Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

(SNIP)
...That's not cleaning; it's Rescue, Rehabilitate & Release for dust bunnies. 

If something is crusty enough to need 120 psi air, I'll take it to the driveway on a crash cart before I unleash the Hounds of Pascal on it's arse.


mnem
*Currently nuking a TSGER T12 Soldering Controller*

Oi, No stop nuking T12s it's not allowed 🤣

Things don't look too good right now... 

Quick T12 update. My other kit arrived yesterday when I was out. I wasn't told. I found the box dumped in the hall under some school uniform which had been discarded .  Opened it up. No Apple charger present - proper switching supply. It is soldered directly to the mains inlet so I will rework that but looks decent.

I have also ordered some more T12 bits:

1. Another 9501 handle. They're excellent to be honest.
2. Another T12 alloy enclosure. I am only after the middle section of that to be honest. I will rebuild the low voltage one I have into the longer enclosure and put the boost converter in there as well. Plus a fuse, some reverse voltage protection and some Anderson powerpoles.
3. A couple more K tips.

The Weller is going. This is orders of magnitude better. Plus I have a portable and a bench setup now 

So question - I'm currently using a Weller stand for it which is WRONG on so many levels. Are there any decent stands out there?

Edit: also has anyone seen this bad boy? https://www.aliexpress.com/store/product/KSGER-Soldering-Iron-Station-OLED-T12-Tips-STM32-V3-0-DIY-Kits-FX9501-Electric-Tools-Lithium/1486111_32848362100.html

Yes, I mentioned it several weeks ago. The 18650 PCB alone with electronics is also available for ~$16; it has full balance charging and OCP/ODP.





I've recommend this stand  several times; it's a clone of the real Hakko stand made for the FX-951, which is the model the FX-9051 handles are from. It's all epoxy-painted metal with room for both sponge and scouring pad. Available on AliEx, Amazon and fleaBay for around US$12-16. Ignore the speaker magnet; that's my mod for "sleep mode" on my MetCal.

(SNIP)
Never had a Weller iron but I'm dead chuffed with my T12, although I've had a couple of the tips go bad on the connections when I've changed them over, really recommend having more then 1 handle and not changing the tips over. Are you still using the cheap supplied tips or did you get some genuine Hakko ones?

Thinking about your boiler situation, I bet you wish you hadn't chopped your credit card up now, so are you able to get it fixed without it, can't use SWBMO's as its maxed out?

The interchangeable tips are what make the T12 system AWESOME. The hard part is finding a vendor who sells a decent clone of the 9051 handle with a decent tri-pin socket. I've bought literally a dozen of those and only have about 4 with a socket that I consider to be worth a damn. The KSGR one I just got is a quantum level above any of the others I've bought so far; it looks exactly the same as the one from my genuine Hakko handle. Heavier contacts, better cleaner molding, and made of nylon rather than cheap poly or ABS like some.


mnem
*Back to the bench*

[Neomys Sapiens]

Ugh that reminds me. I have a blown up power supply somewhere and it has a 5 pin TO3 with an RS logo and part number on it. I can’t find out what the hell it is anywhere.

Assume it is an old 2N3055 - not one of the new ones with an f_t that is sufficiently high to allow it to oscillate.

It has 5 pins. I think it was an early linear regulator.

It’s right at the back of the hall cupboard and under boxes of crap so I’ll dig it it out one day and post it.

Are you sure that it doesn't have 4 pins? Would make it a LT1070 (or clone thereof) most likely.
I have never seen one with 5 pins, wheter VR or other. More, yes.

[djos]

So question - I'm currently using a Weller stand for it which is WRONG on so many levels. Are there any decent stands out there?

I butchered one of these to work but I'm far from happy with it. The 9501 is just too small to work well in it.

[beanflying]

Fromt terminals on my 6632B. Output, Sense and Earth. Gold plated copper shorting bars. Black plastic bits are actually part of some equipment feet/sliders as the front panel is slotted already.

[mnementh]

Oh, that's much too pretty. Get it away from me, lest my handcrafted-crunkness get all over it. 


mnem
In other news, something happened. Somewhere. Recently.

[beanflying]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

[Cerebus]

Oh FFS, are you trying to amass enough test gear to back a mission to open the first coffee bar on the moon? 

[tautech]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

Oooow, more goodies ! 

[tautech]

I was after this but it went for a bit more than I was happy to fork out for:



https://www.trademe.co.nz/Browse/Listing.aspx?id=1558333258&archive=1

Would've been right up BD139's alley, in fact his mum probably worked on it.

[beanflying]

He who has, lives and plays with the most toys WINS 

[tautech]

He who has, lives and plays with the most toys WINS 

This week you win, next when my stock arrives I win. 

[beanflying]

Clearly packed by a Russian Doll fancier.

Outer Cardboard filled with foam packaging then these two 'so far'. Time for a beer break 

[beanflying]

And there was a third inner layer and a wrap of bubbles...

Fan is noisy as all get out. 121GW and it are within 2V to the 600V max of the meter. The Valhalla will hit 1200V and 1kHz. 

[mnementh]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

Oh FFS, are you trying to amass enough test gear to back a mission to open the first coffee bar on the moon? 

LOL... when I first glanced at the pic before clicking on it, it registered as a cement mixer on my poor sleep-deprived mind. 

I'll pray for you, bean. 


In other news... the KSGER T12 Controller is installed... I'm dead chuffed with the results inside & out, and it makes the Blue Hakk0 controller look like a total POS in comparison. 

It has crazy awesome firmware (which I'm just getting the feel of and will update y'all on later), a brilliant blue 1.3" OLED which is well visible through my smoked lens, RTC/Settings with battery backup, and heating is crazy quick... like faster than my 150W Weller GT7 which heats up in 9 seconds. 

It works perfectly with all my 5-wire handles, but the firmware appears to be selectable to use either 4 or 5-wire versions of the FX-9051 / 907 handles, and it appears it also supports other handle as well... like more traditional separate heater/thermocouple & heater/themistor designs.

Oh, and before you say it... yes, these pictures were in fact taken right at midnight, just as I finished. 

I know the interlock switch is ridiculous; I had it lying around as it's supposed to go on my drill press shortly. I have some stainless halo-illuminated switches on the way already for the station and my current light-saber project. But once I mocked-up the interlock switch against the panel, I knew I had to at least have it on my bench for a little while with it on there. As it continues to grow on me, it may not go on my drill press...

Next up will be to build the new FX-9051 handle that came with; as I mentioned before, the quality of the 3-pin socket is awesome, and the silicone wire that came with appears much heavier than any of the ones I've gotten before. I'm excited to see if it yields even quicker heat-up times.

I'll try and put together a more comprehensive review of the controller and its firmware for y'all... as annoyed as I was with the delivery time, it really was still worth the wait.


Cheers,


mnem
I prepared Explosive Runes this morning!

[neo]

I quite like the interlock switch.

[tautech]

I know the interlock switch is ridiculous;

We know them as 'rocket launcher' switches here.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1................SOLDER ! 

[mnementh]

I know the interlock switch is ridiculous;

We know them as 'rocket launcher' switches here.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1................SOLDER ! 

Well, it actually only takes an 8-count for it to be ready... so that's pretty apt. 


mnem
*Toddles off to ded*

[bitseeker]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

You know you've ordered a boat anchor when you employ hydraulics to move it.

[beanflying]

Purchased very early in my Coffee Machine repair days - invaluable or at least my back thinks so 

Rubber O'rings between the fan and rear plate and remove a few years of fluff much nicer and quieter sound. Apart from a really good clean nothing really to do. Compared to the Agilent 34401 it's under 1V off to 800V so unless I get a 3458a Calibration as good as I can get it.

GPSDO play time now 

[bd139]

Couple of replies. Shit is on fire today due to human competence factors so not got much time

@mnementh: nice job with the soldering station. Looks awesome. I have ordered a Hakko clone stand as well. I have two irons now so need two stands

@tautech: that was a bit high for that scope. Works out about £35 here. I'd have paid about £25 for it. My mother did indeed work on the V4 amps. Maybe even in that unit

[tautech]

@tautech: that was a bit high for that scope. Works out about £35 here. I'd have paid about £25 for it. My mother did indeed work on the V4 amps. Maybe even in that unit

When I spotted it I immediately thought of you. 
Yeah, $50 was my limit even though it looks a clean as a whistle.
That it had 2x V4 input amps and therefore was 4 ch did temp me.
My guess was the series inrush limiting thermistor on the unreg 30V supply to the EHT inverter.
My D83 had one that had fallen to bits with age and heat and by chance I stumbled on the exact value replacements in an Auckland surplus store. Still got a few as they were cheap as shite. 

[mnementh]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

You know you've ordered a boat anchor when you employ hydraulics to move it.

I have one of these air/hydraulic motorcycle lifts I bought back in the day of projection TVs. When I'm not working on the ol' Yamaha, I keep a section of laminated countertop on top of it to use as a general-purpose workbench. Being able to put the workbench down to hand-truck dumping level is a godsend to an old back, I'll tell you. 

Couple of replies. Shit is on fire today due to human competence factors so not got much time

@mnementh: nice job with the soldering station. Looks awesome. I have ordered a Hakko clone stand as well. I have two irons now so need two stands

@tautech: that was a bit high for that scope. Works out about £35 here. I'd have paid about £25 for it. My mother did indeed work on the V4 amps. Maybe even in that unit

I'm pleased with it; has a nice post-industrial "Doc Brown" feel about it. Once I have some smoked perspex and those halo pushbutton switches, I'll probably be at it again, though. I'm utterly hopeless. 

@tautech: that was a bit high for that scope. Works out about £35 here. I'd have paid about £25 for it. My mother did indeed work on the V4 amps. Maybe even in that unit

When I spotted it I immediately thought of you. 
Yeah, $50 was my limit even though it looks a clean as a whistle.
That it had 2x V4 input amps and therefore was 4 ch did temp me.
My guess was the series inrush limiting thermistor on the unreg 30V supply to the EHT inverter.
My D83 had one that had fallen to bits with age and heat and by chance I stumbled on the exact value replacements in an Auckland surplus store. Still got a few as they were cheap as shite. 

You would think that there would be suitable PPTC to substitute; as you have the correct NOS part, you could do your fellow TEA-timers a solid and plot a response curve so they might be able to figure that out for future resurrections. 

Just a suggestion. 


mnem
*Back to the salt mines*

[Cerebus]

Would've been right up BD139's alley, in fact his mum probably worked on it.

That sounds like it ought to have begun "Yo mamma had such a big soldering iron...". 

[bd139]

EE version. Yo’ mama’s so fat her necklace’s inductance is 1H.

[bitseeker]

Generating a backlog of Test Gear 

You know you've ordered a boat anchor when you employ hydraulics to move it.

I have one of these air/hydraulic motorcycle lifts I bought back in the day of projection TVs. When I'm not working on the ol' Yamaha, I keep a section of laminated countertop on top of it to use as a general-purpose workbench. Being able to put the workbench down to hand-truck dumping level is a godsend to an old back, I'll tell you. 

That's a cool idea for a workbench. It's like those stand/sit desks, but with significantly more lifting powah!