Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

Definitely turning into a time nut here. Spent all day working profiling and optimising to save 30ms 

[tggzzz]

Definitely turning into a time nut here. Spent all day working profiling and optimising to save 30ms 

I hope that you will want to save another 30ms some day

[bd139]

And that day is tomorrow!

Edit: having trouble locating a non-hooky source for a prescaler for that counter

[Cerebus]

There's a rare beast on German eBay: https://www.ebay.de/itm/RIESIGER-2-Strahl-Oszi-Oszilloskop-Oscilloscope-Tektronix-556-RM/283519389520?hash=item4203128f50:g:1n4AAOSwNz1dB55N

Even without plug-ins and in non-working condition, the machine is very tempting, especially at this price.
But the image of Ero-shan going there by train to collect it and carrying it home makes me cringe. No way this is going to happen.

Maybe one of the other Germans (with cars) is interested. The same seller offers an 585A (sans plug-in) also ..

Doesn't just have to be Germans, I'm overdue for a trip to Düsseldorf and Dortmund is only just up the road. A drop of Dortmunder would make a change from (the nevertheless excellent) Düsseldorf Altbier. Alas, the date for my next trip hasn't yet been set.

[nixiefreqq]

hey bd


well you made me look.   are those lines that look like cracks supposed to be in those caps?

never heard of one blowing up here in merica.  maybe they are ok with our piss weak line voltage?

hmmmmm.  my diode bodge looks mighty stanky.  but it works. 

decided a socket was the best solution for the prescaler.

[worsthorse]

@mnen, the ugly sister cleaned up well.  Before, a little grime, a little rust:





During, a lot of sandpaper and wirewheel-ness, followed by what seemed to be an endless number of primer and top coat applications:





After, Darth Vader black and silver, new and properly bonded power and outlet cords, new strain relief, a few tapped holes to make better bonds, and generally new hardware to replace the old:





And, last but not least, one more bit of wirewound porn, just because General Radio knew how to make a variac like nobody's business...



Of course, because this came from mnen's bench, this wasn't a lipstick-on-a-pig exercise; it works as intended.  Right on the bench, next to the isolation transformer, this goes. Thank you sir!   

[bd139]

hey bd


well you made me look.   are those lines that look like cracks supposed to be in those caps?

never heard of one blowing up here in merica.  maybe they are ok with our piss weak line voltage?

hmmmmm.  my diode bodge looks mighty stanky.  but it works. 

decided a socket was the best solution for the prescaler.

Thanks for the pics. Notice yours has the OCXO in it. That's next on the shopping list

The RIFA capacitors are dangerous as fuck. The epoxy casing cracks, they get damp and then they short and explode. It's not a function of voltage unfortunately but age and environment. Here's an examples of what you are in for and the stuff does not clean up easily!  I would replace them ASAP!



Yeah there's a socket already in this one and I found an MB506 prescaler at last so have ordered that to go in it.

Now looking at the diode rings. I can get the original parts (much preferred) from rf-microwave.com for £5.55 but their min order is £26 and I don't need anything else ... May go with the hack yet or buy a quality BNC pigtail for it. Yours dont look too bad. If it works then  I suppose.

[med6753]

hey bd


well you made me look.   are those lines that look like cracks supposed to be in those caps?

never heard of one blowing up here in merica.  maybe they are ok with our piss weak line voltage?

hmmmmm.  my diode bodge looks mighty stanky.  but it works. 

decided a socket was the best solution for the prescaler.

Thanks for the pics. Notice yours has the OCXO in it. That's next on the shopping list

The RIFA capacitors are dangerous as fuck. The epoxy casing cracks, they get damp and then they short and explode. It's not a function of voltage unfortunately but age and environment. Here's an examples of what you are in for and the stuff does not clean up easily!  I would replace them ASAP!



Yeah there's a socket already in this one and I found an MB506 prescaler at last so have ordered that to go in it.

Now looking at the diode rings. I can get the original parts (much preferred) from rf-microwave.com for £5.55 but their min order is £26 and I don't need anything else ... May go with the hack yet or buy a quality BNC pigtail for it. Yours dont look too bad. If it works then  I suppose.

Agree with bd. Change them. I've never had one blow up either but both my 2465's had them and they were cracked just like your pix and I got rid of them.

[worsthorse]

well it appears that finishing the amsco variac is going to be the high point of my week. i took my truck for a transmission checkup and the clutch froze while the mechanic was test driving it.   

i can now tow it home or spend two grand on replacing the clutch. neither choice is appetizing for a 2003 ford ranger that i was hoping to sell at the end of the year. i don't have the tools or expertise to repair it myself.       

[Mr. Scram]

well it appears that finishing the amsco variac is going to be the high point of my week. i took my truck for a transmission checkup and the clutch froze while the mechanic was test driving it.   

i can now tow it home or spend two grand on replacing the clutch. neither choice is appetizing for a 2003 ford ranger that i was hoping to sell at the end of the year. i don't have the tools or expertise to repair it myself.       

Were you with him when it happened? Otherwise I'd be a bit skeptical.

[tggzzz]

well you made me look.   are those lines that look like cracks supposed to be in those caps?

never heard of one blowing up here in merica.  maybe they are ok with our piss weak line voltage?

Less vulnerable but not invulnerable.

When one in my first 2465 acted as a "delayed action smoke generator", the associated current-limiting series resistor disappeared[1] along with a 1cm diameter patch of prepreg.

[1] not quite true; there was a newly formed black residue on the way to the exhaust fan.

[bd139]

Ok got HP 5334B 1.3GHz upgrade bits from three known reliable suppliers:

1. Fujitsu MB506 prescaler. Ebay user: super-quick. £4.25
2. Avago HSMS-2812 series pair diodes x5. ebay user: ecl80 £3.39
3. Amphenol BNC/RG174 bulkhead. RS £1.75
4. Belden RG174 6". Left over from Elecraft K2 build £0

So under £10 for a 1.3GHz upgrade.

[worsthorse]

well it appears that finishing the amsco variac is going to be the high point of my week. i took my truck for a transmission checkup and the clutch froze while the mechanic was test driving it.   

i can now tow it home or spend two grand on replacing the clutch. neither choice is appetizing for a 2003 ford ranger that i was hoping to sell at the end of the year. i don't have the tools or expertise to repair it myself.       

Were you with him when it happened? Otherwise I'd be a bit skeptical.

No, I was not. I left the truck this morning and walked to a meeting. I am not going to have them repair it, the resale value is barely more than the repair cost. I will tow it home and figure out what to do next.

I had hoped to run this truck until it was worth was essentially zero, as I did with the Chevy Blazer that came before it. The mechanic accelerated that process for me by roughly twelve months, more or less. 

[mnementh]

@mnen, the ugly sister cleaned up well.  Before, a little grime, a little rust:

   

During, a lot of sandpaper and wirewheel-ness, followed by what seemed to be an endless number of primer and top coat applications:

   

After, Darth Vader black and silver, new and properly bonded power and outlet cords, new strain relief, a few tapped holes to make better bonds, and generally new hardware to replace the old:

   

And, last but not least, one more bit of wirewound porn, just because General Radio knew how to make a variac like nobody's business...

   Of course, because this came from mnen's bench, this wasn't a lipstick-on-a-pig exercise; it works as intended.  Right on the bench, next to the isolation transformer, this goes. Thank you sir!   

And your journey to the Dark Side is now complete... have a cookie.   

You'll want to tie the two halves of the breaker together; there's supposed to be a 1/8" (3.17mm) pin through the holes in the end of the toggles. It gets annoying having to hold both toggles just right to get them to reset/turn on. You can get 1/8" brass rod from the hobby metals drawer at your local Homeowner Hell; or clean the flux off a couple inches of 1/8" brazing rod. A little blob of solder on each end to keep it from falling out, or if you're feeling froggy you can run a m3 die down the first 8mm of each end and use common m3 Nyloc nuts.

May she serve you long and well! 

mnem

[Specmaster]

You have to slap the bacon first

Sandwich done. Counter works very nicely.  Cal isn't terrible. Condition is pretty good. Inside is untouched. RIFAs will be replaced - ordering new ones as I'm out.

2.8Hz off 10MHz, assuming my signal generator is right, which it is approximately. Not bad either way. GPSDO needs to purchased to actually get a single source of truth. Buttons all work.



Insides dirty. Will go and clean them. Bottom right shows the three missing parts to get channel C. Add one prescaler IC and a couple of diode rings and remove a capacitor then you get 1.3GHz. Also note the OCXO hole. Will see if I can fill that one way or another.



Rise time measurements ... woot. Also does pulse voltage measurements. Double woot.



These motherfuckers are GOING tomorrow. RS order going in shortly.



Very happy 

Edit: £13 of fresh new Kemet RIFAs ordered as I've run out!

Edit 2: now looking at Leo Bodnar references. What have I become?!?!?! 

Wow, thats bloody fantastic, 2.8Hz out, surely that's near enough already? Yep, them RIFA's have gotta go, they look like they are about to spill their guts.

[Specmaster]

Definitely turning into a time nut here. Spent all day working profiling and optimising to save 30ms 

Now thats a really bad wast of time, thats a day of your life that you'll never get back 

[Specmaster]

hey bd


well you made me look.   are those lines that look like cracks supposed to be in those caps?

never heard of one blowing up here in merica.  maybe they are ok with our piss weak line voltage?

hmmmmm.  my diode bodge looks mighty stanky.  but it works. 

decided a socket was the best solution for the prescaler.

You could well be right there about your piss weak line voltage, let me tell you, with our line voltage being on steroids, you certainly don't want to be in the same room as one of the rifas when they let go for long, or you'll be puking as well 

[dcbrown73]

Hi,

How many different types of capacitor testers are there?  I feel like there is something obscure out there that I don't yet own...

[bd139]

Definitely turning into a time nut here. Spent all day working profiling and optimising to save 30ms 

Now thats a really bad wast of time, thats a day of your life that you'll never get back 

That 30ms happens 9 million times a day

[med6753]

well it appears that finishing the amsco variac is going to be the high point of my week. i took my truck for a transmission checkup and the clutch froze while the mechanic was test driving it.   

i can now tow it home or spend two grand on replacing the clutch. neither choice is appetizing for a 2003 ford ranger that i was hoping to sell at the end of the year. i don't have the tools or expertise to repair it myself.       

Were you with him when it happened? Otherwise I'd be a bit skeptical.

No, I was not. I left the truck this morning and walked to a meeting. I am not going to have them repair it, the resale value is barely more than the repair cost. I will tow it home and figure out what to do next.

I had hoped to run this truck until it was worth was essentially zero, as I did with the Chevy Blazer that came before it. The mechanic accelerated that process for me by roughly twelve months, more or less.

It could be just the clutch slave cylinder gave out and it could be an easy fix. Does it have an internal slave cylinder (not good) or an external slave cylinder? If external you can see if it moves when you depress the clutch. 

[Cubdriver]

Hi,

How many different types of capacitor testers are there?  I feel like there is something obscure out there that I don't yet own...

Define 'types'.  There are old, simple go-no go eye tube type testers that were made by the likes of Sprague and Heathkit and Eico, there are more sophisticated old testers like the Sprague Tel-Ohmike and Heath IT-11/IT-21 ones that are also useful for checking leakage in higher voltage caps used in tube gear, there are precision LCR bridges made by the likes of ETI and GenRad, and there are lab type instruments made by HP (4260, 61, 62, 4274, 75 for instance) and the like that can test at various frequencies to establish capacitor performance under different operating conditions.

There are also all sorts of handheld DMM-type testers out there, too.  That's a big bunny hole!

-Pat

[mnementh]

well it appears that finishing the amsco variac is going to be the high point of my week. i took my truck for a transmission checkup and the clutch froze while the mechanic was test driving it.   

i can now tow it home or spend two grand on replacing the clutch. neither choice is appetizing for a 2003 ford ranger that i was hoping to sell at the end of the year. i don't have the tools or expertise to repair it myself.       

Were you with him when it happened? Otherwise I'd be a bit skeptical.

No I was not. I left the truck this morning and walked to a meeting I had. I am not going to have them repair it in any case. I will tow it home and figure out what to do next.

   "Clutch froze"...? Is this a vehicle you've been driving? A clutch does not "freeze up" on a vehicle that isn't sitting for long periods... it can burn out, wear out, start slipping or grenade, but NOT "freeze up".

Sounds like BS or sabotage. Do you feel any resistance on the clutch pedal? if not, or if the pedal is just sitting on the floor boards, more likely the clutch master cylinder/slave cylinder assembly. The cynic in me wants to say the bastard deliberately cracked the bleeder on the slave so he could sell you a clutch job.

   Speaking of BS... a few months ago, my wife took our new RAV4 in to the Toyota dealership in Cleveland Heights for its 10K service; we'd been having a problem with the TPMS light coming on and a tire soft about every couple weeks. Brand new vehicle, so I figured a valve stem leak most likely (the TPMS transponder is incorporated into the valve stem) and had her ask them to check it out. They cam back telling her it had a nail in the sidewall which couldn't be repaired, and tried to sell her a new tire for $260. She called me freaking out because they were telling her if the tire went flat and the sensor got damaged, it would cost almost $1000 to fix. 

I calmed her down over the phone, told her to tell them "No thank you, my husband will look at it. Please inflate it to the proper pressure." (Those were my EXACT words!!! Honest!)  and I would take care of it.

So of course, a slow leak being about 11th on my DSIGD list, and my wife having the car all the time anyways, I just blow up the soft tire every couple weeks, eyeballing it from time to time to see if I can spot this nail in the sidewall, but no luck. Until this weekend when, due to a strange confluence of events, I'm actually up and not feeling like a complete train wreck early enough to beat the worst of the hot & muggy, don't have 6 things that MUST HAPPEN RIGHT NOW vying for my attention, AND the car is actually here. So I grab my cordless 1/2" impact (a XMas present from the wife  ) jack the Rav4 up and zip the tire off.

About five f*$¢%#!! minutes of cussing the dealership shop foreman and all his ancestors later, I have the tire plugged, back on and looking for the correct lugnut torque on my phone. 

Bastards. There's a reason I am the ONLY mechanic I trust. I've worked with too many of 'em, and too many service "managers" whose assessment of what a car needs is defined by how much they think they can terrorize a customer.

mnem
*Allergic to the  *

[BU508A]

And, last but not least, one more bit of wirewound porn, just because General Radio knew how to make a variac like nobody's business...

Just for comparison  this is my Grundig RT 5A Variac:

Front:



Back opened with the variac (bloody heavy thing!):



The voltmeter I have changed, because the old one was damaged. The new one is a Celsa, they reside in Karlsruhe and made this nice intstrument as per order:



And here are the schematics of it:

[GregDunn]

That's one reason I always take tires to the local tire repair store which has been my go-to for years.  They have actually talked me out of more expensive tires into a cheaper but reliable brand, replaced or fixed them under warranty, and rotated them for free for a long time.  It's worth an hour of my time for a free repair + continued warranty service (or at most $20 if the tire is out of warranty).  I leave engine service to the dealer and so far they've not tried to sell me unnecessary stuff.  So far.

[tautech]

Hi,

How many different types of capacitor testers are there?  I feel like there is something obscure out there that I don't yet own...

Mostly for basic repairs you can get away with a DMM and trust your gut .....once you've had some experience.
However for anything that needs low ESR caps something that gives you ESR readings is necessary.
If like me when I reached this point I was also venturing into SMD so I got a set of smart tweezers that cover ESR measurements and any LCR work plus of course SMD.
Others use those DER9000 meters however with tweezers you have no leads on the bench and they're a faster tool to use.