Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[Brumby]

In case anyone is wondering, Bean is still fulfilling his obligations as an enabler ... behind the scenes.

An overpriced and bit-too-far-away HP 200CD sig gen eBay auction: #184893662719  Was $200, now $100 and over 2 hours each way to pick up.

I said: Thank you, try again.



You know he will.

[tggzzz]

Not sure whether to include the gharial's head in the category of valuable, since I'm not sure it would be legal to sell it.

Presumably pre-CITES so not a problem. You'd need paperwork to prove its age.

Valuable? Probably not. That kind of thing has gone out of fashion, for good reasons. If it wasn't for the CITES hassles I'd say ship it to BU508A to give his workroom that proper "Wizard's Lair" feel à la Pratchett. (Terry has it that it is an immutable rule that a wizard's workroom has a stuffed crocodile hanging from the ceiling, reasons therefore stated to be unknown.)

If it's a good specimen (and who is qualified to judge that?) perhaps you could gift it to the Natural History Museum.

No paperwork, naturally,

I'm not going to sell the gharial; it is going on my wall. I'm even named as the recipient in the will, so I'm just being a little "previous".

I had my leopard skin restored by the taxidermist used by Drew Pritchard (of Salvage Hunters fame). He said it was undoubtedly pre-47 (which I knew) and was worth £2k-3k for insurance purposes.

[mindcrime]

"Ponder likes to think of himself as the University's token sane person."

mnem
So... pretty much the same as any University then...

The real question is "Who is EEVBlog's token sane person?"

[AVGresponding]

"Ponder likes to think of himself as the University's token sane person."

mnem
So... pretty much the same as any University then...

The real question is "Who is EEVBlog's token sane person?"

Cue: everyone in the forum raises their hand; then looks around to see everyone else did the same, and promptly and sheepishly puts their hands back down...

[Cerebus]

Alchemy complete.

Two 3mm aluminium tokens, one anodized black, one anodized violet. The violet looks better in real life, the unevenness is an artefact of the photo (apart from where the titanium wire electrode was clamped to it, obviously). Also it's a bluer, more violet colour it's nowhere as pink to the eye as it appears here - it seems to be one of those colours that digital cameras have problems with.



Expect some gaudy coloured front panels and enclosures in the future, or some very black ones.

I never cease to be amazed at how good an insulator just a bit of anodizing will turn a chunk of aluminium into. On the violet piece my Brymen pocket meter reads 000.0 when slapped across the unanodized margin of the hole. Placed across any of the anodized parts and it reads OverLoad. That's on what is just 20 um thick anodizing (in theory, by time*current*area product, not by physical measurement).

[mnementh]

Another Fun Project: Print #790 Servo Saver Hub & Servo Mount

   https://a360.co/35zf0Nv   

So the slow boat from China finally surrendered my latest order from TomTop; a FS-GT3B 3-Ch surface transmitter and the rest of the bits & bobs to convert my WLToys 4WD RC Truggy to fully "Hobby Grade" electronics with separate RX, ESC, and normal 3-Wire steering servo. I have one of these in the trailer held hostage against the Canadian Bureaucracy; someday I'll see it again...  These are one of the best non-telemetry RC transmitters ever made; easily modded to ball-bearing action, and if you're not afraid of a little JTAG hackery, it can be reflashed with one of the best-developed alt firmwares out there.

For those who care, relevant fab & assembly details/3DP Nerds stats are here on the 3DP thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/3d-printing/3d-printer-yet/msg3590332/#msg3590332

mnem
 

[mnementh]

Hex Two is doing very well. More or less...



Hex, his ants and chocolate? Could you explain that, actually I don't get the reference.

mnem

[cyclin_al]

My google-fu is failing me here:
Does anyone know what LL40552 code on wire means? 

I know it is UL 1015 (type TEW or VW-1) hook-up wire rated at 600V and 105 deg C.
It should be stranded copper, not tinned.
The only parts of the code I do not know, but need, are the AWG and number of strands.
I can tell that it is definitely heavier cable than 14AWG...
Anybody?

EDIT:  stranded
EDIT2:  The manufacturer is DOMTECH.  What else is in that code...?

[cyclin_al]

Another Fun Project: Print #790 Servo Saver Hub & Servo Mount

   https://a360.co/35zf0Nv   

So the slow boat from China finally surrendered my latest order from TomTop; a FS-GT3B 3-Ch surface transmitter and the rest of the bits & bobs to convert my WLToys 4WD RC Truggy to fully "Hobby Grade" electronics with separate RX, ESC, and normal 3-Wire steering servo. I have one of these in the trailer held hostage against the Canadian Bureaucracy; someday I'll see it again...  These are one of the best non-telemetry RC transmitters ever made; easily modded to ball-bearing action, and if you're not afraid of a little JTAG hackery, it can be reflashed with one of the best-developed alt firmwares out there.

For those who care, relevant fab & assembly details/3DP Nerds stats are here on the 3DP thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/3d-printing/3d-printer-yet/msg3590332/#msg3590332

mnem
 

Enabler!  You are just trying to get me to buy more parts AND create the need for a 3DP .... I bet it has nothing to do with your own use 

[mnementh]

Hex Two is doing very well. More or less...



Hex, his ants and chocolate? Could you explain that, actually I don't get the reference.

Well you obviously get the Hex and ants bit.   Now, what would an anthropomorphic aardvark like as a snack?

*looks over at emergency box on the wall*

That depends... are you bringing your conversational cutlery, or just using the provided tableware...? 

mnem
because I was bored...

[mnementh]

"Ponder likes to think of himself as the University's token sane person."

mnem
So... pretty much the same as any University then...

The real question is "Who is EEVBlog's token sane person?"

Cue: everyone in the forum raises their hand; then looks around to see everyone else did the same, and promptly and sheepishly puts their hands back down...

Good thing you said hands, not paws... 

mnem
I think I'll just sit this one out...

[med6753]

And so, tested common PSU tubes in the Type 535A and no issues. I was especially concerned with the 5080 Series Regulator tube and it's OK. I also have a tested spare. The unique tubes in the Type 547 PSU have been swapped out with supposedly tested ones from EBay. I verified again all static resistance checks to ground and all are in spec as per the manual. I pulled the Type 1A1 plug-in to lighten the load on the PSU in this initial test. Gave the beans. The cathode resistors to V677 got hot enough to melt the solder on the strip. So.....still have same issue.

 

My conclusion is something is drawing to much current on initial power. Finding it will be a real chore. The +100V forms the basis of the Vcc for almost all the transistors scattered throughout the instrument. But I think I found a common point where I can pull the entire load at once. Right at C709C but keep R677 in circuit which is a high wattage resistor to allow the +100V to properly regulate when the plug-in is removed. So, going to isolate at that point and after replacing the cathode resistors see if the +100V comes up. If it does I'll definitely be on a long hunt to find the culprit. If it doesn't come up it may actually be an easier fix. I refuse to give up.

[mnementh]

Another Fun Project: Print #790 Servo Saver Hub & Servo Mount

   https://a360.co/35zf0Nv   

So the slow boat from China finally surrendered my latest order from TomTop; a FS-GT3B 3-Ch surface transmitter and the rest of the bits & bobs to convert my WLToys 4WD RC Truggy to fully "Hobby Grade" electronics with separate RX, ESC, and normal 3-Wire steering servo. I have one of these in the trailer held hostage against the Canadian Bureaucracy; someday I'll see it again...  These are one of the best non-telemetry RC transmitters ever made; easily modded to ball-bearing action, and if you're not afraid of a little JTAG hackery, it can be reflashed with one of the best-developed alt firmwares out there.

For those who care, relevant fab & assembly details/3DP Nerds stats are here on the 3DP thread:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/3d-printing/3d-printer-yet/msg3590332/#msg3590332

Enabler!  You are just trying to get me to buy more parts AND create the need for a 3DP .... I bet it has nothing to do with your own use 

Actually, it was TomTop being an enabler at me. I was already missing my favorite surface transmitter; when I went on the site looking for extra batteries, they splashed the FS-GT3B on flash-sale for CAD$24.99 plus $22 Duty-Free Shipping. I added some 540-can motor heatsinks, the ESC and servo for the same shipping. It wasn't until the servo actually got here that I found out how much modding I'd need to do to fit it; but anything on Amazon (especially metal gear and reasonably fast) would be much more expensive, and would still need a new bracket designed & printed too.

Honestly, I just post these to show in detail how once you invest a little time & money into 3DP, it is a tool you constantly find new uses for.

Anybody who finds themselves enabled... well, that's just gravy. 

mnem

[mnementh]

...The +100V forms the basis of the Vcc for almost all the transistors scattered throughout the instrument. But I think I found a common point where I can pull the entire load at once. Right at C709C but keep R677 in circuit which is a high wattage resistor to allow the +100V to properly regulate when the plug-in is removed. So, going to isolate at that point and after replacing the cathode resistors see if the +100V comes up. If it does I'll definitely be on a long hunt to find the culprit. If it doesn't come up it may actually be an easier fix. I refuse to give up.

Heh... gravity always wins. 

Good hunting, buddy. Just don't hurt your favorite muscle group heaving that monster around.

mnem
*tzzt...*

[Robert763]

Have you thought about putting a current limited DC supply on the 100V "net" and slowly turning it up so you can get a chance to see at what voltage it draws current and where it is going?

[med6753]

Have you thought about putting a current limited DC supply on the 100V "net" and slowly turning it up so you can get a chance to see at what voltage it draws current and where it is going?

I would if I had a 100V supply. 

[Saskia]

I could sell you a module for the n670 mainframe ...

[mnementh]

Have you thought about putting a current limited DC supply on the 100V "net" and slowly turning it up so you can get a chance to see at what voltage it draws current and where it is going?

I would if I had a 100V supply. 

How aboot a strategically placed night-light blub in the 2.5-4-7W range as a dim-bulb tester just for that rail...?

mnem
 

[Robert763]

Have you thought about putting a current limited DC supply on the 100V "net" and slowly turning it up so you can get a chance to see at what voltage it draws current and where it is going?

I would if I had a 100V supply. 

I was thinking a 30V one would give a good idea of where the electrons are going. Two of three in series would get even closer. Just put a diode across each output so it can't be backdriven.

[Robert763]

My second Medical unit arrived today
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184446337293? £5 +£15 postage
It has the same Cybernet Cybermed C10 Windows tablet in it. And despite what the listing said it did come with the powersupply.
They were right about the password though. I gave up after a couple of tries and just re-installed Win 7. All the drivers (inc Win 10) and manual are on the Cybernet website.
I think I'll set this one up to use with one of my Picoscopes.

[Runco990]

Found a great deal on an elusive Eveready 763 22.5v battery for one of my HP 427's.  It was listed as New but no box, it arrived and measured 23v!   When the time comes, Ill cut the battery box open and replace the guts with other cells of some sort.

Looks nice and clean!  I took the battery stack out of the outer box and made a foam insert for 2 9v batteries for mine.  Maybe not the most elegant solution, but the meter works fine on 18 volts. 
Looks stock, easy enough to change the batteries. 

[Specmaster]

Good news, the calculator showed up today, photos to follow when I have had time to edit them to a suitable file size.

Robert was talking about Avo's the other day, the following day I had a Gumtree alert that caught my eye of an Avo 8, MkV where the body had been painted yellow, presumably to either make it look a more modern Fluke DMM, or because it made it easier to spot on the bench? Now I have one of these working which I rewired the internals of, and I also have another that has seen better days with some items that replacing. Anyway, the seller only wanted £10 for it and also comes with what looks like a decent set of original Avo leads, worth more than the £10 on their own. I have been chatting with the seller, and I'm now the proud owner of yet another Avo and he has already dispatched it to my tonight by DHL and sent me a photo of the receipt. So I shall have some proper TEA to report when once it arrives, and I start to try and built 1 good unit from the pair of them, fingers crossed.

[Specmaster]

My second Medical unit arrived today
www.ebay.co.uk/itm/184446337293? £5 +£15 postage
It has the same Cybernet Cybermed C10 Windows tablet in it. And despite what the listing said it did come with the powersupply.
They were right about the password though. I gave up after a couple of tries and just re-installed Win 7. All the drivers (inc Win 10) and manual are on the Cybernet website.
I think I'll set this one up to use with one of my Picoscopes.

Looks interesting, just wondering why the seller included a photo of the flooring 

[tautech]

Good news, the calculator showed up today, photos to follow when I have had time to edit them to a suitable file size.

Robert was talking about Avo's the other day, the following day I had a Gumtree alert that caught my eye of an Avo 8, MkV where the body had been painted yellow, presumably to either make it look a more modern Fluke DMM, or because it made it easier to spot on the bench? Now I have one of these working which I rewired the internals of, and I also have another that has seen better days with some items that replacing. Anyway, the seller only wanted £10 for it and also comes with what looks like a decent set of original Avo leads, worth more than the £10 on their own. I have been chatting with the seller, and I'm now the proud owner of yet another Avo and he has already dispatched it to my tonight by DHL and sent me a photo of the receipt. So I shall have some proper TEA to report when once it arrives, and I start to try and built 1 good unit from the pair of them, fingers crossed.

Yep, rare as hens teeth. Nice catch Spec. 

A good collection of lead tips is hard to make too and I have a pair of the AVO grabbers that while they are not a fine as scope probe grabbers are damn handy nonetheless.

[vk6zgo]

"Ponder likes to think of himself as the University's token sane person."

mnem
So... pretty much the same as any University then...

The real question is "Who is EEVBlog's token sane person?"

That would be "little moi".