Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[worsthorse]

@worsthorse I have the same issue with my illuminated desk mounted magnifier, taking the cover of revealed a similar SMPS unit with the florescent ring appearing to directly soldered to it, but there is a square socket on the other end that plugs onto the 4 pins of the tube. Have you actually checked your tube or is not a full circle?

It was soldered on this one but it doesn't matter. The problem is the SMPS generating a 25KHz RF signal that radiates well enough that my scope probes pick it up. Yes I could probably build a shield around the power supply and stick ferrites everywhere and so on but life is too freakin' short. I'd rather keep the parts of it I like and make it into something else useful.

Back to working on the 184. The good news... I didn't fry the nuvistor in the 10MHz oscillator.  Onward!

[Neomys Sapiens]

@Worsthorse: you have really been notified about the package?

[worsthorse]

@Worsthorse: you have really been notified about the package?

I received it about an hour ago. USPS changed the delivery number so it wasn't showing up under the original Deutsche Post number. I was coming in to sit down and send you a note. Thank you!

[0culus]

Today I have on the bench one of the two Data Precision 6000 digitizers I bought on the cheap. They seem to be working with some burn in time. Ideally, this unit will be paired up with my 2045 Polynomial Waveform Generator to digitize arbitrary waveforms and play them back as needed. Should be a useful troubleshooting tool once it's all setup. 

[0culus]

The closest period equivalent I can think of is the Tek 7854 waveform oscilloscope...this has the advantage of being considerably smaller than a Tek 7000 scope. 

[mnementh]

Ummm.... you do realize that there are LED rings in warm, bright, and daylight white available on fleaBay in pretty much all sizes imaginable for a mere pittance or two, right...?

mnem
*plerp*

*sigh* yes i do know that. i said i was an idjit, didn't i? i bought this one locally after a frustrating morning of working in the dim, cavern-like corner of the basement that is my test bench.  i was desperate. nevertheless i bow my head in shame for not doing proper research, being patient, and buying the correct tool for the job.

 

Well, no... my point in THIS post was that rather than destroying the thing, you should turn it into a victory by retrofitting one of those inexpensive LED rings and designing a nice quiet linear supply to power it.

The other post was just me picking on Spec.

mnem
*tzzzt*

[Specmaster]

The other post was just me picking on Spec.

mnem
*tzzzt*

Thats OK cos my shoulders are broad, like yours 

My turn now  that light ring is kind of er interesting  but there is a slight problem, the actual ring (as far as I can see) is not sold separately, so it does mean replacing the entire fitting, not that it is expensive. I might actually get one of those myself, it might be less top heavy than mine, which has the SMPS also in the head adding to the weight. 

[med6753]

Getting back into the obsession......this Ebay order is supposedly going to be delivered on Monday. Based upon the weather forecast I doubt that's going to happen. This tube is a replacement for the vertical pre-amp section of the RCA 54-45 scope. I also have a complete set of replacement resistors for the entire vertical section that should be delivered Tuesday but again I doubt that will happen.



This is the latest weather forecast. What is unusual is the duration predicted. Typically these winter storms are about 12 – 18 hours max. This one is predicted to be around for over 24 hours. Could raise the snow totals significantly.



More.....I have one of these coming probably next week. A Hakko FM-203 valued at over $570 USD. My Brother is the lead maintenance tech for a device placement company. Their soldering stations tried out these Hakko's for a while but decided to go with Metcal's instead. So the Hakko's became surplus. I'm getting one for the cost of shipping. I thought about bringing it back with me from Colorado but I have only carry on luggage and I doubt the Hakko would have made it through security. Mnem...you can now stop bitching about the cheap POS soldering station I bought recently. This Hakko will replace it.



Rant mode on.....I thought we had a Gentleman's agreement to keep political posts out of this thread. I seem to recall asking an innocent question once of the UK folks of their opinion of Boris and I got a quick and terse reply of “Don't go there”. OK, fine. The last few days I've been reading diatribes on here about the London terrorist shooting and whether it was justified or not. Isn't that a “Don't go there” or is that for some reason acceptable? I think not. So is political in or out? And I really don't think you'd much like to hear the opinion of a right to bear and does own a gun Yankee.  Rant mode off.   

[bd139]

That’s a proper iron 

[Kosmic]

Who need one of those t12 clone when you can get the real thing. Really nice 

[Martin.M]

car battery charging 

I have limited the Rohde+Schwarz to 20A so it will not boil the test cables.

[xrunner]

Now that's how TEA members charge car batteries!

If only our local Autiozone workers could see that. 

[Martin.M]

yeah
that`s one of the fastest chargers in the market.

[Cerebus]

car battery charging 

I have limited the Rohde+Schwarz to 20A so it will not boil the test cables.

I have to admit to abusing by HP 6002A in the same fashion.

[nixiefreqq]

I have limited the HP to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY........mA.  because that is about all it will do.

am now suffering from a severe case of power supply envy.

[med6753]

yeah
that`s one of the fastest chargers in the market.

At 20 amps your cables will be OK but a continuous charge at that level may start to boil off electrolyte so you should check the level of each cell.

[Black Phoenix]

At 20 amps your cables will be OK but a continuous charge at that level may start to boil off electrolyte so you should check the level of each cell.

If I'm not mistaken that Toyota Battery is one of the sealed no maintenance ones (My ex always had Toyota's, from the Yaris to the Auris and both used sealed no maintenance Toyota branded batteries). So I don't know how easy that would be.

[tggzzz]

In tea-related news, very little hits the hindbrain like freshly baked bread - especially if it is made with carroway seeds, has a melt-in-the-mouth crunchy crust, and is gently steaming ready for the application of lashings of butter.

Just snarfed >200g of the stuff. Diet? ... Mañana.

Shame the fragrance isn't teleported, and even the steam is not very visible in a flat non-moving image.

[Cubdriver]

I have limited the HP to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY........mA.  because that is about all it will do.

am now suffering from a severe case of power supply envy.

Freqq, you need to get a 6216A - that'll do closer to 400 mA!  (In fact, best to collect the whole set.    )



-Pat

[Cerebus]

yeah
that`s one of the fastest chargers in the market.

At 20 amps your cables will be OK but a continuous charge at that level may start to boil off electrolyte so you should check the level of each cell.

Not quite, a constant current charge rate of 0.33 C is about right for the first phase of charging a lead acid battery. Then once the charge current has fallen to below 0.33 C you should switch to constant voltage charging at 2.30 - 2.45 volts/cell. Then, once the charge current falls to 0.03 - 0.05 C then you drop to constant voltage at 2.18 - 2.27 volts/cell for float charging. Precise currents and voltages for the set points vary according to exact cell construction (Gel, flooded, AGM etc.) and temperature (derate by -3.9mV/C relative to a nominal 25C).

Most car batteries are in the 40 - 100 Ah bracket, and that looks like an ~60 Ah battery to me, so 20A is quite acceptable for the fast charge phase.

[GreyWoolfe]

More.....I have one of these coming probably next week. A Hakko FM-203 valued at over $570 USD. My Brother is the lead maintenance tech for a device placement company. Their soldering stations tried out these Hakko's for a while but decided to go with Metcal's instead. So the Hakko's became surplus. I'm getting one for the cost of shipping. I thought about bringing it back with me from Colorado but I have only carry on luggage and I doubt the Hakko would have made it through security. Mnem...you can now stop bitching about the cheap POS soldering station I bought recently. This Hakko will replace it.

Now that is a right proper jammy git if I have ever seen one.  I never get that lucky.

[worsthorse]

Ummm.... you do realize that there are LED rings in warm, bright, and daylight white available on fleaBay in pretty much all sizes imaginable for a mere pittance or two, right...?

mnem
*plerp*

*sigh* yes i do know that. i said i was an idjit, didn't i? i bought this one locally after a frustrating morning of working in the dim, cavern-like corner of the basement that is my test bench.  i was desperate. nevertheless i bow my head in shame for not doing proper research, being patient, and buying the correct tool for the job.

 

Well, no... my point in THIS post was that rather than destroying the thing, you should turn it into a victory by retrofitting one of those inexpensive LED rings and designing a nice quiet linear supply to power it.

The other post was just me picking on Spec.

mnem
*tzzzt*

my good man, i didn’t destroy it, i disassembled it. you, of all people, should recognize the difference. 

* worsthorse wanders off to find the coffee.

[med6753]

I have limited the HP to ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY........mA.  because that is about all it will do.

am now suffering from a severe case of power supply envy.

Freqq, you need to get a 6216A - that'll do closer to 400 mA!  (In fact, best to collect the whole set.    )



-Pat

Or a 6215A 

[med6753]

yeah
that`s one of the fastest chargers in the market.

At 20 amps your cables will be OK but a continuous charge at that level may start to boil off electrolyte so you should check the level of each cell.

Not quite, a constant current charge rate of 0.33 C is about right for the first phase of charging a lead acid battery. Then once the charge current has fallen to below 0.33 C you should switch to constant voltage charging at 2.30 - 2.45 volts/cell. Then, once the charge current falls to 0.03 - 0.05 C then you drop to constant voltage at 2.18 - 2.27 volts/cell for float charging. Precise currents and voltages for the set points vary according to exact cell construction (Gel, flooded, AGM etc.) and temperature (derate by -3.9mV/C relative to a nominal 25C).

Most car batteries are in the 40 - 100 Ah bracket, and that looks like an ~60 Ah battery to me, so 20A is quite acceptable for the fast charge phase.

Initial charge agreed....but NOT continuous.

[med6753]

At 20 amps your cables will be OK but a continuous charge at that level may start to boil off electrolyte so you should check the level of each cell.

If I'm not mistaken that Toyota Battery is one of the sealed no maintenance ones (My ex always had Toyota's, from the Yaris to the Auris and both used sealed no maintenance Toyota branded batteries). So I don't know how easy that would be.

Even most "sealed" lead acid car batteries have flush cell caps under the labels.