Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

   

A few days ago I penned a review of the larger Daniu 33cm/105mm LED illuminated swingarm magnifier on Banggood; I liked it but it seemed a little dim, especially considering the BOM and LED density. I've spent some time puttering around with it, and have come to a not-so-surprising contusion: it has constipated electrons.  

      

This magnifier uses 32 3020 white LEDs; these typically drive from 0.2-0.5W each, with a 60-150mA current at 3.0-3.4VFd. Even the cheap, single die/package versions are designed to dissipate 60mA/0.2W per LED; at operating temps up to 80°C. TL/DR Takeaway: We should be able to get approx 6W out of EACH lighting channel, and there are two; one for WHITE and one for WARM WHITE.

Some quick measurements indicate it is producing approx 2.5W per channel due to approx 1.5V being dropped across the cheesy 22/24ga wiring in the thing. Rewiring the head with 18ga silicone wires brought that up to approx 12.81W both channels connected directly to my PSU at 5.2V/3.15A total with LEDs driving at 3.09VFd/64mA. A little hotter than I like, but it ran for over 2 hours and only got warm to the touch; I could still lay the back of a finger across all the LEDs and ballast resistors so this test does does prove concept.

Adding the Controller in circuit these figures remain approximately the same at 5.2V for single channel operation; output of either WHITE or WARM WHITE channel is approx 6.4W. However, when both channels are enabled the controller is programmed to reduce max output to approx 60% Duty cycle; this drops total output to approx 8.4W @ 2.16A total current. meh.

Still, a good experiment; you can get excellent illumination from this LED magnifier simply by rewiring with 18ga using the original controller and a good 5V/2A power pack, or even better @worsthorse: Heads-up!  you can remove it all and get amazing illumination using a nice, quiet, EMI-free linear to drive both channels at 4.8-5V/3.2A. For approximately US$25 plus your time & power source.

Cheers,

mnem
*toddles off to ded*

[0culus]

Gratuitous HP-45 pr0n. 

[Martin.M]

Panaplex, baby!!

not good for my  Therapy,
now I need a panaplex unit. Will look to buy a Solartron DMM

Martin

[med6753]

Panaplex, baby!!

not good for my  Therapy,
now I need a panaplex unit. Will look to buy a Solartron DMM

Martin

I have not jumped on the panaplex band wagon either.

This place is a constant threat to my wallet. 

[BU508A]

Panaplex, baby!!

not good for my  Therapy,
now I need a panaplex unit. Will look to buy a Solartron DMM

Martin

https://www.ebay.de/itm/303395858812



 

[VK5RC]

@Oculus, I really think the 45 was HP's real breakthrough calculator. The 35 while it was the first and ground breaking but the 45 had the feel of "being sorted" and was a real bit of kit. The 55/85  etc were holding the beer till the 41C/CV etc  came along. 
Below more gratuitous HP LED prom,
@Larryc001  - serious Tek collection - again hope the floor is up to it - lovely collection
@menem - my first calculator that I bought with my money was a Sharp flourescent - it was good but the quality wasn't up there - chewed through batteries - it is still hard for me to get away from the impression I formed in those years that LCD and CFL displays are for 'cheap gear' - It is now rather amusing that my most expensive bit of kit (or close to it) is a CFL HP 3458A.

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B. - the black version - it arrived today. There is a picture in the metrology subsection. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-3458a/new/#new 

[Zucca]

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B

 

[Zucca]

Rewiring the head with 18ga silicone wires

Could you not use the metal frame?

[Specmaster]

 

Gratuitous HP-45 pr0n. 

Take it back for a refund, its not finished, someone forgot to fit the = key 

[bd139]

My HP 35S has an equals button. It is used as a minor function to test equality between X/Y registers, as intended by Mr Recorde back in the 1500's



Equals doth not equal "do some shit"

[FransW]

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B

 

YES!

[YU7C]

QRP Labs 50W amp done. Utterly boring build and works in spec without any explosions. Has full electronic QSK which means it’s silent. Just an LED comes on. Doesn’t feel like it’s doing anything. Totally drive by wire. It’s really missing something human about it. Just doesn’t feel right. Same sort of feeling that the new digital scopes have.

Going to sell it and spend the money on something with tubes in it I think. Was considering an old ARC5 R27 receiver with dynamotor. Now that’d have some soul in it.

I know what you need.  A real amp that you can feel, some of the Henry's I had in the past;

This one is new build:
https://www.qsl.net/y/yu1aw/Misc/qro%20pa%20gu36b-1.pdf

20kW on 2m

73 de Voja/YU7C

[nixiefreqq]

Well that truce didn't last long. 

Calculators Wars......round 3. 

Panaplex, baby!!      (This is, of course, another e-bay special in my repair queue - note that the LSD is out.  Hoping it's a driver transistor, but haven't opened it up to look yet.)

-Pat

(Attachment Link)

CFL Baybeee!!! And it runs on a 9V battery!!! 

There is something special about this and the TI-25; they were my very first calculator which I got in the student kit along with the Great International Math on Keys Book, which taught me more about Math than 6 years of my public education.

There's an oddball thing about these calculators: the VFD has a hair-thin exciter wire that runs across the center of the entire tube; with a fresh battery it ever-so-faintly glows a dull red which you can really only see in a dark room. Of course, you can't much use it that way, so most people never notice I'm sure.

But I noticed. And late at night, all alone upstairs in a cold, dark house with the winter wind howling through the trees outside, I would pick it up from the bedside table and thumb the soft-power switch (a tiny but fabulous invention that boggled my adolescent mind) by feel... Gazing into the screen I'd press buttons randomly to light the segments... taking comfort in the juxtaposition of its futuristic blue symbols against the familiar red glow of incandescent wire.

mnem
*4-banger dwagon*

yep.  remember my first calculator better than my first girlfriend.  it was a ti sr10.  there is a rumor that my brother still has it in a pile o junk somewhere in his garage.  gotta' keep nagging him to dig it out.

my second calculator was a rockwell vfd that was purchased with a department store employee discount.  only bought it for the polar to rectangular conversion function.  that glowing wire sure ate batteries!

i make no apologies for loving the "=".  my first had one and my last has one.
 

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

[Ero-Shan]

beanflying, when I seen the writings BOSCH on green I run like Forrest.
BOSCH must be only on blue background, right med?

Nice project, you will surely improve the PBD40.

BTW: Why that wheel (pulled from a woking baby trolley) on the side? I can't stand it
--> eBay auction: #223821805665

Neither green nor blue Bosch-Frosch on a drill press.
ALZMETALL

While I went for the OPTIMUM. 

[med6753]

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

LMAO 

[bd139]

This one is new build:
https://www.qsl.net/y/yu1aw/Misc/qro%20pa%20gu36b-1.pdf

20kW on 2m

73 de Voja/YU7C

Blimey! Imagine that with gain at the antenna! 

[bd139]

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

I'd write a message on the back of your TI and chuck it in the sea, then eat you 

[nixiefreqq]

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

I'd write a message on the back of your TI and chuck it in the sea, then eat you 

fava beans?  chianti?

[BU508A]

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

I'd write a message on the back of your TI and chuck it in the sea, then eat you   

Good idea with the TI but I'd prefer coconuts. You'll never know where nxiefreqq have been before.

[Kosmic]

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B. - the black version - it arrived today. There is a picture in the metrology subsection. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-3458a/new/#new 

There's also a live feed 

https://xdevs.com/live/

[med6753]

This is more entertaining than watching Jerry Springer. 

RE: Calculator Wars. 

[med6753]

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B. - the black version - it arrived today. There is a picture in the metrology subsection. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-3458a/new/#new 

There's also a live feed 

https://xdevs.com/live/

Is he going to have to give back the 3458A after he's done with the evaluation or get to keep it?

[WastelandTek]

This one is new build:
https://www.qsl.net/y/yu1aw/Misc/qro%20pa%20gu36b-1.pdf

20kW on 2m

73 de Voja/YU7C

 

[BU508A]

Have you guys seen that Keysight has sent TiN a new 3458B. - the black version - it arrived today. There is a picture in the metrology subsection. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/new-keysight-3458a/new/#new 

There's also a live feed 

https://xdevs.com/live/

Is he going to have to give back the 3458A after he's done with the evaluation or get to keep it?

I have my doubts that TiN can keep this 3458A. But hey, you'll never know. If TiN can keep it, I'm convinced he has good usage for it.

[mnementh]

bd     -     in the ti manual they describe the "=" as meaning "finish the calculation".   and hey..... if we were marooned on and island an i handed you my ti 55 you could use it immediately to do the calculations to build the radio that would see us rescued.  if you gave me your hp i could use it immediately to hammer nails into a coconut.

I'd write a message on the back of your TI and chuck it in the sea, then eat you 

   FOFLCYCIH!!!

Fuck you very much, both of you. Now my wife and son both KNOW I've lost my fucking mind.    Seriously; giggling uncontrollably and holding my belly for a solid minute there, you fuckers. 

mnem
Please don't hammer any nails into my coconut.