Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Mr. Scram]

My DMMCheck arrived and a quick check shows the 34401A and TF930 to be spot on or one least significant digit out. AC voltage is a few more digits off, I'll need to double check whether that's within calibration or not. I'll run a full report sometimes soon.

So far I'm quite happy. It's not a full calibration, but certainly a very welcome sanity check and close enough to it for all but the most demanding jobs. Doug was a stellar guy too. Very friendly.

[Specmaster]

My DMMCheck arrived and a quick check shows the 34401A and TF930 to be spot on or one least significant digit out. AC voltage is a few more digits off, I'll need to double check whether that's within calibration or not. I'll run a full report sometimes soon.

So far I'm quite happy. It's not a full calibration, but certainly a very welcome sanity check and close enough to it for all but the most demanding jobs. Doug was a stellar guy too. Very friendly.

Yes, those TF930s are truly amazing pieces of kits and I can't believe the prices that we got them for.

From mobile device so predictive text might have struck again [emoji83]

[Specmaster]

Yay, UPS just dropped my package off, now to open and take some photos, I'll post them later.

[bd139]

  

[BU508A]

I was looking a long time for a Fluke 895A now I pulled the trigger for this one:



I hope, beside this binding post (upper left), some cosmetic cleaning, rewiring for 230VAC and replacing the power connector it will be ok.
Fingers crossed.

Backside:


Edit: image to backside added

[Specmaster]

Bagged this from the same seller as bd139 got his from and I'm very happy with it, if there has to be a negative, it would be that tilting bail is missing, not that i'd use it. Cal expired 5th Jan 2017 and was manufactured 1984 and does not appear to have been touched internally at all so will need to replace the battery and filter caps sooner rather then later, battery voltage is currently 3V.

I powered it up, keeping fingers crossed and yes, it passed self test and I tried it on some 1% resistors, 1K and 10K and then tested the DC volts on my standard module and the results are bang on and I also tested the ACV on the mains supply and selected 4 digit mode and the results agreed with my other meters. Haven't yet tested either of the current ranges, I'll do that shortly but first its time to de-sticker it and generally clean it up and get the replacement parts on order to retain the calibration data. Then I have to rejig my stack to fit this in, but I'm very pleased with the addition to my lab and hopefully I may be announcing another new arrival soon.

[bd139]

Looking good 

I reckon these have held calibration well since jan 2017. Well apart from the one I fucked up 

I’m trying to work out if I can write something to dump and load the cal data via HP-IB. Might give people an insurance policy without having to fish out for a cal cert. Arduino jobby looks possible.

[Specmaster]

Looking good 

I reckon these have held calibration well since jan 2017. Well apart from the one I fucked up 

I’m trying to work out if I can write something to dump and load the cal data via HP-IB. Might give people an insurance policy without having to fish out for a cal cert. Arduino jobby looks possible.

They certainly do as Dave will testify https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7i2ZSFrYhs&t=27s.

[Specmaster]

Ebay is definitely looking up of late, this week alone I have made 2 scores in the TEA dept among many other none related purchases, the first was the lovely HP3478A of 1984 vintage  which although missing 2 feet and the tilting bail was in very good condition cosmetically and electrically (photos posted earlier), a final one to post tomorrow after its been cleaned and a lovely vintage AM/FM signal generator which is supposed to be working.

[Specmaster]

I temporarily organised my stack to fit the HP3478A in. I shall have to make some alterations yet because it currently is sitting on top of a HP3466A and a Solartron 7045, both of which are smaller so their positions need to be reversed. Unable to do that yet as there are power sockets and wall warts behind them which prevents the HP3478A from going at the bottom due to its extra length fouling the sockets.

Anyway, here is a photo showing how the 3478A cleaned nicely and sits on top of the 7045 acting like a sun visor 

EDIT,
New volatile ram backup battery and filter caps ordered for the HP3478A.

 

[xrunner]

I temporarily organised my stack to fit the HP3478A in. I shall have to make some alterations yet because it currently is sitting on top of a HP3466A and a Solartron 7045, both of which are smaller so their positions need to be reversed. Unable to do that yet as there are power sockets and wall warts behind them which prevents the HP3478A from going at the bottom due to its extra length fouling the sockets.

TEA stack organization is an important skill set for us. Good work there! 

[Barbouri]

I finally got round to taking some pics of my ESI 250DE bridge, but I'm having trouble getting them to post, even though I shrank them. Erm, problem solved, ahem.

That's a really nice looking ESI 250DE. Really like the quality of ESI equipment.

Yours seems to be a pre-70's version and has several internal differences compared to my 1971 vintage unit.
Photos and 1974 service manual on my blog. https://www.barbouri.com/2018/03/24/esi-250-de-universal-impedance-bridge/

[GerryBags]

That's a really nice looking ESI 250DE. Really like the quality of ESI equipment.

Yours seems to be a pre-70's version and has several internal differences compared to my 1971 vintage unit.
Photos and 1974 service manual on my blog. https://www.barbouri.com/2018/03/24/esi-250-de-universal-impedance-bridge/

Thanks for posting your blog on the 250DE, really useful to see it fully dismantled and to have a much better pdf of the manual. 
Mine has a date stamp on the reference cap case of July 22 1966, a few parts look to have been encapsulated in the newer version but it looks close enough that the updated manual will still be of use. I was amazed how clean mine was inside. The photos show exactly what I found after opening it up -the thing is eight years older than I am and in far, far better condition! The D-Q dial feels very slightly... odd though, so that will get a couple of coats of looking at soon.

incidentally one of the NEETS modules (this one, I think:http://electriciantraining.tpub.com/14188/) describes the prescribed Navy usage of the 250DE. It was their standard LCR meter for at least the late 60's - 70's. It might be of interest to you.

[med6753]

Or you didn't fancy a tongue lashing from wife...another haircut or shopping trip to Westfield would wipe out any profits from the scope though so on balance maybe its for the best.

I’ve said before and I guess I’ll repeat myself. So glad her and I maintain separate residences so I don’t have to resort to skullduggery and begging so feed my TEA. She visited last weekend and saw the scope cart with the big 7603 sitting on it. She asked “What is that?” while she was opening 2 expensive handbags that were delivered to my place rather than hers because package theft is a big problem in her area. I answered her and that was that. My money = My TEA. Her money = Her handbags. No fuss. No issues.        

[Mr. Scram]

I’ve said before and I guess I’ll repeat myself. So glad her and I maintain separate residences so I don’t have to resort to skullduggery and begging so feed my TEA. She visited last weekend and saw the scope cart with the big 7603 sitting on it. She asked “What is that?” while she was opening 2 expensive handbags that were delivered to my place rather than hers because package theft is a big problem in her area. I answered her and that was that. My money = My TEA. Her money = Her handbags. No fuss. No issues.   

It'd surprise you how much TEA could be afforded by not having two residences to pay for. Or children.

[med6753]

I’ve said before and I guess I’ll repeat myself. So glad her and I maintain separate residences so I don’t have to resort to skullduggery and begging so feed my TEA. She visited last weekend and saw the scope cart with the big 7603 sitting on it. She asked “What is that?” while she was opening 2 expensive handbags that were delivered to my place rather than hers because package theft is a big problem in her area. I answered her and that was that. My money = My TEA. Her money = Her handbags. No fuss. No issues.   

It'd surprise you how much TEA could be afforded by not having two residences to pay for. Or children.

The cost of two residences is worth it in so many ways.

[PA0PBZ]

a lovely vintage AM/FM signal generator which is supposed to be working.

"Made in England" - makes sense as the ranges are reversed (high to low). Never seen that before...

[tautech]

Ebay is definitely looking up of late, this week alone I have made 2 scores in the TEA dept among many other none related purchases, the first was the lovely HP3478A of 1984 vintage  which although missing 2 feet and the tilting bail was in very good condition cosmetically and electrically (photos posted earlier), a final one to post tomorrow after its been cleaned and a lovely vintage AM/FM signal generator which is supposed to be working.

Hah, I thought that Advance dial looked familiar.
Got a similar one here ex military a J1A 15Hz -50KHz AF gen.

Tucked away as a rainy day project....dunno if it even goes.
Yours looks the better featured one.

[Specmaster]

Ebay is definitely looking up of late, this week alone I have made 2 scores in the TEA dept among many other none related purchases, the first was the lovely HP3478A of 1984 vintage  which although missing 2 feet and the tilting bail was in very good condition cosmetically and electrically (photos posted earlier), a final one to post tomorrow after its been cleaned and a lovely vintage AM/FM signal generator which is supposed to be working.

Hah, I thought that Advance dial looked familiar.
Got a similar one here ex military a J1A 15Hz -50KHz AF gen.

Tucked away as a rainy day project....dunno if it even goes.
Yours looks the better featured one.

I never even knew that the Military used Advance equipment, but it sure looks the part, just hope that its better then the last 2 lemons I got of Ebay.

[bd139]

Military used lots of advance kit. Made to order and spec. Problem is that it was made to British standards of the 1960s-80s which wasn’t great. Same with Marconi, Avo etc.  You could smell the regret in about 1995 when there were skips of it dumped off and then 2005’s mass dumping pointed at them replacing it all with HP and Tek kit.

When I worked in defence sector the kit was all HP by then. Plus some Tek 7000’s. Literally nothing else. Think there were some limping Marconi 2955s as well.

[tautech]

Ebay is definitely looking up of late, this week alone I have made 2 scores in the TEA dept among many other none related purchases, the first was the lovely HP3478A of 1984 vintage  which although missing 2 feet and the tilting bail was in very good condition cosmetically and electrically (photos posted earlier), a final one to post tomorrow after its been cleaned and a lovely vintage AM/FM signal generator which is supposed to be working.

Hah, I thought that Advance dial looked familiar.
Got a similar one here ex military a J1A 15Hz -50KHz AF gen.

Tucked away as a rainy day project....dunno if it even goes.
Yours looks the better featured one.

I never even knew that the Military used Advance equipment, but it sure looks the part, just hope that its better then the last 2 lemons I got of Ebay.

Well for prosperity I'd better add a pic:



This one is labeled to have spent some time in Crete. 

[Specmaster]

Military used lots of advance kit. Made to order and spec. Problem is that it was made to British standards of the 1960s-80s which wasn’t great. Same with Marconi, Avo etc.  You could smell the regret in about 1995 when there were skips of it dumped off and then 2005’s mass dumping pointed at them replacing it all with HP and Tek kit.

When I worked in defence sector the kit was all HP by then. Plus some Tek 7000’s. Literally nothing else. Think there were some limping Marconi 2955s as well.

So its going to be fairly robust at least. I really wanted a Marconi TF2015 but those are to expensive still. I hoping that this one is a good one, I've purchased a few turds so far in this camp that I suppose I might have been better going for working TF2015 in the first place, but this is more fun 

[Specmaster]

Well for prosperity I'd better add a pic:



This one is labeled to have spent some time in Crete. 

I'm intrigued, just how in blue blazes did you make the assumption about the dials, to me they look generic like the other makes around that time, not even the knobs are alike although I think its highly likely that the indicator lights are the same?

[bd139]

Military used lots of advance kit. Made to order and spec. Problem is that it was made to British standards of the 1960s-80s which wasn’t great. Same with Marconi, Avo etc.  You could smell the regret in about 1995 when there were skips of it dumped off and then 2005’s mass dumping pointed at them replacing it all with HP and Tek kit.

When I worked in defence sector the kit was all HP by then. Plus some Tek 7000’s. Literally nothing else. Think there were some limping Marconi 2955s as well.

So its going to be fairly robust at least. I really wanted a Marconi TF2015 but those are to expensive still. I hoping that this one is a good one, I've purchased a few turds so far in this camp that I suppose I might have been better going for working TF2015 in the first place, but this is more fun 

If you can find an HP 8640B, it's a much nicer instrument. Bar some mechanical problems which someone sells replacement gear kits for apparently.

[tautech]

I'm intrigued, just how in blue blazes did you make the assumption about the dials, to me they look generic like the other makes around that time, not even the knobs are alike although I think its highly likely that the indicator lights are the same?

Dunno, maybe it was just Advance......or the two Bourbons under my belt. Hic. Burp.