Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[AVGresponding]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

[AVGresponding]

FRIDGE !


Oh no.....just woke up... fridge temperature after a good night of sleep is now... MINUS 4°C instead of  PLUS 4°C !!
Okay I set the temlperature knob at 6 on a scale of 7 as a starting point to then adjust as required but hell, even then, should not be THAT cold in there !

So I progressively, slowly turn the knob  to a lower / hotter setting and... no go, the compressor doesn't want to stop !

This new / NOS replacement thermostat is kaput ! All that work to try to get it to fit. 3+ weeks running my home made timer ... for nothing !

Can't afford to buy a 20 Euros brand new one, I mean a "fresh' one not 20+ year old stock, so I will try that mechanical timer daddy just sent me.
Fridge was working just fine with a fixed duty cycle of 25%, running 15 minutes every hour, so will do that again.
Might buy a fresh thermostat once I find a job... or not, because we all know there is nothing more permanent than a temporary fix that works....

No, I don't think it's a wiring issue, been studying the thing and the fridge for long enough, and the defrost mode and light work just fine. This thermostat is just kaput.

Sounds like it's time to build an electronic one...

[m k]

The other recently ordered lead amputation apparatus arrived in the mailbox today.  As with the other one, verrah naace.



-Pat

How deep between .1" DIL legs its jaws go?

I have practically unused 7285 because its jaws are too thick.
When old micro jaws go "very" deep.

E,
Dam, body side that is, of course.

[mnementh]

      

Holy sheepdip, Vince... you got the whole kit and two caboodles there. Good score!     

EDIT: IIRC, you should be able to plug that unit into your prehistoric LaserJet or a compatible plotter and print waveforms directly from it. Here's that manual:

mnem
*toddles off to do something constructive*

Thanks for the manual     OK so looks like there are 3 modules available for this scope, all add the same set of cool extra features, only difference is the I/O connector they offer.   So it's either GPIB, or Serial, or Serial  + // printer .... and I have the latter, yeah !!!!   

Serial is cool, gives me total remote control and programmability like GPIB, but the cable is so much thinner/more convenient to use, and serial is so easy to implement on your gizmos with just a simple 8 bit micro-controller and a few lines of code ! I love serial ! 
And of course the printer output, good old DB25 so yeah as you say, you can bet your ass I will be trying to connect it to my trusty 25 year old Laserjet 6P !! 

Cool features in that module indeed. Phase measurement is a huge plus for any analog work, to work on filters or closed loop control system or whatnot.   Extra memory to store traces can never hurt either... and extra math functions as well, integration and differentiation, and even FFT wow.... luxury here, need to platy with that !   I wonder if it's as crappy as the FFT in my Fluke Combiscope, I could try and compare them side by side, material for a future TEA post ! 

I think you'll be very pleasantly surprised; these scopes were pretty well-developed by this time. The kit you've got there is pretty much the exact config I've been scouting a deal on for my own bench.

I'm totes a wee bit jelly! I do hope you find it is as fully functional as mine. 

Cheers,

mnem
PS: Check your PM.

[AVGresponding]

Can't understand how this sold for £50:  https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/28037067796?iid=265736390219

This got bid up to £230! And went unsold and is relisted, the seller wants £280 + £10 p&p, Billy Sastard:  https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/1023101521?iid=394111774211

Oh and this went unsold at £650 opening bid, has been relisted at £580 opening bid £815 BIN. What fecking planet are they from?  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304527588145

[AVGresponding]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

Now I've thought about it for a few minutes, I'm wondering if it's from a dye-pack...   

[bd139]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

Now I've thought about it for a few minutes, I'm wondering if it's from a dye-pack...   

Cheap face paints. It turned out it was only 100% Smurf blue after she spent some time trying to remove the Technicolor turd picture below and just smeared it everywhere 

The blue is well hidden under the other layers in this picture 

It’s on her arms and legs too 

As for dye pack, one day probably 

[tggzzz]

Ok so scope dude came back and said that he wants eBay sold prices for the 7633. So that’s a no then 

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

Stop whining.

If they are whining, take them out and collect wild green walnuts towards the end of the long summer holiday.

Tell him ebay sold prices are £50, and that if he doesn't believe you in the current (worsening) onmicrisis, he should put it on fleabay and see. We'll back you up 

[AVGresponding]

And you thought 8.5 digits was extreme precision!

[med6753]

Just spent a frustrating few hours banging my head against the wall. I'll explain.

I know what the problem is with the dead ALT function on the 475A. See schematic. Q338 should have an Alt Trace Sync Pulse on it's base when the ALT switch is depressed. Nope. Flat line. In fact, by probing it I can make the trace on the CRT switch from channel 1 to 2. I tried following it back to the indicated R599 on the Switch Board. Can't find it. Why? Because the schematic for the Switch Board is missing from my Artek copy. Went on line to find other copies of 475A manuals. Missing from them too.  Went on Ebay to see if anyone had a hard copy manual. Nope. So I'm stuck.



The Switch Board is buried behind the channel attenuators and vertical board. I'm not about to go digging in there and ripping stuff out blind. What dumb luck. 



So for now I buttoned up the 475A until I can find the missing documentation. Even though the alternate function is FUBAR the rest of the scope is OK so I put on the burn-in rack to accumulate some power on hours.



 

[Cerebus]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

and

 

and

 

and, now I've got my breath back, try cold cream (aka Nivea, aka E45 aka Aqueous Cream BP or any petroleum based 'moisturiser'). Rub in liberally and thoroughly and then just wash off with water.

If that doesn't work, acetone + limonene and a flap wheel on an angle grinder.

[Vince]

FRIDGE !
...

Why not using something like this?!

https://www.amazon.de/ARCELI-110V-220V-Fahrenheit-Temperaturregler-Thermostat/dp/B07RHDCH6T/

I had this or a very similar one for a 3d printer chamber heater and it worked fine. Amazingly cheap for what it is.

No ! 

For the same price IO can the OEM  / proper thermostat... my misery only comes from the fact I am broke and was trying to make do with the "compatible" thermostat my dad had in stick and gave me for free...
For now I will just revert back to using a timer since it has proved to be working quite well with a simple 25% fixed duty cycle. Won't be using my home made timer though, way too ugly and messy, will be using the old mechanical timer my dad just gave me instead... and will be buying the proper replacement thermostat once I find a job and money starts flowing trickling again...


EDIT : the handle to close the door of  the small "freezer" inside the fridge... just broken i my hand... I am cursed !
Luckily the door, light plastic jobbie... appears to remain shut on its own, does need to be locked/secured shut 

WIl try to super glue the broken plastic bits together or otherwise try to make it work again...

[med6753]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

Now I've thought about it for a few minutes, I'm wondering if it's from a dye-pack...   

Cheap face paints. It turned out it was only 100% Smurf blue after she spent some time trying to remove the Technicolor turd picture below and just smeared it everywhere 

The blue is well hidden under the other layers in this picture 

It’s on her arms and legs too 

As for dye pack, one day probably 

I've never been to....oh wait....yes I was in the UK in 2001. But she's too young to be mine. 

[Zoli]

Just spent a frustrating few hours banging my head against the wall. I'll explain.

I know what the problem is with the dead ALT function on the 475A. See schematic. Q338 should have an Alt Trace Sync Pulse on it's base when the ALT switch is depressed. Nope. Flat line. In fact, by probing it I can make the trace on the CRT switch from channel 1 to 2. I tried following it back to the indicated R599 on the Switch Board. Can't find it. Why? Because the schematic for the Switch Board is missing from my Artek copy. Went on line to find other copies of 475A manuals. Missing from them too.  Went on Ebay to see if anyone had a hard copy manual. Nope. So I'm stuck.

PIC

The Switch Board is buried behind the channel attenuators and vertical board. I'm not about to go digging in there and ripping stuff out blind. What dumb luck. 

PIC

So for now I buttoned up the 475A until I can find the missing documentation. Even though the alternate function is FUBAR the rest of the scope is OK so I put on the burn-in rack to accumulate some power on hours.

PIC

Contact Artek; I'm pretty sure that they will help, since the service manual is incomplete.
Edit: I see an "Option 7(?)" around Q338; maybe it means something?

[Vince]

Holy sheepdip, Vince... you got the whole kit and two caboodles there. Good score! 



EDIT: IIRC, you should be able to plug that unit into your prehistoric LaserJet or a compatible plotter and print waveforms directly from it.

Here's that manual:

mnem
*toddles off to do something constructive*

Thanks for the manual 

OK so looks like there are 3 modules available for this scope, all add the same set of cool extra features, only difference is the I/O connector they offer.

So it's either GPIB, or Serial, or Serial  + // printer .... and I have the latter, yeah !!!!   

Serial is cool, gives me total remote control and programmability like GPIB, but the cable is so much thinner/more convenient to use, and serial is so easy to implement on your gizmos with just a simple 8 bit micro-controller and a few lines of code ! I love serial ! 
And of course the printer output, good old DB25 so yeah as you say, you can bet your ass I will be trying to connect it to my trusty 25 year old Laserjet 6P !! 

Cool features in that module indeed. Phase measurement is a huge plus for any analog work, to work on filters or closed loop control system or whatnot.
Extra memory to store traces can never hurt either... and extra math functions as well, integration and differentiation, and even FFT wow.... luxury here, need to platy with that !
I wonder if it's as crappy as the FFT in my Fluke Combiscope, I could try and compare them side by side, material for a future TEA post ! 

hey vince

nice score!

ok.....not trying to pee in your corn flakes.  but you need to open up that measurement/storage module and check the dates on the gaggle of dallas modules hiding inside.

Oh yeah good idea, let's crack it open as well, how come I didn't think of it, shame on me ! .. Maybe that was because I was too busy tearing down the scope itself, first things first ! Report to come soon.

Yeah need to backup all NVRAM chips I find, and EPROMs as well... and same fr many other pieces of TE I got here. But first I need to computerize the lab then buy a programmer. So not happening very soon I am afraid. Hopefully within 12 months, it's high on my priority of things I wanna do towards making my lab v2.0 useful/operational. In the meantime, I will just have to cross fingers and toes that none of my TE loses its memories...

[bd139]

Aaand my youngest just got home from her friend’s and is painted blue like a bloody Smurf and it won’t come off 

 

Now I've thought about it for a few minutes, I'm wondering if it's from a dye-pack...   

Cheap face paints. It turned out it was only 100% Smurf blue after she spent some time trying to remove the Technicolor turd picture below and just smeared it everywhere 

The blue is well hidden under the other layers in this picture 

It’s on her arms and legs too 

As for dye pack, one day probably 

I've never been to....oh wait....yes I was in the UK in 2001. But she's too young to be mine. 

Plus I’m sure you’re not stupid enough to land with my ex wife 

[med6753]

Just spent a frustrating few hours banging my head against the wall. I'll explain.

I know what the problem is with the dead ALT function on the 475A. See schematic. Q338 should have an Alt Trace Sync Pulse on it's base when the ALT switch is depressed. Nope. Flat line. In fact, by probing it I can make the trace on the CRT switch from channel 1 to 2. I tried following it back to the indicated R599 on the Switch Board. Can't find it. Why? Because the schematic for the Switch Board is missing from my Artek copy. Went on line to find other copies of 475A manuals. Missing from them too.  Went on Ebay to see if anyone had a hard copy manual. Nope. So I'm stuck.

PIC

The Switch Board is buried behind the channel attenuators and vertical board. I'm not about to go digging in there and ripping stuff out blind. What dumb luck. 

PIC

So for now I buttoned up the 475A until I can find the missing documentation. Even though the alternate function is FUBAR the rest of the scope is OK so I put on the burn-in rack to accumulate some power on hours.

PIC

Contact Artek; I'm pretty sure that they will help, since the service manual is incomplete.
Edit: I see an "Option 7(?)" around Q338; maybe it means something?

Option 7 is an Inverter Board.

[Zoli]

Just spent a frustrating few hours banging my head against the wall. I'll explain.

I know what the problem is with the dead ALT function on the 475A. See schematic. Q338 should have an Alt Trace Sync Pulse on it's base when the ALT switch is depressed. Nope. Flat line. In fact, by probing it I can make the trace on the CRT switch from channel 1 to 2. I tried following it back to the indicated R599 on the Switch Board. Can't find it. Why? Because the schematic for the Switch Board is missing from my Artek copy. Went on line to find other copies of 475A manuals. Missing from them too.  Went on Ebay to see if anyone had a hard copy manual. Nope. So I'm stuck.

PIC

The Switch Board is buried behind the channel attenuators and vertical board. I'm not about to go digging in there and ripping stuff out blind. What dumb luck. 

PIC

So for now I buttoned up the 475A until I can find the missing documentation. Even though the alternate function is FUBAR the rest of the scope is OK so I put on the burn-in rack to accumulate some power on hours.

PIC

Contact Artek; I'm pretty sure that they will help, since the service manual is incomplete.
Edit: I see an "Option 7(?)" around Q338; maybe it means something?

Option 7 is an Inverter Board.

So most likely it means: "Install C338 when Option7 is fit".

[med6753]

Just spent a frustrating few hours banging my head against the wall. I'll explain.

I know what the problem is with the dead ALT function on the 475A. See schematic. Q338 should have an Alt Trace Sync Pulse on it's base when the ALT switch is depressed. Nope. Flat line. In fact, by probing it I can make the trace on the CRT switch from channel 1 to 2. I tried following it back to the indicated R599 on the Switch Board. Can't find it. Why? Because the schematic for the Switch Board is missing from my Artek copy. Went on line to find other copies of 475A manuals. Missing from them too.  Went on Ebay to see if anyone had a hard copy manual. Nope. So I'm stuck.

PIC

The Switch Board is buried behind the channel attenuators and vertical board. I'm not about to go digging in there and ripping stuff out blind. What dumb luck. 

PIC

So for now I buttoned up the 475A until I can find the missing documentation. Even though the alternate function is FUBAR the rest of the scope is OK so I put on the burn-in rack to accumulate some power on hours.

PIC

Contact Artek; I'm pretty sure that they will help, since the service manual is incomplete.
Edit: I see an "Option 7(?)" around Q338; maybe it means something?

Option 7 is an Inverter Board.

So most likely it means: "Install C338 when Option7 is fit".

Yes, just that capacitor which is not present on this scope.

[mansaxel]

Oh and this went unsold at £650 opening bid, has been relisted at £580 opening bid £815 BIN. What fecking planet are they from?  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/304527588145

Many voltses, many monies. Very simple, innit? 

[tggzzz]

And you thought 8.5 digits was extreme precision!

One of my HP/Agilent instruments displays to 15 digits, which is enough to wish it inserted a separator every 3 digits. I had to count the digits in the "mean" several times before I got the same number.

Many voltses, many monies. Very simple, innit? 

Cost? About £20/decade. Volts are too expensive

But wait a minute, my voltmeter cost £10/decade after I'd replaced the mains switch/selector/filter. Spent the same again on input connectors.

[Specmaster]

Currently trying to get a Technomate CCTV system up and running and found yet again another bleeding SMPS unit gone kaput. Done a recap because one of the smoothing caps was bulging, and meant to be 1000uF but was only 280uF with an ESR of 27 . The MosFet was  knackered as well, only trouble is getting a replacement means AliExpress order, the same with PWM controller IC. These are FHF8N60 and CR6841S and the only datasheets I can find are in Chinese  Anyone have any ideas of where else I might find these or equivalents 

[Cubdriver]

The other recently ordered lead amputation apparatus arrived in the mailbox today.  As with the other one, verrah naace.



-Pat

How deep between .1" DIL legs its jaws go?

I have practically unused 7285 because its jaws are too thick.
When old micro jaws go "very" deep.

E,
Dam, body side that is, of course.

See photos below - tough to get a good one, but I hope these help.  Seems to get deep enough for relatively easy use to me.






-Pat

[Robert763]

The other recently ordered lead amputation apparatus arrived in the mailbox today.  As with the other one, verrah naace.



-Pat

How deep between .1" DIL legs its jaws go?

I have practically unused 7285 because its jaws are too thick.
When old micro jaws go "very" deep.

E,
Dam, body side that is, of course.

See photos below - tough to get a good one, but I hope these help.  Seems to get deep enough for relatively easy use to me.






-Pat

I think he meant beween pins at the IC body. This is needed when cutting out the body and removing the pins one by one. It's the best method to prvent damage to a PCB.

[Cubdriver]

The other recently ordered lead amputation apparatus arrived in the mailbox today.  As with the other one, verrah naace.



-Pat

How deep between .1" DIL legs its jaws go?

I have practically unused 7285 because its jaws are too thick.
When old micro jaws go "very" deep.

E,
Dam, body side that is, of course.

I think he meant beween pins at the IC body. This is needed when cutting out the body and removing the pins one by one. It's the best method to prvent damage to a PCB.

D'oh!  Obvious in hindsight.     Let's try that again...

I think it fits well enough to be used:




-Pat

<edit to add - thanks for pointing out what I should have picked up on, Robert!>