Author Topic: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread  (Read 14554771 times)

ch_scr, Wolfgang, BrianInTexas and 16 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline mansaxel

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 3554
  • Country: se
  • SA0XLR
    • My very static home page
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120575 on: May 24, 2022, 02:43:31 pm »
No TE for a while here. The car seems to swallow insane amounts of money, what with suspension renovation and similar. Picked up new sealing rings for front bearings today, and have just ordered reinforced rear springs and new front brake pads. New rear shocks and front control arms, as well as ABS rings are waiting to be fitted; got the old control arms out this weekend with a considerable amount of profanity involved.  One ABS sensor has already been swapped out; will be fixated as soon as I've got the new control arms in place.

To top this off, I need 4 new tyres too. Yay. And MOT defaults May 31st.

Offline Cubdriver

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 4201
  • Country: us
  • Nixie addict
    • Photos of electronic gear
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120576 on: May 24, 2022, 02:44:36 pm »
The old HP/Dymec 2401A/2401C could measure frequency - to a blinding 300 kc, according to the spec sheet (it came out before Hz was widely used for frequency).




Shown here in the 'check' position with the expected 10 kHz display.

This one's still in the queue...

Additional pics:  https://pmanning.smugmug.com/Electronics/HPDymec-2401C-Integrating

-Pat

Thanks ! Looks really nice, would not mind one !!  :D ! I guess they must be rare in expensive, but you will tell me you got it for a tenner in some ham fest, or free found on the side of the road, just to drive me mad !!!  :-DD

Maybe they go for cheaper because they are not branded "HP"  ?!  :-// 
That would help me.

No, that one I found at a surplus place in CA about six years ago.  It had been there for a while given the coating of dust it wore.  Can’t recall what I paid for it, probably between $70~100 (and likely about that again to ship it home).  As far as I can tell, they’re pretty rare at this point - mine is the only one I’ve ever seen in the flesh, though I know of one other guy on the HPAK mailing list who also has one.  Dymec was one of the early companies that HP bought out; look closely at the logo and you’ll notice it is the contemporary HP logo, but inverted.

It’s a cool old beast, but huge and heavy for being a DC voltmeter.

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 
The following users thanked this post: Vince, cyclin_al

Offline mnementh

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 17541
  • Country: us
  • *Hiding in the Dwagon-Cave*
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120577 on: May 24, 2022, 02:50:36 pm »
Probulators arrived courtesy Farnell. Expensive but worth it...

Got 2 sets of Pomona minigrabber leads and a full Keysight 34138A pack:   

The keysight probes aren't cheap but they have all the nice attachments with them:   

From left to right: 2x fine tipped pokers with insulation all the way down, 2x SMD grabbers, 1x normal grabber (for usual ground clip), 2x normal sheathed non retractable probes.

Fun fun fun. 34401A out for delivery too  :-+
   

Have you any opinions on how those sheathed fine tips compare to the 34133A and its micro pogo pins? 

Many times I've had them in my basket to pad out an order... but put them back because I found something else I needed more at the time, and honestly ~$45 for one set of probes... owwchies.

I mean, when I made all of these loverly 12 & 13ga sillycone jumpers for ~$40 delivered...

   

...that was much more viscerally satisfying.

mn3m
 :-/O
My father has these 34133A. The points are sharp as hell (which is why I got them as a gift in the first place) but the lead handles are freaking tiny. Like almost half the size you'd expect from a "normal" test lead... So I'd imagine not a good fit for dwagon-paws  :-//


I'm kindof torn... while I like the idea of pogo pins on a test probe, and I love the idea of razor-sharp hard-point probes like the Oldaker leads I use on my 3478A, I'm with bd139 on the point of them shorting out against other stuff, so would want them insulated like the long-thin tips in the 34138A pack. As soon as you put some heat-shrink on there to make them insulated, it kindof instantly takes away the "super-thin pointy stick" advantage... :o

As for the probes being tiny... maybe if I were using them on dangerous voltages, yeah... but I routinely use (well, I would if I could find them right now) home-made fine-fine probes which are literally sewing needles soldered to a 4mm bullet and shrink-wrap over that, which I then plug into my heavy patch cords or one of my modular test leads... so yeah, the 34133A leads would def be a step up in that dept.  :-+

mnem
 :-/O
alt-codes work here:  alt-0128 = €  alt-156 = £  alt-0216 = Ø  alt-225 = ß  alt-230 = µ  alt-234 = Ω  alt-236 = ∞  alt-248 = °
 

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120578 on: May 24, 2022, 02:57:24 pm »
Quick pr0n:

Display is PERFECT. This doesn't look like it has many hours on the bench.



Anyway going to crawl into bed and cuddle it now. Then awake later and find a handle on ebay which is the only missing bit.
 
The following users thanked this post: Vince, Robert763, Zucca, Brumby, BU508A, med6753, mnementh, Specmaster, ch_scr, factory, Kosmic, cyclin_al, Peter_O

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120579 on: May 24, 2022, 03:12:32 pm »
Quick pr0n:

Display is PERFECT. This doesn't look like it has many hours on the bench.



Anyway going to crawl into bed and cuddle it now. Then awake later and find a handle on ebay which is the only missing bit.

I like my TE but I never considered cuddling with it in bed.   :o

Besides.....A Type 547 would break the bed.  :P :-DD
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 
The following users thanked this post: mnementh, cyclin_al

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120580 on: May 24, 2022, 03:13:20 pm »
I like my TE but I never considered cuddling with it in bed.   :o

Besides.....A Type 547 would break the bed.  :P :-DD

So would my ex wife  :-DD
 

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120581 on: May 24, 2022, 03:15:15 pm »
I like my TE but I never considered cuddling with it in bed.   :o

Besides.....A Type 547 would break the bed.  :P :-DD

So would my ex wife  :-DD

Oh shit. LMAO.  :-DD :-DD
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 
The following users thanked this post: Specmaster, cyclin_al

Offline Neper

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 543
  • Country: de
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120582 on: May 24, 2022, 03:23:21 pm »
No TE for a while here. The car seems to swallow insane amounts of money, what with suspension renovation and similar. Picked up new sealing rings for front bearings today, and have just ordered reinforced rear springs and new front brake pads. New rear shocks and front control arms, as well as ABS rings are waiting to be fitted; got the old control arms out this weekend with a considerable amount of profanity involved.  One ABS sensor has already been swapped out; will be fixated as soon as I've got the new control arms in place.

To top this off, I need 4 new tyres too. Yay. And MOT defaults May 31st.

Just so you don't feel all alone, we're just reviving our car after 1 1/2 years in the underground car park. 100,000 km inspection with oil change, filters, change of break fluid etc.pp. Plus MOT. About 600 euros, they say, if they don't find anything unexpected. At least the tank is still 3/4 full. Was 1.05 euro per liter at the time.

And no, I can't do any of this myself. Wouldn't know where to do it. 
« Last Edit: May 24, 2022, 03:26:35 pm by Neper »
If I knew everything I'd be starving because no-one could afford me.
 
The following users thanked this post: mnementh, mansaxel, cyclin_al

Offline bd139

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 23018
  • Country: gb
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120583 on: May 24, 2022, 03:36:49 pm »
Ok got the meters sorted. Repair the two iffy ones and then on to scopes  :popcorn:



Disclaimer: may be bankrupt before Christmas at this rate.
 
The following users thanked this post: xrunner, Vince, med6753, mnementh, Specmaster, wolfy007, ch_scr, Kosmic, cyclin_al, Peter_O, Neper

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120584 on: May 24, 2022, 03:56:32 pm »
The failure of the Type 1A2 plug-in re-cap from yesterday.

Found the problem. And I didn't have to resort to putting the plug-in on the extender. Simply checking with an ohm meter found it. That bare wire right above the "V233". Was pushed up and shorted to the chassis. That shorted the cathode of V233 to ground. I must have moved it when I installed the new capacitor.




All is well now. Just want to verify compensation on both channels. It should be OK since it had a prior calibration by me.

An old gray beard with an attitude.
 
The following users thanked this post: Vince, Cubdriver, BU508A, mnementh, Specmaster, bd139, ch_scr, TERRA Operative, cyclin_al

Offline Zoli

  • Frequent Contributor
  • **
  • Posts: 491
  • Country: ca
  • Grumpy old men
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120585 on: May 24, 2022, 04:07:06 pm »
Probulators arrived courtesy Farnell. Expensive but worth it...

Got 2 sets of Pomona minigrabber leads and a full Keysight 34138A pack:   

The keysight probes aren't cheap but they have all the nice attachments with them:   

From left to right: 2x fine tipped pokers with insulation all the way down, 2x SMD grabbers, 1x normal grabber (for usual ground clip), 2x normal sheathed non retractable probes.

Fun fun fun. 34401A out for delivery too  :-+
   

Have you any opinions on how those sheathed fine tips compare to the 34133A and its micro pogo pins? 

Many times I've had them in my basket to pad out an order... but put them back because I found something else I needed more at the time, and honestly ~$45 for one set of probes... owwchies.

I mean, when I made all of these loverly 12 & 13ga sillycone jumpers for ~$40 delivered...

   

...that was much more viscerally satisfying.

mn3m
 :-/O
My father has these 34133A. The points are sharp as hell (which is why I got them as a gift in the first place) but the lead handles are freaking tiny. Like almost half the size you'd expect from a "normal" test lead... So I'd imagine not a good fit for dwagon-paws  :-//


I'm kindof torn... while I like the idea of pogo pins on a test probe, and I love the idea of razor-sharp hard-point probes like the Oldaker leads I use on my 3478A, I'm with bd139 on the point of them shorting out against other stuff, so would want them insulated like the long-thin tips in the 34138A pack. As soon as you put some heat-shrink on there to make them insulated, it kindof instantly takes away the "super-thin pointy stick" advantage... :o

As for the probes being tiny... maybe if I were using them on dangerous voltages, yeah... but I routinely use (well, I would if I could find them right now) home-made fine-fine probes which are literally sewing needles soldered to a 4mm bullet and shrink-wrap over that, which I then plug into my heavy patch cords or one of my modular test leads... so yeah, the 34133A leads would def be a step up in that dept.  :-+

mnem
 :-/O
The Keysight 34133A is originally known as Pomona 6275. I own the Pomona, I'd tried with pogo pin tip, but the answer is no: to get proper contact, the pin has to be completely pushed in, so I will stick to the original stainless steel tips, even if them are a little soft.
When I will found 0.0405" carbon steel rod(0.04" is lose, 0.041" don't fit; maybe I should try some guitar strings?) I will change the tips, and it will make the perfect SMD leads.
 
The following users thanked this post: mnementh, cyclin_al

Offline Vince

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4168
  • Country: fr
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120586 on: May 24, 2022, 04:10:30 pm »
Ok got the meters sorted. Repair the two iffy ones and then on to scopes  :popcorn:



Disclaimer: may be bankrupt before Christmas at this rate.

I thought you were about to move ?!  :-DD

Note the skills of the guy. He cropped the image accurately down to the pixel so that it looks like a tidy bench, when in fact there are boxes full of stuff stacked up to the ceiling left and right !  :-DD

Stupid question : why are you making your future move more difficult ? Why not simply wait until you have moved, to then buy the TE and not have to move it soon after (and risk damaging it in the process, also ! ) ?

 :-//

I guess you are just too impatient... after 6 months TE-less, you feel the need for TE again,  so badly that you can't even wait a few weeks or whatever is your moving date...
« Last Edit: May 24, 2022, 04:13:07 pm by Vince »
 

Offline TERRA Operative

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 2871
  • Country: jp
  • Voider of warranties
    • Near Far Media Youtube
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120587 on: May 24, 2022, 04:18:14 pm »
Because the best time to acquire more test equipment is right now..  :-DD
Where does all this test equipment keep coming from?!?

https://www.youtube.com/NearFarMedia/
 
The following users thanked this post: Cubdriver, med6753, mnementh, wolfy007, cyclin_al, Zoli, Neper

Offline Zucca

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 4298
  • Country: it
  • EE meid in Itali
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120588 on: May 24, 2022, 04:20:38 pm »
Quick pr0n:

Display is PERFECT. This doesn't look like it has many hours on the bench.



Anyway going to crawl into bed and cuddle it now. Then awake later and find a handle on ebay which is the only missing bit.

Since you are still awake here you get a treat for you

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/agilent-34401a-hidden-10ma-ac-current-range/

I want to test if you are doing it now or not, and if not, can you sleep tonight without that hidden range activated?  :D
Can't know what you don't love. St. Augustine
Can't love what you don't know. Zucca
 
The following users thanked this post: bd139, AVGresponding

Offline Vince

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4168
  • Country: fr
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120589 on: May 24, 2022, 04:32:34 pm »
Because the best time to acquire more test equipment is right now..  :-DD

Unfortunately that's not at all what my banker says  >:(
 
The following users thanked this post: mnementh

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120590 on: May 24, 2022, 04:42:00 pm »
Tomorrow's project. This Type 1A4 Four Channel plug-in. It has a few annoying issues and one of them cannot be fixed.

Problem 1: All four channel position controls are horribly noisy. They are a sealed double pot with a momentary push switch. Deoxit won't penetrate them. I've tried, numerous times. Only fix is replacement. Forget that. Unobtainium. And even if you could get replacements you would have to completely disassemble the plug-in to replace channel 2 and 3. So, it's basically live with it.

Problem 2: There's a weird relationship with channel 1 and 2 trigger. If I select channel 2 trigger it forces channel 1 trace off screen. But channel 1 trigger select has no affect on channel 2. Channels 3 and 4 do not play these games. Should be fun tracking that down.

Problem 3: Somehow I screwed up the compensation on channel 2. Looks like crap.


   
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 
The following users thanked this post: Vince, Cubdriver, mnementh, Specmaster, ch_scr, cyclin_al

Offline Cubdriver

  • Supporter
  • ****
  • Posts: 4201
  • Country: us
  • Nixie addict
    • Photos of electronic gear
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120591 on: May 24, 2022, 04:53:21 pm »
Because the best time to acquire more test equipment is right now..  :-DD

Unfortunately that's not at all what my banker says  >:(

Bankers (like SWMBOs) can be such killjoys!   |O

-Pat
If it jams, force it.  If it breaks, you needed a new one anyway...
 
The following users thanked this post: bd139

Offline mnementh

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 17541
  • Country: us
  • *Hiding in the Dwagon-Cave*
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120592 on: May 24, 2022, 04:55:28 pm »
Usually only when they're the same person...  :o

mnem
*married a enabler*  ;D
alt-codes work here:  alt-0128 = €  alt-156 = £  alt-0216 = Ø  alt-225 = ß  alt-230 = µ  alt-234 = Ω  alt-236 = ∞  alt-248 = °
 

Offline Vince

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 4168
  • Country: fr
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120593 on: May 24, 2022, 04:58:14 pm »
Tomorrow's project. This Type 1A4 Four Channel plug-in. It has a few annoying issues and one of them cannot be fixed.

Problem 1: All four channel position controls are horribly noisy. They are a sealed double pot with a momentary push switch. Deoxit won't penetrate them. I've tried, numerous times. Only fix is replacement. Forget that. Unobtainium. And even if you could get replacements you would have to completely disassemble the plug-in to replace channel 2 and 3. So, it's basically live with it.

Usual method in this case is simply to drill a tiny hole in the pot body so you can get a drop of Deoxit inside there...
Obviously requires care, not for the caveman... but you are not one so should be fine ! ;D


Quote from: med6753
Problem 2: There's a weird relationship with channel 1 and 2 trigger. If I select channel 2 trigger it forces channel 1 trace off screen. But channel 1 trigger select has no affect on channel 2. Channels 3 and 4 do not play these games. Should be fun tracking that down.

Interesting, can't wait to have the detailed explanation of this, once figured out, backed with an annotated schematic of course.
Hurry up, I am impatient to know... work on it all evening and night and post the result tomorrow morning when you get up.






 

Offline Specmaster

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 14483
  • Country: gb
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120594 on: May 24, 2022, 04:59:13 pm »
Ok got the meters sorted. Repair the two iffy ones and then on to scopes  :popcorn:



Disclaimer: may be bankrupt before Christmas at this rate.
The start of a good bench there already. I do like red LED and also green VFD displays, look really cool.
Who let Murphy in?

Brymen-Fluke-HP-Thurlby-Thander-Tek-Extech-Black Star-GW-Avo-Kyoritsu-Amprobe-ITT-Robin-TTi
 
The following users thanked this post: bd139, cyclin_al

Offline xrunner

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 7496
  • Country: us
  • hp>Agilent>Keysight>???
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120595 on: May 24, 2022, 05:06:50 pm »
Ok got the meters sorted. Repair the two iffy ones and then on to scopes  :popcorn:



Disclaimer: may be bankrupt before Christmas at this rate.
The start of a good bench there already. I do like red LED and also green VFD displays, look really cool.

Will bd have a fancy programmable power supply like all the cool kids have these days?  :-//
I told my friends I could teach them to be funny, but they all just laughed at me.
 
The following users thanked this post: bd139

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120596 on: May 24, 2022, 05:06:51 pm »
Tomorrow's project. This Type 1A4 Four Channel plug-in. It has a few annoying issues and one of them cannot be fixed.

Problem 1: All four channel position controls are horribly noisy. They are a sealed double pot with a momentary push switch. Deoxit won't penetrate them. I've tried, numerous times. Only fix is replacement. Forget that. Unobtainium. And even if you could get replacements you would have to completely disassemble the plug-in to replace channel 2 and 3. So, it's basically live with it.

Usual method in this case is simply to drill a tiny hole in the pot body so you can get a drop of Deoxit inside there...
Obviously requires care, not for the caveman... but you are not one so should be fine ! ;D


That might work, but only for channels 1 and 4. You can't even see the pots for channels 2 and 3 let alone get to them. Even getting deoxit anywhere near them was a chore.
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120597 on: May 24, 2022, 05:09:59 pm »

Quote from: med6753
Problem 2: There's a weird relationship with channel 1 and 2 trigger. If I select channel 2 trigger it forces channel 1 trace off screen. But channel 1 trigger select has no affect on channel 2. Channels 3 and 4 do not play these games. Should be fun tracking that down.

Interesting, can't wait to have the detailed explanation of this, once figured out, backed with an annotated schematic of course.
Hurry up, I am impatient to know... work on it all evening and night and post the result tomorrow morning when you get up.

Not happening. The TE bench is shut down for the rest of today. Patience my son.
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Offline med6753

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 11313
  • Country: us
  • Tek nut
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120598 on: May 24, 2022, 05:11:36 pm »
Because the best time to acquire more test equipment is right now..  :-DD

Unfortunately that's not at all what my banker says  >:(

Bankers (like SWMBOs) can be such killjoys!   |O

-Pat

I neither see, nor hear, nor speak of none of that here.  :P :-DD
An old gray beard with an attitude.
 

Online tggzzz

  • Super Contributor
  • ***
  • Posts: 19280
  • Country: gb
  • Numbers, not adjectives
    • Having fun doing more, with less
Re: Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread
« Reply #120599 on: May 24, 2022, 05:13:32 pm »
Ok got the meters sorted. Repair the two iffy ones and then on to scopes  :popcorn:

Disclaimer: may be bankrupt before Christmas at this rate.

I refer you to your post earlier today, viz "I semi-disagree with that. It should be easy to spend money safely and you should be educated to spend it wisely. Neither of those are inherently true at the moment."
There are lies, damned lies, statistics - and ADC/DAC specs.
Glider pilot's aphorism: "there is no substitute for span". Retort: "There is a substitute: skill+imagination. But you can buy span".
Having fun doing more, with less
 
The following users thanked this post: bd139


Share me

Digg  Facebook  SlashDot  Delicious  Technorati  Twitter  Google  Yahoo
Smf