Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[beanflying]

Unless you have a copy or have copied the memory a full recalibration will be needed  So either you have a full range of precision sources or you pay the $$

There is plenty of stories of data corruption while changing batteries too so proceed with caution. Not sure when HP/Agilent changed over to non battery backed memory but anything crusty is worth a check of the manual before buying. Then ask the seller if they can measure something known even if it is just a 9v battery or mains.

The current  selling of AS-IS or Not tested because.... No Returns on even old test gear is  

[Rbastler]

Im lucky that it isn't a problem if I loose the cal data. I still will be carefull when I change the batteries of my three HP DMMs. I thought leaving the old ones in and came to the conclusion that I rather change them, then cheking them every now and then and maybe have them failing on me suddenly.

[beanflying]

My couple of 34970A Agilent loggers have a memory battery but it is only for the internal clock. If you go back earlier it generally isn't an issue as Cal Pot's providing they haven't been played with were standard.

There was a local 3458A on evilbay with a low memory battery warning shown. Funny but it sat there and sat there and no one wanted it at the full secondhand pricing ($4-6k) 

There it is. No buyers and no longer listed for sale. https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Hewlett-Packard-3458A-Multimeter/322931311229?hash=item4b3034c27d:g:ztMAAOSw1NFaK~q-

[Specmaster]

Out of interest what happens if you do lose the cal data?

The average hobbyist would do better to avoid such devices altogether, as most if not all of the more modern stuff with 5.5 or more digits are software driven and are more then likely to have battery backed memory for the calibration data. Like I said before, is it a real requirement for all of those digits or is a whim and feel good factor and before anyone gets upperty about that comment, let me explain that I do like to have all those extra digits, it sure looks good and mighty impressive on the bench but do I really need them, no I don't.

The older style of meter of that ilk take up far too much of my limited bench and newer smaller ones just cost to dammed much that I can't afford nor attempt to justify buying one. Yes I can see where the extra resolution on the resistance range could be useful in attempting to pin down the locality of a short circuit on a board, but once again how often will anybody be using it for that and there are other ways of locating the short that are less expensive.

Now where did I put that 8.5 digit meter 

[beanflying]

Now where did I put that 8.5 digit meter 

If you are out of room I already have space reserved for one 

My real need for more digits is so I can calibrate sensors and the boards I am working on to better than specced accuracy with high certainty. 6 1/2 is plenty for 0.1% or a bit better. With them they are either just out of cal or within a couple of years of cal and I see no need to keep them in cal as they are better than needed for my job.

The space for the 3458A is more a whim and because I 'need' it 

[Specmaster]

Now where did I put that 8.5 digit meter 

If you are out of room I already have space reserved for one 

My real need for more digits is so I can calibrate sensors and the boards I am working on to better than specced accuracy with high certainty. 6 1/2 is plenty for 0.1% or a bit better. With them they are either just out of cal or within a couple of years of cal and I see no need to keep them in cal as they are better than needed for my job.

The space for the 3458A is more a whim and because I 'need' it 

I don't have a 8.5 digit meter so your space will remain empty a bit longer 

Yes I can see that there will be people who either do or could make full use of the extra accuracy afforded by such meters but I bet most are just like me, like to see them but don't need them.                                                                                   

[Mr. Scram]

I have been eyeing a mint HP 34401A that was slowly dropping in price, but it looks like someone snatched it before I could work out the logistics. I'm a bit bummed about it, as it looked to be a very nice unit. Most are worn out and honestly not that appealing. If I'm going to spend that kind of money, I want it to be a nice one.

I don't think I'll need 6 digits any time soon, but 5 digits would actually be welcome for a project I'm working on right now.

[bitseeker]

Another benefit of high-resolution bench DMMs is that they auto-range and measure really fast at lower resolutions. So, that may be of interest to some.

[beanflying]

A 25 year old Weller, 3 1/2 digits and a Horrid Hantek MhZ Scope have served me ok for the last 15 years of R/C and Electronics and for most people will still be up to the job. This is the gear I was using for coffee machine servicing, R/C and general electronics.

Some of the stuff I have been buying falls into the indulgence category but most is because it makes the job better, easier or more precise rather than absolute need. Basically I got tired of 'making do' 

[bitseeker]

Some of the stuff I have been buying falls into the indulgence category

Hehe, sounds good to me.

[Specmaster]

A 25 year old Weller, 3 1/2 digits and a Horrid Hantek MhZ Scope have served me ok for the last 15 years of R/C and Electronics and for most people will still be up to the job. This is the gear I was using for coffee machine servicing, R/C and general electronics.

Some of the stuff I have been buying falls into the indulgence category but most is because it makes the job better, easier or more precise rather than absolute need. Basically I got tired of 'making do' 

I can relate to that but unfortunately finances dictate that I can't do much about it, I'll always be pecking around looking for others castoffs 

[neo]

A 25 year old Weller, 3 1/2 digits and a Horrid Hantek MhZ Scope have served me ok for the last 15 years of R/C and Electronics and for most people will still be up to the job. This is the gear I was using for coffee machine servicing, R/C and general electronics.

Some of the stuff I have been buying falls into the indulgence category but most is because it makes the job better, easier or more precise rather than absolute need. Basically I got tired of 'making do' 

I can relate to that but unfortunately finances dictate that I can't do much about it, I'll always be pecking around looking for others castoffs 

Well, you are about to get a slight boon to your finances, plan to spend it on anything nice? 

[Specmaster]

A 25 year old Weller, 3 1/2 digits and a Horrid Hantek MhZ Scope have served me ok for the last 15 years of R/C and Electronics and for most people will still be up to the job. This is the gear I was using for coffee machine servicing, R/C and general electronics.

Some of the stuff I have been buying falls into the indulgence category but most is because it makes the job better, easier or more precise rather than absolute need. Basically I got tired of 'making do' 

I can relate to that but unfortunately finances dictate that I can't do much about it, I'll always be pecking around looking for others castoffs 

Well, you are about to get a slight boon to your finances, plan to spend it on anything nice? 

I already have speculated on this pair of 3.5 digit meters, well beaten up and typical for castoffs over here in the UK, taking a gamble on their robustness that they will be working OK when they reach me later this week.

Check your mail later in the day for some pictures.

[mnementh]

Wow... those are textbook examples of "knocking around the bottom of a tool box/bag for twenty years" Fluke field gear. I guess I'm happy for you...?   


I don't know what the flurp has happened with the 87s the last couple years... a few years ago, you couldn't give the damned things away; like new ones going for ~$50. Then, just after mine (that I'd had since it/they were a brand new model) got stolen during a move, they went crazy and I couldn't touch even ones in this condition for less than $100. Sure I'd love an 87-V, but that old beast served me trusty, tried & true for 20 years; I'm certain another would serve me just as well. Every time I do a fresh search, same old story. Nothing that doesn't look utterly knackered for less than $100.

*Does a fresh search just to make sure*

Yup, same thing; a couple halfway decent 87-IIIs going low ~$60-70 net, but no holster and lots of days left... hmmm... a nice condition 87 with Fluke accessories opening at $96 net; says working perfect, but no pics of it lit up... *pins to a tab*...

*Does a [SOLD] listing search*

Oh futch... now THIS is what really twists my joint. JUST MISSED several half-decent looking 87-III that went ~$75 net, and a working 87-V with thermo that went ~$90 net. 


%$@&MiserableSpitzin'Spartin'Fillibartin'BootChoochin'DumbAsaBagOfHammersSonuvaThree-toedCopper-bottomedIdiotFluppingUglyMudsucker anyhow...!&@$%


Fine...! *Contemplates another round of eBay searches til 0h-dark-thirty in the AM*


mnem
*Kicks evilBay in the junk just on GP*

[bd139]

That’s the EEVblog effect.

What we need to do is buy some shitty stuff, persuade Dave to like it, then sell it on eBay

Got some itchy bidding fingers this week. Or pompholyx.

There is a whole lot of test gear on eBay at the moment. Buy it now for £9600. 12 racks of it. Got some nice stuff in it but looks like most of it is broken or suspect. I’ve asked if I can nick the two HP8640B’s out of the lot if it doesn’t go as a whole. Fingers crossed.

[Cerebus]

Wow... those are textbook examples of "knocking around the bottom of a tool box/bag for twenty years" Fluke field gear. I guess I'm happy for you...?   

That's nothing. I bought an ex-military Fluke 25 a couple of years back. It had the characteristic smell of British tank to it (diesel, tea and sweat), and the blow moulded carrying case had what a knowledgeable eye would recognise as dessert sand in it. It was battered (the probes were beyond hope) but cleaned up nicely. The factory calibration sheet is dated April 1998, it hasn't been adjusted at all by me but it still manages to be (as far as its 3 1/2 digits can be) in digit perfect agreement with my, in cal., 5 1/2 digit Keithley. Basically, tough as old boots and will hold its cal. in much less than ideal conditions.

[Mr. Scram]

Dessert sand? Now I'm hungry.

[Specmaster]

Wow... those are textbook examples of "knocking around the bottom of a tool box/bag for twenty years" Fluke field gear. I guess I'm happy for you...?   

That's nothing. I bought an ex-military Fluke 25 a couple of years back. It had the characteristic smell of British tank to it (diesel, tea and sweat), and the blow moulded carrying case had what a knowledgeable eye would recognise as dessert sand in it. It was battered (the probes were beyond hope) but cleaned up nicely. The factory calibration sheet is dated April 1998, it hasn't been adjusted at all by me but it still manages to be (as far as its 3 1/2 digits can be) in digit perfect agreement with my, in cal., 5 1/2 digit Keithley. Basically, tough as old boots and will hold its cal. in much less than ideal conditions.

Yep, thats pretty much the case with my ex-military 25, that bastard is spot on cal according to my tests and whats more agrees with a calibrated HP 3466A and also with a Philips PM2521 until it decided to a case of I don't care what range you select, I'm going to display 2? to everything except frigging frequency (which still works perfectly) last week.

I was actually looking for some old 27 that had a reasonable case but knackered guts so that I could use the case and put my 25 guts inside it and make it into a 27 with the "REL" and "MIN/MAX" buttons and felt really sure that those 2 would go cheaply, because the only difference between a 25 and 27 is the frigging case. And I'm now accepting bets that both them of them will be like my 25 and be spot on bloody cal and I'll end with 3 tough as boots handhelds bang on the mark as far calibration goes and I'll have to scrub those turds into looking half decent.

Why do I like them so much? They are well built, a tank could roll over then and they'd still be working, have a REL and MIN/MAX function ideal for monitoring power supplies over extended time periods and the meter does not switch off during the tests and auto-ranging whats not to like? 

[neo]

The postal service FINALLY delivered my 3312A!

Here at last! And  with all keycaps and knobs intact! The cause for delay? A piece of the label was torn and on top of that he used stamps! Some of which are 30-50 years old! The frequency is a little off from the value on the dial, better after a slight warm up, it works well, going up to 10MHz before the square wave begins to resemble a sine wave.

I dare say, winner winner chicken dinner on this one 

[AF6LJ]

Looks like it survived the trek to you.
Everybody should have at least one of these.
Two would be nice.

[neo]

Looks like it survived the trek to you.
Everybody should have at least one of these.
Two would be nice.

It is probably miracle that it did, it was wrapped in bubble wrap and stuck in a box big enough to fit two in.  Come to think of it he was a bit skimpy on the tape too...

[tggzzz]

... and on top of that he used stamps! Some of which are 30-50 years old!

Cut them out carefully, prederving any franking marks and dates - and put them up for sale on fleabay or some philatelic website

[Specmaster]

The postal service FINALLY delivered my 3312A!

Here at last! And  with all keycaps and knobs intact! The cause for delay? A piece of the label was torn and on top of that he used stamps! Some of which are 30-50 years old! The frequency is a little off from the value on the dial, better after a slight warm up, it works well, going up to 10MHz before the square wave begins to resemble a sine wave.

I dare say, winner winner chicken dinner on this one 

Nice unit, but bloody hell how many stamps did he have to use to post that to you? Looks like he tried to cover the carton in stamps 

[neo]

The postal service FINALLY delivered my 3312A!

Here at last! And  with all keycaps and knobs intact! The cause for delay? A piece of the label was torn and on top of that he used stamps! Some of which are 30-50 years old! The frequency is a little off from the value on the dial, better after a slight warm up, it works well, going up to 10MHz before the square wave begins to resemble a sine wave.

I dare say, winner winner chicken dinner on this one 

Nice unit, but bloody hell how many stamps did he have to use to post that to you? Looks like he tried to cover the carton in stamps 

137 stamps, give or take a few of course.

[bitseeker]

... and on top of that he used stamps! Some of which are 30-50 years old!

Cut them out carefully, prederving any franking marks and dates - and put them up for sale on fleabay or some philatelic website

Just what I was thinking.