Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[factory]

For some reason I have a picture of back of our Bosch fridge/freezer, really not much too see here. The Hotpoint fridge it replaced is still abandoned in the outhouse, we got the combined one after the LEC freezer died. The old LEC came with a set of Tams (Stoke made) crockery, almost all of which has got broken or disappeared (same for Tams in Stoke), shame as I quite liked the design & smaller sized items that don't seem to be available anymore. 


Keeping it TEA related, Tams in Stoke were once the largest maker of Mugs in the UK, I sure someone posted a picture of HP mug a while back that was probably made there.

David

[Vince]

And also missing from Vince's lab: a simple, commercial day or week timer switch. 

I have multiples of these, perhaps I should send him one, in the spirit of Entente Cordiale.

That's very nice of you ! 

I guess it would not be economical though !....

But what would I do with such a thing, in the lab ?  Use case example please ?! 

When you are not needing it to control your fridge
- you could switch something on and off repeatedly
- you could limit the charging time for a battery/charger which you do not trust to do it by itself
- you could activate something at a predetermined time for recording or generating a signal.

The one I thought about initially is electromechanic. It has a circle of little tabs with one tab equating 15minutes.
See? pull every 4th one out and plug the fridge in.

Ah these things... yes sure... old man said he has 3 at home. His wall thermostat also uses such a system to set on and off time for the heating.
He said that service techs often also used that to rescue customers when their fridge like mine was waiting for a new thermostat. Kept them going while the part was on its way.

Yeah OK might one....

[mansaxel]

Well that was good. Think karma paid what it owes me now. Got a couple of things on the watch list. No integrated circuits in any of them. Hold my, err lack of beer 

Thali from this evening attached. Not bad for £9.50! Hand for size. Note I have huge hands 

I've just cleared the kitchen from the last traces of a barbacoa meal, i.e. long-cooked beef with chillies. Quality home-made Mex. I should not be hungry; especially not since we had French Chocolate Cake for desert, but that picture did something to my digestive system.

Damn!

[mnementh]

For some reason I have a picture of back of our Bosch fridge/freezer, really not much too see here. The Hotpoint fridge it replaced is still abandoned in the outhouse, we got the combined one after the LEC freezer died. The old LEC came with a set of Tams (Stoke made) crockery, almost all of which has got broken or disappeared (same for Tams in Stoke), shame as I quite liked the design & smaller sized items that don't seem to be available anymore. 



Keeping it TEA related, Tams in Stoke were once the largest maker of Mugs in the UK, I sure someone posted a picture of HP mug a while back that was probably made there.

David

Yeah, that's the condenser, not the evap. The evap is the part inside the fridge that gets cold; it'll be behind a panel in the freezer on the kind of fridge I'm talking about.

Here: A vid is worth 1000 words:



This is a over & under fridge; on a side x side, there will be a similar panel in the freezer compartment.

mnem
 

[mansaxel]

Even the cheapest, bottom of the line fridges over here have both and a circulating fan. The only kind that doesn't are chest freezers and some upright freezers, and little "pregnant ice chest" sized dorm fridges, which cool the fridge by an exposed cold plate and convection. Even a lot of upright freezers have a fan; the one I have does.

Please consider you're not living in Europe. Here (tm) only the "no-frost" type (high end) fridges and freezers have a circulating fan. So my bet clearly is: Vince' fridge doesn't have one.

We've only recently got one with a fan, so no, the fan is not common.

[bd139]

Well that was good. Think karma paid what it owes me now. Got a couple of things on the watch list. No integrated circuits in any of them. Hold my, err lack of beer 

Thali from this evening attached. Not bad for £9.50! Hand for size. Note I have huge hands 

Looks like a decent South Indian thali, i.e. veg, not much chilli, not much sugar, lots of flavour from tamarind, coconut, and spices.

Exactly spot on. Was very nice and was indeed only vegetables. Big fan of South Indian food - definitely more healthy!

[Vince]

Fridge Timer Update

Dwagon yes I can assure you, really.... reallllllly.... not all fridges in the world are like the american ones.

You talking about fansin fridges had me fall off my chair.

Our fridges in Europe just have a freaking compressor controllled by a freaking mechanical thermostat.
EIther the compressors fails, otr the thermostat does. That's it.

Anything more complex than this has to be some super expensive state of the art exotic fridge that I have never seen and will probably never ever see in my life time.
Not saying it does not exist... apparently you say it's common on your side of the pond, I believe you of course.... so please believe me when I say that the average fridge here, 99.99999% of them, are juste extremely basic devices !  And it's better this way ! The less there is in them, the less there is to go wrong and the simpler it is to trouble-shoot and repair.


I have just finished soldering the proto board. "Of course " it doesn't work... so now I need to trouble shoot it.... and it's already 22H40 here, getting late...
Hoping for a simple fix, a wiring mistake or some such.

Worse case.... I can use the bread board !!!! 

OK so let's go trouble-shooting this freaking thing.

Yes, it's hot snot holding the relay ni place on the board. Its terminals were too big to fit in the pad holes.


@Captain  : EMI is perfect for now ! It does not work at all so that's ZERO EMIU issue  !!! 

[bd139]

I approve of the relay mounting method 

[Vince]

For some reason I have a picture of back of our Bosch fridge/freezer, really not much too see here. The Hotpoint fridge it replaced is still abandoned in the outhouse, we got the combined one after the LEC freezer died. The old LEC came with a set of Tams (Stoke made) crockery, almost all of which has got broken or disappeared (same for Tams in Stoke), shame as I quite liked the design & smaller sized items that don't seem to be available anymore. 



Keeping it TEA related, Tams in Stoke were once the largest maker of Mugs in the UK, I sure someone posted a picture of HP mug a while back that was probably made there.

David

Yeah, that's the condenser, not the evap. The evap is the part inside the fridge that gets cold; it'll be behind a panel in the freezer on the kind of fridge I'm talking about.

Here: A vid is worth 1000 words:



This is a over & under fridge; on a side x side, there will be a similar panel in the freezer compartment.

mnem
 

I have a fridge not a freezer....

[bd139]

Wow that HP 95LX MS-DOS computer looks cool 

It is. It even has Lotus 123 in ROM, invoked via the blue 1²3 key.

The manual is ~4 times the volume of the computer, and much heavier!

The later 100LX was slightly improved. There was even the OmniGo 700lx where you could ram a Nokia 2110 mobile phone up its backside. I wonder why that didn't catch on? (Hint: Nokia did it right)

Wow, that thing's tiny.

As you can see, it is HP35-sized. The keyboard are good old HP calculator keys, and the keyboard is perfectly usable in two thumb mode.

As you can also see, it it dwarfed by the user guide.

Mobile phones have come a long way. However, my Fuba Porty sports a 9pin Sub-D rs232 port for true compatibility, just don't try carrying it very far...

The HP95LX has something that looks like an overgrown 4-pin USB socket; the cable had a D connector on the other end.

That almost persuaded me to buy a shirt for a second 

(I have not owned a single shirt since 1997)

[factory]

For some reason I have a picture of back of our Bosch fridge/freezer, really not much too see here. The Hotpoint fridge it replaced is still abandoned in the outhouse, we got the combined one after the LEC freezer died. The old LEC came with a set of Tams (Stoke made) crockery, almost all of which has got broken or disappeared (same for Tams in Stoke), shame as I quite liked the design & smaller sized items that don't seem to be available anymore. 



Keeping it TEA related, Tams in Stoke were once the largest maker of Mugs in the UK, I sure someone posted a picture of HP mug a while back that was probably made there.

David

Yeah, that's the condenser, not the evap. The evap is the part inside the fridge that gets cold; it'll be behind a panel in the freezer on the kind of fridge I'm talking about.

Here: A vid is worth 1000 words:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YYVEaTJnOxA[/url

This is a over & under fridge; on a side x side, there will be a similar panel in the freezer compartment.

mnem
 

There are no removable panels inside the fridge section and in the freezer parts the evaporator plumbing sections are directly underneath each plastic drawer. There is only one cable going inside, from the compressor, it goes to the thermostat & lamp unit.
And where did I say that picture was the evap?? It's just a random old picture cluttering up my phone storage.

David

[Saskia]

after some shit days at work I finally managed to complete my small retreat.
2 photos from opposite side of the room ...

[Saskia]

and the 2nd one ...

[med6753]

That almost persuaded me to buy a shirt for a second 

(I have not owned a single shirt since 1997)

While I do own a few button down shirts only a VERY special occasion will persuade me to wear one. 

[mnementh]

There are no removable panels inside the fridge section and in the freezer parts the evaporator plumbing sections are directly underneath each plastic drawer. There is only one cable going inside, from the compressor, it goes to the thermostat & lamp unit. And where did I say that picture was the evap?? It's just a random old picture cluttering up my phone storage.

David

Sorry... I misunderstood that as like to say "See, no fans here." 

I thought maybe it was a matter of folk not knowing what I'm talking aboot (really, outside of folk who fix white goods for a living, very few actually do); we're well into    territory now, so I think I'm going to just make a strategic withdrawal at this point...

mnem

[med6753]

after some shit days at work I finally managed to complete my small retreat.
2 photos from opposite side of the room ...

Me like. And not too "girly" 

[med6753]

S/N 008570 has replaced S/N 002646 on bench 2 to give it more burn-in hours. Displaying a 1MHz (999.979kHz) square wave from the Heath IG-4244. It will be the test bed for the troublesome Type 1A4 Four Channel plug-in and I also have a Type 1A2 plug-in that I'll be performing a re-cap.

Edit.....I also swapped over the CRT bezel so the scale illumination works.

 

[tggzzz]

That almost persuaded me to buy a shirt for a second 

(I have not owned a single shirt since 1997)

Shirt pockets are very useful for storing medical appliances such as glasses, deafaids, so you don't forget where you've put them down. You'll probably find that out, when you age a bit more.

Which reminds me: how's your ankle?

No, I've never had a pocket protector

[tggzzz]

Well that was good. Think karma paid what it owes me now. Got a couple of things on the watch list. No integrated circuits in any of them. Hold my, err lack of beer 

Thali from this evening attached. Not bad for £9.50! Hand for size. Note I have huge hands 

Looks like a decent South Indian thali, i.e. veg, not much chilli, not much sugar, lots of flavour from tamarind, coconut, and spices.

Exactly spot on. Was very nice and was indeed only vegetables. Big fan of South Indian food - definitely more healthy!

Healthier than what? Lots of salt and fully saturated fat (i.e. coconut), which makes butter look life extending.

Having said that, I developed a taste for Keralan/Tamil Nadu food when backpacking round there with my daughter. It is the only vegan food I regard as delicious. Even Gordon Ramsay begrudgingly acknowledged it was very good.

Problem in this country is that too much of S Indian food is actually made by N Indian chefs - and they put too much chilli and sugar in it. Daughter even left a tripadvisor report to that effect at the last one we tried.

[med6753]

That almost persuaded me to buy a shirt for a second 

(I have not owned a single shirt since 1997)

Shirt pockets are very useful for storing medical appliances such as glasses, deafaids, so you don't forget where you've put them down. You'll probably find that out, when you age a bit more.

Which reminds me: how's your ankle?

No, I've never had a pocket protector

I got that covered. Most but not all of my t-shirts have a chest pocket.

[bd139]

That almost persuaded me to buy a shirt for a second 

(I have not owned a single shirt since 1997)

Shirt pockets are very useful for storing medical appliances such as glasses, deafaids, so you don't forget where you've put them down. You'll probably find that out, when you age a bit more.

Which reminds me: how's your ankle?

No, I've never had a pocket protector

My trousers have enough pockets for extra gubbins. I also carry deaf aids. In this case the reverse: idiot cancelling earphones 

Foot actually healing rapidly which is good. I can put it down flat and walk ok now if I take it easy. Driving is pretty much fine as it’s not the clutch foot. Should be fine for Sunday’s trip out to Dunstable. The tendon still feels crunchy which isn’t pleasant but that should go in time.

[med6753]

Well that was good. Think karma paid what it owes me now. Got a couple of things on the watch list. No integrated circuits in any of them. Hold my, err lack of beer 

Thali from this evening attached. Not bad for £9.50! Hand for size. Note I have huge hands 

Looks like a decent South Indian thali, i.e. veg, not much chilli, not much sugar, lots of flavour from tamarind, coconut, and spices.

Exactly spot on. Was very nice and was indeed only vegetables. Big fan of South Indian food - definitely more healthy!

Healthier than what? Lots of salt and fully saturated fat (i.e. coconut), which makes butter look life extending.

Having said that, I developed a taste for Keralan/Tamil Nadu food when backpacking round there with my daughter. It is the only vegan food I regard as delicious. Even Gordon Ramsay begrudgingly acknowledged it was very good.

Problem in this country is that too much of S Indian food is actually made by N Indian chefs - and they put too much chilli and sugar in it. Daughter even left a tripadvisor report to that effect at the last one we tried.

Regardless. If it has curry in it I won't touch it. Can't stand curry.....even the smell of it. 

[Specmaster]

For some reason I have a picture of back of our Bosch fridge/freezer, really not much too see here. The Hotpoint fridge it replaced is still abandoned in the outhouse, we got the combined one after the LEC freezer died. The old LEC came with a set of Tams (Stoke made) crockery, almost all of which has got broken or disappeared (same for Tams in Stoke), shame as I quite liked the design & smaller sized items that don't seem to be available anymore. 



Keeping it TEA related, Tams in Stoke were once the largest maker of Mugs in the UK, I sure someone posted a picture of HP mug a while back that was probably made there.

David

Yeah, that's the condenser, not the evap. The evap is the part inside the fridge that gets cold; it'll be behind a panel in the freezer on the kind of fridge I'm talking about.

Here: A vid is worth 1000 words:



This is a over & under fridge; on a side x side, there will be a similar panel in the freezer compartment.

mnem
 

Yeah my freezer has that fan, but that is not the norm over here, but my freezer is what they call no frost, or frost free and is a premium type of freezer. the cheaper types don't have the fan, but that does also involve having to do a regular defrost of the freezer to keep it running smoothly at its best.

[Vince]

Fridge Timer Update

Proto board fixed ! 

See schematics below.

Well the firsts phase was quick, it appeared the transistor that drives the relay coil had died. It's B-E emitter junction had died open. OK maybe bad luck. So I replace it but wary, I solder a "socket" for the new transistor. Well, a piece of female 0.1" strip header,  that is...

I am glad I did. 2 seconds later the new transistor dies of the exact same fate ! 

OK so there is indeed something wrong... but what...  only way to fry the B-E junction is too much base current... but that's limited to 2+ mA or so with my 4.7K pull-up, and that resistor measures just fine...

Anyway after much experimenting and probing around... turns out the relay coil had become a short. hFE must have been a bit more than the 75 specified in the datasheet, which means the transistor was able to draw way more than the 800mA it's rated for (I noted the power rail dropped from 12V to 6V when the coil was energized ! ).
I think I damaged the relay when I soldered the wires to the coil terminals. Being upside down it was a pain to get solder to stay in place to stick to the wires. So I had to make several attempts. I remember one of the terminal "wobbling" in its plastic base... meaning the plastic softened enough for the pin to move...
Looking through the clear case of the relay, I can see that pin internally, leaning towards, touching the coil enameled wire. Maybe it was so hot that it melted the enamel and shorted the coil. The latter measured only 3+ ohms .... far from it's original 220 ohms...

So I replaced that relay with the one in the picture below. This time with thinner terminals that can go through the pad holes, so I could solder it onto the board, eliminating the risk of overheating the terminals. I wanted to avoid soldering a relay to the board as it now means I have to solder wires to the board hence bring mains to the board, safety and all that. So I hope everything will be alright.

After that, the board came to life just fine, rely is clicking away.

So I can now fit the board into the project box and add the power socket and give it a try !! Right=, right ?!!! NO !!!!  It's 00H50 and freaking tired, I can barely see what I am typing, never mind what I was soldering just a minute ago ! I am going to bed ! !!!   

[bd139]

Well that was good. Think karma paid what it owes me now. Got a couple of things on the watch list. No integrated circuits in any of them. Hold my, err lack of beer 

Thali from this evening attached. Not bad for £9.50! Hand for size. Note I have huge hands 

Looks like a decent South Indian thali, i.e. veg, not much chilli, not much sugar, lots of flavour from tamarind, coconut, and spices.

Exactly spot on. Was very nice and was indeed only vegetables. Big fan of South Indian food - definitely more healthy!

Healthier than what? Lots of salt and fully saturated fat (i.e. coconut), which makes butter look life extending.

Having said that, I developed a taste for Keralan/Tamil Nadu food when backpacking round there with my daughter. It is the only vegan food I regard as delicious. Even Gordon Ramsay begrudgingly acknowledged it was very good.

Problem in this country is that too much of S Indian food is actually made by N Indian chefs - and they put too much chilli and sugar in it. Daughter even left a tripadvisor report to that effect at the last one we tried.

Well it's got a hell of a lot less ghee, sugar and bits of anything that happened to walk or slither by the back door of the restaurant in it . Agree with the chilli and sugar. Today's meal was flavoursome and not disguised at all. It was perfect.

On Keralan/Tamil Nadu, I may go to India at some point in the next couple of years so will keep eyes peeled. A friend of mine has threatened to drag me there so I will see where we end up.

As for vegan food, and I'm sure this will be smirked upon in present company, I actually find it more palatable and eat it regularly

Can recommend Caponata Pasta as a very nice dish: https://www.bosh.tv/recipes/pasta-caponata