Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

Seriously stop spouting 'maybes' as 'reasons. Life has risks so on this application get over the 

Q1: is it a risk to yourself (->I don't care) or a risk to others (->I do care)?

Q2: is the benefit worth the possible penalty?

Q3: is there another way of avoiding the penalty?

The answer to the first question is the most important, since it trumps Q2 and Q3.

And spouting more  when it is NORMAL industry practice to use this method? Irrational spouting of ambit non specified risks without 'evidence' is just crap.

Hopefully people in industry have been trained what to do and possible hazards. I most countries there is a legal requirement to wear eye protection when carring out this kind of "normal industry practice". This risks may not be obvious to eveyone who might read this forum.

Safety is all about maybes. It's part of of my day job to think of the maybes and ensure they are mitigated against as far as reasonably practical.

Given some of the things written on this forum, I'm certain that risks wouldn't be obvious.

One of the things about professional engineers is that they consider not only how something works, but also how something fails.

So as a 'Professional Engineer' you will be giving out Safety advice about Bridge Building and Construction next too 

Certainly.

It will be along the lines of... there are subtle traps that can hurt the unwary, if you make an innocent mistake you could hurt other people, don't listen to arbitrary people on the web, but do employ an appropriately qualified professional.

[BU508A]

NAWTS 

NIce, even the price tag looks OK. Still a bit too expensive as I need only one piece.

We could do a group-buy in the Metrology section. This auction got relisted several times with the same price.
And yes: if they are genuine AD587UQ, 15 Euro / piece is a good price imho.

[tggzzz]

@beanflying
that's actually quite easy. Don't fall off and don't stand under it while it is collapsing ....

A bridge that I see every day is infamous for having people fall off it, despite precautions being taken and structures to prevent those underneath (such as me 6 times/day!) from being harmed.

One person survived because she had a large skirt that acted as a very crude parachute.

[bd139]

@beanflying
that's actually quite easy. Don't fall off and don't stand under it while it is collapsing ....

I was once told by an engineer of that variety to avoid buildings with roofs and bridges with spans.

Professional Software Engineer no doubt 

[Robert763]

Aircraft software is not immune dispite millons being spent on verification and testing. Example a version of the 737NG Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) where if one crewmember entered a certain instrument approach heading within cetain lattitude and longitude ranges ALL SIX primary flight displays go blank. Took a while to catch as there were no major airports with that runway heading in the various affected areas. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/27/2019-27966/airworthiness-directives-the-boeing-company-airplanes

[mansaxel]

RCA jacks are surprisingly good up to VHF.

TE hoarding update #1: Fluke 51 k/j thermometer, sans probe. 11€ plus shipping.

State of Acquisition: Currently researching Type K probes. Haven't really had a reason to before, so this is all very fascinating and new to this eternal rookie. I've gotten so far that I'm certain I won't be using stock RCA jacks!

Obvious find: Thermocouples and electronic chastity devices in the same chinese web store.

Not so obvious find: Elfa Distrelec (our RS/Mouser or Reichelt, like) is actually cheaper than a lot of the Ebay sellers. Not on name brand (Fluke) gear, but the rest, the Asia-sourced and rebranded stuff.

There used to be a british Ebay seller that did offer a line of thermocouples for food industry. Can't seem to find it now. Anyone seen them?

[ch_scr]

NAWTS 

NIce, even the price tag looks OK. Still a bit too expensive as I need only one piece.

We could do a group-buy in the Metrology section. This auction got relisted several times with the same price.
And yes: if they are genuine AD587UQ, 15 Euro / piece is a good price imho.

If you do, I'd take 5. Wait why am I buying these
Anyway, like I said I'd take 5 

[McBryce]

RCA jacks are surprisingly good up to VHF.

TE hoarding update #1: Fluke 51 k/j thermometer, sans probe. 11€ plus shipping.

State of Acquisition: Currently researching Type K probes. Haven't really had a reason to before, so this is all very fascinating and new to this eternal rookie. I've gotten so far that I'm certain I won't be using stock RCA jacks!

Obvious find: Thermocouples and electronic chastity devices in the same chinese web store.

Not so obvious find: Elfa Distrelec (our RS/Mouser or Reichelt, like) is actually cheaper than a lot of the Ebay sellers. Not on name brand (Fluke) gear, but the rest, the Asia-sourced and rebranded stuff.

There used to be a british Ebay seller that did offer a line of thermocouples for food industry. Can't seem to find it now. Anyone seen them?

When I built my first reflow oven I discovered that these cheap oven probes are extremely robust and much more accurate than I was expecting:
https://www.ebay.de/itm/392275279749  I just swapped the connector at the end.

What the hell is an "electronic chastity device" ??!!  On second thoughts, maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question. 

McBryce.

[BU508A]

NAWTS 

NIce, even the price tag looks OK. Still a bit too expensive as I need only one piece.

We could do a group-buy in the Metrology section. This auction got relisted several times with the same price.
And yes: if they are genuine AD587UQ, 15 Euro / piece is a good price imho.

If you do, I'd take 5. Wait why am I buying these
Anyway, like I said I'd take 5 

Okay, I've bought them. Offer (350 Euro) has been accepted.

I'll reserve 5 units for you and if the captain is interested in one piece, I'll reserve him one as well.
I for myself will keep 5 units, the rest are for sale (max. 5 units per person).

Let me know, if someone is interested. :-)

Edit:
Will sell them for 15 Euro per unit, including shipping (EU + UK).
If someone from overseas is interested, let me check for the shipping. Down under shouldn't be a problem with the customs etc.

Edit 2:
ch_scr: 5 units
capt. bullshot: 3 units
BU508A: 5 units
syau: 5 units
kleiner Rainer: 2 units

6 units to go.

Edit: SEPA (banking wire transfer) and PayPal (payments for friends) are both possible.
Will inform you about the details once the IC's have been arrived and I had a closer look at them.
They'll ship from Munich to me.

[capt bullshot]

NAWTS 

NIce, even the price tag looks OK. Still a bit too expensive as I need only one piece.

We could do a group-buy in the Metrology section. This auction got relisted several times with the same price.
And yes: if they are genuine AD587UQ, 15 Euro / piece is a good price imho.

If you do, I'd take 5. Wait why am I buying these
Anyway, like I said I'd take 5 

Okay, I've bought them. Offer (350 Euro) has been accepted.

I'll reserve 5 units for you and if the captain is interested in one piece, I'll reserve him one as well.
I for myself will keep 5 units, the rest are for sale (max. 5 units per person).

I increase my order to 3 - one as reserve, and the third because I can do proper voting then

[tggzzz]

What the hell is an "electronic chastity device" ??!!  On second thoughts, maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question. 

Theoretical, 2020-10-10: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/32/31#subj16
Practical, 2021-01-18: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/32/45#subj21

That risk strikes me as bleedin' obvious, easily avoidable, not subject to carelessness, and consciously chosen - so my only worry is whether my coffee meets my keyboard.

[McBryce]

Any Bavarian Boat anchor collectors here? https://www.ebay.de/itm/124696517251

What the hell is an "electronic chastity device" ??!!  On second thoughts, maybe I don't want to know the answer to that question. 

Theoretical, 2020-10-10: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/32/31#subj16
Practical, 2021-01-18: http://catless.ncl.ac.uk/Risks/32/45#subj21

That risk strikes me as bleedin' obvious, easily avoidable, not subject to carelessness, and consciously chosen - so my only worry is whether my coffee meets my keyboard.

They obviously didn't do any penetration tests 

McBryce.

[GreyWoolfe]

OK, I gave in to temptation and bought one of these off an ebay seller just now.



And that's it. I'm done. That's the LAST piece of test equipment I need, for now and ever. I'm out. No more. Really. I mean it this time. I am not an addict. I can stop any time...

Sniff, sniff-----------sniff, sniff.  I smell 

[Kosmic]

Cheap 1GHz scope on ebay this morning

Lecroy DDA-120, 8GS/s, 16Mpts at 250$US

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384116654445



specsheet https://www.artisantg.com/info/LeCroy_DDA_120_Datasheet.pdf

[Brumby]

Checked the letterbox a couple of times this morning .... nothing.  Then as I was leaving for work (afternoon shift) I glanced in it as I was walking past - and there it was.  Typical.

There's a nice ding in one of them....

[Ice-Tea]

Cheap 1GHz scope on ebay this morning

Lecroy DDA-120, 8GS/s, 16Mpts at 250$US

https://www.ebay.com/itm/384116654445



specsheet https://www.artisantg.com/info/LeCroy_DDA_120_Datasheet.pdf

That *is* dirt cheap.

[Ice-Tea]

How can it be so clean??  Not a spec of dust...

Cookie for he/she who can guess what this is...

[mnementh]

Aircraft software is not immune dispite millons being spent on verification and testing. Example a version of the 737NG Electronic Flight Instrument System (EFIS) where if one crewmember entered a certain instrument approach heading within cetain lattitude and longitude ranges ALL SIX primary flight displays go blank. Took a while to catch as there were no major airports with that runway heading in the various affected areas. 

https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2019/12/27/2019-27966/airworthiness-directives-the-boeing-company-airplanes

   

Was that a "failure to sanitize the inputs" failure mode, or was it something more integral? Or is that still TBD?
I assume that this measure is only temporary, until the actual fault in the software is corrected...?

mnem
*seriously considers walking everywhere for the rest of his life*

[Cerebus]

Got a small package from china, too.

As I've murdered by my own imbecility my neat and handy AD587 reference board (note to myself: they don't like reverse polarity supply at all  ), I found and ordered some quite cheap AD587 (missed the opportunity to get one of the boards DC1MC discovered).

I've got into the habit of adding a reverse biased 1N400x diode across the power input pins/sockets of any board, whether made by me or bought, that's likely to be powered by slapping a bench supply across it. The diode is likely to survive long enough to protect the board while you realise that it's not working because you've reverse powered it. A hefty Schottky diode would be better, but 1N4007s and the like are what I tend to have around.

I'd like to say this habit developed from cunning foresight and not from reducing several boards to smoking holes in the ground, but I'd be lying if I did.

[BU508A]

For important stuff I tend to use a p-MOSFET.

See the attached AN from Infinion.

[mnementh]

Cheap 1GHz scope on ebay this morning   Lecroy DDA-120, 8GS/s, 16Mpts at 250$US   https://www.ebay.com/itm/384116654445

   specsheet https://www.artisantg.com/info/LeCroy_DDA_120_Datasheet.pdf

That *is* dirt cheap.

I know... even the cheap-arse dwagon is thinking aboot it, even with shipping to the GWN.

Even tho I know that if I did get it working... I'd use maybe once in anger before I kick the bucket... 

mnem
 

[bd139]

How can it be so clean??  Not a spec of dust...

Cookie for he/she who can guess what this is...

3325A?

[Ice-Tea]

Cheap 1GHz scope on ebay this morning   Lecroy DDA-120, 8GS/s, 16Mpts at 250$US   https://www.ebay.com/itm/384116654445

   specsheet https://www.artisantg.com/info/LeCroy_DDA_120_Datasheet.pdf

That *is* dirt cheap.

I know... even the cheap-arse dwagon is thinking aboot it, even with shipping to the GWN.

Even tho I know that if I did get it working... I'd use maybe once in anger before I kick the bucket... 

mnem
 

Reading a bit more.. He didn't test it? That I undertand... He didn't power it on though? Red flag.

[Ice-Tea]

How can it be so clean??  Not a spec of dust...

Cookie for he/she who can guess what this is...

3325A?

No cookie for you...

[tonyalbus]

How can it be so clean??  Not a spec of dust...

Cookie for he/she who can guess what this is...

3325A?

No cookie for you...

Seems a counter...