Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

Temporary National Anthem for the POMs  Truly the rest of the world isn't laughing at your parliament ...... much 

Nothing to laugh about.  Corruption is corruption; no matter how ridiculous the clothes, or which side of the pond.

mnem
I keep waiting for Randall Flagg to finally show his face somewhere; proving my suspicions...

[mnementh]

@tggzzz: Like that diagram!

https://youtu.be/I64CQp6z0Pk

Me too! Plus I subscribed to CGP Grey; he's like if Randall Munroe made videos. About STUFF. 

"While you can call them all British, it's not recommended as the four countries generally don't like each other. The Northern Irish, Scottish & Welsh regard the English as slave driving colonial masters (bastards?)... and the English generally regard the rest as rural yocals who spend too much time with their sheep."

This part caught me off-guard and actually made me snort coffee until my eyes watered. It's the guy's delivery... absolutely unimpeachable. 

mnem
How did I NOT know about this guy?

[mnementh]

More. Rotary assembly removed from attenuator board. New inserts installed. Simply popped into place. Attenuator board currently soaking in De-Oxit on both sides. Then hose down with IPA and blow dry.

      Next step. Reassembly then a DC continuity test on all positions. That will tell if the repair is successful.

Okay... still a bit confused, but kept my mouth shut so far. When you say "new inserts" do you mean the contact brushes/wipers themselves as attached to the leaf springs, or something with the cam/drum that operates them? Or something else altogether?

I suppose I could answer this myself if I dredged up the service manual... but I'm busy futzing around with my old Oculus DK2. 

mnem
Priorities, man!!!

[med6753]

More. Rotary assembly removed from attenuator board. New inserts installed. Simply popped into place. Attenuator board currently soaking in De-Oxit on both sides. Then hose down with IPA and blow dry.

      Next step. Reassembly then a DC continuity test on all positions. That will tell if the repair is successful.

Okay... still a bit confused, but kept my mouth shut so far. When you say "new inserts" do you mean the contact brushes/wipers themselves as attached to the leaf springs, or something with the cam/drum that operates them? Or something else altogether?

I suppose I could answer this myself if I dredged up the service manual... but I'm busy futzing around with my old Oculus DK2. 

mnem
Priorities, man!!!

No. In this pix. The rotary switch assembly. That white square plastic piece 2nd in from the right with the black mark.  See the 2 little holes? Inserts or what basically are nuts snap into the backside of the holes. The attenuator assembly mounts on top and screws go through the attenuator assembly into those holes with the inserts. That's what was stripped out.

[med6753]

OK, another update. IPA'ed and dried the leaf contacts. Reassembled the switch assembly to the vertical mode board. With the input switch set to DC I should have continuity to the output side of the switch assembly which is the input to the first vertical pre-amp. Compare the readings with channel 1 which I know is good. At first nothing matched.  After some head scratching realized I installed the rotary 180 out. D'oh! 

Fixed that and we are VERY close. All readings match and are steady except 2 positions. They should be about 1.6-1.7M and they are measuring 1.9M and bouncing around. So one leaf is not making good contact. With the assembly on the bench I can get access to all of them. So basically carefully press the ones making contact and see if the readings change. Once found I'm sure it will just need a slight tweak. But that's tomorrow's project. Got other things I have to do today.



  

And here. My benches a mess. 465B all over it. 

[Cubdriver]

No. In this pix. The rotary switch assembly. That white square plastic piece 2nd in from the right with the black mark.  See the 2 little holes? Inserts or what basically are nuts snap into the backside of the holes. The attenuator assembly mounts on top and screws go through the attenuator assembly into those holes with the inserts. That's what was stripped out.

med - do you mean the PEM inserts were stripped?

https://www.mcmaster.com/pem-style-nuts

-Pat

[bitseeker]

Then there is a parc-homebrew Arduino system that Youtube recommended the video and the description notes that is where the software is located.  I'm still waiting to become a member unless someone has the software and they can give me a copy. 



Not a big deal since I don't have the ADF43XX modules yet.  I have an addiction to Test Equipment Software also.

That's neat. Added to my project list.

[tautech]

No. In this pix. The rotary switch assembly. That white square plastic piece 2nd in from the right with the black mark.  See the 2 little holes? Inserts or what basically are nuts snap into the backside of the holes. The attenuator assembly mounts on top and screws go through the attenuator assembly into those holes with the inserts. That's what was stripped out.

med - do you mean the PEM inserts were stripped?

https://www.mcmaster.com/pem-style-nuts

-Pat

Med, can you do an autopsy ?

Like are the inserts just a pressed nut or something better ?
Seems unusual they would've stripped. 

[bd139]

Another toy arrived... needs some work this one...





Cost me a curry approximately which wasn't bad. Needs new input jacks. Hopefully the display is just a ganky zebra strip. I've fixed a few things like that.

[med6753]

med - do you mean the PEM inserts were stripped?

https://www.mcmaster.com/pem-style-nuts

-Pat

Nope, just plain old nuts like this. Someone had overtightened them. One of the screws that I removed had threads on it.

The nuts slide in from the side slot and lock into place.

[bitseeker]

@tggzzz: Like that diagram!

Just about anything by CGP Grey is information dense (unlike most yootoob videos) and entertaining.

Yeah, like rich desserts, you can't consume too many, too quickly. I still haven't consumed his entire back catalog.

A little closer to (your) home, tell us which country this field/road is in. Then zoom out. Then zoom out several more times.

That's crazy. I haven't seen a national border in the middle of a road, and it doesn't even extend the full length of the road, either.

[tautech]

med - do you mean the PEM inserts were stripped?

https://www.mcmaster.com/pem-style-nuts

-Pat

Nope, just plain old nuts like this. Someone had overtightened them. One of the screws that I removed had threads on it.

The nuts slide in from the side slot and lock into place.

Wow, some gorilla then ! 

Is there any chance another screw with a different pitch has been used and the nuts thread damaged from this ?

[bitseeker]

Another toy arrived... needs some work this one...



Cost me a curry approximately which wasn't bad. Needs new input jacks. Hopefully the display is just a ganky zebra strip. I've fixed a few things like that.

Not bad. A little zebra cleaning, a lot of holster degreasing, and some new jacks. Has the common jack been replaced? It's red inside.

Mmm, curry.

[bd139]

The right two jack shafts are broken. The contacts are in there but the usual black shaft is missing. Need to find a new unit. There's some in the US. Will get one shipped.

Display was boring. Just dirt!



Meter is undamaged inside and appears to work perfectly!

[med6753]

med - do you mean the PEM inserts were stripped?

https://www.mcmaster.com/pem-style-nuts

-Pat

Nope, just plain old nuts like this. Someone had overtightened them. One of the screws that I removed had threads on it.

The nuts slide in from the side slot and lock into place.

Wow, some gorilla then ! 

Is there any chance another screw with a different pitch has been used and the nuts thread damaged from this ?

Nope, it was the proper screw with the correct pitch. As I mentioned once before some gorilla had been in here prior and I'm on an unfuck mission. 

[med6753]

The right two jack shafts are broken. The contacts are in there but the usual black shaft is missing. Need to find a new unit. There's some in the US. Will get one shipped.

Display was boring. Just dirt!



Meter is undamaged inside and appears to work perfectly!

You're on a unfuck mission too. 

[bd139]

Indeed. Been out all day in London, come home to DMM fun

All done and cleaned already. Need to find a jack assembly but will do that later.

And typical Fluke. The 87V on the left went out of cal November 2018. The new one on the right is 27 years old approx. Both in high res mode:



Fluke FTW!

Edit: the case is in the dish washer at the moment 

Edit 2: Christ the input jacks are expensive. More than I paid for the meter.

[tggzzz]

@tggzzz: Like that diagram!

Just about anything by CGP Grey is information dense (unlike most yootoob videos) and entertaining.

Yeah, like rich desserts, you can't consume too many, too quickly. I still haven't consumed his entire back catalog.

A little closer to (your) home, tell us which country this field/road is in. Then zoom out. Then zoom out several more times.

That's crazy. I haven't seen a national border in the middle of a road, and it doesn't even extend the full length of the road, either.

If that's all you've noticed, you haven't seen crazy

Which country is that bit of that road inside?
Zoom out.
Which country is that bit of that road inside?
Zoom out a few times.
Which country is that bit of that road inside?

[tggzzz]

Edit 2: Christ the input jacks are expensive. More than I paid for the meter.

I've had that experience with Solartron 7075/7081, especially if you add leads for the connector

See https://www.ab-precision.de/products/cables-accessories/ and CBLF-1 in particular.

[bd139]

Ok that makes me feel slightly better about spending £45 on a bit of plastic 

[Neomys Sapiens]

Another toy arrived... needs some work this one...





Cost me a curry approximately which wasn't bad. Needs new input jacks. Hopefully the display is just a ganky zebra strip. I've fixed a few things like that.

That would be typical for a 87 first series. The zebra strip might not even be defective, but only slightly mispositioned.

[bd139]

Indeed. I disassembled, cleaned it and it's fine now. I took the risk on the rather low buy it now price on the basis that it was probably that.

Well I've just done a full test on it and it's in spec, assuming my 87V is.

And you know what? It's actually better than the 87V on a couple of things. Firstly it's slightly faster and secondly the viewing angle is much much better when lying on the bench. Can't complain!

[med6753]

Indeed. I disassembled, cleaned it and it's fine now. I took the risk on the rather low buy it now price on the basis that it was probably that.

Well I've just done a full test on it and it's in spec, assuming my 87V is.

And you know what? It's actually better than the 87V on a couple of things. Firstly it's slightly faster and secondly the viewing angle is much much better when lying on the bench. Can't complain!

I just realized. It's a Series 1...just like mine. 

[bd139]

Yep indeed it is. I rather like it. It's a bit bashed up and has some wear on it but it's a nice bit of kit. The 87V feels a bit lower quality now

[med6753]

Yep indeed it is. I rather like it. It's a bit bashed up and has some wear on it but it's a nice bit of kit. The 87V feels a bit lower quality now

I bought mine new in 1997. Other than battery changes done nothing. Never been calibrated and still dead nuts.