Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

Anyone want a dead 1502 TDR for 69 quid? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254668339698

That seller had a different one for £95, in June. I made him an offer (below £69) and suggested photos of the rear, but he declined.

There are too many things that could be badly wrong with it; it isn't worth £69 to me.

Good point. I did nab the 3478a off him. The thing was shown passing self test so I figured the worst things that could go wrong are covered.

To note if something is munted and not pictured, it's an instant paypal refund so it's low risk.

Even if it is "parts or not working"?

Looking closely, there seems to be a white deposit on the recorder knurled knob, the case top lip, and the screen. If the case is intact and if it had the x-y plugin rather than the chart recorder, then I wouldn't worry too much about the sealed interior. Plus the simplest way of cleaning it would be to put it in a dishwasher. (Not in a clothes washer, since the drum would be damaged).

As it is I've got an excellent spare 1502 I want to shift, so it isn't tempting at that price.

[bd139]

Good point. I did nab the 3478a off him. The thing was shown passing self test so I figured the worst things that could go wrong are covered.

About six weeks ago when I was making an instructional video for a non-profit group I help out, I discovered that the 3478A "SELF TEST OK" message on powerup can be misleading about the current measurement path.  I very rarely ever need to loop through a meter to take current measurements but in this case I needed to and discovered the protection fuse in the current jack was open and this isn't detected by the selftest sequence.  I'd never needed to use that meter for current measurement before so I hadn't discovered the problem.  I used the other 3478A on the bench instead and carried on with making the video.

Anyhow, this is something that needs to be checked manually on the 3478A as it turns out.

I got some replacement fuses a few days ago.  Maybe later this afternoon I'll venture down into the basement and put a replacement in and see if it's just the fuse or if there's more extensive damage to the meter hiding behind the everything's ok message.

Very true. I’m going to do a full checkout on this. I suspect it’s probably ok with the riskiest things being the back being munted, the fuses popped, the current range smoked or the front/back switch being dicky. Time will tell!

Going to replace the cal battery as well. This time I’m going to assume I’m going to fuck up and actually back the cal data up over GPIB first.

Good point. I did nab the 3478a off him. The thing was shown passing self test so I figured the worst things that could go wrong are covered.

About six weeks ago when I was making an instructional video for a non-profit group I help out, I discovered that the 3478A "SELF TEST OK" message on powerup can be misleading about the current measurement path.  I very rarely ever need to loop through a meter to take current measurements but in this case I needed to and discovered the protection fuse in the current jack was open and this isn't detected by the selftest sequence.  I'd never needed to use that meter for current measurement before so I hadn't discovered the problem.  I used the other 3478A on the bench instead and carried on with making the video.

Anyhow, this is something that needs to be checked manually on the 3478A as it turns out.

I got some replacement fuses a few days ago.  Maybe later this afternoon I'll venture down into the basement and put a replacement in and see if it's just the fuse or if there's more extensive damage to the meter hiding behind the everything's ok message.

I got one that passes self test but won't read anything on the AC ranges, DC works fine.

I think 99% it's the hybrid module, so when I get it back from my brother, I'tt swap the known good module from my second unit to test.
I'm hoping it is actually something simple like the relays, but I'm not holding my breath.

Fingers crossed its something simple. It’s easy to blow up the AC ranges on them.

Anyone want a dead 1502 TDR for 69 quid? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254668339698

That seller had a different one for £95, in June. I made him an offer (below £69) and suggested photos of the rear, but he declined.

There are too many things that could be badly wrong with it; it isn't worth £69 to me.

Good point. I did nab the 3478a off him. The thing was shown passing self test so I figured the worst things that could go wrong are covered.

To note if something is munted and not pictured, it's an instant paypal refund so it's low risk.

Even if it is "parts or not working"?

Looking closely, there seems to be a white deposit on the recorder knurled knob, the case top lip, and the screen. If the case is intact and if it had the x-y plugin rather than the chart recorder, then I wouldn't worry too much about the sealed interior. Plus the simplest way of cleaning it would be to put it in a dishwasher. (Not in a clothes washer, since the drum would be damaged).

As it is I've got an excellent spare 1502 I want to shift, so it isn't tempting at that price.

Yeah if it’s worse than you expect then parts or not working doesn’t count.

Edit: to clarify this point, if you buy something on ebay and it arrives other than as pictured or with damage that wasn't depicted or does not perform the same test steps illustrated in the auction or the photographs were taken disingenuously to hide damage then ebay refund the buyer unconditionally.

Don’t however open it or you’ll lose instantly.

[tonyalbus]

in a nasty fight with Ali right now.
i order 3 seperate orders a 10Mhz distributer, SG1 en FA2 from our friend BG7TBL...
seller sends only 1 item... but has put same tracking number on all 3 orders....
now i need the explain in a dispute that i received only one, while all 3 orders are send with alishipping and have status received.....
only thing i can do is make a picture of the box and the content... hope its enough..

** as i thought ali-robot says NO... you received it... #@$#$!#$

[Specmaster]

Last week we were having a chat about Mr Carlsons Lab's and I said that I thought it was his basement... well I was wrong, turns out it is not at his house at all so it could be similar to Dave's set-up as this video reveals. He is also a man of many talents and check out his garage in this video for even more cool gear....  Anyone feeling more than a tad bit jelly, I know I am 

[tggzzz]

in a nasty fight with Ali right now.
i order 3 seperate orders a 10Mhz distributer, SG1 en FA2 from our friend BG7TBL...
seller sends only 1 item... but has put same tracking number on all 3 orders....
now i need the explain in a dispute that i received only one, while all 3 orders are send with alishipping and have status received.....
only thing i can do is make a picture of the box and the content... hope its enough..

** as i thought ali-robot says NO... you received it... #@$#$!#$

Oooh. Nasty. Someone has found how to game the system. Is the vendor "BG7TBL", or is that just the manufacturer and/or designer?

It won't just be ali's system that is "confused"; I would expect all the shipping companies to be similarly confused.

[tonyalbus]

in a nasty fight with Ali right now.
i order 3 seperate orders a 10Mhz distributer, SG1 en FA2 from our friend BG7TBL...
seller sends only 1 item... but has put same tracking number on all 3 orders....
now i need the explain in a dispute that i received only one, while all 3 orders are send with alishipping and have status received.....
only thing i can do is make a picture of the box and the content... hope its enough..

** as i thought ali-robot says NO... you received it... #@$#$!#$

Oooh. Nasty. Someone has found how to game the system. Is the vendor "BG7TBL", or is that just the manufacturer and/or designer?

It won't just be ali's system that is "confused"; I would expect all the shipping companies to be similarly confused.

Sorry that was unclear, no blame to BG7TBL...it was Jorge's store

[Specmaster]

todays catch...

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car also doing fine... not bad, i was hitting 140 at times ,still economic...
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Heh, Tony, leave something on eBay for the rest of us, you're buying things up on an industrial scale here 

[bd139]

Yeah needs to update that signature as well. 

On BG7TBL stuff, Seller probably sent all three and two got stuck upstream because someone already paid and worked out shipping weights so the last two won’t scan on loading. Seller being a dick there. Not unusual. Standard Chinese business practice. I won’t deal with aliexpress any more myself.

[AVGresponding]

Here's the plug-in extension in use on a Type 3A74 Vertical. Want to figure out why the channel 1 only trigger goes away after about 15 minutes. Something doesn't like heat and best candidate is most likely a transistor.




 

Or a capacitor failing 

I can't imagine there are any dodgy caps in that, given the owner...

Remember that faulty Fluke 8842A I had for sale? Customer left feedback saying it was "better than described". So I contacted him, he says it just worked. So..

- Received: works.
- Shipped: doesn't work.
- Shipped back & checked: doesn't work.
- Shipped again as faulty: works.

Uhm, OK?

Got to be an intermittent contact somewhere, there aren't many caps in these and I can't imagine an electrolyte leak improving.

Guess the proper meters agree..  i am very lucky in that sense with the meters i buy and there calibration.
only now i feel i bit silly i bought that owon 

(Attachment Link)

I'm still hunting for an affordable brown jobby, though I did have a back-and-forth offer accepted on a 197 today - 80 euros shipped, from Germany, not cheap, but not horrifically expensive either.

[Specmaster]

Anyone want a dead 1502 TDR for 69 quid? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254668339698

I bet Tony does, 

[Specmaster]

Remember that faulty Fluke 8842A I had for sale? Customer left feedback saying it was "better than described". So I contacted him, he says it just worked. So..

- Received: works.
- Shipped: doesn't work.
- Shipped back & checked: doesn't work.
- Shipped again as faulty: works.

Uhm, OK?

Sounds like it might be a bad contact on the front/rear inputs switch, I see a few people seem to have problems with that.

[tonyalbus]

Remember that faulty Fluke 8842A I had for sale? Customer left feedback saying it was "better than described". So I contacted him, he says it just worked. So..

- Received: works.
- Shipped: doesn't work.
- Shipped back & checked: doesn't work.
- Shipped again as faulty: works.

Uhm, OK?

Sounds like it might be a bad contact on the front/rear inputs switch, I see a few people seem to have problems with that.

Yes contact cleaner fixed it for me with the HP, when it gets untrusty again you can think of removing the switch and only connecting the front....if that solution is alowed here ;-)

[Specmaster]

Good point. I did nab the 3478a off him. The thing was shown passing self test so I figured the worst things that could go wrong are covered.

About six weeks ago when I was making an instructional video for a non-profit group I help out, I discovered that the 3478A "SELF TEST OK" message on powerup can be misleading about the current measurement path.  I very rarely ever need to loop through a meter to take current measurements but in this case I needed to and discovered the protection fuse in the current jack was open and this isn't detected by the selftest sequence.  I'd never needed to use that meter for current measurement before so I hadn't discovered the problem.  I used the other 3478A on the bench instead and carried on with making the video.

Anyhow, this is something that needs to be checked manually on the 3478A as it turns out.

I got some replacement fuses a few days ago.  Maybe later this afternoon I'll venture down into the basement and put a replacement in and see if it's just the fuse or if there's more extensive damage to the meter hiding behind the everything's ok message.

I don't know for sure but, I think that the self test routine on the 3478A just checks the calibration data stored in the RAM is OK and the backup battery is OK, you would need to RTTM for more info.

[25 CPS]

I got one that passes self test but won't read anything on the AC ranges, DC works fine.

I think 99% it's the hybrid module, so when I get it back from my brother, I'tt swap the known good module from my second unit to test.
I'm hoping it is actually something simple like the relays, but I'm not holding my breath.

Fingers crossed its something simple. It’s easy to blow up the AC ranges on them.

I'll second the crossed fingers it's something easy and inexpensive that's making the AC ranges act up.  Out of curiosity, what is it that the AC section of the 3478A is sensitive to?  I'd like to try to avoid blowing mine up if possible.

The voltage ranges on the 3478As top out too low for some stuff that I do.  It's cut a little too close for a lot of vacuum tube work except for the lowest voltage tube stuff and can't accommodate the voltages found in power amplifiers so to do that sort of work, I have a couple of Fluke 8000A and an Agilent 34401A which have the voltage ranges needed for that sort of thing as do most of my hand held DMMs so I keep the high voltage stuff off of them.

Very true. I’m going to do a full checkout on this. I suspect it’s probably ok with the riskiest things being the back being munted, the fuses popped, the current range smoked or the front/back switch being dicky. Time will tell!

Going to replace the cal battery as well. This time I’m going to assume I’m going to fuck up and actually back the cal data up over GPIB first.

Sounds like a plan.  Hopefully the machine is in good shape beyond what the self test covers.  I'm now wondering what the self test does check beyond making sure the calibration RAM's contents are still present so I've got the service manual out but haven't found a rundown on the self test routine yet.  I'll continue to peruse that while I have another cup of coffee and something to munch on since lunch didn't hold me for long and then it's downstairs to my evil lair with those fuses and give the 3478A a workout.

[Ice-Tea]

That means it'll stop working in a week again and is dodgy. Not your funeral now 

Well, not my funeraly anyhow. Sold as bad. But it was suggested perhaps the original buyer ransacked the EEPROMs or something (hence the SW going bonkers) but at least the fact it works for now shows that it's all there and a bad contact seems likely (although I obviously inspected the solder joints). Could the front/back switch result in the SW going bananas? Eh, well. A happy customer is better than an angry one

PS: I used to be able to see how many followers I had on eBay (and who they were) seems that's gone now? Anyone now anything about that?

[BU508A]

PS: I used to be able to see how many followers I had on eBay (and who they were) seems that's gone now? Anyone now anything about that?

I just had a look: currently, you are having 97 followers. But who they are, no idea. Except for one (me)

[mnementh]

Remember that faulty Fluke 8842A I had for sale? Customer left feedback saying it was "better than described". So I contacted him, he says it just worked. So..

- Received: works.
- Shipped: doesn't work.
- Shipped back & checked: doesn't work.
- Shipped again as faulty: works.

Uhm, OK?

Sounds like it might be a bad contact on the front/rear inputs switch, I see a few people seem to have problems with that.

Yes contact cleaner fixed it for me with the HP, when it gets untrusty again you can think of removing the switch and only connecting the front....if that solution is alowed here ;-)

 

I considered that solution myself on my own 3478A; however I got lucky:

...Cleaned the F/R switch a dozen times, no joy. Took it apart and cleaned it bit by bit manually, found NOTHING. Put it back together and it worked perfectly, and continues to do so to this day. I would still be baffled by this turn of events, except for the fact that while going back through my pics of the work, I found this.



The point being... while it is true that "Murphy's a bitch, and she has puppies." if you DO get lucky and make something work without knowing how or why... sometimes the best course is to just use the damned thing and see if it continues to work.

"When Ifni smiles upon you, smile back and say 'Thank you'."   About 80% of Helldesk Service DEPENDS on this principle. 

mnem
"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

[mnementh]

That means it'll stop working in a week again and is dodgy. Not your funeral now 

Well, not my funeraly anyhow. Sold as bad. But it was suggested perhaps the original buyer ransacked the EEPROMs or something (hence the SW going bonkers) but at least the fact it works for now shows that it's all there and a bad contact seems likely (although I obviously inspected the solder joints). Could the front/back switch result in the SW going bananas? Eh, well. A happy customer is better than an angry one

PS: I used to be able to see how many followers I had on eBay (and who they were) seems that's gone now? Anyone know anything about that?

Is THAT how I got your store in my eBay feed...? I'd better go un-like you right now... 

I personally agree with your practice here; describe the unit as completely and candidly as you can, and price reasonably according to that. I've never had anyone complain that I gave too much information on a sale.

I try to make it a practice to give feedback just like that... on the rare occasion it happens that something arrives much nicer than expected. The seller deserves the compliment and potential buyers need to know that seller tries to err on the side of caution in their description. 

mnem
 

[SilverSolder]

[...] on the rare occasion it happens that something arrives much nicer than expected. The seller deserves the compliment and potential buyers need to know that seller tries to err on the side of caution in their description. [...]

That kind of thing means they get put on my list for future repeat purchases, even if theirs is not the cheapest one (within reason).  It saves time overall to buy from people you trust!

[mnementh]

http://wondermark.com/random.php

mnem
 

[TorinoFermic]

Quick 861dw or its new Atten knockoff.

Depends on what you're after. The cheap-cheapies DO work, and for VERY occasional use can be tolerated. But if you're planning to use it more than "once in a while", you want to get into one with the base-mounted blower, as the cheap fan vibrating in your hand is really tiring and makes feedback from the backpressure nonexistent.

The 861DW is a decent station, but since they showed up on AdaFruit, price has more than doubled.

mnem

Yes, I know. The place with the best price for Canadians  is at : https://www.tequipment.net/Quick/861DW/Desoldering-Equipment/Rework-Stations/

[mnementh]

Or just not have cats. No turds, no hair, no vet bills, no scratched up shit, no arse licking show, no fur balls, no extra mouth to feed...

For some reason, bd, I immediately thought of you... 

mnem
 

[tggzzz]

(Attachment Link) <------I hate those

My daughter just emailed me this: https://newsthump.com/2018/05/21/man-decides-to-keep-box-of-cables-hes-has-since-2002-for-another-year/

I've just emailed her that image, plus ebay listings for the prices of some of my cables, plus a note that I sold some TE for £100 that I had repaired with an IC I've had since the 70s

I doubt it will shut her up.

[bd139]

Talking of which I found a 74181 ALU date coded 1972 earlier. Had that since about 1990 and not used it yet  .

[bitseeker]

I just noticed that last week was my fifth anniversary on EEVblog. Can't believe it's been that long already. I feel like I signed up three years ago, tops.

Anyway, carry on.

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3147126/#msg3147126

    

Oh, LOL! I'm only up to July 11.

A belated thanks!