Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   







-Pat

[Cubdriver]

This tool was made by Husky back when they were their own brand... I've had it almost 20 years. The tool that Home Despot carries now is a weak, poorly forged clunky POS, unless you get really lucky and find an old stock one from the "real Husky" days. However, the VIM Tools HBR5 and  HBR8 bit ratchet APPEAR to be the same tool. I keep meaning to get one of the HBR8 to see if it is of similar quality;  one of these days. 

mnem
I suspect I keep putting it off out of fear that the VIM tools are actually a POS as well; better to keep the hope alive, etc... 

I'll let you know.  Damn you!!       

Amazon order placed, due on Wednesday...   

-Pat

[med6753]

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   







-Pat

"You're gonna need a bigger boat" 

[bd139]

That’s what my living room would look like if I didn’t keep selling things.

[Cubdriver]

"You're gonna need a bigger boat" 

It will certainly have no need for additional ballast!   

-Pat

[Berni]

At least that makes my pile of equipment look more resonable.

Tho today yet another PSU arrived in the mail. This time around a 7.5V 300A rack mount job with 3 phase mains input. Bought it cheep as "for parts" but it turns out that it works fine. I think they just couldn't find a socket to stick the weird ass american 3 phase plug into.(I just got rid of the plug anyway)

[mnementh]

OK.  Here is an assemblage of ...um... multiple transgressions.

       

NEAT : Nested Equipment: Astonishingly Tidy

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Are you kidding? I'm pulling the pics all together here into a single post, that we may pay homage and worship at the feet of Darth xmo...   

Teach us all your NEAT ways.... show us the true power of the Dark Side!!! 

mnem
Yes, you may touch it.

[xrunner]

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   

How can I un-see what I have just seen? 

[Specmaster]

This is not a lab, its a either a collection set out in a realistic manner or a museum exhibit 

[mnementh]

This tool was made by Husky back when they were their own brand... I've had it almost 20 years. The tool that Home Despot carries now is a weak, poorly forged clunky POS, unless you get really lucky and find an old stock one from the "real Husky" days. However, the VIM Tools HBR5 and  HBR8 bit ratchet APPEAR to be the same tool. I keep meaning to get one of the HBR8 to see if it is of similar quality;  one of these days. 

mnem
I suspect I keep putting it off out of fear that the VIM tools are actually a POS as well; better to keep the hope alive, etc... 

I'll let you know.  Damn you!!         Amazon order placed, due on Wednesday...   

-Pat

You're welcome! 

If it's half as well-made as the one I have, it'll be an heirloom tool you hand down to offspring; one you find yourself constantly reaching for due to its combination of amazing strength and tiny cross-section that lets it get into places you never even thought of putting a ratchet. I STILL find new ways to use it. 

Oh, and if you're wondering where all those awesome S2 Alloy impact steel extra-long drivers came from: https://www.banggood.com/search/broppe.html

They are MUCH better quality than the photos and price suggest. I've been using them for almost a year with barely visible wear on my most-used bits, including use with my 24V cordless impact.

mnem
*Unrepentant Tool-Dwagon*

[med6753]

At least that makes my pile of equipment look more resonable.

Tho today yet another PSU arrived in the mail. This time around a 7.5V 300A rack mount job with 3 phase mains input. Bought it cheep as "for parts" but it turns out that it works fine. I think they just couldn't find a socket to stick the weird ass american 3 phase plug into.(I just got rid of the plug anyway)

3 phase? How did you get it to power up then? Is it's stated power requirements 240V or 208V? If 208V then it would require 3 phase. If 240V that "weird ass american plug" is what we call a split phase plug to a 240V socket. The single phase power to US residences is via a pole transformer center tap grounded. From center tap to one side is 120V. Across the hot taps is 240V. 240V is used mainly for clothes dryers or electric stoves.   

[bd139]

Tek 465 update. Got it back together. Channel 2 works perfectly. Channel 1 appears to have been fudged at some point. Going to swap the attenuator modules between channels to try and fix. If that doesn’t work then it’s donor vertical amp hunt 

Edit: well fuck. Channel 1 vertical 10x is toast by the looks. There’s signs someone has tried to repair it in the past but it appears that they were unsuccessful. Next step try and find a spare vertical. Note it’s the board that is dead not the attenuator module. Grr.

[nixiefreqq]

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   

-Pat

we really must be brothers from different mothers!

never imagined there was someone else out there who had 2 hp5325's. 

well i did have 2.  was doodling around with one of them 20 years ago and a jumper hooked to the hv supply for the nixies slipped out of my clumsy fingers and bounced across the mother board.  it made sparks as it hit at least 8 different places on the mother board.  spent weeks finding and replacing zoooorched chips and transistors before giving up on it. 


now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.

damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge? 











 

[Cubdriver]

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   

-Pat

we really must be brothers from different mothers!

never imagined there was someone else out there who had 2 hp5325's. 

well i did have 2.  was doodling around with one of them 20 years ago and a jumper hooked to the hv supply for the nixies slipped out of my clumsy fingers and bounced across the mother board.  it made sparks as it hit at least 8 different places on the mother board.  spent weeks finding and replacing zoooorched chips and transistors before giving up on it. 


now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.

damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

Truth be told, you need three.  You need a tie breaker in case they disagree!   

(Oh, and are you seriously thinking that ANY of us in this thread would come even remotely close to what would constitute the standard of a 'sane humanoid'?     )

-Pat

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.   damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

Well, that is ONE WAY off the ledge... 

mnem
*Pretending to talk nixiefreqq off the ledge*

[nixiefreqq]

I hope my situation will serve as fair warning to those who are not yet consumed by the affliction - run while you can.

Yeeeaaaahhhhhhhh....  I'm afraid that ship has sailed...   

-Pat

we really must be brothers from different mothers!

never imagined there was someone else out there who had 2 hp5325's. 

well i did have 2.  was doodling around with one of them 20 years ago and a jumper hooked to the hv supply for the nixies slipped out of my clumsy fingers and bounced across the mother board.  it made sparks as it hit at least 8 different places on the mother board.  spent weeks finding and replacing zoooorched chips and transistors before giving up on it. 


now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.

damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

aaaaaaah  man!

ya' don't understand.  pulled the trigger on a fluke 8810a just this morning.

still need to go into the mail account and move the evidence to a folder where swmbo won't find it.

but damn.  a 5325 is a rare and wonderful thing.

……...still on the ledge, despite your encouragement.

[mnementh]

Tek 465 update. Got it back together. Channel 2 works perfectly. Channel 1 appears to have been fudged at some point. Going to swap the attenuator modules between channels to try and fix. If that doesn’t work then it’s donor vertical amp hunt 

Edit: well fuck. Channel 1 vertical 10x is toast by the looks. There’s signs someone has tried to repair it in the past but it appears that they were unsuccessful. Next step try and find a spare vertical. Note it’s the board that is dead not the attenuator module. Grr.

Well and truly fucked.

Damn, dude... I was REALLY hoping your luck had changed with this one. No hope of kit-bashing between boards in this one and the parts mule?

Yes, I realize that this way lies madness... but... well... look where you are.

mnem
*Says a prayer to Ifni that bd139 finds "his" 465*

[Cubdriver]

(SNIP)
now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.   damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

Well, that is ONE WAY off the ledge... 

mnem
*Pretending to talk nixiefreqq off the ledge*

Path of least resistance.  Gravity will help - let yourself go; feel its sweet embrace.   

[Cerebus]

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

[Fx: sings...]  Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
When my time is up I'll see all my friends
Meet on the ledge, we're gonna meet on the ledge
If you really mean it, it all comes round again

[nixiefreqq]

(SNIP)
now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.   damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

Well, that is ONE WAY off the ledge... 

mnem
*Pretending to talk nixiefreqq off the ledge*

Path of least resistance.  Gravity will help - let yourself go; feel its sweet embrace.   

YOU ALMOST HAD ME.  nothing can resist gravity.

went back and looked.  it is an auction, and does not end till sunday afternoon.

looks like the freq has gotten a temporary reprieve and is climbing back in the window.

[Cubdriver]

aaaaaaah  man!

ya' don't understand.  pulled the trigger on a fluke 8810a just this morning.

still need to go into the mail account and move the evidence to a folder where swmbo won't find it.

but damn.  a 5325 is a rare and wonderful thing.

……...still on the ledge, despite your encouragement.

It's caaaaaaaAAAaaaallllLLLLllliinng yooooouuuu...

Nixiefreqqqqqqqqqqqqq.....   Buuyyyyyyyyyyyy  mmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee!

I have orange glowie goodness inside!


And golden traces on my circuit boards....




-Pat

[Cubdriver]

(SNIP)
now you have given me the itch to begin a replacement search.   damnit!  no sane humanoid needs two identical 10 Mhz antique counters.

holy shitballs!  there is one on the left coast.   damnit!

won't someone on this forum at least pretend to talk me off the ledge?

Jump!  Jump!  Jump!!   

You know you want to!

-Pat

Well, that is ONE WAY off the ledge... 

mnem
*Pretending to talk nixiefreqq off the ledge*

Path of least resistance.  Gravity will help - let yourself go; feel its sweet embrace.   

YOU ALMOST HAD ME.  nothing can resist gravity.

went back and looked.  it is an auction, and does not end till sunday afternoon.

looks like the freq has gotten a temporary reprieve and is climbing back in the window.

Ack!  Cross-post.  I, or one of us here, will try to remind you on Sunday morning - we don't want it to slip your mind.   

 

-Pat

[nixiefreqq]

aaaaaaah  man!

ya' don't understand.  pulled the trigger on a fluke 8810a just this morning.

still need to go into the mail account and move the evidence to a folder where swmbo won't find it.

but damn.  a 5325 is a rare and wonderful thing.

……...still on the ledge, despite your encouragement.

It's caaaaaaaAAAaaaallllLLLLllliinng yooooouuuu...

Nixiefreqqqqqqqqqqqqq.....   Buuyyyyyyyyyyyy  mmmmmeeeeeeeeeeee!

I have orange glowie goodness inside!

-Pat

my surviving 5325 is an "A" version and has the oval hp power jack.

the one for auction is a "B" and has an iec jack.

guess my only hope is that neo snipes it from under me.

[bd139]

Tek 465 update. Got it back together. Channel 2 works perfectly. Channel 1 appears to have been fudged at some point. Going to swap the attenuator modules between channels to try and fix. If that doesn’t work then it’s donor vertical amp hunt 

Edit: well fuck. Channel 1 vertical 10x is toast by the looks. There’s signs someone has tried to repair it in the past but it appears that they were unsuccessful. Next step try and find a spare vertical. Note it’s the board that is dead not the attenuator module. Grr.

Well and truly fucked.

Damn, dude... I was REALLY hoping your luck had changed with this one. No hope of kit-bashing between boards in this one and the parts mule?

Yes, I realize that this way lies madness... but... well... look where you are.

mnem
*Says a prayer to Ifni that bd139 finds "his" 465*

All is not lost 

Quick photo of the arse of a Tektronix 465 attenuator for those lucky folk who never have to go digging to find it.



I found this hiding which was not a good sign. Also some shitty soldering. Someone has had the vertical out already by the looks.



So a little later than before. Decided to re-approach it from scratch. I traced through the attenuators almost to the front of the channel FET with DC and the front end attenuators. All working absolutely fine (thanks BM867s). Which was puzzling as feck because it was correlating failure on 10X. So I pulled all the attenuator modules out and worked out that the idiot who put it back together the first time had put the 10X in the 100X hole and vice versa  . Got that back in and channel 2 was spot on with no weirdness. Channel 1 still buggered. But whatever the problem was, is past the attenuators. So I looked at the schematic and there's a programmable-gain amplifier further up the chain. I looked at this as it's under the attenuator module and what did I find? Some squished looking components. So I poked around with the DMM and found the butt side of a resistor with a tubular ceramic, R49/C49 shorting against ground 



Bent it back a little away from ground and you know what? It bloody works. Miracle.

Now the only thing that doesn't work on it that I can find so far is the probe indicator. Probably a duff transistor or cap that. Usually is.

Happy bd139 at last. Persistence pays off

Edit: fixed probe indicator as well. 100R series resistor shorting against panel. Sorted!