Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Specmaster]

Sunshine, Stanley, Surfaced, Square, Straight, Shiny, Sharp, Shavings, Satisfaction 

Otherwise known as the 9 S's rule.

[med6753]

BTW....bd, glad your fever is down. 

[Saskia]

did some preliminary clean up and rearrangements ...

[Specmaster]

@bd, maybe you just have a cold / flu again and COVID-19, fingers crossed. You don't have any problem with breathing / tightness of the chest?

[tggzzz]

Key problem is you can’t get medical thermometers at the moment here. But if you have a reference one and a thermocouple you can get an indicative reading in the short term at least good to 0.5oC or so

I've got two, the latter a couple of weeks ago when I realised I couldn't change the batteries in my first.

I've also got a mercury thermometer, but I'm not sure I could read it correctly with a fever. Somehow ringing 111/999 with "I can't read my thermometer so I need to be admitted" isn't likely to have the desired effect.

The other technique is to hold your breath while putting a point-and-shoot non-contact "gun" in your mouth, and waving it around to get the max temperature. Captures the same temperature to within, say, 0.2C

[BravoV]

Inspired by bd139 ... recent test equipment parts, MAX30100 boards.




Also planning to use these boards to compare to these cheapy ones for overall accuracy.

Readings after mild exercise ... 

[Specmaster]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

[mansaxel]

I would throw them into an ultrasonic filled with electronics cleaner solution.
Something like
https://www.ultraschall-welt.de/em-303-500ml-leiter-und-platinen-reiniger.html
You may need to increase the temperature which may be difficult with a small use-at-home-for-your-glasses ultrasonic.

Is it supposed to be used undiluted? Otherwise I'd simply start with boiling (deionised?) water when mixing it. *reads again* Ah, yes. As I understand, 1-5% Reinigungsmittel in water. No problem, then.

Excellent. Thanks.

[bd139]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

Haha I saw that and thought about it for a couple of minutes 

[Saskia]

normally these solutions come as a concentrate and want to be diluted. Use destilled water for that and dry it well by either baking it at low temps, using compressed air to blow it dry or using IPA.

I normally use compressed air when at my friend's lab or my preheater.

[Saskia]

when starting my my MSO: your license is about to expire. Contact Keysight.

Bloody hell. this sucks big time. They suck you dry for the options

[bd139]

Inspired by bd139 ... recent test equipment parts, MAX30100 boards.




Also planning to use these boards to compare to these cheapy ones for overall accuracy.

Readings after mild exercise ... 

Interesting. Make sure you fix the I2C pull ups. They are still shipping them even though they are wrong. Details here: https://reedpaper.wordpress.com/2018/08/22/pulse-oximeter-max30100-max30102-how-to-fix-wrong-board/

[bd139]

when starting my my MSO: your license is about to expire. Contact Keysight.

Bloody hell. this sucks big time. They suck you dry for the options

I would spend some time cracking it  . I don’t pay for options

[Saskia]

glimpsing at the thread next door ... I have 2 of those.

Or maybe just trade them in at R+S 

[Specmaster]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

Haha I saw that and thought about it for a couple of minutes 

But wasnt convinced to slap an offer then eh. I felt sure that you would, so I went in a few £ higher than what I thought you'd go at  Seriously I offered 50% of his asking price and considering there were a few watching, I was surprised to be accepted. I needed a new challenge in this lockdown to keep me from boredom 

[tggzzz]

The latest wood working project, TE related. A shelving unit for portable scopes. Get them out from on the floor underneath bench 2.

Neat use of available space. My use of that space is scope probes and long BNC leads on the wall, and banana leads on the door.

My version of the CRT display removes the black ceramic to leave the mesh visible

[Dek]

Interesting, there are significant differences there Personally I would not trust those readings for medical purposes. Given that I have a purpose built infra-red  medical thermometer that takes readings from either Forehead or inner ear, these are the readings in the manual it sates,

Normal                    Fever
Forehead
35C - 38C               .6 or .8C higher

Inner ear
35.7C - 37.5C         37.6C

Seems to me to be crazy risking one's health to a self certified temperature reading which may differ completely with a certified medical device as used in medicinal circles.                      

1 decimal place accuracy / resolution....the world really has ended :-)

[bd139]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

Haha I saw that and thought about it for a couple of minutes 

But wasnt convinced to slap an offer then eh. I felt sure that you would, so I went in a few £ higher than what I thought you'd go at  Seriously I offered 50% of his asking price and considering there were a few watching, I was surprised to be accepted. I needed a new challenge in this lockdown to keep me from boredom 

Attempting to be objective here, mostly unsuccessfully so decided I'd skip the potential hassle. Plus I was slightly worried that the battery had leaked on the board as well. Good job with the offer though. I reckon people are getting desperate to shift stuff. Best time to be a buyer 

[tggzzz]

Interesting, there are significant differences there Personally I would not trust those readings for medical purposes. Given that I have a purpose built infra-red  medical thermometer that takes readings from either Forehead or inner ear, these are the readings in the manual it sates,

Normal                    Fever
Forehead
35C - 38C               .6 or .8C higher

Inner ear
35.7C - 37.5C         37.6C

Seems to me to be crazy risking one's health to a self certified temperature reading which may differ completely with a certified medical device as used in medicinal circles.                      

1 decimal place accuracy / resolution....the world really has ended :-)

The body temperature does vary depending on the work it is doing; it it low just after you wake up, for example.

The reading depends on the technique used; e.g. initial thermometer temperature, how long it is left in the mouth, whether an in-ear thermometer is pointed at the inner ear (or ear wax).

A mouth reading depends on what you've drunk in the last half hour.

[Specmaster]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

Haha I saw that and thought about it for a couple of minutes 

But wasnt convinced to slap an offer then eh. I felt sure that you would, so I went in a few £ higher than what I thought you'd go at  Seriously I offered 50% of his asking price and considering there were a few watching, I was surprised to be accepted. I needed a new challenge in this lockdown to keep me from boredom 

Attempting to be objective here, mostly unsuccessfully so decided I'd skip the potential hassle. Plus I was slightly worried that the battery had leaked on the board as well. Good job with the offer though. I reckon people are getting desperate to shift stuff. Best time to be a buyer 

If the battery has leaked, it's currently not doing any real harm to the main circuitry as it seems to be functioning on its internal reference so any leakage should be treatable.

[mnementh]

   So is @med facedown in the gutter or has his internerd just gone offline?

This is @med being "trained" that there are other testgear colours. Todays lesson - Fluke bumper yellow. Without the net he'd try to flee.

McBryce.

Nope... bean is almost right; that's not a net, it's a veil and med is snorting a line of "yellow" off the belly of a dead banana dancer.   Wait'll all his Blue Krylon finds out... 

mnem
...there will be consequences.

[AVGresponding]

I've just had a low ball offer accepted on a Black Star 4503 bench meter which shows a CAL error, so I'm expecting it to be a case of the battery being flat. I have the owners and also the service manual with the calibration procedure and it can be calibrated via the front push buttons in similar style to the HP3478A. This is yet another item for my growing collection of the TTi family of products as Black Star was I believe a brand name of theirs as the address is identical and the style very similar.

EDIT Ok I'll admit it, I just love all of those LEDs, one for each button, almost 

Haha I saw that and thought about it for a couple of minutes 

But wasnt convinced to slap an offer then eh. I felt sure that you would, so I went in a few £ higher than what I thought you'd go at  Seriously I offered 50% of his asking price and considering there were a few watching, I was surprised to be accepted. I needed a new challenge in this lockdown to keep me from boredom 

Attempting to be objective here, mostly unsuccessfully so decided I'd skip the potential hassle. Plus I was slightly worried that the battery had leaked on the board as well. Good job with the offer though. I reckon people are getting desperate to shift stuff. Best time to be a buyer 

If the battery has leaked, it's currently not doing any real harm to the main circuitry as it seems to be functioning on its internal reference so any leakage should be treatable.

As long as you've not got the "tOtErr" you should be able to recover the cal data, as it stores 10 copies. You need to do it using the RS232 or GPIB, the service manual tells you how to see which of the 10 copies are bad, and how to replace them using the good copies.

Just out of curiosity, how much did you pay?

Oh, and also is it an early 20,999 count or later 40,999 count like mine? The service manual I have is only for the later version, it says you need a different manual for the early version.

EDIT: Some of the traces in the area of the battery are quite small; I had to do a bodge wire to fix the damage on mine. I recommend sorting the battery sooner rather than later!

[Brumby]

Nope... bean is almost right; that's not a net, it's a veil and med is snorting a line of "yellow" off the belly of a dead banana dancer.   Wait'll all his Blue Krylon finds out... 

Hmmm....  What are you snorting?

[bd139]

WTF-o-meter here:



I'm considering blowing the tenner it'll cost to see hw bad it is. 

Edit: review here: https://lygte-info.dk/review/DMMBSide%20ADMS7%20UK.html

[mnementh]

BSIDE are the folks who made/rebranded my cheap Component Tester. I'd guess they're blowing out the ADMS7 to make room for the ADMS9, which is 9999 count:

https://www.banggood.com/BSIDE-ADMS9-Mini-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage-Tester-Voltmeter-Ohm-Resistance-NCV-Continuity-Test-p-1555080.html



This meter is also sold as the MusTool MT77/MT99... where did you find it for $10...? Least I've seen it is ~$15 plus S/H.

mnem