Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[beanflying]

This thing is evil. I killed two of them. The last one was an outright hazmat incident. The kitchen reeked of burned rubber and the pyrolysis products of coffee for days. If I remember correctly, we had to sand the heating plate.
It is a total human factors failure, as it is just that heavy that it is no more intuitively clear if there is water in it.

With stovetops of any sort best option is to fill the base with off boil water (sub 100C) as it minimises burning of the coffee during the brew process from the additional heat under them. Ideally brew temp for coffee is well under 95C and preferably 92-93C. If you start from cold by the time the water boils the entire unit is above that temp and the water will brew nearer to 100C  Also reduces the chance of melt down

[Inverted18650]

What up T.E.A. How have you all been? I had 17 pages of catch up. Loads of great gear pouring in.

As long as I am feeling well this weekend, I may take a trip and get a bunch more gear myself. More FLUKE CALIBRATORS
I am going to try my best to get it done and get my ass back in gear. @med, If things fall into place, I will be in touch my friend, I may be headed up to the MA area and can easily scoot over to PA and get you these scopes. If that deal doesn't happen, I'll be rolling to FL for some BADASS DC Calibrators. If the sun is shining and its warm, I may never come back 

Welcome back, cell-monger!     Hope you got your back problems... and your "ahem..." problems... all sorted. 

Mid-South Florida (Tampa-St. Pete, which is where I'd suspect you'll be headed, given the nature of the junque involved) is almost tolerable this time of year... Just make sure you're inside somewhere air-conditioned and sipping something cool by 2PM-ish. You'll get gulf-effect showers that roll through approximately 3-4PM almost every afternoon, and these don't cool anything down, they last just long enough to make the ground steam and turn the great outdoors into a sauna. 

I know this may sound like heaven right now, given where you're at... but that lasts about 3 days. Then you get so sick of not being able to breathe you're ready to drive 12 hours straight to get out of it.  Ask me how I know.

mnem
*Ex-snowbird dwagon*

Right on brotha and thanks for the shared kindness...I miss the hell out of central Florida. I grew up in Daytona Beach over on the Eastern coast and still dream about getting back to the salty-humid air and occasional fun surf.

[mnementh]

This thing is evil. I killed two of them. The last one was an outright hazmat incident. The kitchen reeked of burned rubber and the pyrolysis products of coffee for days. If I remember correctly, we had to sand the heating plate.
It is a total human factors failure, as it is just that heavy that it is no more intuitively clear if there is water in it.

With stovetops of any sort best option is to fill the base with off boil water (sub 100C) as it minimizes burning of the coffee during the brew process from the additional heat under them. Ideally brew temp for coffee is well under 95C and preferably 92-93C. If you start from cold by the time the water boils the entire unit is above that temp and the water will brew nearer to 100C  Also reduces the chance of melt down

Kakk. Raw coffee. Ptooie.

OTOH, Boil dry: RAWWWWRRRR!!! DWAGON SMASSSH!!! FIRE TOO GOOD FOR YOU!!!

mnem
I only likes my womens and my steaks raw. 

[Specmaster]

Star-Delta Starters only reduce startup currents, DOL (Direct online) should be fine for your job but would be different if you were starting it say 10+ times an hour it might help the motor temps. For bigger motors electronic soft starters were taking the place of Star-Delta when I got out of the pump industry.

30+C ambient your motor would be plenty toasty and the internal smoke might see an appearance 

Great thanks.

Yeah, we'll strangle it some to take the load off the motor and get back into its happy place.
ATM, just 1 hr runs with zero restarts.

If it is possible to start up with an open circuit for the water flow, i.e. the pump is able to start up trying to pump air only for the first 2 or 3 seconds and then water is introduced automatically, the start up current would be greatly reduced and thus the temperature will be reduced at the time.

[mnementh]

Welcome back, cell-monger!     Hope you got your back problems... and your "ahem..." problems... all sorted. 

Mid-South Florida (Tampa-St. Pete, which is where I'd suspect you'll be headed, given the nature of the junque involved) is almost tolerable this time of year... Just make sure you're inside somewhere air-conditioned and sipping something cool by 2PM-ish. You'll get gulf-effect showers that roll through approximately 3-4PM almost every afternoon, and these don't cool anything down, they last just long enough to make the ground steam and turn the great outdoors into a sauna. 

I know this may sound like heaven right now, given where you're at... but that lasts about 3 days. Then you get so sick of not being able to breathe you're ready to drive 12 hours straight to get out of it.  Ask me how I know.

mnem
*Ex-snowbird dwagon*

Right on brotha and thanks for the shared kindness...I miss the hell out of central Florida. I grew up in Daytona Beach over on the Eastern coast and still dream about getting back to the salty-humid air and occasional fun surf.

Oh, well... if you're a local, then there's no saving you. Good on you for getting out during the Governor Nosferatu years though; maybe you can help bury his undead arse once and for all.

mnem
You'll be back; all the nuts roll downhill to Florida. 

[beanflying]

Star-Delta Starters only reduce startup currents, DOL (Direct online) should be fine for your job but would be different if you were starting it say 10+ times an hour it might help the motor temps. For bigger motors electronic soft starters were taking the place of Star-Delta when I got out of the pump industry.

30+C ambient your motor would be plenty toasty and the internal smoke might see an appearance 

Great thanks.

Yeah, we'll strangle it some to take the load off the motor and get back into its happy place.
ATM, just 1 hr runs with zero restarts.

If it is possible to start up with an open circuit for the water flow, i.e. the pump is able to start up trying to pump air only for the first 2 or 3 seconds and then water is introduced automatically, the start up current would be greatly reduced and thus the temperature will be reduced at the time.

Actually not right no back pressure open flow is far more power required and can also lead to NPSH (inlet) and priming issues. NPSH is an actual technical thing but if you asked about it to most selling Ag pumps the industry joke was 'No Pumps Sold Here'  Single starts like Tautech has heat from starting is minor.

[beanflying]

Sorting through my box of RF stuff to unload some to Brumby  Question for the more RF able than me (most people  )

BNC terminated, 28mm makes it 1/4 wave 2.4 Ghz or there abouts but with the diodes across it is it part of a test antenna to be used as part of an Attenuator circuit of some sort for bench use?

[Kosmic]

Sorting through my box of RF stuff to unload some to Brumby  Question for the more RF able than me (most people  )

BNC terminated, 28mm makes it 1/4 wave 2.4 Ghz or there abouts but with the diodes across it is it part of a test antenna to be used as part of an Attenuator circuit of some sort for bench use?

Look like the diodes are there for ESD protection. Normally it's not directly on the antenna.

[Kosmic]

So I decided to follow beanflying footsteps and enter the rabbit hole of volt-nuttery. 

I was shopping for a Kelvin-Varley voltage divider and found a whole set for less than what I was going to pay for the divider alone.



I scored:

1 x ESI RV722 Kelvin-Varley voltage divider
2 x ESI DT72A Standard Decade Transformer (AC divider)
1 x ESI 240 Kelvin Ratio Bridge
1 x ESI RA79 Quadrature voltage generator

Look like everything was last serviced in 2010 and I even got the deviation for the RV722.



(If there is some interest I could take some naked shots and post them later … mostly going to be bunch of old resistors and transformers  )

[Inverted18650]

So I decided to follow beanflying footsteps and enter the rabbit hole of volt-nuttery. 

I was shopping for a Kelvin-Varley voltage divider and found a whole set for less than what I was going to pay for the divider alone.



I scored:

1 x ESI RV722 Kelvin-Varley voltage divider
2 x ESI DT72A Standard Decade Transformer (AC divider)
1 x ESI 240 Kelvin Ratio Bridge
1 x ESI RA79 Quadrature voltage generator

Look like everything was last serviced in 2010 and I even got the deviation for the RV722.



(If there is some interest I could take some naked shots and port them later … mostly going to be bunch of old resistors and transformers  )

BEAUTIFUL! I AM VERY JEALOUS, THAT IS SO SEXY!

On another issue, what are your all opinions of this? Seems "too good to be true".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Keithley-2450-SourceMeter-200V-1A-20W/372614754252?hash=item56c191efcc:g:HlYAAOSwTHlceCPS:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!37040!US!-1:rk:5:pf:1&frcectupt=true

[Kosmic]

For reference you can get a brand new DT72 from Tegam for only 15k$ 

(Tegam bought part of ESI)

https://www.tegam.com/shop/ratio-standards/dt72b/dt72bac-ratio-standard-7-decades/

[Kosmic]

On another issue, what are your all opinions of this? Seems "too good to be true".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Keithley-2450-SourceMeter-200V-1A-20W/372614754252?hash=item56c191efcc:g:HlYAAOSwTHlceCPS:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!37040!US!-1:rk:5:pf:1&frcectupt=true

Look like a good seller. And you would probably be protected by ebay.

[beanflying]

So I decided to follow beanflying footsteps and enter the rabbit hole of volt-nuttery. 

I was shopping for a Kelvin-Varley voltage divider and found a whole set for less than what I was going to pay for the divider alone.

I scored:

1 x ESI RV722 Kelvin-Varley voltage divider
2 x ESI DT72A Standard Decade Transformer (AC divider)
1 x ESI 240 Kelvin Ratio Bridge
1 x ESI RA79 Quadrature voltage generator

Look like everything was last serviced in 2010 and I even got the deviation for the RV722.

(If there is some interest I could take some naked shots and post them later … mostly going to be bunch of old resistors and transformers  )

Nice 'Entry' 

First dibs on the Decade Transformer if you decide you need to move it along 

[Inverted18650]

On another issue, what are your all opinions of this? Seems "too good to be true".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Keithley-2450-SourceMeter-200V-1A-20W/372614754252?hash=item56c191efcc:g:HlYAAOSwTHlceCPS:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!37040!US!-1:rk:5:pf:1&frcectupt=true

Look like a good seller. And you would probably be protected by ebay.

Listed as "NEW" at $2k less than the other new units around...I am scared, but man if it is REAL...I want (4) time NOW please.

[Kosmic]

On another issue, what are your all opinions of this? Seems "too good to be true".

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Keithley-2450-SourceMeter-200V-1A-20W/372614754252?hash=item56c191efcc:g:HlYAAOSwTHlceCPS:sc:FedExHomeDelivery!37040!US!-1:rk:5:pf:1&frcectupt=true

Look like a good seller. And you would probably be protected by ebay.

Listed as "NEW" at $2k less than the other new units around...I am scared, but man if it is REAL...I want (4) time NOW please.

Member since: Dec-28-99 in United States , 100% feedback. I think it's fine.

[Inverted18650]

I cant trust them. I read their language for the listings and them another trusted forum user hit me up saying his experience with them was "not a good time" when he tried to buy another high end unit. I am either helping people save a bunch of the only fool not buying one...unreal...but the site seems like theyve been around a awhile you cant see any of their other items, and they only have one BUYER feedback, just seems fake as hell. And they say, " they reserve the right to repair, etc, anything that is broken, EXCEPT doing a recal.." too many red flags...fuck it, got excited and now Ive read the fine print, I gotta pass.


EDIT: found their website as well and while the prices do not match, and I am still not sure what to think, I wanted to correct the record to say, I need to hold off judgement unitl I do more research. heres the link for the K2450 from their website:
https://www.conrestestequipment.com/manufacturer/keithley/page/5/

[beanflying]

HOT TEA    14PPM drift up for a 25+C rise is great but not for the Human taking the measurements.

Parts of the case of the 34401A is over 50C, Air Temp n the shack is over 40C and the PC I am typing this on sounds like it has swallowed a swarm of Bees. Early Beer Break 

[Inverted18650]

Brotha man, thats borderline insanity...and you all thought I was crazy...

[med6753]

If my shack were 40 C I wouldn't be in it. 

[beanflying]

Brief Walk through as it is where the Beer is located  Decided to let the 335D drop back to standby and the 34401A is have a powered off Siesta. The numbers are still interesting when it comes to over Ambient use, I will need to wait another few months until we get down to 10-15C to test the other end.

Forecast for tomorrow - same as today 

[Inverted18650]

Brief Walk through as it is where the Beer is located  Decided to let the 335D drop back to standby and the 34401A is have a powered off Siesta. The numbers are still interesting when it comes to over Ambient use, I will need to wait another few months until we get down to 10-15C to test the other end.

Forecast for tomorrow - same as today 

That's scorching hot man. Definitely cool to see the data in the "hot as KUWAIT range" as well

[med6753]

Winter just won't give up here. Temps early next week are expected to go as low as -13 C at night. 

[beanflying]

We are about 8km inland and the Seabreeze hasn't kicked in against the hot Northerlies yet. 28C on the Coast, time for a trip when the Sun gets a bit lower.

[GregDunn]

HOT TEA    14PPM drift up for a 25+C rise is great but not for the Human taking the measurements.

Parts of the case of the 34401A is over 50C, Air Temp n the shack is over 40C and the PC I am typing this on sounds like it has swallowed a swarm of Bees. Early Beer Break 

When I worked for the Gummint (civilian Navy engineer) we had to perform environmental qualification on every new design before it could be released to the fleet for deployment.  One item was a piece of navigational gear intended for shipboard use and in order to properly evaluate it we had to get inside the test chamber (there was no way to rig it so we could operate the thing from outside - too many moving parts).

We not only had to go in at -40C (with some insulation, but only thin gloves on our hands!) but I remember one test that had to be conducted at +55C, 95% RH.  The longest 15 minutes ever.  Anyone who ran that test was knackered at the end of 5 minutes, let alone 15.  Compared to that, being on the flight line at Edwards AFB in the dead of summer (yep, did that too, and that was about 40C) was a picnic.  People around here complain when it gets into the mid 30C range and I just 

[VK5RC]

@beanflying, do you think it is the 34401 or the source is the major 'drifter'?