Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Berni]

As my 1000th post here on the EEVBlog forums here is my last score.

Its not strictly electronics test equipment but it still is test equipment. Some used waterproof Mitutoyo digital calipers with the case and paperwork included.

[bd139]

Nice haul 

Always wanted a pair of them.

[Specmaster]

Nice catch, I have a set of far far cheaper ones that do what I what I want just fine. Maybe if I had a lathe, a mill etc then I'd be looking for something with a bit accuracy, so until then...

[Mr. Scram]

Nice catch, I have a set of far far cheaper ones that do what I what I want just fine. Maybe if I had a lathe, a mill etc then I'd be looking for something with a bit accuracy, so until then...

They're approximeters regardless.

[Specmaster]

Yep a lot of their stuff is.

Been in the garage today having a bit of a clean up and rearranging things because over the years it has become unruly and in the process discovered many tools that I had many years ago before I had a hiatus, which I had forgotten about and have since been out and purchased new ones so its not just DMM's that I many of now either. 

Just sat down and listened again to the Division Bell and I had a laugh at the lyrics to the track "High Hopes" with the line.."The grass is greener now"... yours certainly is until you replace the lawn mower or that dodgy switch 

[Terry01]

As my 1000th post here on the EEVBlog forums here is my last score.

Its not strictly electronics test equipment but it still is test equipment. Some used waterproof Mitutoyo digital calipers with the case and paperwork included.

Nice score buddy! I have the cheap ones and use them quite a bit more than I thought I would. That's a neat set you have there. 

[tggzzz]

Yep a lot of their stuff is.

Been in the garage today having a bit of a clean up and rearranging things because over the years it has become unruly and in the process discovered many tools that I had many years ago before I had a hiatus, which I had forgotten about and have since been out and purchased new ones so its not just DMM's that I many of now either. 

Just sat down and listened again to the Division Bell and I had a laugh at the lyrics to the track "High Hopes" with the line.."The grass is greener now"... yours certainly is until you replace the lawn mower or that dodgy switch 

Or their earlier "Time", viz
"Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over, thought I'd something more to say"

But it isn't quite that bad. Last night I resurrected a 400MHz LeCroy scope, and have partially resurrected a Tek 1502; I'll probably turn the remaining infelicity into a separate thread. Then there's the working Tek 2901 Time Mark Generator that has a darkened PCB, and the Tek 115 Pulse Generator that works now I've bodged in a replacement trimpot (I got both very cheaply at a hamfest)

Or maybe it is that bad. My daughter tried to drive a car after it had rested in the drive for a couple of weeks, only to find the offside front strut spring had fractured?!

[Neomys Sapiens]

Nice catch, I have a set of far far cheaper ones that do what I what I want just fine. Maybe if I had a lathe, a mill etc then I'd be looking for something with a bit accuracy, so until then...

I already had a Mitutoyo digital caliper, so it was not exactly pressing, but when I realized that nobody is bidding for the 'old electric measurement clamp' with the blurry picture, I could not pass...
and got a flawless Moore & Wright Micro2000 Mod.2025 digital micrometer with booklet, certificate, box and charger for 50.- incl. anything. It even came with working NiCads. But factually, the Mauser mechanical vernier caliper does most of the work. (that's not recent, just on topic)

Buuuut.....

New Source in the House!

An Analogic Data Precision 2020-100 Polynominal Waveform Synthesizer with 100Ms/s and 12 bit.
It can do point entry arb mode as well as standard functions, but the real feature is the possibility to enter your desired signal as a y=f(t) polynomial. Generators of this series are often found in NEMP test gear as they can easily produce the decaying e function specified as envelope.

I already have the 800Ms/s 8bit version, which is the 2030. It will be in good company soon. And I watched this beast on Ebay for several months, seeing it go down from about 500.- to 199.-. And even then, I watched it go through 3 offer cycles. No more!

(Gloating Watershrew with IPA in hand sits and sneers derisively at lesser generators)

Also, a Huber&Suhner torque wrench for SMC connectors. And the library did get some attention too:
complete and immaculate 4 volume Lexikon der Hochfrequenz-, Nachrichten- und Elektrotechnik from 1953, which does not only provide very precise definitions, but the terms in English, French and Russian too. And that for a lousy 10.-. So, I have still that twitching in the multimeter nerve. My eyes get drawn to the Fluke 867 more and more. Well, you will hear about. Maybe the twitching will go away by itself.

[tautech]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

[BillB]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

I picked up what look to be essentially the same:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-W-Connectors/371846442341?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

They are good enough quality for me and work just fine.  In fact, they are nicer than many of the Chinese test leads on eBay and they fit my SDM3045X perfectly.

[neo]

All forum search engines are shit.

Actually all forum engines are shit too.

The world according to bd139: it's all shit, even when it's not.

I concur with that, life is one big ever-swirling toilet that... just... wont... flush! Its all shit, there is no good there is just slightly less and significantly less levels of shit.

[tautech]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

I picked up what look to be essentially the same:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-W-Connectors/371846442341?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649

They are good enough quality for me and work just fine.  In fact, they are nicer than many of the Chinese test leads on eBay and they fit my SDM3045X perfectly.

Thanks.
Are you happy with the suppleness of the leads ?

I bought some much more expensive ones from a Taiwan supplier and nice quality they are but.....the short flying leads to the clips are stiff PVC shit. 

[BillB]

Are you happy with the suppleness of the leads ?

I bought some much more expensive ones from a Taiwan supplier and nice quality they are but.....the short flying leads to the clips are stiff PVC shit. 

They are quite supple; surprisingly supple. 

I went on sort of an ebay spree sampling a large number of available leads just to see if there were any hidden gems.  These are a bit more expensive than many of the Chinese leads out there, and the lead quality is very similar to the the leads that came with my Siglent gear.

With the caveat that many sellers on ebay just use pictures from other auctions and wind up sending something that doesn't match.  Then of course, attempt to convince you that they are still of some value and try to haggle a partial refund.

One time, I purchased a set of leads for the all inclusive price of $1.49.  The seller sent something different and spent several days of messaging to try to convince me to take a partial refund.     

       

[tautech]

Are you happy with the suppleness of the leads ?

I bought some much more expensive ones from a Taiwan supplier and nice quality they are but.....the short flying leads to the clips are stiff PVC shit. 

They are quite supple; surprisingly supple. 

I went on sort of an ebay spree sampling a large number of available leads just to see if there were any hidden gems.  These are a bit more expensive than many of the Chinese leads out there, and the lead quality is very similar to the the leads that came with my Siglent gear.

With the caveat that many sellers on ebay just use pictures from other auctions and wind up sending something that doesn't match.  Then of course, attempt to convince you that they are still of some value and try to haggle a partial refund.

One time, I purchased a set of leads for the all inclusive price of $1.49.  The seller sent something different and spent several days of messaging to try to convince me to take a partial refund.     

     

Great, thanks again as that ^ gives me something to gauge them against. 
Now.....to hunt out the OEM ! 

[Berni]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

I have bought similar ones a long time ago. The clamp works perfectly fine but mine had different banana jacks on it (non shorunded) and they started making a unreliable connection after a while. I fixed it tho by soldering the springy ring on the banana to the rest of the metal post and they work great again.

[bd139]

HP 1715A scope (200MHz) free of charge appeared in Ipswich UK for anyone interested: https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-miscellaneous-goods/hp-1715a-oscilloscope/1295479615

[Brumby]

HP 1715A scope (200MHz) free of charge appeared in Ipswich UK for anyone interested: https://www.gumtree.com/p/other-miscellaneous-goods/hp-1715a-oscilloscope/1295479615

"Found in loft (been in loft 15 plus years) and sold as seen. Pick up only . Viewing welcome. open to o f f e r s"

[bd139]

Ok I can’t read. £10

[tggzzz]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

I have bought similar ones a long time ago. The clamp works perfectly fine but mine had different banana jacks on it (non shorunded) and they started making a unreliable connection after a while. I fixed it tho by soldering the springy ring on the banana to the rest of the metal post and they work great again.

I had the opposite experience: one clamp was open circuit on arrival. After removing the insulating layer with a file(!), contact was restored - but it is hardly a "gold"-plated ideal contact.

[tautech]

Found these Kelvin leads on the 'Bay, are they OK or crap ?
https://www.ebay.com/itm/LCR-Meter-Test-Leads-Lead-Clip-Cable-Terminal-Kelvin-Probe-Wires-4-Banana-US-/312008567361?hash=item48a528ea41

Certainly priced not too bad.

I have bought similar ones a long time ago. The clamp works perfectly fine but mine had different banana jacks on it (non shorunded) and they started making a unreliable connection after a while. I fixed it tho by soldering the springy ring on the banana to the rest of the metal post and they work great again.

Interesting, thanks.
The same seller had several versions and some had what could only be described as dodgy aftermarket banana plugs that looked like the shrouded one had been chopped off to fit them.
Only thing going for them was they were a few $ cheaper and they needed to be.
He had some BNC ones as well for the 'classic' brands LCR meters.

[beanflying]

I had the opposite experience: one clamp was open circuit on arrival. After removing the insulating layer with a file(!), contact was restored - but it is hardly a "gold"-plated ideal contact.

Mixed bag. I don't mind the clips compared to my Quadtech Milliohm ones. Mine came with crap 'gold' plugs on which I have swapped out. The plugs on the origional linked one look like shrouded 'nickel' plate and you are paying way more compared still with the cheap clips with 'gold. Both will need replacing most likely.

EDIT: Just relooked at the original listing the cables are UNSHEILDED!

[Specmaster]

Ok I can’t read. £10

My gumtree says £0.00 but text says "OFFERS" so I guess it could be a bargain or a heap of shit.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[tautech]

I had the opposite experience: one clamp was open circuit on arrival. After removing the insulating layer with a file(!), contact was restored - but it is hardly a "gold"-plated ideal contact.

Mixed bag. I don't mind the clips compared to my Quadtech Milliohm ones. Mine came with crap 'gold' plugs on which I have swapped out. The plugs on the origional linked one look like shrouded 'nickel' plate and you are paying way more compared still with the cheap clips with 'gold. Both will need replacing most likely.

Yeah the only way is to suck it and see.
If the lantern part of the plug is incorrectly made they'll always give trouble irregardless of the plating.
Dave did a vid on this not long ago.

[Brumby]

Ok I can’t read. £10

My gumtree says £0.00 but text says "OFFERS" so I guess it could be a bargain or a heap of shit.

My eye was drawn to the 15 years in the loft...

[bd139]

It’ll be fine have powered up worse

I’m in Norwich next week so may detour on the way home via A140/A12 and grab it if it’s still around.