Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[beanflying]

Haha, perhaps we need to start a sub section of TEA for serial collectors, just like train and plane spotters move heaven and earth to get each train and plane registration numbers, your not going to rest until you have the equivalent of a Fluke museum with one of everything they made, in working order of course.

So like I 'had to buy' this one because I own two Cambridge decade boxes  Now looking for the matching double Bridge for the set ..... 

No idea what is inside it but worst case a cheap source of high voltage quality binding posts and some good spec hand made resistors.

[beanflying]

This one btw  I won't be paying Mr Marshman $600 AUD much as it is in mint condition. I do already have the meter for one.

[Specmaster]

Hmm, that looks like a nice rig but 22A,really? Best get your self a couple of decent lead acid batteries and connect them in parallel and a charger for that sucker then, oh, and a thick jacket and a woolly hat as well its going to be a bit cold in that shed otherwise SWMBO wont like like it if your chatting away on the rig while shes soap watching and channel surfing.

Looking at deep cycle batteries actually at the moment. Might be a better option than "shitty switcher from China" which is current plan.

I'm planning on using the dryer in the kitchen as the shack. The shed is metal and i'll be fucked if I'm hiding in that. It's either -10 or +50 inside it

Strewth those deep cycle batteries are expensive, and thats why I said that you'd better get yourself a thick jacket and a woolly hat to withstand the -10, mind you with the 22A you'll using up, it will also generate a lot of heat so thats not bad, but when its +50, you use it in the tin shed then as maybe the worlds first radio shack / sauna room and do both at the same time?

[Specmaster]

This one btw  I won't be paying Mr Marshman $600 AUD much as it is in mint condition. I do already have the meter for one.

If yours is like that, then its a thing of beauty, look at the lovely condition of it and that wood shines as if its has been french polished all its life.

[neo]

Well if it is helpful to the cause of TEA, i bought a 5346A that is meant to be here tomorrow and is supposed to work fine, all new tantalums and electrolytics planned.

Also i bought a decade box, as pictured it is a capacitance box but was listed as resistance so it's going to be interesting to see what turns up.

Oh and then there is this fluke 8300A in almost perfect condition that WORKS but has only one option. Yeah, if i win that one i am going to get a good thrashing from the wallet. But damn it it is so nice! With NIXIES!!

So do I deduce that the snow has now thawed then so the wallet cannot carry out her threat 

That does look nice but such a huge boat anchor for a single function and I bet you paid a lot more than the 18 Euros this person paid for his, you might find this rather helpful when it arrives http://www.vaxman.de/projects/fluke_8300a/

I like the idea of the a lottery on the decade box, keep us informed please.

The 8300A predates the wallets decree of NO MORE, i have a budget on it but i'm going to be pushing it. I want it because i am apparently a fluke nut. well that and all that obvious reasons to TEA members. Nixies, Fluke, also i am apparently on a mission to get the complete line up of 8000 series.

Realistically if i don't win no harm done but i would be more than pissed at myself if i didn't at least try my best.

Haha, perhaps we need to start a sub section of TEA for serial collectors, just like train and plane spotters move heaven and earth to get each train and plane registration numbers, your not going to rest until you have the equivalent of a Fluke museum with one of everything they made, in working order of course.

All i am (currently) aiming for is one of each, 8000A^, 8100A, 8200A^*, 8300A, 8400A^, 8500A, 8600A, 8700A*, 8800a and 8900A*
*not currently out
^owned
^* owned but the switches need someone with much more agile hands.

[tggzzz]

Haha, perhaps we need to start a sub section of TEA for serial collectors, just like train and plane spotters move heaven and earth to get each train and plane registration numbers, your not going to rest until you have the equivalent of a Fluke museum with one of everything they made, in working order of course.

You mean like this:? http://www.davmar.org/temodel.html

(Caution: biassed towards USA == world).

[tggzzz]

There is literally bugger all happening on ebay. Diddly squat. It's terribly boring.

There's more to life than fleabay. There are real life flea markets such as the hamfest in Didcot next Sunday. Make a day out of it at the Pendon Museum - that has the advantage of demonstrating what real obsessive attention to detail is like

https://www.g3pia.net/radio-electronics-rally/
https://www.pendonmuseum.com/

[Specmaster]

All i am (currently) aiming for is one of each, 8000A^, 8100A, 8200A^*, 8300A, 8400A^, 8500A, 8600A, 8700A*, 8800a and 8900A*
*not currently out
^owned
^* owned but the switches need someone with much more agile hands.

Whats up with the 8200A, its got push buttons, easy enough to operate surely? That said they are rather close to each other, looks nice but difficult to operate without looking at your doing I would think.

[Specmaster]

Haha, perhaps we need to start a sub section of TEA for serial collectors, just like train and plane spotters move heaven and earth to get each train and plane registration numbers, your not going to rest until you have the equivalent of a Fluke museum with one of everything they made, in working order of course.

You mean like this:? http://www.davmar.org/temodel.html

(Caution: biassed towards USA == world).

Something like that yes.

[neo]

All i am (currently) aiming for is one of each, 8000A^, 8100A, 8200A^*, 8300A, 8400A^, 8500A, 8600A, 8700A*, 8800a and 8900A*
*not currently out
^owned
^* owned but the switches need someone with much more agile hands.

Whats up with the 8200A, its got push buttons, easy enough to operate surely? That said they are rather close to each other, looks nice but difficult to operate without looking at your doing I would think.

Well you see it was the first one with that type of switch, before i learned the magical secrets of sewing machine oil and wd-40 contact cleaner. In my ignorance i took them apart and now i can't get them back together.

[bd139]

There is literally bugger all happening on ebay. Diddly squat. It's terribly boring.

There's more to life than fleabay. There are real life flea markets such as the hamfest in Didcot next Sunday. Make a day out of it at the Pendon Museum - that has the advantage of demonstrating what real obsessive attention to detail is like

https://www.g3pia.net/radio-electronics-rally/
https://www.pendonmuseum.com/

Very tempting. I will spend the next week persuading myself to go to that. Didcot isn’t a terrible trek from here either.

[CatCow]

Currently working out which Anderson Powerpoles to buy. This bugger sucks 22A (!) at 13.8V so I don't want to smoke the connectors. Also the cable it comes with is as as stiff as and twice as thick as coat hangers.

Don’t worry about PowerPole sizes. The small housings are all you need, the 15, 30, and 45 amps contacts all fit in that housing and contacts are chosen to fit the wire it attaches to. You just need to be careful with 10ga wire as types with thick insulation will have problems fitting into the housing. And if you are going to be using a lot of PowerPoles, I strongly suggest getting the proper ratcheting crimper - I did many with a cheap crimper, but the ratchet model makes a HUGE difference. I usually buy my PP supplies from West Mountain Radio, also available from Powerwerx. And I have some local sources if I don’t want to wait for UPS. Not sure what the distributor would be where you are. If you need a high current power supply, the Powerwerx 30 amp supply is a nice compact switcher, it’s what I use. I had an FT-450(non-D) way back when, decent radio but I ended up selling that and my 897 so I could buy the IC-7100. I’m a sucker for a touch screen.

[bitseeker]

This one btw  I won't be paying Mr Marshman $600 AUD much as it is in mint condition. I do already have the meter for one.

If yours is like that, then its a thing of beauty, look at the lovely condition of it and that wood shines as if its has been french polished all its life.

That wood looks great. A far cry from the wimpy apple crate material I've seen some old test gear mounted in.

[beanflying]

Stop 'enabling' you lot I cant afford it 

[Cubdriver]

All i am (currently) aiming for is one of each, 8000A^, 8100A, 8200A^*, 8300A, 8400A^, 8500A, 8600A, 8700A*, 8800a and 8900A*
*not currently out
^owned
^* owned but the switches need someone with much more agile hands.

Don't forget the 8110, 8120 & 8375. 

 

(Don't kill the messenger, I'm just here to 'help'.  )

And once I get my pile-o-crap under control, I'd be willing to take a crack at those switches for you.  Did you find all the parts?

-Pat

[neo]

No i did not find the parts but i have one better than the parts. I have the switches off my goner of an 8400A, i have two one is completely blitzed the other works fine. Back on point, if the switches are not the same externally, IE pin length, they ARE the same internally.

Also, thanks for the added temptation but it is more of a priority to get the round numbers first. I mean if you go off the round hundreds where does it stop? 8012, 8030, so on and so on....

[Specmaster]

Stop 'enabling' you lot I cant afford it 

Yes but Cambridge Instruments is a good quality maker, a top tier one if ever there was. Surprising really that the casing isn't made from walnut like a Rolls Royce dashboard is.

[bd139]

Currently working out which Anderson Powerpoles to buy. This bugger sucks 22A (!) at 13.8V so I don't want to smoke the connectors. Also the cable it comes with is as as stiff as and twice as thick as coat hangers.

Don’t worry about PowerPole sizes. The small housings are all you need, the 15, 30, and 45 amps contacts all fit in that housing and contacts are chosen to fit the wire it attaches to. You just need to be careful with 10ga wire as types with thick insulation will have problems fitting into the housing. And if you are going to be using a lot of PowerPoles, I strongly suggest getting the proper ratcheting crimper - I did many with a cheap crimper, but the ratchet model makes a HUGE difference. I usually buy my PP supplies from West Mountain Radio, also available from Powerwerx. And I have some local sources if I don’t want to wait for UPS. Not sure what the distributor would be where you are. If you need a high current power supply, the Powerwerx 30 amp supply is a nice compact switcher, it’s what I use. I had an FT-450(non-D) way back when, decent radio but I ended up selling that and my 897 so I could buy the IC-7100. I’m a sucker for a touch screen.

Thanks for this. Much appreciated. Ordered a pack of 5 each colour from sotabeams with 45A contacts. The cable is roughly 10 awg. Am borrowing an official Anderson crimp tool next week so will do them all in one go

[Specmaster]

Currently working out which Anderson Powerpoles to buy. This bugger sucks 22A (!) at 13.8V so I don't want to smoke the connectors. Also the cable it comes with is as as stiff as and twice as thick as coat hangers.

Don’t worry about PowerPole sizes. The small housings are all you need, the 15, 30, and 45 amps contacts all fit in that housing and contacts are chosen to fit the wire it attaches to. You just need to be careful with 10ga wire as types with thick insulation will have problems fitting into the housing. And if you are going to be using a lot of PowerPoles, I strongly suggest getting the proper ratcheting crimper - I did many with a cheap crimper, but the ratchet model makes a HUGE difference. I usually buy my PP supplies from West Mountain Radio, also available from Powerwerx. And I have some local sources if I don’t want to wait for UPS. Not sure what the distributor would be where you are. If you need a high current power supply, the Powerwerx 30 amp supply is a nice compact switcher, it’s what I use. I had an FT-450(non-D) way back when, decent radio but I ended up selling that and my 897 so I could buy the IC-7100. I’m a sucker for a touch screen.

Thanks for this. Much appreciated. Ordered a pack of 5 each colour from sotabeams with 45A contacts. The cable is roughly 10 awg. Am borrowing an official Anderson crimp tool next week so will do them all in one go

That's good, you'll get such a great increase in pressure on the lug with a rachet crimper.

[bd139]

And a decrease in price if I nick it from someone for a couple of days 

[Specmaster]

And a decrease in price if I nick it from someone for a couple of days 

Correct, the increase in one and the decrease in the other balance each other out. 🤣🤣

[Mr. Scram]

Do you guys have any tips for decent BNC cables on eBay, around 50 and 100 cm? I currently have two sets, but I'm not completely satisfied with the quality. The connectors themselves don't quite feel like they're made very accurately. I do have decent terminators and splitters, so that's sorted.

[bd139]

They’re all shit. I tend to buy Amphenol ones from respectable outfits. They really not much more expensive and the connectors don’t snag like some of the cheap ones. Braid coverage is important as well to stop spinal leakage. Chinese no brand ones seem to have as little as possible.

[BU508A]

They’re all shit. I tend to buy Amphenol ones from respectable outfits. They really not much more expensive and the connectors don’t snag like some of the cheap ones. Braid coverage is important as well to stop spinal leakage. Chinese no brand ones seem to have as little as possible.

How about the ones from Franky (iloveelectronics)?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/201105248686

[bd139]

Still wouldn’t touch them.

TE connectivity make decent ones as well.

Good question: you’ve got a £2000 instrument and you run it on £5 cables.  ... I’ve worked places where the probes and cables cost more than the instruments.