Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Neomys Sapiens]

More DMM calibrations. The excellent, the good, and the downright ugly.

First, the excellent. Vintage 1997 Series “1” Fluke 87. The Fluke retorted....”You know I never need calibration. Why do you bother?”

Same instrument, same series, same experience.
But it demands to be opened for extremely fiddly LCD glass/rubber readjustment.
Oh, and grey all over.

[med6753]

More DMM calibrations. The excellent, the good, and the downright ugly.

First, the excellent. Vintage 1997 Series “1” Fluke 87. The Fluke retorted....”You know I never need calibration. Why do you bother?”

Same instrument, same series, same experience.
But it demands to be opened for extremely fiddly LCD glass/rubber readjustment.
Oh, and grey all over.

I've never had any issues with the LCD.

[bitseeker]

Looks like today will probably be "Page 1000 Day" for the old TEA thread guys.  I hope I'm awake and present to see it!

If i'm not, then a hearty    and congratulations, bitseeker! Well played! 

Looks like I'm late to the party. The pages were growing slowly the past few days with the injuries, server outage, etc. Then, bam! It goes past 1000.

Happy milpageum everyone!

See you all for the next party on page 2000!

[bitseeker]

GAZE UPON ME MERE MORTALS AND WEEP!

Wait, damn it, thats the wrong script.

Is it really the wrong script?

That there is the pic that proves the meme. WWND? He just done gone and did it.

[bitseeker]

Ok back home now. Hamfest sightings:

3. Lots of HP power meters. Junk as no sensors.

It's all about the feet, man (and maybe knobs and, depending on model, HP badges).

[Neomys Sapiens]

Sad news, my trusty Weller WTCPS is dead. The thermistor In the handle is open and the price of replacement part is just ridiculously high.

I should probably stick to Weller but I'm curious about the T12 soldering irons. Will probably order a cheap one from china. KSGER is supposed to be good right ?

Wait, WTCPS means Magnastat (magnet with defined curie point in tip, reed switch in iron), so there is no thermistor involved. There is a variable temperature iron for the 24V WTCP and WTCP-S stations, which has the controller in the handle, but in this case you don't see it from the connector. Sorry if you were aware of this, but I wanted to be sure.

[beanflying]

Good morning and welcome to the new Millennium time to wake up and smell the TEA Coffee and play with the TEA

Seems I need some more digits to my counter, Siglent feeding 10Meg into the GPSDO referenced counter. It slipped to 9,999,999.6 in the cool morning before it warmed up a bit. Wonder if I should return it as faulty for losing 'about'  4 PPB /C   

[bitseeker]

Too bad you can't chain them together for more digits.

Nice coffee, bean!

[beanflying]

Sad news, my trusty Weller WTCPS is dead. The thermistor In the handle is open and the price of replacement part is just ridiculously high.

I should probably stick to Weller but I'm curious about the T12 soldering irons. Will probably order a cheap one from china. KSGER is supposed to be good right ?

Wait, WTCPS means Magnastat (magnet with defined curie point in tip, reed switch in iron), so there is no thermistor involved. There is a variable temperature iron for the 24V WTCP and WTCP-S stations, which has the controller in the handle, but in this case you don't see it from the connector. Sorry if you were aware of this, but I wanted to be sure.

Yep correct they are a magnetically controlled tip. I finished up giving mine away a few weeks ago to a mate as I couldn't find a buyer here for it. In 30 years of ownership I had to replace the element once in that time. Lots of melted solder under it's tip.

[Brumby]

Hey Bean - now that You and Inverted have aroused the beast... I wouldn't mind a nice spectrum analyser to go with my DIY $10 H field probe (the parts for which are on their way from China as I speak).

I know this will likely demand pooling a few sources of funding (The piggy bank, the sock bank in the dresser drawer, the cash under the mattress, the centre console of the car, a couple more Bunnings gift cards AND the repository behind the couch cushions) - but it will be worth it... won't it?

[beanflying]

When you figure out how to get a decent one using those sources let me know and I will go over mine too 

I haven't felt the need for a SA 'yet' but the more recent Chinese 3GHz offerings seem like where I would want to head. The Anchors on offer locally are garbage and shipping in Glass from O/S wrapped in 30kg isn't likely to end well. By the time I get around to it I will need to jump to one capable of 5.8Gigity 

[Kosmic]

Sad news, my trusty Weller WTCPS is dead. The thermistor In the handle is open and the price of replacement part is just ridiculously high.

I should probably stick to Weller but I'm curious about the T12 soldering irons. Will probably order a cheap one from china. KSGER is supposed to be good right ?

Wait, WTCPS means Magnastat (magnet with defined curie point in tip, reed switch in iron), so there is no thermistor involved. There is a variable temperature iron for the 24V WTCP and WTCP-S stations, which has the controller in the handle, but in this case you don't see it from the connector. Sorry if you were aware of this, but I wanted to be sure.

Hmm so the reed switch is broken then (thought it was a thermistor). I Could potentially just bypass it. Thanks!

So I just educated myself on how the WTCPS is working and I would need to replace the part where the reed switch is embeded.

[mnementh]

More DMM calibrations. The excellent, the good, and the downright ugly.

First, the excellent. Vintage 1997 Series “1” Fluke 87. The Fluke retorted....”You know I never need calibration. Why do you bother?”

Same instrument, same series, same experience.
But it demands to be opened for extremely fiddly LCD glass/rubber readjustment.
Oh, and grey all over.

Same here, for 3 decades. I still miss mine, even though I have a truly amazing instrument in the 189 I bought to fill that hole.

You say that as if it were a bad thing. 

Sad news, my trusty Weller WTCPS is dead. The thermistor In the handle is open and the price of replacement part is just ridiculously high.

I should probably stick to Weller but I'm curious about the T12 soldering irons. Will probably order a cheap one from china. KSGER is supposed to be good right ?

Wait, WTCPS means Magnastat (magnet with defined curie point in tip, reed switch in iron), so there is no thermistor involved. There is a variable temperature iron for the 24V WTCP and WTCP-S stations, which has the controller in the handle, but in this case you don't see it from the connector. Sorry if you were aware of this, but I wanted to be sure.

Yup, and the MagnaStat lasts forever if you do the TRIAC/MOSFET series-pass circuit mod. Alas, the rolled-steel core transformer in those is JUST the wrong voltage to convert to T12; when I got my first T12 controller, I tried it with my WTCPN base. Output once rectified was 31.5VDC; high enough to smoke the regulators in the T12 controller, low enough that I could only get reliable regulation with a DC-DC converter to around 24V, not the 28V which you need for full 70W output on a T12 cartridge.  You can't really mod the T12 controller with a series-pass element; it directly monitors the voltage output of a thermocouple in series with the heater during the dwell time while the PWM pulse passes through zero.

Check the output of the transformer in your WTCPS once rectified and filter cap added; I fear it will be similar to my own experience.

Good hunting,

mnem
*Hard-won knowledge*

[neo]

That there is the pic that proves the meme. WWND? He just done gone and did it.

Thanks, though i am left wondering how i'm to top this one. Did you see the pictures of my server rack lit up?

[mnementh]

Sad news, my trusty Weller WTCPS is dead. The thermistor In the handle is open and the price of replacement part is just ridiculously high.

I should probably stick to Weller but I'm curious about the T12 soldering irons. Will probably order a cheap one from china. KSGER is supposed to be good right ?

Wait, WTCPS means Magnastat (magnet with defined curie point in tip, reed switch in iron), so there is no thermistor involved. There is a variable temperature iron for the 24V WTCP and WTCP-S stations, which has the controller in the handle, but in this case you don't see it from the connector. Sorry if you were aware of this, but I wanted to be sure.

Hmm so the reed switch is broken then (thought it was a thermistor). I Could potentially just bypass it. Thanks!

So I just educated myself on how the WTCPS is working and I would need to replace the part where the reed switch is embeded.

It's not a reed switch. The magnastat is a bimetal element stretched between the contact point at the back of the curie metal slug in the iron tip, and a set of contact points at the other end inside the handle. The heat at the slug causes this to expand or contract, snapping the contacts open or closed. The curie metal slug in the back of the tip in proximity to a magnet at the heating end alters the point at which heat is transferred to or sinked away from that contact point, thus setting the temp of the tip at 600, 700, or 800 degrees F.

Weller stopped making Magnastats almost 2 decades ago. Any left in captivity are scarce as dragon scales, and as expensive.   


WE1010 Station $126 at Amazon

OTOH, if you really don't want to give up on Weller...

mnem
*Parenting time*

[Brumby]

When you figure out how to get a decent one using those sources let me know and I will go over mine too 

I haven't felt the need for a SA 'yet' but the more recent Chinese 3GHz offerings seem like where I would want to head. The Anchors on offer locally are garbage and shipping in Glass from O/S wrapped in 30kg isn't likely to end well. By the time I get around to it I will need to jump to one capable of 5.8Gigity 

Hmmm... so I shouldn't expect someone to have something like a 71210C gathering dust under their bed that they want to get rid of to make more room for sneakers, huh?

[Kosmic]

It's not a reed switch. The magnastat is a bimetal element stretched between the contact point at the back of the curie metal slug in the iron tip, and a set of contact points at the other end inside the handle. The heat at the slug causes this to expand or contract, snapping the contacts open or closed. The curie metal slug in the back of the tip in proximity to a magnet at the heating end alters the point at which heat is transferred to or sinked away from that contact point, thus setting the temp of the tip at 600, 700, or 800 degrees F.

Weller stopped making Magnastats almost 2 decades ago. Any left in captivity are scarce as dragon scales, and as expensive.   

Yup got that part. The magnastat  become non magnetic at a specific temp (ex 400c) the switch close. The magnastat cool a bit become magnetic again, switch open. It's a clever mechanism.

So I investigated a bit more, and the heating element is broken. The switch is fine. I initially thought the switch was the heating element and vice versa.

Anyway, I ordered the last version of the KSGER T12 (v2.1). If it's a no go I will then get the Weller WE1010.

BTW this guy was able to convert his WTCPS to T12

[Brumby]

The truth be known, I don't really have a need for something of that calibre.  For simple, uncalibrated H field probing, I'll just need something to do the basics, up to a frequency that will be useful.

I can see that as a potential step towards going for something more sophisticated further down the track (If I get bitten hard enough).

So - off to see what I can find in the way of budget, entry-level solutions - even if it involves some soldering.

[beanflying]

You can play around with bode plots using a Sig Gen

https://youtu.be/uMH2hGvqhlE

[Brumby]

Already have that lined up.

It's the RF side of things that will get next level interesting.

[mnementh]

It's not a reed switch. The magnastat is a bimetal element stretched between the contact point at the back of the curie metal slug in the iron tip, and a set of contact points at the other end inside the handle. The heat at the slug causes this to expand or contract, snapping the contacts open or closed. The curie metal slug in the back of the tip in proximity to a magnet at the heating end alters the point at which heat is transferred to or sinked away from that contact point, thus setting the temp of the tip at 600, 700, or 800 degrees F.

Weller stopped making Magnastats almost 2 decades ago. Any left in captivity are scarce as dragon scales, and as expensive.   

Yup got that part. The magnastat  become non magnetic at a specific temp (ex 400c) the switch close. The magnastat cool a bit become magnetic again, switch open. It's a clever mechanism.

So I investigated a bit more, and the heating element is broken. The switch is fine. I initially thought the switch was the heating element and vice versa.

Anyway, I ordered the last version of the KSGER T12 (v2.1). If it's a no go I will then get the Weller WE1010.

BTW this guy was able to convert his WTCPS to T12

[WTCPS Modding Video]

If you look at the vid, he had the same problem I did; the transformer puts out 28VAC RMS, which once rectified & filtered is just too much for the T12 controller. His solution was to dismantle the transformer and unwind about 40 turns off the secondary. My solution was a little less convoluted ; I bought a cheap 150W DC-DC converter for about $6 off fleabay so I could get it right on at 28V. I think the one I got was Buck-Boost so I could power from a 4S LiPo too.

Yes, I like the firmware on the KSGER the best, as well as the fact it has a CMOS battery to keep the clock and remember your preferred settings if you have to unplug it.

mnem
*Nuking a hot-glue gun*

[0culus]

Well, I made some first steps to prep for the move that I'm going to be undertaking in a couple months. I am moving my lab lock, stock, and barrel to my parents' place in the meantime, partially accomplished today. This way, (1) I don't have to deal with it on moving day and (2) the gorillas the moving companies use won't be anywhere near my test equipment. I won't have all my stuff with me all the time, but at least it's all safe. Added bonus, I have a *much* bigger table to spread repair projects out on.

[bitseeker]

That there is the pic that proves the meme. WWND? He just done gone and did it.

Thanks, though i am left wondering how i'm to top this one. Did you see the pictures of my server rack lit up?

No rush. It's time to play with all your toys!

[tautech]

Already have that lined up.

It's the RF side of things that will get next level interesting.

Only one piece of advice, the same as I gave bd139, take a look at the SVA1015X.
See the teardown Dave did on them and the very brief look at what they can do.

[Brumby]

Not in the ball park for a four digit spend at this point.

I'll be looking for cheap, limited function ideas to get my feet wet.  That tends to requires some understanding and smart thinking to get the most out of such an approach - and I think that's not a bad thing.