Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[McBryce]

Tripping in the big smoke. This could get expensive 

Sir! Put... down... that... tool... and... step... away... from... the... cabinet... with your hands above your head.


McBryce.

[beanflying]

Home and sipping beer number 1 after a 700km trip,

These guys are operating on another plane to everyone else. Slap a Made in Japan sticker on it and x3-4.

Based on $400/plane my inherited and own collection is worth a few K anyone want to trade for test gear 

[tautech]

Home and sipping beer number 1 after a 700km trip,

These guys are operating on another plane to everyone else. Slap a Made in Japan sticker on it and x3-4.

Yep the Japs make some lovely woodworking gear.
My eldest son now in Perth served his time as a marine cabby and bought some of this stuff. Never lowered himself to use any of the old mans Record planes of which I have a good few.
3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 110, 78 and a couple of 45's.
Got more scopes that that now ! 

[VK5RC]

@beanflying - but was it made by nude virgins forging the steel from a single ingot?
Whilst they are gorgeous - some of the prices of the 'craftsman quality' woodworking gear is crazy. My first plane was a Russian beauty - Cyrillic instructions and all, later on I thought I had better get a 'proper'  one - just a mid level Stanley - almost no real difference that my eyes could see.
But good timber - that is hard to find - esp in South Australia.

[med6753]

The good news... the Fluke 8840A has a pretty impressive set of self-tests and the manual is quite detailed. The bad news... the DMM I thought had only panel problems intermittently fails the diagnostic self-tests in a way that indicates there is a PSU problem, which would be okay because I can fix that, but the power supply readings are all good. Now the self-test failures could be caused by a keypad problem but that seems unlikely, so tomorrow I start probing around to see if I can find an intermittent component.

Scratching my head and wondering where I stashed the freeze spray.

And... the Tek parts guy sent me the wrong transistors, so I can't finish fixing the signal gen tonight either. 

So away from the bench I go to read some more of Michael Faraday's biography.

So what's with the name change?  (You knew someone was going to ask) 

[med6753]

 

[Brumby]

That's unfair.  Benny Hill meant to be funny.

[Zucca]

https://productronica.com/index.html

thinking to design a TEA T-shirt for that event.

BTW, I am now falling in love with AIM TTI. Got a TTI QL355T for 200€ and I am dealing for a new DC Load super duper cool. GO GO BRITISH DESIGN!

[mnementh]

   Tripping in the big smoke. This could get expensive 

Hand planes...? Huh...

You know... building your own set of planes was once considered one of the “journeyman tasks” of a woodworking apprenticeship. Given your obvious mastery of various forms of modern CNC fab, I’d think that would be a really addictive rabbit-hole rewarding project for a guy like you...

mnem
 

[med6753]

Started with the calibration checks of my collection of DMM's. I drew up a generic form that can be applied to all of them and will kept as a record. First up for cal is the Fluke 87 Series 1. Which took all of about 10 minutes to complete.    I've never had to make any updates to the 87 since purchasing it in 1997. It just works and stays in cal. Change the battery when needed and it's good to go. 

That 8021B just chilling in the background, I really need to get one of those just because... Specially one build in the same year I was born!

Fluke 8021B calibration. The “BT” indicator was on. Weak battery, replaced. Other than that calibration for all parameters was dead nuts. No adjustments required.



And just for you here's some pron.....   

[Black Phoenix]

Started with the calibration checks of my collection of DMM's. I drew up a generic form that can be applied to all of them and will kept as a record. First up for cal is the Fluke 87 Series 1. Which took all of about 10 minutes to complete.    I've never had to make any updates to the 87 since purchasing it in 1997. It just works and stays in cal. Change the battery when needed and it's good to go. 

That 8021B just chilling in the background, I really need to get one of those just because... Specially one build in the same year I was born!

Fluke 8021B calibration. The “BT” indicator was on. Weak battery, replaced. Other than that calibration for all parameters was dead nuts. No adjustments required.

And just for you here's some pron.....   

What a beautiful piece of engineering. Plus in a very pristine condition I must say. Thank you for the high quality images.

Do you have any kind of maintenance regarding the mechanical selector buttons, like cleaning them and test them after X months?

[med6753]

Started with the calibration checks of my collection of DMM's. I drew up a generic form that can be applied to all of them and will kept as a record. First up for cal is the Fluke 87 Series 1. Which took all of about 10 minutes to complete.    I've never had to make any updates to the 87 since purchasing it in 1997. It just works and stays in cal. Change the battery when needed and it's good to go. 

That 8021B just chilling in the background, I really need to get one of those just because... Specially one build in the same year I was born!

Fluke 8021B calibration. The “BT” indicator was on. Weak battery, replaced. Other than that calibration for all parameters was dead nuts. No adjustments required.

And just for you here's some pron.....   

What a beautiful piece of engineering. Plus in a very pristine condition I must say. Thank you for the high quality images.

Do you have any kind of maintenance regarding the mechanical selector buttons, like cleaning them and test them after X months?

You're welcome. In the 30+ years I've had that DMM I've never had to clean the selector buttons. Like the Fluke 87 it just works. 

[mnementh]

The good news... the Fluke 8840A has a pretty impressive set of self-tests and the manual is quite detailed. The bad news... the DMM I thought had only panel problems intermittently fails the diagnostic self-tests in a way that indicates there is a PSU problem, which would be okay because I can fix that, but the power supply readings are all good. Now the self-test failures could be caused by a keypad problem but that seems unlikely, so tomorrow I start probing around to see if I can find an intermittent component.

Scratching my head and wondering where I stashed the freeze spray.

And... the Tek parts guy sent me the wrong transistors, so I can't finish fixing the signal gen tonight either. 

So away from the bench I go to read some more of Michael Faraday's biography.

So what's with the name change?  (You knew someone was going to ask) 

I recall his images are hosted on a domain containing that ch$. I suspect he’s always been “worsthorse” elsewhere, but finally decided to bring it here.

Maybe he got to a point where he figures we can be trusted with his “one true name”.

mnem
 

[AVGresponding]

The good news... the Fluke 8840A has a pretty impressive set of self-tests and the manual is quite detailed. The bad news... the DMM I thought had only panel problems intermittently fails the diagnostic self-tests in a way that indicates there is a PSU problem, which would be okay because I can fix that, but the power supply readings are all good. Now the self-test failures could be caused by a keypad problem but that seems unlikely, so tomorrow I start probing around to see if I can find an intermittent component.

Scratching my head and wondering where I stashed the freeze spray.

Did they originally have the AC-09 fitted? I seem to remember reading in the manual that this is a factory option and can't be added later.
If they did, and were removed, I wonder if this is the source of the self-test failure?

[worsthorse]

@med, to be honest, i didn't think anyone would notice.

worsthorse is the nick i've been using on other electronics and rf websites for quite a while. i am not sure why i didn't use it when i got an account here, but i didn't, and it just seemed time to fix that.

as for the etymology of worsthorse? well that's another story...

Did they originally have the AC-09 fitted? I seem to remember reading in the manual that this is a factory option and can't be added later.
If they did, and were removed, I wonder if this is the source of the self-test failure?

The manual is not clear on this point, so if I can find one for not a lot of money, I will buy it and give it a try.  But the missing board isn't the source of the problem. The self-diagnostic just skips the relevant tests if the board isn't in place.

If I power it up this morning and it works again, I am going to guess that it is a heat-related problem and start zapping stuff with freeze spray! 

Maybe he got to a point where he figures we can be trusted with his “one true name”.

mnem
 

something like that, mnem, something like that.   

[worsthorse]

Started with the calibration checks of my collection of DMM's. I drew up a generic form that can be applied to all of them and will kept as a record. First up for cal is the Fluke 87 Series 1. Which took all of about 10 minutes to complete.    I've never had to make any updates to the 87 since purchasing it in 1997. It just works and stays in cal. Change the battery when needed and it's good to go. 

That 8021B just chilling in the background, I really need to get one of those just because... Specially one build in the same year I was born!

Fluke 8021B calibration. The “BT” indicator was on. Weak battery, replaced. Other than that calibration for all parameters was dead nuts. No adjustments required.

med, what are you using for a calibration source?

[med6753]

@med, to be honest, i didn't think anyone would notice.

worsthorse is the nick i've been using on other electronics and rf websites for quite a while. i am not sure why i didn't use it when i got an account here, but i didn't, and it just seemed time to fix that.

as for the etymology of worsthorse? well that's another story...

Did they originally have the AC-09 fitted? I seem to remember reading in the manual that this is a factory option and can't be added later.
If they did, and were removed, I wonder if this is the source of the self-test failure?

The manual is not clear on this point, so if I can find one for not a lot of money, I will buy it and give it a try.  But the missing board isn't the source of the problem. The self-diagnostic just skips the relevant tests if the board isn't in place.

If I power it up this morning and it works again, I am going to guess that it is a heat-related problem and start zapping stuff with freeze spray! 

Maybe he got to a point where he figures we can be trusted with his “one true name”.

mnem
 

something like that, mnem, something like that.   

We may be a group that's crazier than a shit house rat but we're pretty astute to changes. 

[med6753]

Started with the calibration checks of my collection of DMM's. I drew up a generic form that can be applied to all of them and will kept as a record. First up for cal is the Fluke 87 Series 1. Which took all of about 10 minutes to complete.    I've never had to make any updates to the 87 since purchasing it in 1997. It just works and stays in cal. Change the battery when needed and it's good to go. 

That 8021B just chilling in the background, I really need to get one of those just because... Specially one build in the same year I was born!

Fluke 8021B calibration. The “BT” indicator was on. Weak battery, replaced. Other than that calibration for all parameters was dead nuts. No adjustments required.

med, what are you using for a calibration source?

A bunch of things. I have two AD-584-M references but they only cover 2.5V, 5.0V, 7.5V, and 10V. As you probably are aware most DMM's for DC cal require a precise 190mv, 1.9V, and 19V source. I have a home built unit that uses both AD-584 references in series to produce these precision references. I've posted the schematic before but if you need it I can post it again.

For a 190VDC source I have a home built unit that uses a Smakn DC-DC converter to generate 220VDC which feeds a Microchip LR8 regulator set to 190VDC. It's not extremely accurate but it's real close (within 1V) and I monitor with my bench reference and compare the readings. I can post that schematic too if you want it.

For 1VAC / 60Hz I have a reference I built over 30 years ago that was part of another DCV reference that I no longer use as it's not as accurate as my current DCV reference.

For ohms I have a 0.1% decade box built up that goes from 1 ohm to 10M.

I have plans for a 500VDC reference that I just haven't gotten to finish yet.

Edit....the 190mV, 1.9V, and 19V reference is posted on page 1 of this thread under "electronics miscellany"

[mansaxel]

My mailbox was empty. Going by the amount of other peoples mail I get in my box, that probably means that a more or less decent person in this village now has my package. Some of them actually hand them over.

The other option is that they recycled a tracking # so that somebody somewhere in Sweden actually got something. If you follow the other thread you noticed that this has happened to a few others.

I have asked PostMord (whose 1st line answered with a non-informative standard text) whether the package actually was destined to me. Let's see what happens.

[AVGresponding]

About a weeks worth of pics here...

The Thurlby psu arrived at the end of last week and in the best EEVBlog tradition, I didn't turn it on, I took it apart 

The current adjust pot on the slave output was loose and had been turned hard enough to pull all the wires off, resoldering these cured the OFL display that was in the ebay pics.

The damper switch on the master was jammed, took it apart and reassembled and it's fine now.
(sorry forgot pics for those last 2  )

The poor rectifiers have been really caned:         Making the board somewhat... suntanned!


Both the slave and master were like this, though the master is worst. I just reflowed the solder with some fresh flux core lead solder for now so I could do some functional tests and until I decide how to repair it.
I haven't decided between fresh discrete diodes with longer leads, or off-board bridge.
Either way, I'll not be abusing the poor thing with full current loading, I have other PSUs for that.

This is the present condition:


The dp's on the slave current display indicate the output is off, and in current set mode.
As can be seen, there is a great deal of minor cosmetic work to be done!
One strange measurement I got, when the outputs are set to 'parallel', there's a 50VDC potential between the slave and master 0V terminals, and playing around with a few resistors to see how much current might flow, it dropped to around 5V with a 47k, so a milliamp or so. More investigation needed!


Been at a disused largish office/warehouse building this week, decommisioning some electrical stuffies. Here's some pr0n...

Resistor pr0n, these are part of a speed control on an old goods lift. Sadly can't be "salvaged" as they appear to be rich in lovely asbestos     must... resist... resistors...                                   And this is the contactor panel part of the speed controller:


The asbestos team ran out of stickers... they said it would be quicker to put them on what doesn't have it in   


Some fuses for multimeters anyone..? These are sitting on top of a 415V 140A power factor correction unit, which has some nice big caps in it... until tomorrow, if I get my way... 


This genset is 8 or 10 KVA by my guess (couldn't access the rating plate). It's maybe 20 years old, maybe even more, and only has 200 hours on it!


One for the UK sparkies; what's wrong with this picture?


At least I got some 'drinks'...



So the Thurlby 1905a arrived today, and when I opened the case, I had my first 'hmmmm' moment


Then this caught my eye, that's the 200mA current measure fuseholder:

Am I going mad, or is that a MOV paralleled with the fuse? wtf?!?

The missing IC turns out to be quite important. It's one of the eproms, IC208, which holds 'Program E' 
Consequently, after taking it apart, saying "hmmm" a few times, then putting it back together and turning it on, I found it to be somewhat non-functional. I am currently deciding whether to try to get my money back (it was listed as used, none of the pics showed it powered up), or try to source an eprom...


On the plus side, my Pomona 6366 leads arrived from back-order with Farnell (shamelessly copy-ordered from a fellow TEA poster's post  )

[mnementh]

...as for the etymology of worsthorse? well that's another story...

mnem
 

[med6753]

...as for the etymology of worsthorse? well that's another story...

mnem
 

You're spilling it.   

Actually...that's the tea bag......so you're getting tea bagged. 

[mnementh]

That’s “Da Tag”... “Da Bag” dinn’t get anywhere near my chin, so I’m gonna call “SAFE!!!” on that one. 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrYmLwfCjcCcIBPbJ0yGA3Q

I didn’t dare click on play... though I do appreciate the shout-out to Doctor Phibes. 

mnem
 

[PA0PBZ]

@med, what is this sad guy doing in your 8021B?