Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[beanflying]

Got outbid on two Agilent power supplies from the US today on evilbay while making 400+ Doughnuts and 200+ Coffees at a local market 

Bonus 'saved' $4-500 from the non spending and made a chunk of $$ to buy even more test gear 

[bitseeker]

What? You didn't buy two donuts and a cup of coffee?

[VK5RC]

I helped cook about 100kg of sausages in a hardware store 'sausage sizzle' fundraiser - I couldn't face one for about 2 years after that!
I just noticed 'sausage sizzle' seems to be an Aus phenomenon - esp at Hardware stores . Eating junk food for a good cause - you know! 

[Cubdriver]

I helped cook about 100kg of sausages in a hardware store 'sausage sizzle' fundraiser - I couldn't face one for about 2 years after that!
I just noticed 'sausage sizzle' seems to be an Aus phenomenon - esp at Hardware stores . Eating junk food for a good cause - you know! 

The bottom line of the local clothing store when you need to buy a new wardrobe to accommodate your added girth?   

-Pat

[neo]

I helped cook about 100kg of sausages in a hardware store 'sausage sizzle' fundraiser - I couldn't face one for about 2 years after that!
I just noticed 'sausage sizzle' seems to be an Aus phenomenon - esp at Hardware stores . Eating junk food for a good cause - you know! 

Great now you've made me hungry for a nice, juicy, cooked to perfection bratwurst.

[TheUnnamedNewbie]

I think I have to face that I am starting to suffer from GAS.

I have been a big fan of electronics ever since my parents bought me my 100-in-1 experiment kit when I was 5-6 years old.
I got another when I was a bit older. I got to use the cheap-and-shitty meters of my grandfather (who just needed it to see if there was or was not 230 V on this lighting fixture).

When I was 16 or so I finally saved up enough money to by my own meter. Back then I conisdered the 80 euro's I spent on it a big investment, and I still have this meter and use it a lot today. Sure, it's just 2000 count and I don't trust the safety rating that it comes with, but it measures voltages and currents.

When I was 18, my neighbours found an old (late 70s vintage if I remember right) Philips PM3244 in their attic. They gave it to me for free. They thought it was broken as it didn't do anything, but it turns out that the thing just doesn't show anything unless you set the trigger right. But it swiftly blew it's ouput filter capacitor, and that was that...

But it all went downhill from there. I had no clue how to fix the scope, so it sat there for a while. At this point all I had was my multimeter and a general-purpose switching power supply that had a small setscrew that allowed me to select 3, 5, 7.5, 9 or 12V output. But this was enough for me to already build a bunch of experiments.

But one day I decided to take another look at that oscilloscope. ''It's no good sitting there'', I thought, '' might as well try to fix it, it is broken anyways''. And I quickly realized that the mains input filter was simply a short - replaced it with one with similar rating, installed a IEC power jack and been using it just fine ever since.

And then it all went down hill... The scope allowed me to see just how shitty this power supply I was using was. At this opint, I was also starting my last years of my bachelor EE, and I got an interest in analog circuit design, and none of this digital-counting-to-one stuff. But analog needs a lot of voltage rails! Better get me some powersupplies! And to ebay I went, and I found myself two HP 6253A, of which one had a broken channel. I still need to fix that, but I have other stuff on the to-do list now. Just a bit later, I got an offer I couldn't resist from Omicron here - a good lot of test gear for a very good price! I got a nice Tektronix TBS1052B from that, but the main thing was the AFG2021 which has been one of my most used and loved pieces of gear since that day.

Just a few weeks later I spotted an auction for a lot of gear and components, and for just 90 euros I came to own a litteral (small european) truckload of components and some more test gear. Old stuff, such as two counters (PM6667 and PM6661) and a old multimeter. Also got some ancient signal generator that goes up to 100 KHz.

I decided at that point that I needed to get my first "big-boy" multimeter. I had my eyes on a keithley 2000, but they were still expensive. I spotted an offer of two "broken" philips PM2527 multimeters - 4.5 digit 20000 count bench meters but with a 200 uA range. I went in for it and ended up with one that was dead (transformer was blown) but one that I could perhaps fix.

The display was broken so I had to build my own using LEDs and some perfboard. With that done, I discovered the next fault: one of the ranges was not working propperly.

This was my first "real" repair. Sure I had fixed some other stuff, but I always considered this to be "cheating". Blown mains filters or fuses, nothing that actually required circuit-level work. But this was different - one of the ranges wasn't working, and I traced it first to a relay that wasn't switching in the front-end, which led me to investigate the logic, where I found that the input wasn't changing, which turned out to be because of a dead optocoupler. I replaced it and it came to life. I was so proud (still am, really).
I wanted to use this meter but I could tell that it's callibration was a mess. References which I had measured at my uni showed that the meter was off by a few percent at least. So I needed something better to calibrate it. Instead of getting a lot of references, I decided to bite the bullet and buy my first "high-end" DMM: a keithley 2000. Using this I calibrated my PM2527.

And now recenetly I found that the AFG2021 was limiting my ability to do some experiments: I wanted to measure the distortion of some amplifiers but the minimum output power of 35-ish dBm was already pushing the high-gain amplifiers close to their rails. I could have built a few attenuators but I didn't trust the performance of diy-attenuators at 1-10 MHz. So I went looking and orderd a 8657A on ebay the other day... should be here after new years. Just means I need to get myself a N-to-SMA adapter.

Now the next thing I already am looking at is a spectrum analyzer... Would really be usefull to get one, as this is also a vital component in repairing any RF gear... Oh, and a propper LCR meter would also be nice...

The main realization I made a few days ago is that the main reason I buy this equipment is to repair and verify the other equipment I buy... which I then use to repair and veryfiy the other equipment I buy... which I then use to repair and veryfiy the other equipment I buy... which I then use to repair and veryfiy the other equipment I buy... which I then use to repair and veryfiy the other equipment I buy...

[HalFET]

UPS utterly destroyed the Fluke 5200A:( I hear lose rattling inside and it's so bent up I can't remove the guard cover anymore.

[Berni]

Ouch that has taken quite the pounding. How well was it packed in the box?

I had to bend back metalwork on test gear before, but luckily nothing inside got damaged so far.

[bd139]

Ouch. That’s bad.

[Cubdriver]

Oh, geeze - that looks awful!   

How was it packed - by a guy who went to the same styrofoam egg carton school of packaging as the guy I just got the meter from?

I hope that you can straighten it out enough to get it functional with some hammer-and-dolly work.  How are your auto body repair skills?

Fingers crossed that you can fix it and/or get some $$ back from what you paid based on its damaged condition, especially if it was poorly packed.

Good luck.

-Pat

[Specmaster]

UPS utterly destroyed the Fluke 5200A:( I hear lose rattling inside and it's so bent up I can't remove the guard cover anymore.

Generally speaking, with metalwork unless it has broken or bent castings, it can be gently reworked back into shape. Sure it will probably always be slightly visible but the main thing is that it should be operational at least. I have had a few CROs delivered have not been properly packed and suffered in transit but are now operational and look reasonable.

[HalFET]

UPS utterly destroyed the Fluke 5200A:( I hear lose rattling inside and it's so bent up I can't remove the guard cover anymore.

Generally speaking, with metalwork unless it has broken or bent castings, it can be gently reworked back into shape. Sure it will probably always be slightly visible but the main thing is that it should be operational at least. I have had a few CROs delivered have not been properly packed and suffered in transit but are now operational and look reasonable.

It's so badly damaged that I can't remove the guard covers, and there's rattling inside so it probably cracked or damaged circuit boards.

[BU508A]

Great now you've made me hungry for a nice, juicy, cooked to perfection bratwurst.

Then this may be helpful:
http://www.hermanzegerman.com/

Unlucky for you, Herman is in London.

[Specmaster]

UPS utterly destroyed the Fluke 5200A:( I hear lose rattling inside and it's so bent up I can't remove the guard cover anymore.

Generally speaking, with metalwork unless it has broken or bent castings, it can be gently reworked back into shape. Sure it will probably always be slightly visible but the main thing is that it should be operational at least. I have had a few CROs delivered have not been properly packed and suffered in transit but are now operational and look reasonable.

It's so badly damaged that I can't remove the guard covers, and there's rattling inside so it probably cracked or damaged circuit boards.

Wack a claim in quick then.

[BU508A]

It's so badly damaged that I can't remove the guard covers, and there's rattling inside so it probably cracked or damaged circuit boards.

I'll keep my fingers crossed, that no PCB is broken or similar. Just "only" bended metal.

[Specmaster]

It's so badly damaged that I can't remove the guard covers, and there's rattling inside so it probably cracked or damaged circuit boards.

I'll keep my fingers crossed, that no PCB is broken or similar. Just "only" bended metal.

Yes maybe the rattle is just a rivet or similar fastening, fingers crossed.

[bd139]

Hope you don't get one of those horrible sellers i.e. the ones that go "well it left us ok". I had that with my Tek 2225 even though it was chucked in a single wall box with some bubble wrap stuffed around the edges.

I think we need a forum post on "how to package stuff safely" so we can bitch slap the sellers post-factum.

[AF6LJ]

Hope you don't get one of those horrible sellers i.e. the ones that go "well it left us ok". I had that with my Tek 2225 even though it was chucked in a single wall box with some bubble wrap stuffed around the edges.

I think we need a forum post on "how to package stuff safely" so we can bitch slap the sellers post-factum.

I agree and I would also like to see a thread on cleaning up your junk before selling it.

[Specmaster]

Hope you don't get one of those horrible sellers i.e. the ones that go "well it left us ok". I had that with my Tek 2225 even though it was chucked in a single wall box with some bubble wrap stuffed around the edges.

I think we need a forum post on "how to package stuff safely" so we can bitch slap the sellers post-factum.

I agree and I would also like to see a thread on cleaning up your junk before selling it.

Yes, but sometimes the best bargains on evilbay are the ones that are in need of a good clean from a buying view point. If your selling then a clean item will look more appealing and hopefully attract a better price so I suppose it all changes according to if buying or selling.

[Specmaster]

Hope you don't get one of those horrible sellers i.e. the ones that go "well it left us ok". I had that with my Tek 2225 even though it was chucked in a single wall box with some bubble wrap stuffed around the edges.

I think we need a forum post on "how to package stuff safely" so we can bitch slap the sellers post-factum.

I like to assume that forum members would know how to pack items safely. What we need to do is find a way of getting the message spread beyond the confines of the forum otherwise aren't we preaching to the converted?

[HalFET]

Yes, double walled boxing seems to be so hard for these folks, I even paid the guy extra to take his time to package it and he didn't even bother with a double box.

[Specmaster]

Yes, double walled boxing seems to be so hard for these folks, I even paid the guy extra to take his time to package it and he didn't even bother with a double box.

Unless it's really heavy don't need double boxing as long as it's well wrapped in bubble wrap and box pack with beads etc.

[Chris56000]

Hi!

This is the official TEA (Test Equipment Anonymous) house for everyone who has GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). Share your stories of woe, trying to manage all the wonderful test gear you keep scoring. Maybe group therapy will cure you. Then, again, maybe not. Well, as long as you enjoy it, what's one more multimeter in the grand scheme of things?

Glossary of Terms, Conditions, Causes, and Effects

A-C

ALDERAAN: Accessible Location of Disused Equipment Ready And Available Now - A code word used when members of a TEA group wish to quickly and inconspicuously communicate interest in a viable source of gear, e.g., "I've just found a new Alderaan." To outsiders, the reference is dismissed as one related to the Star Wars franchise, a perception which is further reinforced with the fate of each Alderaan having strong similarities, namely, the scattering of all the constituent parts to leave nothing behind. These similarities and the use of actual names of the equipment allow for open discussion to be attributed to being more Star Wars banter by those unfamiliar with TEA and GAS.

Bait Theory: The bait theory of equipment acquisition states that if you want something but can't find it, start collecting all of the parts, documents, etc., that you will need to repair and/or operate it. Somewhere out there, there is a broken device that "knows" that you have the parts to fix it and it will find its way to you.

BaSOwItSeF: Bought a Second One with Intent to Sell the First - Usually occurs when you see a listing for an item that is cheaper, in better condition, newer, etc. than the one you already have. This act has been known to recur, resulting in more than two of the same item.

BCCS: Burning Credit Card Syndrome - A precursor to DBA.

BISCUITS: Bugs Include Sub-standard Capacitors & Unbelievably Inept Through-hole Soldering. "I just got this power supply from AliExpress, but found out it's BISCUITS."

BNP:  Brand Name Psychosis - An obsession with test equipment from a particular manufacturer who is typically really expensive.

BUSTED: Bought Unnecessary Shitload of Test Equipment Devices

CAF: Constant Acquisition Fatigue - Counteracts the effects of TEA, which can protect one from BCCS and DBA. The effects of CAF are usually temporary. Antonym: deCAF

CAFE: Caught Again Finding Equipment - When your other half walks in and chastises you for being on eBay again having a COFFEE or, even worse, right in the middle of making a TEA!

CAP: Costly Accessory Phobia - Counteracts the effects of TEA.

CCC (or 3C): Calibrator Components Collector

CCMHA: Cheap China Modules History Accumulator - The urge to document history of engineering progress on small cheap Chinese electronic modules.

COFFEE: Continuous Observations For Future Electronics Equipment - The state when you just can't stop running searches on eBay because you just know that the piece of equipment that you don't yet know you need is going to be listed at any moment.

D-F

DBA: Drained Bank Account

DEEP: Duplicated Electronics Equipment Possession or Duplicated Endangered Equipment Possession - See also, DMM and TEST.

DMM: Duplicate Meter Mania

DPI: Dimensional Perfection Impulse - The need to have all equipment possess or occupy the same vertical or horizontal dimension when stacking or arranging on shelves or in racks.

EMI: Equipment Matching Impulse - This includes ESD and SMD, but covers a much wider and varied range.  As well as these disorders, EMI also includes the desire to acquire equipment from a particular manufacturer and, in extreme cases, a particular range of equipment in order to get a matching 'set' (see also, TEST). Further, EMI encompasses the expansion of the definition of 'slot' to include any space that is vacant on the test bench - or that may become vacant through reorganization - especially when matching physical dimensions, width in particular, is a driving consideration (see also, DPI).

EOTS: Early Onset TEA Syndrome - A form of the addiction that is severely debilitating to the wallet and budget, as it does not progressively get worse, but blossoms into full fruit from the first drool while looking through eBay. Some may feel that it is a congenital problem and not learned nor acquired.

ESD: Empty Slot Disorder - Refers to mainframe types of test equipment that have slots for functional modules or cards. Any empty slot must be filled by acquiring modules or cards, which leads to ESI.

ESI: eBay Search Inspiration or eBay Search Infection - Often caused by TEE, ESD, or looking at too many posts in the "Post your latest purchase" or "List your test equipment scores" threads.

FUSS: Future Usefulness Speculation Syndrome - The inability to part with or sell equipment and parts as a result of rationalization about potential projects, repairs, etc. for which it will one day be useful.

G-I

GAS: Gear Acquisition Syndrome - Note that GAS could be misdiagnosed in cases of HUM.

GPSDO: Generic Pathological Syndrome Desiring Oscilloscopes

HFO: High Frequency Obsession - May be a mutation of TEA. The gear you own will never have enough frequency range driving you to buy faster scopes, better generators, faster spectrum analyzers, etc.

IHEG: I Have Enough Gear - Those with TEA don't understand what this means. It seems to be associated with people who have had an inordinate amount of pressure from outsiders, such as spouse and family. From the scant reports available, it is rarely spoken and, if so, is done in hushed tones. The structure of the term is haphazard and all indications are that it is an alien import that has been forced into place.

HUM: Hyperbolic Unboxing Mania - Someone with HUM shows quite often the same symptoms as GAS, and that can lead to the wrong assumption of the latter. One of the most typical signs of HUM is the creation of videos showing the unboxing of packages with electronics and test equipment. One study observed that watching those videos can have a negative impact on patients with GAS. Patients with HUM will usually acquire gear that often times doesn't satisfy their needs. HUM is often confused with SCM.

IMD: Instrumentation Mania Disorder - When there aren't enough hours in the day to stop thinking about test equipment.

J-L

LATTE: Last Addition To Test Equipment - When you promise yourself, your credit card, your bank balance and your other half that this really is the last TEA you will make. It's quite often immediately follows CAFE when you get caught just as you hit the commit to buy button and then you hastily promise LATTE to try and remedy a bad situation.

LED: Lab Equipment Disorder

LSUG: Lazy to Sell Unused Gear

M-O

METH: Maintaining Endangered Test gear at Home

MIP: Missing Instrument Psychosis - The belief that an instrument you do not already possess was owned by you at some former time, but was lost, stolen or disappeared. Hence, a replacement must be purchased to replace it.

MIPS: Mouser Impulsive Purchasing Syndrome, Measuring Instrument Purchasing Syndrome - The former is an offshoot of TEA, which applies to excessive acquisition of electronics components; the latter is an associated activity of TEA.

NOS: Now On Sale or New Old Stock - A serious contributor to TEA.

NTSC: Nixie Tube System Collector

OSCAR: OSCilloscope Acquisition disordeR - A malady that leads to the possession of way too many oscilloscopes.

P-R

PETA: Preservation of Equipment Through Acquisition

PETTE: People for the Ethical Treatment of Test Equipment

RAID: Redundant Array of Instrumentation Devices - When just one piece of gear simply isn't enough. Of course, having three or more is better for cross-checking the validity of measurements. See also, DEEP, DMM and TEST.

S-V

SAD: Shipping Anxiety Disorder - Unrest during the time when you order a piece of test equipment on eBay but the seller hasn't shipped it yet.  Where you keep going back to your eBay account to see if it has shipped, even though you know they would email a notification that it had shipped.  But you think that maybe somehow you missed the email or it got lost on the Internet somewhere.  So you go back again to refresh the order page.

SCM: Serial Collector Mania -  We have all seen these poor souls torture themselves to try and acquire every HP signal generator, or every Tektronix spectrum analyzer. Soon they become incapable of functioning normally in the hobby as they are obsessed to have every last item in their target gear type. The extreme cases are truly sad. SCM destroys families and even communities. See example.

SCOPE: Serious & Chronic Obsession with Personal Electronics

SECRET: Surreptitiously Enjoying Covertly Received Ebay Transactions

SMD: Slot Mismatch Disorder - A variant of ESD where new modules or slots must be acquired to rectify the mismatched condition.

SPEED: Systematic Preservation of Endangered Electronic Devices

SQS: Shelf Queen Syndrome - Prized pieces of test equipment that are too good to use and instead sit on a shelf to be admired.

TEA: Test Equipment Anonymous, Test Equipment Addict, Test Equipment Addiction, or Test Equipment Acquisition

TEE: Test Equipment Enthusiast - A precursor to TEA. Also, Test Equipment Envy.

TEO: Test Equipment Overload - When TEA really goes overboard.

TEST: Test Equipment Symmetry Transfixation - A personal idiosyncrasy desiring identical pieces or brands of test equipment to be side by side. If the afflicted person sees any equipment or brands in their lab that do not have a complementary unit, they will tend to be drawn to eBay or other sellers to find something to complete the perceived lack of symmetry. This affliction tends to develop gradually.

TON: Temptations Of NOS (New Old Stock) or Temptations Of NIB (New In Box)

TN: Time Nut - One who is obsessed with timing and time accuracy. A significant contributor to TEA.

VMD: Version Match Disorder - When you are driven to have all the cards in the slots of a device to be the same firmware and revisions, irrespective of whether it really affects how the unit actually operates, and thus you now need extra frames to house the now mismatched card and housings
.
VN: Volt Nut - One who is obsessed with measurements and measuring accuracy, precision and resolution. A significant contributor to TEA.

W-Z

WIFI: Whisker Intensive Fending Initiative - A typical response to distract those critical of TEA affected persons with images and/or stories of their animal friends.  It is also used within TEA affected circles to redirect attention away from their addiction, while still feeling safe within that group of like minds.

YAGI: Yet Another Gain for Inventory:  A term used to rationalise the typical consequences of GAS - especially when there is no immediate or prospective need for an item.

In the "List your test equipment "scores" here!" thread, someone had asked what the 12 steps program was like.

1. Join EEVblog
2. Score some test gear
3. Post about your test equipment scores
4. Buy more test gear
...
10. Buy yet more test gear
11. Join TEA
12. Build your first circuit

which Pat kindly expanded upon

Quote from: Cubdriver on January 15, 2017, 08:19:17 PM
Here - as a certifiable TGAS sufferer (who am I kidding - I'm not suffering - I enjoy it!!) - let me flesh that ellipsis section out:

5. Buy op/service manuals for test gear on evilBay
6. Troubleshoot test gear
7. Seek out obsolete/discontinued components to repair test gear 
8. Read nixie thread and/or look at old HP Instrumentation catalogs   
9. Repeat steps 2 through 7, now searching for older, heavier, more expensive to ship things    
....
12. Buy or build more shelves to hold test gear   
13. (or later) - build first circuit   

-Pat

followed by Sean

14. Repeat steps 2 to 12 numerous times, either till the house is full ( then move to a bigger house) or the wife leaves.

and then, Berni

Today i just filled the last spot in my 42U high rack cabinet by adding in a Gigatronics 6100 8GHz synthesizer that managed to repair at 2 in the morning.
...
but i also scored a Tektronix pattern generator for 40 bucks on ebay a few days ago.

For me it mostly started as getting the test gear i needed for a better price since quality brand new gear costs a fortune. But in order to find a good deal on places like ebay means looking trough a lot of pages and keeping eyes open, as good deals go fast, but along the way one keeps coming across other gear that you perhaps don't need right now but it would be neat to have. But hey all this test gear is useful for doing work and you can always sell it (If done right for more than what you payed for it)... tho i only ever sold 1 piece of test equipment so far (And lost money on it cause i bought it new).

Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes. . .!!!

And characterised by symptoms getting progressively worse. . .!!!

Having just read a thread from a chap who wanted a Software Image File for an Anritsu MT8002 S.A., I'll be (or I should say I am!!!) already got covetous eyes on one and I've blown all this year's Christmas Bonus on soldering & desoldering gear!!!

Believe you me, all the symptoms discussed in this thread do occur in anyone who has had to look at, or come across, any faulty T & M - Even opening up a cheap £2 Chinese DT830-etc, is enough to cause a Permanent Totally Incurable Case Of TEA!!!

Chris Williams

[xrunner]

Oh yes, Oh yes, Oh yes. . .!!!

And characterised by symptoms getting progressively worse. . .!!!

Wow - I hadn't looked at all the definitions in a while. Should be major drug companies developing cures for it this next year. 

[HalFET]

Yes, double walled boxing seems to be so hard for these folks, I even paid the guy extra to take his time to package it and he didn't even bother with a double box.

Unless it's really heavy don't need double boxing as long as it's well wrapped in bubble wrap and box pack with beads etc.

A fluke 5200A weighs in at 24 kg...

I can't even get the cover back on properly, the chasis is bent too much to align the cover with the chassis.