Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[BiffoBear]

This is in my hallway at home.....




Probably why I'm still single!

[bitseeker]

My 3478A score arrived. Very well packed and in a virgin box. The meter is a bit crusty on the outside, the LCD lens is a bit scratched, and it doesn't have feet. But, otherwise, in good physical condition. Last calibrated in 2003.



The inside is very clean. The listing said that it doesn't power on. I don't smell any burnt bits and the RIFA caps are intact. The large ones seem like they might have fractures in the casing, so I'll have to take a closer look.

The backup battery is still over 3 volts and doesn't look original. So, that's good.



Looking at the rear, I do notice something missing...



Nevertheless, I'm going to poke around some more before giving it power. I also need to refill that little missing guy.

[bitseeker]

This is in my hallway at home.....



Probably why I'm still single!

Nah, you just haven't found the right one, yet. Very nice and tidy rack of goodness!

And welcome to the forum, BiffoBear.

[med6753]

Got an unexpected win today. Needed a hard drive for an old laptop. So I order from Amazon one of those off brand 120GB SSD for $25 USD. (ADATA, made in Taiwan). It arrived today. The Amazon product label attached to the back of the box says it's 120GB. The ADATA box itself says it's 512GB. The drive itself says 512GB. What does it format as? 512GB.  Sweet! 512GB for $25. Can't beat that! 

Woah! Nice score. Just to be sure, put a 140GB file on it and compare its hash to the original. At least that'll ensure it's more than 120GB inside.

I'm way ahead of you. She definitely be 512GB. 

[bitseeker]

Ah, very good.

[Specmaster]

I just noticed... I'm one post away from 1500. Most of them annoying folks in here.  This should be some sort of milestone, I suppose...     

Congratuations!

I think I'll celebrate with a "new" HP 3478A!


Curse you, Specmaster!!! 

Ah, so you grabbed the other cheap one. Cool!

Yeah, it's all Specmaster's fault this time. He got both of us.

Cool, two with the same bullet, thats being really economical 

[bitseeker]

Yes, quite.

[med6753]

This is in my hallway at home.....



Probably why I'm still single!

Nah, you just haven't found the right one, yet. Very nice and tidy rack of goodness!

Biffo, welcome to our madness. Based upon what I see you will fit right in.  Some details of what you got there? 

Yes, our TEA stuff is definitely not chick magnet material. All it does is confuse them.  But what DOES impress the ladies is when you use our equipment and fix something for them. 

[bitseeker]

Yeah, and once they realize you can fix stuff, that's when you get your first "honey do" list. It just grows from there.

[Specmaster]

My 3478A score arrived. Very well packed and in a virgin box. The meter is a bit crusty on the outside, the LCD lens is a bit scratched, and it doesn't have feet. But, otherwise, in good physical condition. Last calibrated in 2003.

The inside is very clean. The listing said that it doesn't power on. I don't smell any burnt bits and the RIFA caps are intact. The large ones seem like they might have fractures in the casing, so I'll have to take a closer look.

The backup battery is still over 3 volts and doesn't look original. So, that's good.

Looking at the rear, I do notice something missing...



Nevertheless, I'm going to poke around some more before giving it power. I also need to refill that little missing guy.

Looking really good so far so I reckon, odds are that if you wack a fuse in, it will boot straight up.

[med6753]

My 3478A score arrived. Very well packed and in a virgin box. The meter is a bit crusty on the outside, the LCD lens is a bit scratched, and it doesn't have feet. But, otherwise, in good physical condition. Last calibrated in 2003.

The inside is very clean. The listing said that it doesn't power on. I don't smell any burnt bits and the RIFA caps are intact. The large ones seem like they might have fractures in the casing, so I'll have to take a closer look.

The backup battery is still over 3 volts and doesn't look original. So, that's good.

Looking at the rear, I do notice something missing...



Nevertheless, I'm going to poke around some more before giving it power. I also need to refill that little missing guy.

Looking really good so far so I reckon, odds are that if you wack a fuse in, it will boot straight up.

Yep, maybe you'll get super lucky like I did with 2nd 2465. Owner said it wouldn't power up. Get it home, find fuse and outer holder missing. Install fuse and holder. Hit power. Stand back. Powers up and boots. 100% functional. SCORE! 

[Specmaster]

Update, I've just attached the user manual for the Metrix MX52 such as it is, missing the original post so its here.

[bitseeker]

Yep! I'll get a dozen fuses and see if it pops one straight away. I have a couple other 3478 in my repair queue that blow fuses (and I haven't dug into them, yet).

[tggzzz]

But what DOES impress the ladies is when you use our equipment and fix something for them. 

My sister-in-law's car once went completely dead in the drive, despite having moved a couple of minutes earlier.

I reached in my toolbox, got out a big hammer, put on a slightly manic smile, and asked her to open the bonnet.

After savouring the worried look and somewhat tense questions, I peered around for 60 seconds, and then delivered a single blow[1] with the hammer. Instant success, followed by my savouring the expressions indicating I am a wizard.

A classic example of "£100: £1 for the hammer blow plus £99 for knowing where to hit it"

[1] to the starter motor

[bitseeker]

Metrix MX52 tear down session begins...

Added to the POI list under Test Equipment.

[med6753]

But what DOES impress the ladies is when you use our equipment and fix something for them. 

My sister-in-law's car once went completely dead in the drive, despite having moved a couple of minutes earlier.

I reached in my toolbox, got out a big hammer, put on a slightly manic smile, and asked her to open the bonnet.

After savouring the worried look and somewhat tense questions, I peered around for 60 seconds, and then delivered a single blow[1] with the hammer. Instant success, followed by my savouring the expressions indicating I am a wizard.

A classic example of "£100: £1 for the hammer blow plus £99 for knowing where to hit it"

[1] to the starter motor

Yep, the BFH (Big Fucking Hammer) is a fix all and must have in the toolbox.

[Specmaster]

Metrix MX52 tear down session begins...

Added to the POI list under Test Equipment.

Thank you kind sir 

[bitseeker]

You're very welcome. Don't hesitate to PM me to add relevant stuff to the POI (there are several categories now). Messages go by so fast, I don't always catch good candidates.

[bd139]

So TEA experts. Consdiering buying a "powers up but munted" bit of kit.

So what do you think the probability that N connector and attenuators behind it is fucked is? Not worried about the BNCs really - can probably fix that.



Am I insane for even looking at this?

I've bought munted kit from the seller before and has been fine after some hammer thwacking on the chassis. But this is a bit more sensitive

[Cerebus]

Looking really good so far so I reckon, odds are that if you wack a fuse in, it will boot straight up shortly release the sacred scent of RIFA.

There, fixed that for ya!

But seriously, the ones that have been sitting on a shelf for a few years as 'US' are exactly the ones where the RIFA cap gives up the ghost five minutes after power has been applied.

[Specmaster]

As you know, I'm not an RF guy buy personally I'd say it would all depend on the price being asked for and if the shit hits the fan, what its part out value?

[bd139]

Part out value is zero potentially. Worst case I burn 100 quid. Best case I gain about 200-300

[Cerebus]

So TEA experts. Consdiering buying a "powers up but munted" bit of kit.

I think we have a neologism: Powers Up But Munted - pubmunted. I was pubmunted the other night, I even had a squint like those BNCs:

[bitseeker]

So TEA experts. Consdiering buying a "powers up but munted" bit of kit.

So what do you think the probability that N connector and attenuators behind it is fucked is? Not worried about the BNCs really - can probably fix that.



Am I insane for even looking at this?

I've bought munted kit from the seller before and has been fine after some hammer thwacking on the chassis. But this is a bit more sensitive

I dunno. Maybe 50/50? It does look like the BNCs took the impact, potentially sparing the N connector, though. Then again, I'm not familiar with the front panel boards on R&S equipment to know how the damage may have propagated.

[bd139]

Yeah I'm not sure I fancy that now. What I worry about is that the output attenuator block is attached to the N connector and any impact landed in that. If it's on the end of a bit of hard line or something, that usually acts as a reasonable shock absorber so no biggie there. Just replace the BNCs and the N connector (although terminating hard line is a dick)