Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Saskia]

@tautech now that you mention it ...
apparently there was a teardown in EEVBlog and it was confirmed that the Korad actually does that.

As the price I paid for it was rather ludicrous I will just keep it.

Thank you.

[AVGresponding]

I was thinking about that (the series capability) but am not sure if the Korad can do this. The Hameg will probably not be able, but I have not checked this.

70V is an odd value for a solenoid. Or anything, for that matter.
Is that the nominal operating voltage, or your calculated minimum trigger voltage? Most electromechanicals will operate at around 70-80% of nominal in my experience, so a rated 70V would likely trigger at 50-60V. Worth a try anyway.
You could always connect a few PP3s in series...   

(I think that's MN1604 in for those in the colonies)

[Neomys Sapiens]

@Saskia: I would suggest that you complement your Korad's with something really solid - and with a analogue control loop. But that might be my association with RF and precision electronics.

Do you need another multi-output PS? I've seen the very very compact Delta EST150. Whatever is inside, the outer envelope is very solid and it is also a nice design UI-wise. I've seen it at Weinheim twice - if it is back this year I'll get it.
https://www.delta-elektronika.nl/en/products/dc-power-supplies-150w-est150-series.html

Anyway, that Hameg would not be my choice. All thrown together on a large PCB, power semis in between the other components and all control by µPs. Also, too flimsily built. And they do not give you info for servicing.

My preferred multi-output PS is the Oltronix B703DT and a Zentro 7941 is around too. The R&S PSU that I would like to get is the NGRU50 and/or NGRU100, because they can do very useful things. Also a nice PS would be the NGB32/10. Look at the response selector and the ergonomy of that unit!
http://www.messtechnik-colberg.de/common/hersteller-r/rohde-_-schwarz/geraete-r_s/w7de40f0b301c003a9df9baf1b141659

Hm. That company has some nice specimen for sale. Maybe you should hurry...

[Specmaster]

You're unlikely to see those round pin lighting plugs outside of an industrial/commercial environment.
I've certainly never seen one in a domestic setting.

Well you haven't been round my in-laws house then because when they had an extension to their lounge done, I rewired their house and I installed a few 2A sockets in the lounge and dining room so that they could plug in some mode lighting lamps for atmosphere, fed from the lighting circuit and switched via a multi switch plate.

Really? Well, about all I can say to that is, welcome to the 1950s!

Nope, it is recognised standard way of adding a socket onto a lighting circuit, yes in theory you could use a 13A version, but then there is nothing to prevent someone plugging in an appliance that exceeded the 6A rating of the light circuit and popping the breaker and plunging the house into darkness, hence the use of a 2amp socket being used.

[mansaxel]

I was thinking about that (the series capability) but am not sure if the Korad can do this. The Hameg will probably not be able, but I have not checked this.

As far as I can tell most supplies manage that trick. At least mine, which is the cheapest I could find that does dual tracked voltage, does, and if they do, I bet most better ones do, too.

[Specmaster]

I was thinking about that (the series capability) but am not sure if the Korad can do this. The Hameg will probably not be able, but I have not checked this.

As far as I can tell most supplies manage that trick. At least mine, which is the cheapest I could find that does dual tracked voltage, does, and if they do, I bet most better ones do, too.

You can wire any power supplies in series if you wish to achieve a voltage. I have 2 TTi units (single 30V 2A units) and a Lafayette Radio Electronics Corp 30v 200mA which I have wired together to provide 90V+ at odd times when required.

[Neomys Sapiens]

I had a somewhat different association, but then I am not a native speaker.

The PS I am eyeing is the 7042. If you have some advice please do not hesitate to let me know.
I have my EAPS, a Korad 3 channel and a single channel Korad. I don't necessarily *need* another one, it's the 'want' factor if I can upgrade my stuff for a reasonable amount of money. I would not swap it out for a less worthy though ...

It would be great to have something capable of driving a solenoid with 70V. None of my current PS can do that, the maximum is 30V. This will suffice to get some reaction on the solenoid, but not for properly testing it.

What? Goodlay is a perfectly respectable family name in Britain!

Did not read your voltage requirement before my last post. Well, that is covered here by a HP 6274B. If I did need one now, I would go for a Delta or a R&S NGRE or NGPV. Those are stable and can be abused a bit while giving you the control options that are necessary.

[BU508A]

I had a somewhat different association, but then I am not a native speaker.

The PS I am eyeing is the 7042. If you have some advice please do not hesitate to let me know.
I have my EAPS, a Korad 3 channel and a single channel Korad. I don't necessarily *need* another one, it's the 'want' factor if I can upgrade my stuff for a reasonable amount of money. I would not swap it out for a less worthy though ...

It would be great to have something capable of driving a solenoid with 70V. None of my current PS can do that, the maximum is 30V. This will suffice to get some reaction on the solenoid, but not for properly testing it.

My Rohde & Schwarz NGB 70/5 can do this easily. 
Here is one available (no afilliations with the seller):
http://www.messtechnik-colberg.de/common/stromversorgung/geraete/w7de4010d0e2f0001fd8ba3b771f572a

Picture:

[Neomys Sapiens]

Sag ich doch!

Another Lab PS maker I'm holding in high regard is Heinzinger.
https://www.heinzinger.de/netzgeraete/

Especially in the higher voltage ranges they have very interesting solutions.

And also TTI. As I have their CPX400DP in my company lab and it does work quite good. Including RF stability and large capacitive loads.

[Neomys Sapiens]

You really want a dirty great CEE connector on the lamp stand in your living room? Good luck with that...

That, that would be Wonderful!

Then again, I've got a 32HE Rittal bay frame in the living room. With a bantam jackfield for the central matrix. Am sitting pondering to do a Mutteruhr/Nebenuhr system if I can get hold of enough displays, taking the time from a divider-by-60 driven from my GPSDO 1PPS output. (the clocks want a DC pulse once a minute, with alternating polarity, so minute 1 is +, minute 2 is -, et c. ) And, as smoking gun, I'm posting in this thread  So, of course, I'd like "Commandos" (as they're known in the UK) in my living room.

Funny. One of the first things that I did design and build semi-commercially was a Nebenuhr driver with a xtal/divider clock. It was in the early 80s and when I came to my preferred electronics shop, the owner pointed me out to a guy he was just talking to. It was meant to say that he thought that I could do that.

[mnementh]

With a single exception, today's been a complete CF working on the 3DP. I'm going to bed; I'll catch up with y'all tomorrow. Maybe.

mnem
*knocks self unconscious with a printer mallet*

[beanflying]

Let me make you a Dragon style Bed then 

[mansaxel]

And I suspect your still single?  My SWMBO would use that as grounds for a divorce pronto I'm sure.

I am happily married with three children. Upon seeing the rack cabinet installed my wife said "That looks nicer than I thought it would." and it's been a part of the family ever since. As I wrote a few posts back, she's the source of my latest antenna install, and the NanoVNA to verify it.

[WastelandTek]

the 561 passed smoke test today, so that's nice

it has a trace, but any working vert plugin pulls it hard down, so I gotta figure that out...

[mansaxel]

Sag ich doch!
Another Lab PS maker I'm holding in high regard is Heinzinger.

Well, another rabbit hole!
Here's one that won't ship outside the Bundesrepublik. Or I would try my bid at it.

[med6753]

the 561 passed smoke test today, so that's nice

it has a trace, but any working vert plugin pulls it hard down, so I gotta figure that out...

Define "hard down". Causes power issues or forces the trace off screen?

[Saskia]

ok, the Hameg that I was eyeing is gone, anyway.
As I can get the Korad 3305P for a dual digit Euro amount once or twice a year and it does what I need to do I'll just hook up the 2 30V parts in serial and should be fine. At the moment this seems to be the most cost effective version.
Thanks to everybody who gave this some thought.

[Brumby]

2400X1200 panels.

I might will probably want to stretch is slightly more to cope with 2440x1220 (8'x4').

I do realise the longer span could bring some problems, but I have a sea of uncoordinated ideas floating through my head that are preparing me for battle.  Seeing how you roll with this will play a major part in my foray into such a folly......

Unless you have an express need for Laser at full sheet size a CNC Router is maybe the better option. At least that is my thoughts at present. Back when I was doing Kites for a living a 60W cloth Laser was under consideration at 1500x3000 for a bit under $20k. Payback would have been under 3 years with labour savings at the time but in the end we scaled back the in house manufacturing and out sourced the cutting to a diecutter.

If I wanted full sheet handling, then I would, indeed, be considering something rather different.  What I wanted to allow was being able to work on a longer sheet - even if it was in multiple stages.  My planned uses all fit within a 1200x900 work area, but going to 1220x915 would allow working with imperial sized material.

As such, your experiences in building the unit you have proposed will prove invaluable to me.

First observation ... I liked the linear rail track 

[beanflying]

2400X1200 panels.

I might will probably want to stretch is slightly more to cope with 2440x1220 (8'x4').

I do realise the longer span could bring some problems, but I have a sea of uncoordinated ideas floating through my head that are preparing me for battle.  Seeing how you roll with this will play a major part in my foray into such a folly......

Unless you have an express need for Laser at full sheet size a CNC Router is maybe the better option. At least that is my thoughts at present. Back when I was doing Kites for a living a 60W cloth Laser was under consideration at 1500x3000 for a bit under $20k. Payback would have been under 3 years with labour savings at the time but in the end we scaled back the in house manufacturing and out sourced the cutting to a diecutter.

If I wanted full sheet handling, then I would, indeed, be considering something rather different.  What I wanted to allow was being able to work on a longer sheet - even if it was in multiple stages.  My planned uses all fit within a 1200x900 work area, but going to 1220x915 would allow working with imperial sized material.

As such, your experiences in building the unit you have proposed will prove invaluable to me.

First observation ... I liked the linear rail track 

End of the day render with some the basic outside and base shown. Internal bricks for the drivers and two power supplies allowed for and shown too. The outer frame will be 2020 based with 3mm cladding so that will be tomorrows job for some more detail.

Stepper drivers will sit in under the pass through level if used. The reality is most jobs will be smaller than the bed and if I score a bigger format job outsourcing the cuts is cheaper and ties up less space. Shown is 1600x1400x1050 footprint.

[Zucca]

...
So IMO this is in essence a back of cigarette packet drawing updated to try to make it clearer and easier for everyone to understand. I understood it perfectly.

Thanks everybody for your inputs.

As I wrote I discover that massive wiring error the night before at bed time, the next morning I could not resist to tell you guys... so open up POWER POINT (yes I it was a PPT) at work and draw some line to get the concept over.
Sorry for all the confusion I created, anyway some of you understood it perfectly what was going on.

Anyway behind a STDP switch (the right one in my terrible schematic, where the live light cable is connected at the "T" pole), I found a fourth cable (yes the live plug cable....) with was connetcted to one of the two "P" switch poles. I moved it to the "T" switch pole and at least I got some sense out of it. Now when the light is on also the plug have 220VAC.

Anyway I am planning to install a new live line that goes to that plug (no more switched plug, thank you...), I don't want to tell you how I will do because I am scared you will yell at me.

No worries it will be safe, but I don't know if it would be allowed by Germans regulations.

Is still  general point open for me, I know exactly how to lay down safely a 220VAC wire/line but I do not know what are the German/(european/italian) regulations.... do you know it? Or better said, is your good common sense enough for you or you dig into regulations for wire home stuff  ?

Well ok...., I will tell you with picture I want to see how bad I am solving the problem.

[Specmaster]

Let me make you a Dragon style Bed then 

Just perfect for a dwagon, get his scales locked into those peaks, then he isn't going to be able to toss and turn all night freting over his flop on the 3DP 

[Specmaster]

And I suspect your still single?  My SWMBO would use that as grounds for a divorce pronto I'm sure.

I am happily married with three children. Upon seeing the rack cabinet installed my wife said "That looks nicer than I thought it would." and it's been a part of the family ever since. As I wrote a few posts back, she's the source of my latest antenna install, and the NanoVNA to verify it.

Shes's a keeper then 

[bd139]

Does she have a sister? 

Looking at rack cabinets here at the moment 

[tautech]

Does she have a wealthy sister? 

Fixed ! 

[Zucca]

Sexy but heavy!