring. So, they use them in new, exciting, and confusing ways...often with spellings to match. Next thing you know, they get added to the dictionary.

C'est la vie.

[mansaxel]

Time to go somewhat recursive and somewhat to the topic of TEA.

I have decided that I need a toque torque screwdriver. (EDIT: was toque a Freudian slip with winter coming?)
The main use would be for electrical work as part of house renovations and for working on TEA.
The tool may also be used in the repair of personal transportation vehicle by whatever terminology we decide to use here (yep, still an agitatingly good day).
Back in July, right around this message (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3615444/?topicseen#msg3615444)
the clear choice was to get something from Wiha.

I took a look at Wiha, found a kit that I liked, then looked at the price in the GWN 
That is more than a mortgage payment on the house!
Also, I am not sure what Wiha mean by Slimline and whether these tools might be used with bits that have 1/4" hex shanks?

Any suggestions for something that has a better price per use ratio?
(price per use, especially price per km for sports equipment, is generally accepted by SWMBO, but I suspect there is an algorithm to convert to peace & quiet time while the boys are out of the house)
Something that accepts 1/4" hex shanks would be great, since all sorts of bits in NA are made with these shanks.
My lowest torque wrench starts at scales of 25 in-lbs or 3.61 Nm.  I would like something for a lower range, with some overlap.

I looked at Greenlee (aka Brymen) and those are almost as expensive as Wiha.
Snap-On would need two tools to cover a similar range, so would end up close to the same expense as Wiha.
Are Wera tools any good; I am not familiar with them?
Crappy Tire had nothing .... that is, well ... crappy.
DigiKey also has Gedore, Weidmüller and PhoenixConact; none of which I am familiar with.

-- If it's not TEA, at least it can be found to fix TEA

I have two Wiha handles, the 0,8 - 5Nm handle in a set and a separate handle the No. 26462, which is 0,5 - 2 Nm. I got the smaller one first, on company money. It works well, but in your situation I'd get the set. Much better value for money, and the ability to handle 1/4" bits is included (and a small set of bits at that). I do however mostly use the special bits that only fit in the torque handles because they're much nimbler and I've got the ones I need, a selection of tiny Torxen, some hex, Pozidriv, Philips and so on.



I'd like to expand into VDE (that is, insulated) screwdrivers with torque since I've got a non-torque Wiha handle with insulated bits that do fit in the torque version. Especially interesting is the slot/pozi hybrid since it is pretty common on outlets, and DIN rail mounted devices like breakers and contactors. The latter often come with torque specification at that.

My square drive torque system, then, like yours, starts at 5-20 Nm with a 1/4" ISI-Werkzeuge handle, goes on with a Norbar 10-60Nm 1/2" handle, and is finished with a 40-200Nm ISI handle and, because I like Einsteck, a Proxxon 40-200 Einsteck handle with jaws:



I've completed the Proxxon with used ring spanner heads, mostly German army surplus, because they tend to spec Einsteck a lot for some mechanical operations. I've seen them used on Leopard tank tracks, among others.

[bitseeker]

TE if still allowed here.

But of course!

Metrix Wobuloscope back on the bench.

That's a nifty device. Have you posted about it before? If so, I missed it.

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

The worst part about the prevalence of poor grammar and spelling is that the exposure starts to induce errors that previously didn't occur. I second-guess myself more than ever.

[bitseeker]

Just bought a 34401A 
and i already have an SDM3065X-SC   

i hope it arrives as good as on the pictures.

Congrats on the upgrade. You got the later, good version, too.

[bitseeker]

I AM CURED.......AND NO LONGER NEED THERAPY FOR TEA!!!!!!

you remember that dumont porta scope that i unloaded on some poor bastard a gentleman purchased from me a couple of years ago?

attended a hamfest over the weekend and it was on a table.

not only did i not buy it......but my feet kept movin' right past it!

(not completly true.  stopped just long enough to confirm that it was my old one.  there was no doubt it was the same unit.)



maybe i should write a self help book?

Congratulations! The good news is that it's temporary. So, get to finishing that book before it wears off. The royalties can go toward your next piece of TE.

[bitseeker]

Could somebody help me with this addiction? With all the ideas floating around in my head I see me falling into a rabbit hole that costs more and more money.

I think that the "help" that is on offer here may not be be in the best interests of your checking account balance.

This weekend I was hiking with the family and my phone pings. I check it and it's results from a saved search for "Fluke" on craigslist.org. Someone is selling a Fluke 77 with test leads for USD30 ( https://seattle.craigslist.org/est/ele/d/kirkland-fluke-77-multimeter/7398312523.html ). My wife recognized my expression and looked at the screen. "No way!" she said.

"What?" I asked with mock surprise "I'm just looking..."

"You are like a heroin addict looking at different flavors of heroin."

I already have more Flukes than I am likely to ever use, so she's probably right. Someone buy that damn 77. That being said, I just made an offer on Ebay for a Fluke clamp-meter so I can get startup and running loads on some home electrical circuits to help me size an electrical generator. The wind in the Pacific Northwest just knocked out power for over 30,000 electrical customers (including me) yesterday. After we moved here it was fun the first couple of times, but it's just a pain in the neck now.

LOL! "Just looking." Riiight.

Sorry, not local, so I'll have to pass. Good deal, though. Fortunately, I have a yellow 23 to help fend off the 77 (and those NOS 27 with probulators) for now.

[bitseeker]

Got the mini 212 pulled apart again. It appears that the issue is the wiring to the socket of the CRT. As you can see it's a tight mess in there. I can tap on the neck of the CRT and make the trace do some dancing. I had already touched up the soldering of the wiring going up to the A2 board prior but apparently that didn't help. So I have to pull the socket off the CRT and check the connections. With the scope pulled apart as shown it doesn't fail. But as soon as you cram everything back together it goes nuts.   

Those mini scopes are so cute, but every time I think about how all those bits are jammed in the little enclosure, it helps me not buy one...yet.

[bitseeker]

Clearly the European options are 'bargains'  eBay auction: #192512640027 this seller has been snorting something on another planet....

Just because it is Fluke XXXx means  asking price to some. Working Fluke 51xx Calibrators are less than all of these.

Well, now, this one's a "RARE ITEM" with a price to match ($3999.99). https://www.ebay.com/itm/192512640027

At least the seller is accepting offers.

[AVGresponding]

Time to go somewhat recursive and somewhat to the topic of TEA.

I have decided that I need a toque torque screwdriver. (EDIT: was toque a Freudian slip with winter coming?)
The main use would be for electrical work as part of house renovations and for working on TEA.
The tool may also be used in the repair of personal transportation vehicle by whatever terminology we decide to use here (yep, still an agitatingly good day).
Back in July, right around this message (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3615444/?topicseen#msg3615444)
the clear choice was to get something from Wiha.

I took a look at Wiha, found a kit that I liked, then looked at the price in the GWN 
That is more than a mortgage payment on the house!
Also, I am not sure what Wiha mean by Slimline and whether these tools might be used with bits that have 1/4" hex shanks?

Any suggestions for something that has a better price per use ratio?
(price per use, especially price per km for sports equipment, is generally accepted by SWMBO, but I suspect there is an algorithm to convert to peace & quiet time while the boys are out of the house)
Something that accepts 1/4" hex shanks would be great, since all sorts of bits in NA are made with these shanks.
My lowest torque wrench starts at scales of 25 in-lbs or 3.61 Nm.  I would like something for a lower range, with some overlap.

I looked at Greenlee (aka Brymen) and those are almost as expensive as Wiha.
Snap-On would need two tools to cover a similar range, so would end up close to the same expense as Wiha.
Are Wera tools any good; I am not familiar with them?
Crappy Tire had nothing .... that is, well ... crappy.
DigiKey also has Gedore, Weidmüller and PhoenixConact; none of which I am familiar with.

-- If it's not TEA, at least it can be found to fix TEA

The slimline uses a smaller shank.

[bitseeker]

Oops i did it again 

Keithley 230 prog. voltage source.. 
now figure out how to pay for dinner for the rest of the mounth... its not that long   

Very nice one! It even has its metallic decal on the tilting bail. Nice catch. I don't yet have a 230 (so far, my "brown" collection consists of 196, 220, 614, and 228A).

What's next on your list?

[bitseeker]

Just have the packages delivered to one of those drop off shops or a locker somewhere. Then you can slip the goodies in the house while she is out at the hairdressers or something 

You lot sound like you're all from some 1950's relation comedy. Wife and I have our own money, and when necessary things are paid for, the rest is play money. I don't ask her why, she does not ask me why. I knew the median age is somewhat elevated, but this is ridicolous.

Sounds like your wife is a keeper for sure, you struck gold there for sure.

It's a two-way street. I look away from the closet. She looks away from the lab. All is well in the castle.

[bitseeker]

For those that prefer electronics to boxes on wheels, here's the latest acquisition - no thanks to ParcelFarce.

I know the Sinclair/Thurlby SC110A is my Nth 'scope, but it won't take up much room - see the multimeter for comparison

It needs tuning, and the battery compartment is missing, but it will do.



The screen is 3cm*2.5cm.

I like your scope and your reasoning. I'll keep, "it won't take up much room," in mind for my future acquisitions.

[dl6lr]

Attached are the parts list, diagram (bit blurred, need to try again) and component layout for A17 from the 408 prefix manual.

Thanks for all your efforts. Have saved all those pictures for reference. I have the BAMA manual for prefix 628 and the artek with prefixes 516, 520 and "with changes provided in Appendix I, also applies to Models having serial prefix numbers 504, 445, 442, 430, 429, 425, 408, 302, 335, 328, 316, 307, 305, 249 and 232"

[bitseeker]

I think we all prefer electronics to other topics but don't lose sight of the point that this is also the equivalent of our local pub / social club as there is no way that we could all meet up for drink and chat about anything and as long as it remains good-natured and informative I see nothing wrong in a diversion from time to time, otherwise it just becomes like so many other threads / forums, one dimensional and slowly dies. I'm a member of many other forums, all electronics based, and they are all dying on their feet because the moderators rule them strictly. No word of a lie, some of them I can go on them about 6 times a year or less and nothing hardly changes, no new content on them. Meanwhile, this particular thread is now I think fair to say number one thread of the entire eevblog.

Well put. I do love me some TEA Tangents among the repairs, packing disasters, new acquisitions, fat-finger fiascos, restorations, and tear downs.

[bitseeker]

News from the nixies: The 5245L is counting!

Refilled the cans, see photos below.

   

I second the      and raise you a

[bitseeker]

Holy shit I could not imagine so many posts about cars after I posted a pic of a Volvo with EU S license plate in USA.

Yep. Next thing you know, you have a TEA thread.

[tonyalbus]

Oops i did it again 

Keithley 230 prog. voltage source.. 
now figure out how to pay for dinner for the rest of the mounth... its not that long   

Very nice one! It even has its metallic decal on the tilting bail. Nice catch. I don't yet have a 230 (so far, my "brown" collection consists of 196, 220, 614, and 228A).

What's next on your list?

Thank you
Nice collection of brown !
was looking for a 220 or 224 .. but they are crazy priced, so no rush at all, waiting for a good deal.

[Brumby]

Clearly the European options are 'bargains'  eBay auction: #192512640027 this seller has been snorting something on another planet....

Just because it is Fluke XXXx means  asking price to some. Working Fluke 51xx Calibrators are less than all of these.

Well, now, this one's a "RARE ITEM" with a price to match ($3999.99). https://www.ebay.com/itm/192512640027

At least the seller is accepting offers.

Not to mention the calibration is less than 10 years old! (only by 9 weeks )

Bah .... shipping would be a bitch.

[Brumby]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 

eBay auction: #324848393872       

eBay auction: #324848242577   

..... and I don't have a TDR!

Nearly an hour each way by untolled roads or about half that time with an extra $27 in tolls.  I'm sorta tempted, but not sure if I'm that motivated.


Not to mention the reception upon return to the household.   

[Cubdriver]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 

eBay auction: #324848393872       

..... and I don't have a TDR!

Nearly an hour each way by untolled roads or about half that time with an extra $27 in tolls.  I'm sorta tempted, but not sure if I'm that motivated.


Not to mention the reception upon return to the household.   

I've got one of those in the queue down stairs; it came with a lot of gear I bought years ago.  Go for it!  Might prompt me to dig mine out and look into it as well.  Surprisingly, it's mostly air inside that big honkin' plug-in.

-Pat

[med6753]

Geez, after sleeping for almost 10 hours you would think that I'd remember to put coffee into the coffeemaker before turning it on.  The results were a just a little weak. 

Haven't had a chance to work the mini 212 further and won't for the rest of this week. Other things pressing plus Lady Cop coming up this weekend. Been out on Ebay looking for something worth my time and still coming up somewhat short. I did find one boatanchor that looks interesting but the seller is asking way too much for it. Like a whole Ben Franklin ($100) too much. And he doesn't have "make offer" enabled and it's been out there quite a while. I'm thinking about tossing him a low ball which will be more than $100 less than he's asking. I suspect I may get told to piss up a rope. 

Oh and, the next time someone wants to get into my shorts and rag on me as to why I do total re-caps I suggest you read this.....

https://www.eejournal.com/article/danger-uxc-these-seven-perils-including-exploding-capacitors-can-kill-your-power-supplies/?fbclid=IwAR1T1oTrg7mU77SkLFR3zWUwBIHFMvzAezavPjeK8ZqJ85tVM58VM5ZQi_k

[Specmaster]

Cng is cow farts at 200 bar. LPG is liquified propane/butane . Vol o offered both version the energy density of cow farts is considerably higher than LPG

Ah OK thanks for the details, didn't know you could have different kind of gases in these cars. Here at the pumps we have LPG, so according to Google, a mix of butane and propane, mostly, as you said. So cow gas is more energetic then ? That's cool... I mean they all say how cow farts is tremendously more dangerous for the ozone layer than CO2 emissions... so let's make use of it to power cars rather letting it blow a hole in the ozone layer ! 

It's the usual media (over-)simplification with methane from cows - yes they always produce methane, yes methane is a more powerfull "greenhouse effect gas" than CO2 but a cow on a pasture feeding naturally has low emissions. A "high octane" milk cow that lives inside, gets fed much soy protein and other stuff to pump out 13000L milk a year - now that one has worrysome amounts of methane emission (and, TBH lives a shitty live IMHO). It does allow to fuel a biogas reactor from it's manure alone, that can be readily collected in such an environment - so it is exploited to the end, in a way...

Why imply CNG is a agricultural byproduct when it's not ! 
As CNG's last 2 letters implies it's a natural gas from the bowels of the earth and a byproduct of oil wells and in many cases targeted from natural gas fields then compressed to provide better density and therefore greater range when used for ICE fuel. In low pressure form it's domestic and industrial fuel used for all manner of generally heating requirements.

Here I register my offence in CNG being associated with agricultural emissions !   

OK I am lost now, was this CNG a joke of Saskia I didn't get, and it's just another name for the LPG/GPL stuff we have in France...

Sorry Saskia, I guess I was not 100% today.... 

CNG in Oz is stuff that comes out of the ground, is compressed, & used as fuel for industrial processes, home cooking, & electricity generators, as well as city buses.

Western Australia had the foresight to reserve a reasonable proportion of the CNG produced in the State for local use.
The other States "went ape" about the export earnings & sold most of theirs overseas, now being in the embarrassing position of having to "buy it bacK!"

Of course, CNG is a fossil fuel, & is not sustainable in the long term, but it is a lot more environmentally friendly than Coal, which quite a bit of East coast power generation relies upon.

The WA gas is from "deep wells" offshore, & doesn't use "fracking".

Surely CNG is sustainable, as long as there are people and animals about pooping and dumping rubbish in landfill sites and then covering them over with soil. Correct me if I'm wrong but CNG (cow farts etc) is just natural methane isn't it?

[beanflying]

Cng is cow farts at 200 bar. LPG is liquified propane/butane . Vol o offered both version the energy density of cow farts is considerably higher than LPG

Ah OK thanks for the details, didn't know you could have different kind of gases in these cars. Here at the pumps we have LPG, so according to Google, a mix of butane and propane, mostly, as you said. So cow gas is more energetic then ? That's cool... I mean they all say how cow farts is tremendously more dangerous for the ozone layer than CO2 emissions... so let's make use of it to power cars rather letting it blow a hole in the ozone layer ! 

It's the usual media (over-)simplification with methane from cows - yes they always produce methane, yes methane is a more powerfull "greenhouse effect gas" than CO2 but a cow on a pasture feeding naturally has low emissions. A "high octane" milk cow that lives inside, gets fed much soy protein and other stuff to pump out 13000L milk a year - now that one has worrysome amounts of methane emission (and, TBH lives a shitty live IMHO). It does allow to fuel a biogas reactor from it's manure alone, that can be readily collected in such an environment - so it is exploited to the end, in a way...

Why imply CNG is a agricultural byproduct when it's not ! 
As CNG's last 2 letters implies it's a natural gas from the bowels of the earth and a byproduct of oil wells and in many cases targeted from natural gas fields then compressed to provide better density and therefore greater range when used for ICE fuel. In low pressure form it's domestic and industrial fuel used for all manner of generally heating requirements.

Here I register my offence in CNG being associated with agricultural emissions !   

OK I am lost now, was this CNG a joke of Saskia I didn't get, and it's just another name for the LPG/GPL stuff we have in France...

Sorry Saskia, I guess I was not 100% today.... 

CNG in Oz is stuff that comes out of the ground, is compressed, & used as fuel for industrial processes, home cooking, & electricity generators, as well as city buses.

Western Australia had the foresight to reserve a reasonable proportion of the CNG produced in the State for local use.
The other States "went ape" about the export earnings & sold most of theirs overseas, now being in the embarrassing position of having to "buy it bacK!"

Of course, CNG is a fossil fuel, & is not sustainable in the long term, but it is a lot more environmentally friendly than Coal, which quite a bit of East coast power generation relies upon.

The WA gas is from "deep wells" offshore, & doesn't use "fracking".

Surely CNG is sustainable, as long as there are people and animals about pooping and dumping rubbish in landfill sites and then covering them over with soil. Correct me if I'm wrong but CNG (cow farts etc) is just natural methane isn't it?

CNG or LNG is Methane and it's source is 'generally' underground everywhere on the planet. We to have 'some' biogas digesters (normally pig poo and sometimes covered sewage ponds) and mined (commonly landfill based from spears into the biomass) and I have worked with and supplied pumps into the industry several decades ago so it is far from new tech. 'Generally' the Biogas gets used direct at source and is then fed back into the grid as it is cheaper than high pressure pipes and pumps. You don't get something from nothing environmentally but it does stop the methane from these bio sources causing heating of this rock but burning it then causes CO2 being the slightly less of the evils.

Compared to burning Petrol as a comparison Gas is way more friendly to breathe the by products and in Oz due to favourable tax rates on gas (now changed) and previous subsidies on conversion from Petrol vehicles we had a high percentage of Gas being used and recently a lot of our Bus fleet is going CNG as it an easier conversion of diesel cycle engines compared to LNG which suits Petrol conversions better.

[ch_scr]

Cng is cow farts at 200 bar. LPG is liquified propane/butane . Vol o offered both version the energy density of cow farts is considerably higher than LPG

Ah OK thanks for the details, didn't know you could have different kind of gases in these cars. Here at the pumps we have LPG, so according to Google, a mix of butane and propane, mostly, as you said. So cow gas is more energetic then ? That's cool... I mean they all say how cow farts is tremendously more dangerous for the ozone layer than CO2 emissions... so let's make use of it to power cars rather letting it blow a hole in the ozone layer ! 

It's the usual media (over-)simplification with methane from cows - yes they always produce methane, yes methane is a more powerfull "greenhouse effect gas" than CO2 but a cow on a pasture feeding naturally has low emissions. A "high octane" milk cow that lives inside, gets fed much soy protein and other stuff to pump out 13000L milk a year - now that one has worrysome amounts of methane emission (and, TBH lives a shitty live IMHO). It does allow to fuel a biogas reactor from it's manure alone, that can be readily collected in such an environment - so it is exploited to the end, in a way...

Why imply CNG is a agricultural byproduct when it's not ! 
As CNG's last 2 letters implies it's a natural gas from the bowels of the earth and a byproduct of oil wells and in many cases targeted from natural gas fields then compressed to provide better density and therefore greater range when used for ICE fuel. In low pressure form it's domestic and industrial fuel used for all manner of generally heating requirements.

Here I register my offence in CNG being associated with agricultural emissions !   

OK I am lost now, was this CNG a joke of Saskia I didn't get, and it's just another name for the LPG/GPL stuff we have in France...

Sorry Saskia, I guess I was not 100% today.... 

CNG in Oz is stuff that comes out of the ground, is compressed, & used as fuel for industrial processes, home cooking, & electricity generators, as well as city buses.

Western Australia had the foresight to reserve a reasonable proportion of the CNG produced in the State for local use.
The other States "went ape" about the export earnings & sold most of theirs overseas, now being in the embarrassing position of having to "buy it bacK!"

Of course, CNG is a fossil fuel, & is not sustainable in the long term, but it is a lot more environmentally friendly than Coal, which quite a bit of East coast power generation relies upon.

The WA gas is from "deep wells" offshore, & doesn't use "fracking".

Surely CNG is sustainable, as long as there are people and animals about pooping and dumping rubbish in landfill sites and then covering them over with soil. Correct me if I'm wrong but CNG (cow farts etc) is just natural methane isn't it?

The "natural" in CNG usually means "nature put it into the ground for us". Most biogas and sewage treatment "digestion tower" produced methane is used on-site in big ICE to produce heat and electrical energy. Not sure about landfill methane - I guess it's even less in volume so I'd guess it's just burned? The gas treatment (filter, dry, ...) and pumps needed to put it into the CNG network are not cost effective for small producers like farms and sewage treatment facilitys - plus both consume enough electricity and heat to find making these from their "waste" attractive (as it keeps cost down).