Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Cubdriver]

Rob, have you gotten a chance to do anything with the 521C yet, or is it still in the queue?

-Pat

[rrinker]

10 lb minimum? I think only my power supply counts then. I don't think even my 8050 is 10 pounds. None of my other meters are, not my scope, and not any of my related bits.

Should be, not must be.  And you could always add some ballast.   

I base this on my old boatanchor stuff that probably weighs north of 20 lbs on average.  Perhaps I need to form a BTEA sub group...

-Pat

 Some people like black tea, some like green tea... so maybe Classic TEA and Modern TEA. But then where do we draw the line? Is early 80's Modern or Classic? I do not (yet) have any nixie or tube equipment (there's always tomorrow) which would definitely fall in to the Classic category. And then there's the Mr. Carlson level of Classic TEA....

[bitseeker]

Temporal classifications for TEA will probably be difficult to use because terms such as classic change with time. Perhaps using the term vintage in the proper fashion (i.e., not the way it's used on eBay) by including a time period could be useful, for example, "60's vintage TEA".

Of course, classifying TEA by notable characteristics of the equipment also works, such as, "Nixie tube TEA", "vacuum tube TEA", or "boatanchory TEA".

Edit: Can't forget one of my favorites: Brushed aluminum panels with etched/engraved/stamped lettering TEA.

[Cubdriver]

Some people like black tea, some like green tea... so maybe Classic TEA and Modern TEA. But then where do we draw the line? Is early 80's Modern or Classic? I do not (yet) have any nixie or tube equipment (there's always tomorrow) which would definitely fall in to the Classic category. And then there's the Mr. Carlson level of Classic TEA....

What are you waiting for?!?     Get a search going for an HP 405 AR or CR, and you can tick both boxes off at once!

This isn't really something that I believe can be defined by hard and fast rules or dates, but in general I think I'd call 80s era stuff more classic than modern (perhaps 'modern classic'?).  Modern to me is when you open the enclosure and it's mostly air inside, with a board that has one or two big million-footed ICs on it, and you have to wait while it boots up.  Features could include LCD or OLED screens, 'soft' controls with multiple, context defined functions, that sort of thing.

Classic would have tubes and/or transistors with perhaps a few simple ICs, and I guess I'd call 'modern classic' stuff that's more IC based, and which may also have a microprocessor, but that still has a lot of individual supporting components too - something like the HP 3561A Dynamic Signal Analyzer comes to mind as a good example.  Things introduced from the mid 70s on as a rough starting point, up till 1990ish I suppose, off the top of my head.

-Pat

[mtdoc]

Edit: Can't forget one of my favorites: Brushed aluminum panels with etched/engraved/stamped lettering TEA.

Then definitely don't look at the last couple of posts in this thread.

[Cubdriver]

Of course, classifying TEA by notable characteristics of the equipment also works, such as, "Nixie tube TEA", "vacuum tube TEA", or "boatanchory TEA".

The 405CR I mentioned in my earlier post is a 'yes' for those categories.   

-Pat

[bitseeker]

Edit: Can't forget one of my favorites: Brushed aluminum panels with etched/engraved/stamped lettering TEA.

Then definitely don't look at the last couple of posts in this thread.

LOL! I guess you didn't see my footprints in there. My Power Designs collection, thus far: 2010, TP340A, TP343B, 2x 6050A, 3650-S, and 2015R.

The 405CR I mentioned in my earlier post is a 'yes' for those categories.   

Uh, oh. So, it covers three categories!

[Cubdriver]

The 405CR I mentioned in my earlier post is a 'yes' for those categories.   

Uh, oh. So, it covers three categories!

I'd be inclined to say so...   

 

It autoranges, too...  does that make it 'modern classic'??  <headscratch>  (I still haven't powered this one up yet.  Need to check out and likely at least reform the caps first...)

-Pat

[bitseeker]

You know you have TEA when...

You look at your profile stats and under "Most Popular Boards By Posts", the #1 category is "Test Equipment" and two of the top three categories are "Test Equipment" and "Repair".

[mtdoc]

I fell off the wagon today and bought a GwInstek GPD-3303S power supply.  Prices on eBay have come down with a flood of these from the ITT auctions.

There are two versions of this model. If yours is the one where the binding posts for channel 3 are further away from channel 1 than channel 1 is from channel 2, then you're probably OK. If all the binding posts are the same distance apart from one another, you may have an overshoot issue with channel 3. There are a couple of threads about it.

Edit: Just saw your post in the "scores" thread. It looks like you got one of the OK ones. You might want to double-check it before connecting anything voltage sensitive to channel 3.

Thanks. I looked at those threads. That's one more reason I'm glad I bought a specific unit (versus one from sellers with multiple units).  I will check all the outputs though.

One of the reasons I like this supply is that someone has made the service manual available for download. It is includes schematics (rare for modern test equipment) and the full calibration procedure which I will likely go through.

Well this supply arrived today and it is not the same as the one in the listing picture. It is one of the ones with all bannana jacks equally spaced and it has the overshoot issue. I specifically chose this listing to avoid that.   I've messaged the seller. We'll see what happens.

[bitseeker]

@mtdoc, well that's a shame. I wonder if they even have both versions in stock. Hopefully, you can get the good version. Otherwise, it's an easy return since it didn't match the photos.

Yet another confirmation that the all-even binding post version has overshoot.

[mtdoc]

Edit: Can't forget one of my favorites: Brushed aluminum panels with etched/engraved/stamped lettering TEA.

Then definitely don't look at the last couple of posts in this thread.

LOL! I guess you didn't see my footprints in there. My Power Designs collection, thus far: 2010, TP340A, TP343B, 2x 6050A, 3650-S, and 2015R.

The words thus far  are noted.    What, no 2005A ? ..

Seriously, nice collection.   I only have 4 (thus far..).  2005A, 2010, 2K-10, HV -1547.

I got the high voltage supplies for cheap - so that I could test my Tektronix p6015 high voltage osciloscope probe which I bought so that I could test my high voltage PSUs.   

That's some TEA circular reasoning there.  A prime hallmark of GAS.  

[Cubdriver]

The words thus far  are noted.    What, no 2005A ? ..

Seriously, nice collection.   I only have 4 (thus far..).  2005A, 2010, 2K-10, HV -1547.

I got the high voltage supplies for cheap - so that I could test my Tektronix p6015 high voltage osciloscope probe which I bought so that I could test my high voltage PSUs.   

That's some TEA circular reasoning there.  A prime hallmark of GAS.  

<adds new evilBay search terms>   

-Pat

[Vgkid]

I was starting to get nervous last night. Saw the moderately priced 5440b on e-pay, and started thinking what gear to sell to get it.
I guess it sold.

[VK5RC]

@cubdriver Hi Pat,  re 521C got part way through testing tubes and had a brain fade -  and broke my tube tester -  I have repaired that -  once I get the ltz10000s stable and I will  probably send one for testing -  I will get back to fixing her.
PS Aren't most Nixies boat anchor? 

[rrinker]

 OK, made me look. And now I REALLY want one of those 405CRs. And it's not like some equipment which I really have no actual use for - I could actually use this. Yes, keep justifying it... LOL. I don't have any 'shelf queens" in my other hobby, why should I just collect stuff I have no use for?

 A piece of equipment older than I am - surely that would be classic. 

[PartialDischarge]

I'm totally affected, I was so happy with my 3 6.5 digit dmms and didn't want to go any further. But now look at my car trunk, its over now...
And I can't even show the left side of it 

[xrunner]

I'm totally affected, I was so happy with my 3 6.5 digit dmms and didn't want to go any further. But now look at my car trunk, its over now...

Even filling up your car trunk eh?

Observe the way the disease progresses folks. Basically, it causes you to fill up any empty space with test equipment. There is no amount of extra space that will not be taken. Next he will fill the seats in the car until that space is used, then it's off to build extra sheds in the back yard - whatever it takes to hold MORE.

[TiN]

We are waiting in metrology section. Yes, you too...
Time to add 732B, 742A, SR104 into your ebay searches..

[PartialDischarge]

We are waiting in metrology section. Yes, you too...
Time to add 732B, 742A, SR104 into your ebay searches..

Im working on it, NVRAMS already desoldered and backed up, still looking into the other problem. Amazingly inside everything is shiny as new, I dont think it was ever used, will post soon

[bitseeker]

LOL! I guess you didn't see my footprints in there. My Power Designs collection, thus far: 2010, TP340A, TP343B, 2x 6050A, 3650-S, and 2015R.

The words thus far  are noted.    What, no 2005A ? ..

Hehe, nope. The custom oven kept me at bay. That and the 500mA maximum current. That's why I got the 2010. The 2020B would be nice, too, but is hard to find. There have been a few over the years with decals , instead of silk-screened or engraved panels, in poor shape, or asking for too much (like the recent one on eBay).

Seriously, nice collection.   I only have 4 (thus far..).  2005A, 2010, 2K-10, HV -1547.

I got the high voltage supplies for cheap - so that I could test my Tektronix p6015 high voltage osciloscope probe which I bought so that I could test my high voltage PSUs.

Thanks. How is the 2K-10? I may get one, one of these days, perhaps for insulation/leakage verification. The 3k-10B is also nice and would fit better in my collection, aesthetically speaking. There was one for parts recently, but I'm not up for repairing kilo-volt supplies yet.

That's some TEA circular reasoning there.  A prime hallmark of GAS.  

LOL! Yes, that should keep you going for a while, eh?

[bitseeker]

I'm totally affected, I was so happy with my 3 6.5 digit dmms and didn't want to go any further. But now look at my car trunk, its over now...
And I can't even show the left side of it 

Welcome to the party! Yes, you've gone and done it now. I see TiN spotted you, already.

Last year, I almost got a 3458A, but I was spared. So, I bought some lesser DMMs with the money that I saved.

[mtdoc]

The words thus far  are noted.    What, no 2005A ? ..

Hehe, nope. The custom oven kept me at bay.

I hadn't noticed that. Yes - could be a concern.

Thanks. How is the 2K-10?

It's a beauty - with a nice warm glowing tube inside.  Voltages are spot on as one would expect from a PD.  Size is not too bad. It would only anchor a very small boat.  Full manual available.

I may get one, one of these days, perhaps for insulation/leakage verification.

Yeah, that was one of my justifications for getting HV supplies as well.  Haven't used them for that yet though...

[PartialDischarge]

Talking about HV supplies here's a beauty and a beast. 10kV output, with 0.05% wire resistors and a voltage reference tube. More importantly its a real boatanchor, my 3589A is not happy about that   

[Berni]

I got one of these too, but mine has more period accurate knobs on it. Its quite amazing how accurate these things are on the output.

Mine needed a bit of work when i got it like rewiring for 220V, replacing the missing fuse holder, giving the interlock switches a exercise etc.

Oh and here is a photo of that massive vacuum tube working.