List your test equipment "scores" here!

[TurboTom]

Since I must have acquired a really bad case of TEA, I placed a bid on a governmental sales of a TDS8000 sampling oscilloscope that supposedly had been used in a scientific research facility and was offered non-functional...whatever that means. I was quite surprised when I received a letter (yes, by snail-mail  ) from the sales organization with an invoice, confirming that I got the deal! 300EUR plus tax.

I picked up the instrument which came with all the documentation, software CDs and one 50GHz sampling module included (this alone will outweigh the spendings substantially if I should decide to sell), and was clean as a whiste, not even "real" dust on the fans or inside, and as expected, found all of the three memory backup batteries to be flat. Batteries replaced, instrument calibrated, and still after power cycling I get the error of faulty NVRAM data integrity and another message that relates to calibration data incoherency. So probably I've got to replace that crappy Dallas / Maxim NVRAM module on the acquisition board which seems to fail just too frequently to be coincidence. Anyway, after calibration and without power cycling the instrument, it performs quite well.

Do I really need this monster? Surely not! But it's quite some fun to be able to enter these frequency ranges to actually qualify and quantify fast edges and high frequency signals. Since my version still came with the Windows 98 operating system, and there seems to be improved system software available for an XP O/S equipped version, this update will be next. Fortunately, the instrument came with the latest PC motherboard that should permit this update without too much hassle (I hope...).

Anyway, who can claim that he can measure rise times of 30ps... ? 

Cheers,
Thomas

[Berni]

Now that is an impressive deal for 300 bucks.

I had to pay that much just for the plugin module on my HP sampling scope.

[xrunner]

Do I really need this monster?

Yes.

Yes you do need it. If you don't believe me ask us here -

TEA Group

[bitseeker]

Since I must have acquired a really bad case of TEA

Yeah, it happens. You'll live.

I placed a bid on a governmental sales of a TDS8000 sampling oscilloscope that supposedly had been used in a scientific research facility and was offered non-functional...whatever that means. I was quite surprised when I received a letter (yes, by snail-mail  ) from the sales organization with an invoice, confirming that I got the deal! 300EUR plus tax.

Quite a deal, indeed! Nice one, Tom.

[beanflying]

So I rolled the dice and seems I need to do a little repair job or two. $400 USD landed on my door from the USA and only $40 of that with evilbay global for freight instead of $120 cost (seller screwup) So off to the 'shelf' until I find it some time for a little loving and some power.

Valhalla 2500-EP Current Amplifier.

Relay Daughter board has broken stand offs and seems to have relied on the wire and tracks for one of the mounts regardless

Shipping hit to the side frame to be taken up with the seller or just suck it up but worst case some gentle heat and clamping will likely take it out. Much less work than my 740B Handle welding job.

[Neomys Sapiens]

So I rolled the dice and seems I need to do a little repair job or two. $400 USD landed on my door from the USA and only $40 of that with evilbay global for freight instead of $120 cost (seller screwup) So off to the 'shelf' until I find it some time for a little loving and some power.

Valhalla 2500-EP Current Amplifier.

Relay Daughter board has broken stand offs and seems to have relied on the wire and tracks for one of the mounts regardless

Shipping hit to the side frame to be taken up with the seller or just suck it up but worst case some gentle heat and clamping will likely take it out. Much less work than my 740B Handle welding job.

Does this mean that you have set your sights on a Valhalla multipurpose calibrator? Or is it already underway?

[shakalnokturn]

Another DMM (a GMC rebrand): LEM Unigor 350 with silicone sleeve, AC current clamp adapter, test leads, carry case and manual for 41€ posted. (+much much patience and determination!)

[beanflying]

So I rolled the dice and seems I need to do a little repair job or two. $400 USD landed on my door from the USA and only $40 of that with evilbay global for freight instead of $120 cost (seller screwup) So off to the 'shelf' until I find it some time for a little loving and some power.

Valhalla 2500-EP Current Amplifier.

Relay Daughter board has broken stand offs and seems to have relied on the wire and tracks for one of the mounts regardless

Shipping hit to the side frame to be taken up with the seller or just suck it up but worst case some gentle heat and clamping will likely take it out. Much less work than my 740B Handle welding job.

Does this mean that you have set your sights on a Valhalla multipurpose calibrator? Or is it already underway?

At 'this stage' the Fluke 335D and Valhalla 2703 with this one will do me to AC/DC and I calibration gear. In reality for anything I do now or am planning to make over the next few years is covered but a 3458A later in the year might be in my sights

[capt bullshot]

Got this Toellner Lab power supply from the evil bay. Description said "untested and for parts only", picture showed a pretty much beaten up unit.
Made a lowball offer, and got this:

It's a dual channel 32V / 5A (each channel) supply - and yes it worked out of the box. Needs some slaps with a hammer to make the covers fit again, and new encoders. Will have to figure out how to remove the front panel PCB to see what type they are and then order some new ones.

From my experience, Toellner makes pretty good lab supplies, and some other interesting stuff, so I'm quite happy with it.

What I don't like - they mount a lot of parts using blind rivets. Hope I don't encounter one when removing the front PCB.

[shakalnokturn]

Lucky you, I like the build of this supply. I hadn't heard of Toellner until recently when I stumbled on a F.G. looking for something else.
Would you say they're a kind of Bang & Olufsen of T.E?

[Neomys Sapiens]

Lucky you, I like the build of this supply. I hadn't heard of Toellner until recently when I stumbled on a F.G. looking for something else.
Would you say they're a kind of Bang & Olufsen of T.E?

No. Ok, I have no idea what Bang&Olufsen mean to you and I know only they do premium Hifi stuff.
If you mean 'gold standard' or high end - definitely not. They build solid gear, that did also appear under SIEMENS branding. You seem to think about Rohde & Schwarz (their real stuff, not the HAMEG line). Where Power Supplies are concerned, I would rate them along with Zentro, but not with Heinzinger, delta elektronika or R&S.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Another DMM (a GMC rebrand): LEM Unigor 350 with silicone sleeve, AC current clamp adapter, test leads, carry case and manual for 41€ posted. (+much much patience and determination!)

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

[HighVoltage]

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

That was a good deal.
I bought the THM565 a while back a little more.

[tooki]

Got this Toellner Lab power supply from the evil bay. Description said "untested and for parts only", picture showed a pretty much beaten up unit.
Made a lowball offer, and got this:

It's a dual channel 32V / 5A (each channel) supply - and yes it worked out of the box. Needs some slaps with a hammer to make the covers fit again, and new encoders. Will have to figure out how to remove the front panel PCB to see what type they are and then order some new ones.

From my experience, Toellner makes pretty good lab supplies, and some other interesting stuff, so I'm quite happy with it.

What I don't like - they mount a lot of parts using blind rivets. Hope I don't encounter one when removing the front PCB.

This reminds me of a few years ago, when I saw a pair of Toellner PSUs (one AC, one DC) on a local classifieds, which I agreed to buy. But then the seller never showed up at the agreed upon time, and never replied back again. 

[Neomys Sapiens]

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

That was a good deal.
I bought the THM565 a while back a little more.

See what I wrote in the TEA section....

[HighVoltage]

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

That was a good deal.
I bought the THM565 a while back a little more.

See what I wrote in the TEA section....

You got lucky it was misspelled!

[capt bullshot]

Lucky you, I like the build of this supply. I hadn't heard of Toellner until recently when I stumbled on a F.G. looking for something else.
Would you say they're a kind of Bang & Olufsen of T.E?

No. Ok, I have no idea what Bang&Olufsen mean to you and I know only they do premium Hifi stuff.
If you mean 'gold standard' or high end - definitely not. They build solid gear, that did also appear under SIEMENS branding. You seem to think about Rohde & Schwarz (their real stuff, not the HAMEG line). Where Power Supplies are concerned, I would rate them along with Zentro, but not with Heinzinger, delta elektronika or R&S.

Toellner has for most units a really clear, simple and intuitive user interface. This particular one has digital encoders for the settings (older ones have 10-Turn pots), and a button to select the digit to adjust. It keeps all the settings when you turn it off and on, emulating the behaviour of an pure analog supply. Way much better UI than the Keysight E36312A, though I like the display and high accuracy of the Keysight.
Regarding other brands, I'd prefer this (or a similar) Toellner over Heinzinger or Delta Elektronica (of similar vintage) in that output voltage / power range.

[shakalnokturn]

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

  Where did you find the lady engineer? I think I've seen even less of those around than Toellner T.E.

[yo0]

2 pieces hp 3478a  $29usd each, free shipping, one with u.c. rom fail but even with the reported error it works perfectly and still on calibration

best regards


Pio

[bitseeker]

Wow, $29 each. Nice score!

[Neomys Sapiens]

Good grab. The Gossen Mavo30 will leave me again into a lady engineer's hands, as I shot myself a TekMeter THM560 for 100.-

That was a good deal.
I bought the THM565 a while back a little more.

See what I wrote in the TEA section....

You got lucky it was misspelled!

Sorry. I don't get it. What was misspelled?

[wolfy007]

Nice score on the 3478a!

[HighVoltage]

Sorry. I don't get it. What was misspelled?

In the listing for your Tektronix THM560, it was spelled Tektronik , might be one reason why you got it so cheap.

[BravoV]

Sorry. I don't get it. What was misspelled?

In the listing for your Tektronix THM560, it was spelled Tektronik , might be one reason why you got it so cheap.

Hint ... textronix ... tektronik ... tektronics ... and so on ... scored few quality Tek cheap stuff while ago. 

[Kinkless Tetrode]

Just scored an HP 3456A parts only on eBay for $36 USD. I just could not resist, TEA...  I powered it up and the self test brightly glowed the infamous -3 error.  Opening the lid, I found some ICs with green copper corrosion on the leads, so let the fixing begin...