Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

I know a Wayne Kerr too, and I once had a customer called Pat Pratt. The first time I called at his place of work and asked for him, I felt sure that I'd been set up but sure enough, that actually was his real name. Needless to say I gave a big sigh of relief after that call.

[Specmaster]

Well I have had a little play with the T12 now and I'm really gob smacked, this thing is so tiny, especially when compared with a normal Hakko and yet it packs a real punch the chisel head is again so small in comparison to a 936 head yet it managed to make a good connection to the tin sponge tray of the 936's iron stand in just a few seconds and it was effortless, never even had to apply the boost function.

Internal construction was fine, no problems there at all, even had some low ESR 105C caps in the power supply, all solder joints seem to fine and dandy, flow soldered and works a treat, Found some rubber feet that had fallen out of the box, stuck them on and its fine and stable and the case does not even get warm during soldering.











Whats not to like about it?

To think it was only £9 more than I paid for 936 and it came with 5 sealed heaters and tips, bargain. 

[bd139]

The way that IEC connector is mounted and soldered on is dodgy as fuck.

[Specmaster]

The way that IEC connector is mounted and soldered on is dodgy as fuck.

If it meant having it like this or waiting for an IEC plug, I'd rather have it like it is, it works and if need be I can in solder  the wires.

[bd139]

Just to back up my complaint with more than just an insult to the designers, that’s pretty dangerous. The mechanical leverage of the IEC pins will cause the mains traces to lift over time or the solder joints to fracture. Will turn it on one day and the inrush current will finish the joint or the trace off. That’s if the earth doesn’t break off first and you get electrocuted.

Is the case earthed? If so how is it strapped.

To be clear I just don’t want toasted people 

[Ero-Shan]

Beautiful!!!

I am 98% certain that I have a manual for the 5325B, but will have to dig tomorrow (it's 0330 here and I need some sleep...)  I'll look during the day and let you know what I find.  It's unfortunate that a lot of them get rack mounted and the feet go away - those old black ones with the spring button go for a fortune on the 'bay when they show up.  Pity the newer ones don't fit; you can get them easily.  A little naptha will get that sticker off and it'll look like new!

Yours looks a whole lot cleaner than the one I rescued a year and a half ago from the yard at Apex:


-Pat

A good scan (or photos) of the maintenance section would indeed be great! No need to hurry, though. Before I can actively start working on it, there's Christmas preparation, laundry, cleaning the lab desk (I had to take the picture with the counter on the floor, where I also did the quick test). But ahead of me are 2 weeks of vacation, which I intend to spend mostly in the lab.

Today was filled with house cleaning and getting that last haul safely home. Still more things to tidy up!

Oh, and my 5325B has the same top cover as the bottom cover - complete with the mounting holes for the feet.  Apart from that, the case is in quite a good shape. As you anticipated, the pushbutton switches need lubrication, and the slope switch of channel A cannot be moved.

[bitseeker]

It's been a while since I last came for some TEA group therapy! I thought I had my addiction under control but I recently had a Keysight E36313A arrive and have been doing some testing on that unit and this has fanned the test equipment collecting desire again.... I fear there is no hope this time....

Relapsers are always most welcome. Good to see you again!

[HalFET]

The Advantest TR45101 arrived today, for a piece of what seems to be 80s equipment (at least based on date codes) the build quality on this thing is remarkable. I wonder how much this thing sold for back in its day. This is honestly a good buy for 50 bucks (shipping included), just the case alone is perfectly reusable!

[Cubdriver]

Hi All,

It's been a while since I last came for some TEA group therapy! I thought I had my addiction under control but I recently had a Keysight E36313A arrive and have been doing some testing on that unit and this has fanned the test equipment collecting desire again.... I fear there is no hope this time....

Best Regards,

Rachael

You fell off the wagon!!    . Welcome back - we saved you a spot at the table.   

-Pat

[Specmaster]

Just to back up my complaint with more than just an insult to the designers, that’s pretty dangerous. The mechanical leverage of the IEC pins will cause the mains traces to lift over time or the solder joints to fracture. Will turn it on one day and the inrush current will finish the joint or the trace off. That’s if the earth doesn’t break off first and you get electrocuted.

Is the case earthed? If so how is it strapped.

To be clear I just don’t want toasted people 

thought you was referring to the 2 pole header for the power to the front socket. The actual IEC power socket seems robust enough and the trace is on the reverse of the board which seems to have tangs from the IEC socket through the hole and is soldered on both sides so it does seem to be firmly fixed but I will run  a fresh solder flow on both sides to reinforce the joint.

[HalFET]

Just to back up my complaint with more than just an insult to the designers, that’s pretty dangerous. The mechanical leverage of the IEC pins will cause the mains traces to lift over time or the solder joints to fracture. Will turn it on one day and the inrush current will finish the joint or the trace off. That’s if the earth doesn’t break off first and you get electrocuted.

Is the case earthed? If so how is it strapped.

To be clear I just don’t want toasted people 

thought you was referring to the 2 pole header for the power to the front socket. The actual IEC power socket seems robust enough and the trace is on the reverse of the board which seems to have tangs from the IEC socket through the hole and is soldered on both sides so it does seem to be firmly fixed but I will run  a fresh solder flow on both sides to reinforce the joint.

One must wonder if you could solder the solder station using the solder station! Solderception!

[Cerebus]

I know a Wayne Kerr too, and I once had a customer called Pat Pratt. The first time I called at his place of work and asked for him, I felt sure that I'd been set up but sure enough, that actually was his real name. Needless to say I gave a big sigh of relief after that call.

Bit like my first day in a new job where, coming back from lunch, I found a note on my desk telling me that "Paddy Rafferty" at the Northern Irish branch had called me and would I please ring back. Nobody else in my office to confirm it with, first day, how would anybody in the Irish office know I even existed, comedy "Mick" name - I was sure I was in line for a "new guy" gag that had been set up by the jokers in my (London) office with the jokers from the NI office. Equally: first day, don't want to be seen slacking, no one to say "pull the other one" to, I though I'd better call NI, expecting to have the urine extracted.

Called, got put straight through to the branch Chief Account who was actually called Paddy Rafferty. After being a bit cagey I figured out that it was a legitimate support call, got nattering and finally told Paddy what I'd suspected who had a laugh and sympathised. I went over to NI a few months later and met Paddy in person. As well as having an archetypical "Mick" name, Paddy was a Catholic with seven children and drank like a fish - almost the perfect stereotype. Great bloke, very "Irish" in all the right ways, and we had a lot of fun whenever I went over to the NI office.

[Specmaster]

Thanks for mentioning the earthing of the metal casing, I had checked that the iron tip was earthed, which it is but the housing is not, seems that they think it is double insulated by the inclusion of a plastic sheet beneath the circuit board to keep any contact between case and circuit board at bay. The incoming earth connection to the PCB is a black cable and a trace runs all along the edge of the board to a spot at the front from which a green cable connects the earth terminal on the iron socket, there is no provision to to earth the metal casing, which incidentally is made up from 4 sections top, bottom and front and back panels held together via 8 machine screws that screw into tapped extrusions running the length of the case in 4 locations.

The only way I can see to earth the case without drilling more holes in it would be to scrap away the black anodising in the screw holes and the screw heads, run a earth lead to a ring terminal and position this between the back plat and the case, remove the anodising on the case edge and the back plate at that point and sandwich it between the back plate and case and let the screws carry the earth to all 4 sections. Also a complaint to AliExpress about these problems and see what they propose to do about it. 

[bd139]

If the iron tips is earthed that's a good thing at least. It fails the criteria for double insulation as the fuse holder jump wires might come off and touch the case which is not earthed. Also AFAIK double insulation means that it has to be encapsulated in an insulator entirely so for example where you have your cheap two pin switchers, they are fully plastic enclosures. Same with drills, televisions etc. Anodised cases or coated ones are not suitable insulators. Once something has galvanic isolation, not so much of a problem so only the power supply needs double insulation.

To earth it safely, I would want to see a strap with crimped end between the IEC connector's earth and the chassis somewhere. To do this I would probably drill a 3MM hole in it, run over it with a dremel wire brush, stick an M3 screw through with anti vibration washer, then M3 tag (crimped), then M3 nut. The device's earth strap can also come off that M3 screw as well with a separate tag.

[Specmaster]

I agree, I think if it was earthed in this fashion and the fixing screws wire brushed to show clean metal and the countersunk holes treated the same way then I think all sections of the case would earthed by virtue of the machine screw biting into the internal threaded sections.

The iron tip is indeed earthed as long as I don't use the supplied power lead as they not only have no provision for a local fuse but has a partially sleeved earth pin and once the plug is fully inserted any earth connection is lost because of the sleeving on the pin.

I have now emailed Aliexpress and attached a photo showing some of the problems, as they only allow 1 photo I have sent them the one showing the IEC socket connections. I have now beefed up the soldering on these pins now but as you say, repeated plugging and unplugging will cause stress on the connections. I recommended that they make the case 25mm longer and then use flexible cables to make the connection to the PCB.

I now await their reply.

[rachaelp]

So now I know what a T12 is and what it looks like. You learn something new every day!

Looks like a really nice piece of kit 

[bd139]

I agree, I think if it was earthed in this fashion and the fixing screws wire brushed to show clean metal and the countersunk holes treated the same way then I think all sections of the case would earthed by virtue of the machine screw biting into the internal threaded sections.

The iron tip is indeed earthed as long as I don't use the supplied power lead as they not only have no provision for a local fuse but has a partially sleeved earth pin and once the plug is fully inserted any earth connection is lost because of the sleeving on the pin.

I have now emailed Aliexpress and attached a photo showing some of the problems, as they only allow 1 photo I have sent them the one showing the IEC socket connections. I have now beefed up the soldering on these pins now but as you say, repeated plugging and unplugging will cause stress on the connections. I recommended that they make the case 25mm longer and then use flexible cables to make the connection to the PCB.

I now await their reply.

That'd do the trick nicely. This is always the thing that annoys me about some of the cheaper kit. They literally could spent half a dollar more on it and hit the mark. It'd be spot on then.

I reckon they'll probably ignore it or give you money back and tell you to keep it (win win).

Reminds me of this google link I saw the other day when I was looking for dangerous goods recalls:

[bitseeker]

Reminds me of this google link I saw the other day when I was looking for dangerous goods recalls:

That's awesome! BISCUITS, even!

[Specmaster]

So now I know what a T12 is and what it looks like. You learn something new every day!

Looks like a really nice piece of kit 

If they pay attention to my email, then yes, it really will be a nice piece of kit, it really does do exactly what they say it does in their promo video and does it well and provided no accidents happen it is safe but as we all know accidents do indeed happen from time to time and then it could be deadly. But for a few Yuan more spent on the product it could become a brilliant one and still at a brilliant price as well. Watch this space and see how they react to my email.

[beanflying]

Last member of the cold war family turned up on the last postal day before Christmas. HUGE!!

Quick check shows it as very accurate. Box resistance 0.06 ohms 

[Specmaster]

Looks like a nice sturdy piece of kit does that and the resistance is really good, you did well there, only problem is the sheer size of the beast, hope you have an equally large bench to use it on too 

[Specmaster]

I agree, I think if it was earthed in this fashion and the fixing screws wire brushed to show clean metal and the countersunk holes treated the same way then I think all sections of the case would earthed by virtue of the machine screw biting into the internal threaded sections.

The iron tip is indeed earthed as long as I don't use the supplied power lead as they not only have no provision for a local fuse but has a partially sleeved earth pin and once the plug is fully inserted any earth connection is lost because of the sleeving on the pin.

I have now emailed Aliexpress and attached a photo showing some of the problems, as they only allow 1 photo I have sent them the one showing the IEC socket connections. I have now beefed up the soldering on these pins now but as you say, repeated plugging and unplugging will cause stress on the connections. I recommended that they make the case 25mm longer and then use flexible cables to make the connection to the PCB.

I now await their reply.

That'd do the trick nicely. This is always the thing that annoys me about some of the cheaper kit. They literally could spent half a dollar more on it and hit the mark. It'd be spot on then.

I reckon they'll probably ignore it or give you money back and tell you to keep it (win win).

Reminds me of this google link I saw the other day when I was looking for dangerous goods recalls:

Haha, if I do get it for free I'll not complain about it, I know I can make it safe electrically and I have already beefed up the solder on the pins of the IEC socket as it is not actually spiked to the bottom traces, just relies on the hole plating and solder flowing through for a connection. Once setup I don't intend on ever unplugging it so that aspect should not be a problem in reality. The earthing stud could be positioned on the bottom of the box so it doesn't compromise the sleek looks of the unit. 

[beanflying]

About to set up a dedicated measurement bench as part of my Volt/Temp/Resistance nuttery 

As there is a bunch of these on evilbay quick pull down thread and some test results coming up. Bottom fixing screws had gunk and a seal on them. Everything inside is very tidy and painted or waxed.

[bitseeker]

Looks like a nice sturdy piece of kit does that and the resistance is really good, you did well there, only problem is the sheer size of the beast, hope you have an equally large bench to use it on too 

At least it uses less horizontal space than the traditional GenRad-like ones that line up all the knobs in a single row.

What are all the extra jacks for? Individual taps after each decade?

[beanflying]

Correct individual taps. I had it delivered with an instruction book, some of it has been english translated along with circuit diagrams and spec sheet fairly bad copy but I will try and tidy it up and post some of it. 0.02% from 10 ohms on up, 0.03% 1-10 and a bit more below that.

Perfect size for prototyping my next Arduino Nano project with