Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

y'all got me playing with my 54622d ..... and damn it.   those squishy switches under the crt were back to being a pain in ass.
...
finally tried larger rectangles of AL tape and it so far is 100% good.

Does anybody have any experience of using conductive repair pads like these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254871615598
450pcs Conductive Pads Keypad Repair Kits 2mm-8mm Box For IR Remote Controller
Thickness of pads: various, between approx. 0.5mm

[bd139]

Yeah they’re crap.

I usually use kitchen tinfoil and superglue. Works fine and stays working unlike the usual culprits.

[mnementh]

It depends on the kit.

The kits with a solid "conductive rubber" pad are very good, but you have to use CA to put them on. The kits with adhesive already applied are usually made of "conductive foam rubber" and tend to be pretty worthless, even new.

Of course, with AliEx you don't know until you get them in hand which the kit you have is. And by now, probably you get a mix even when you do get the solid rubber ones.

This was one of those cases where Radidio Shack actually was the best place to get a thing, sadly... 

The aluminum foil trick is a temp fix, and electrolysis between the aluminum and the contact on the PCB eventually ruins the PCB; at least on remote controls where the pad is always holding a charge. Knowing this, I'd never do it on something I actually give a rat's ass about.

mnem
"It's like everything in life, kid. Ya pays yer money, ya takes yer chances." ~grand-dad

[BU508A]

Yeah they’re crap.

I usually use kitchen tinfoil and superglue. Works fine and stays working unlike the usual culprits.

I don't like this combo of superglue and aluminium foil, because the superglue becomes brittle and unreliable.
I'd suggest to use something like aluminium tape. Sticks like hell.

Example (NAWTS):
https://www.ebay.de/itm/384640138059

[mnementh]

Superglue is not a problem; in this application, if the repair pad is applied correctly the joint never has opportunity to flex.

mnem
*veteran of a thousand psychic wars broken TV remote repairs*

[Specmaster]

y'all got me playing with my 54622d ..... and damn it.   those squishy switches under the crt were back to being a pain in ass.

had to really mash them to get any action.  had done the carbon button cleaning with a q tip and IPA about 2 months ago and they were better.  but it did not last.

a guy on utube had success with making little aluminium tape covers for his carbon buttons.  tried his method , but it did not work for me.  despite many attempts could not get the tape to stick to the buttons.

finally tried larger rectangles of AL tape and it so far is 100% good.

my advice:

do not mess with removing the squishy rubber switch strip.  it is hard to get back into place normally, and impossible without knocking off your new AL button covers.

just use tweezers to place the AL tape rectangles over the buttons and press flat with a paper towel and your finger.  size the rectangles so that they will be captured in the cavity when the narrow piece of circuit board is back in place.

was worried that the pieces of tape would deform or move and short to the contacts on the board......but it did not happen.  just a light touch now and the switches all work.

time will tell if this fix lasts, but for now i am calling it done.

A couple of years back, I saw a YouTuber solve that problem with some conductive paint, it wasn't particularly cheap but did the trick. I think it is also used for repairing / replacing missing / damaged tracks on PCB's.

Found this link https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiquiwireTM-100-Electrically-conductive-electric/dp/B07XBGZRV7/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2RGW62H42H1JD&keywords=conductive+paint&qid=1656943832&sprefix=conductive+paint%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-5

[Specmaster]

y'all got me playing with my 54622d ....

You horrible tease! No pics of the component side, or the main PCB... or the component side of the main PCB... 

mnem
*toddles off to polish his wood*

did that back on page 5002.

things move fast on this thread.

(not great pics.  but i am not a camera guy)

How the fuck did I miss that...? 

It must've been the urethane fumes... 

Speaking of which, 2nd coat just went down on the Anniversary Project table... not sure how I like it so far. I went with warm semi-gloss to bring some color to the wood, but now thinking I maybe should've either gone hi-gloss or satin.

 

mnem
"Never judge a paint job by the first coat. Patience, youngster." ~grand-dad

Easy, I missed your post didn't I?

[TERRA Operative]

y'all got me playing with my 54622d ..... and damn it.   those squishy switches under the crt were back to being a pain in ass.

had to really mash them to get any action.  had done the carbon button cleaning with a q tip and IPA about 2 months ago and they were better.  but it did not last.

a guy on utube had success with making little aluminium tape covers for his carbon buttons.  tried his method , but it did not work for me.  despite many attempts could not get the tape to stick to the buttons.

finally tried larger rectangles of AL tape and it so far is 100% good.

my advice:

do not mess with removing the squishy rubber switch strip.  it is hard to get back into place normally, and impossible without knocking off your new AL button covers.

just use tweezers to place the AL tape rectangles over the buttons and press flat with a paper towel and your finger.  size the rectangles so that they will be captured in the cavity when the narrow piece of circuit board is back in place.

was worried that the pieces of tape would deform or move and short to the contacts on the board......but it did not happen.  just a light touch now and the switches all work.

time will tell if this fix lasts, but for now i am calling it done.

A couple of years back, I saw a YouTuber solve that problem with some conductive paint, it wasn't particularly cheap but did the trick. I think it is also used for repairing / replacing missing / damaged tracks on PCB's.

Found this link https://www.amazon.co.uk/LiquiwireTM-100-Electrically-conductive-electric/dp/B07XBGZRV7/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2RGW62H42H1JD&keywords=conductive+paint&qid=1656943832&sprefix=conductive+paint%2Caps%2C172&sr=8-5

I got some of this stuff cheap locally which so-far seems to work quite well.
Can't comment on its longevity, but it certainly made the buttons light to the touch so far...

https://www.bareconductive.com/products/electric-paint?variant=37766230900916

[mnementh]

How the fuck did I miss that...?     It must've been the urethane fumes... 

Easy, I missed your post didn't I?

*Chalks both up to CRS*

mnem
highly technical medical term: Can't Remember Shit

[TERRA Operative]

Step two on the tube amp.

Tube sockets are mounted, so a mock-up on how things will look (minus the output transformers).
I'll have to find another voltage regulator tube so they match.

[BU508A]

Step two on the tube amp.

Tube sockets are mounted, so a mock-up on how things will look (minus the output transformers).
I'll have to find another voltage regulator tube so they match.

Do you have those anode caps as well?

[mnementh]

y'all got me playing with my 54622d ..... and damn it.   those squishy switches under the crt were back to being a pain in ass.
...
finally tried larger rectangles of AL tape and it so far is 100% good.

Does anybody have any experience of using conductive repair pads like these?
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254871615598
450pcs Conductive Pads Keypad Repair Kits 2mm-8mm Box For IR Remote Controller
Thickness of pads: various, between approx. 0.5mm

Actually, now that I think of it... I've never had this problem on over a dozen 546xxx scopes where I've serviced the panel; every one has come back 100%, even this most recent 54600A, which literally had spots eaten out of the PCBs...

Are you guys scrubbing both the PCB and the pads on the membrane with IPA? You have to, both front and back in order to get a reliable read.

I don't use Q-tips; I scrub both the membrane and the PCB with a cotton kitchen towel (fine short nap; terry loops will snag on solder joints and edges of PCB) soaked in IPA.

Trick with the membrane keypad is to hold the body of the button in one hand and scrub each one individually; this allows you to scrub the conductive pad pretty aggressively with the IPA/towel in the other hand.

I also scrub around the solder joints on that intermediary cable with IPA and a toothbrush; that area collects cruft due to the tape stuck over it and will make the scope misread as it scans the buttons. On assembly, just leave those solder joints bare, or if you're anal aboot such things, a fresh strip of Kapton tape over the solder joints. Also, it is important to loop that ribbon cable exactly the same as HP made it; if you fold it over itself you'll have poor read problems.

mnem
 

[Cerebus]

Now I think or it, one big advantage of punches is that you can make any shape you want, not just round holes... so it opens up an entire new world of possibilities 
You could make a hole with a flat, to fit pots and keep them from spinning round and round, or anything... as long as someone somewhere sells the shape that you want...

They used to be quite common - you could get punches for the classic potentiometer with flat, D connectors, IEC inlets, and so on. Last time I bought some sheet metal punches the ones for anything other than purely round and rectangular holes seemed to have disappeared off the lists of the moderately priced manufacturers and I didn't look at the extortionately priced ones.

Made obsolete in industry by laser cutting and CNC routing.
I've bought a 2mm laser cut panel with D shaped holes for less than a blank panel by the equipment case OEM

Yes, but the OEM blank panels usually cause a "You want how much for a small sheet of 2mm anodized aluminium?!?!" reaction, so that isn't an indication of absolute cheapness, just relative inexpensivity.  My usual supplier will sell me a sheet of 2mm anodised aluminium cut to size (~100x300) for £3.91 including postage and VAT, a Metcase front panel of the same size with 4 mounting holes off RS is £25.26 + VAT.

Although it's relatively inexpensive nowadays to get a simple sheet part perforated in suitably arcane ways by someone offering CNC laser cutting (or waterjet or milling) there are drawbacks. The waiting, obviously. The producing a proper CAD model instead of what's often quite simple marking out, or even none at all. Modifying an existing bit of kit (e.g. substitute IEC mains socket for various unobtainable historical horrors) isn't going to fly by the CNC route at all, nor any similar modification of in-situ plant. Finally, not everything is a simple sheet of ally, the punches work brilliantly on the ubiquitous die cast aluminium box and I'd be surprised if my latest production in the same, 7 holes on the lid and three on one side would have left me with any change from £100 if I had sent it out to be done - workholding and setup time being the main ticket item there.

So the punches still have their place, even in industry. How many sparkies are going to make a drawing and wait for someone to perforate their boxes for them?

[TERRA Operative]

Step two on the tube amp.

Tube sockets are mounted, so a mock-up on how things will look (minus the output transformers).
I'll have to find another voltage regulator tube so they match.

Do you have those anode caps as well?

I have these ones at the moment.
I might still use different HV rectifier tubes without the top-cap though, not 100% sure yet... Depends on how dangerous I feel.

[GreyWoolfe]

A day late and a dollar short as usual.  My contribution to 5000.  It was a freebie from the ham radio club I used to belong to.  They got it from a silent key estate and couldn't sell it.  I bought a couple of things so I got it as a gift.

[ Specified attachment is not available ]

[Zoli]

Yeah they’re crap.

I usually use kitchen tinfoil and superglue. Works fine and stays working unlike the usual culprits.

I don't like this combo of superglue and aluminium foil, because the superglue becomes brittle and unreliable.
I'd suggest to use something like aluminium tape. Sticks like hell.

Example (NAWTS):
https://www.ebay.de/itm/384640138059

Loctite 4851; stays flexible after curing, see attached datasheet. But the price

[Vince]

FUCK ME !!! 


Last Friday a friend / ex-colleague asked me to pass me my CV so he could hass him to some company that's recruiting, one of many subcontractor that do the same stuff I was doing at my ex company. Quality contorl for Airbus, airframe. Well at least I am in my confort zone / operational.

A minute ago that company phoned me, yeah...we arranged for an appointment tomorrow with her, who is the HR girl I guess, and another girl, probably the team manager on the Airbus plant, to assess the technical part of it. I guess.
Anyway she told me the interview will be held over the phone with " TEAMS ". Well, whatever. So I just googled for this thing, it's an app you download on your phone, made  by freaking Microsoft. Takes 258MB on your phone, I barely have enough space to install that thing, after having deleted a few apps.
so I go to install it.... it asks to create an account, hmmm.... OK, I will swallow that pill for now. So I give it a username and password, then it asks me for my... CREDIT CARD DETAILS ?!! 
Says you can use the free version, we won't take any money on your account... but we require that you gives us you credit card details anyway ! 

FUCK THAT !!!!

So I found another link to download the app. It didn't ask for my credit card... or maybe it would have a few clicks later, once it had managed to install on my phone but.... it REFUSES to install, says " This version of TEAMS is not compatible with your phone "! 

OK the phone might be a bit old, it's a LG Nexus 4 with Android 5.1.1
Wikipedia says the phone was released i November 2012...

Maybe upgrading Android might do it but I don't think so... think I already upgraded it a while back, and it took so much space that I could not install any app, and TEAMS wnats no less than 250Mo so it's a no no.

So.... I am fucked. Well, THEY are fucked, they won't have the honour, pleasure, delice of having me in their company ! 

Company is " Expleo ", IIRC it's the low cost branch of I can't remember what sub-contractor that was competing with my ex company, which means they would pay even less than my ex job.... well, still better than nothing, short term, I guess.

OK, will call that HR girl back to tell her it won't work, sorry mam, I tried... if they can do a normal phone call, or just a freaking real interview in an office like people used to do in the old time...


That's what you get when you rely on stupid modern technology, you just can't rely on it for anything important. If it works, it works, but when it refuses to work, you're fucked. 

[Zoli]

...
That's what you get when you rely on stupid modern technology Micro$oft, you just can't rely on it for anything important. If it works, it works, but when it refuses to work, you're fucked. 

FTFY

[bd139]

You don't have to sign in with teams and you can use the web version usually. They will send out a web invite for it.

It's fucking shit so YMMV anyway. One of our outsourcers uses it.

As for it not being compatible with your phone, are you running some 5+ year old Android crate? That's usually the cause 

As for interviews, they are all Teams or Zoom these days. You have to suck it up if you want the money.

[Vince]

Yep BD it's old, as I said the phone is from 2012 so 10 year old now  !

Yes they sent me an e-mail with a link / "invite "to join the meeting. I clicked on that, it then asked me to install the app. I click to do that, it opens up the " Android Store " , which then immediately says, in red letters : " Sorry your phone is not compatible with this version of the app ".

Well too bad !!! 

[xrunner]

Teams app is free on iphone. 

Hey bd looky what Amazon delivered just now -

[bd139]

Yep BD it's old, as I said the phone is from 2012 so 10 year old now  !

Yes they sent me an e-mail with a link / "invite "to join the meeting. I clicked on that, it then asked me to install the app. I click to do that, it opens up the " Android Store " , which then immediately says, in red letters : " Sorry your phone is not compatible with this version of the app ".

Well too bad !!! 

Yeah you are a "0.5% user". No one cares about you any more. Literally. Have to keep the plates spinning. 3 years old or newer oldest these days. I cycle mine out every 2 years.

[bd139]

Teams app is free on iphone. 

Hey bd looky what Amazon delivered just now -

Not on a 10 year old iPhone though 

Oooooh a box of grunt! Enjoy!

[Specmaster]

Step two on the tube amp.

Tube sockets are mounted, so a mock-up on how things will look (minus the output transformers).
I'll have to find another voltage regulator tube so they match.

Do you have those anode caps as well?

I have these ones at the moment.
I might still use different HV rectifier tubes without the top-cap though, not 100% sure yet... Depends on how dangerous I feel.

Why have you got recessed valve bases, are you planning to put coloured LEDS in them to give a low glow to the amp?

[bd139]

Why have you got recessed valve bases, are you planning to put coloured LEDS in them to give a low glow to the amp?

That's fly catchers. For when they zapped by the anode caps.