Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[med6753]

Ignoring the American focus of Traitor Day, managed to get out on the walk I was going to do yesterday. Got couple of cliche photos of the Ouse Valley Viaduct, some quality British engineering the Americans didn't take with 'em and made stuff out of wood instead...

This was opened in 1841 while the Americans were still working things out with each other and is still in active use today. Impressive! Americans still haven't worked out each other yet.

And then came Brexit. 

[bd139]

It's a British passtime punching oneself in the bollocks and then crowing about how much we love the pain.

[kleiner Rainer]

to paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: thats not a bridge - THAT is a bridge! https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ltzschtalbr%C3%BCcke

 

Greetings,

Rainer

[bd139]

Now you guys are just showing off with that one 

[mnementh]

I bought some of those smd resistor/cap "kit" books...sadly it was summer & they used some cheapo extra gummy labels...By the time  it arrived the labels had all fallen off & were just a sticky clumpy mess in the package & the ink also "peeling off"....with all the approx 170 labels essentially missing, the book isn't so handy!

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B08P8TYQ2S/

Well, that was kind of the reason I posted. When you look at these listings, they're an unknown; I figured a post showing what actually arrived for my 9 bux and change would help my fellow Canucks make a informed decision. Also, being 0805, they're quite a nice size for hand work. Hard not to get your money's worth here.  +--

EDIT: Woops! Looks like somebody took advantage... they've sold out the ones that were In Stock/Fulfilled by Amazon, and are now only shipping from China at CAD$45/copy. Hope those who partook enjoy their purchase!

mnem
*tsssssst...*

[med6753]

It's a British passtime punching oneself in the bollocks and then crowing about how much we love the pain.

"Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say."

[vk6zgo]

to paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: thats not a bridge - THAT is a bridge! https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ltzschtalbr%C3%BCcke

 

Greetings,

Rainer

Nay, laddie, tha's nae a bridge,-------tha's a bridge!
https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2013/08/28/close-encounters-of-the-forth-kind-forth-bridge-queensferry-uk/

[med6753]

to paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: thats not a bridge - THAT is a bridge! https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ltzschtalbr%C3%BCcke

 

Greetings,

Rainer

Nay, laddie, tha's nae a bridge,-------tha's a bridge!
https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2013/08/28/close-encounters-of-the-forth-kind-forth-bridge-queensferry-uk/

I saw that bridge in my visit to Scotland in 2001. It is impressive.

[Specmaster]

Ignoring the American focus of Traitor Day, managed to get out on the walk I was going to do yesterday. Got couple of cliche photos of the Ouse Valley Viaduct, some quality British engineering the Americans didn't take with 'em and made stuff out of wood instead...

This was opened in 1841 while the Americans were still working things out with each other and is still in active use today. Impressive! Americans still haven't worked out each other yet.

And then came Brexit. 

And that is a total shit show, almost as bad as the tossing of tea into the harbour. 

[med6753]

When is a Fluke not a Fluke? When it's a Mastech. Trying to calibrate the DCV is an exercise in futility. It is very non-linear across the DC range and getting an acceptable compromise is near impossible. Now it COULD be because I'm doing it wrong due to lack of service info. So I have to consider that. But for critical measurements this guy falls flat. So it will just be used to quickly check new stock capacitors.



That concludes all my calibrations for now except the Tek 2465 DMS with the DMM option. But that would involve lifting and that's a no-no right now. And the Type 547 sits there mocking me again. Now that it has good power I want to dive in and fix the remaining issues. 

[bd139]

Considering that's the Trabant of DMMs, that's still fairly good 

[Specmaster]

It's a British passtime punching oneself in the bollocks and then crowing about how much we love the pain.

"Every year is getting shorter never seem to find the time.
Plans that either come to naught or half a page of scribbled lines
Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way
The time is gone, the song is over,
Thought I'd something more to say."

and the best bit

"Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
When I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Far away, across the field
The tolling of the iron bell
Calls the faithful to their knees
To hear the softly spoken magic spell"

Nice lyrics.

[med6753]

Considering that's the Trabant of DMMs, that's still fairly good 

That's an excellent description. 

[Andrew_Debbie]

Someone wanted a 3478? This one has no bids yet, and who knows how the seller might react to a careful offer?

What is a reasonable price these days?    I had a new one on my desk at work many many years ago.  Fab meter when new.

 I'm hesistant to buy a used one because of the internal battery  and potential loss of calibration.   If it still has calibration data,   I can change the battery.   Recovering from lost cal data is not something I can do at home.   I've only got a 2.5000V reference and a 9999 count DMM.

[mnementh]

Ignoring the American focus of Traitor Day, managed to get out on the walk I was going to do yesterday. Got couple of cliche photos of the Ouse Valley Viaduct, some quality British engineering the Americans didn't take with 'em and made stuff out of wood instead...

This was opened in 1841 while the Americans were still working things out with each other and is still in active use today. Impressive! Americans still haven't worked out each other yet.

And then came Brexit. 

And that is a total shit show, almost as bad as the tossing of tea into the harbour. 

https://www.thewrap.com/trump-windmills-canada-hannity-jimmy-kimmel-jokes-video/

In the Americas, we still have Chump shitting all over the place like a flock of pigeons.     Motherfucker simply will not take "Fuck off and die!" for a answer... 

Now that his "very very good" trade deal with Canada is unraveling under the Biden administration, he's pissing and moaning aboot the GWN all over pet sycophant Hannity's show. Of course, he also had to go off... way off... on of all things... windmills...?

But in the realm of actual damage still being done by the orange poop, Tejas' own Gov Abbott continues to lick his arse; they've proudly signed the bill to build The Wall bilk the people of Texas/New Mexico for a quarter billion dollars in the name of the worst idea floated in politics since The Endless War.     

Seriously... you can't make this shit up.   

mnem
How much you wanna bet that money somehow magically finds its way into Chump's war chest for 2024?

[Specmaster]

When is a Fluke not a Fluke? When it's a Mastech. Trying to calibrate the DCV is an exercise in futility. It is very non-linear across the DC range and getting an acceptable compromise is near impossible. Now it COULD be because I'm doing it wrong due to lack of service info. So I have to consider that. But for critical measurements this guy falls flat. So it will just be used to quickly check new stock capacitors.



That concludes all my calibrations for now except the Tek 2465 DMS with the DMM option. But that would involve lifting and that's a no-no right now. And the Type 547 sits there mocking me again. Now that it has good power I want to dive in and fix the remaining issues. 

Stop being so negative towards this meter, think you find it is actually pretty good, it is only 1mV out, and I think it will be well within its design specification, take at the data sheets below. I think I told mnem a lie, I think that the maker of these meters might well be Appa, so email them with a photo of yours and enquire there, you may just get lucky. Keep up the good behaviour and keep well clear of these heavy beasts that are mocking, they will still sitting there once you're mended, they aint going anywhere.   

[mnementh]

Someone wanted a 3478? This one has no bids yet, and who knows how the seller might react to a careful offer?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/154515693118

Mine arrived today via Herpes (tbf the local driver is a decent chap, but who knows what uncaring mouth-breathers might have handled it further up the chain?) with some of the best packaging I've yet seen, making the £65 shipped price all the sweeter...

What is a reasonable price these days?    I had a new one on my desk at work many many years ago.  Fab meter when new.

 I'm hesitant to buy a used one because of the internal battery and potential loss of calibration. If it still has calibration data,   I can change the battery.   Recovering from lost cal data is not something I can do at home.   I've only got a 2.5000V reference and a 9999 count DMM.

Taking full context of the OP into account, it seems pretty obvious the seller reads the thread or someone alerted him. £150.00 BIN/£100.00 starting bid (MAKE OFFER is no longer available) is worlds away from the £65 shipped AVG paid for his.

mnem
 

[mnementh]

Considering that's the Trabant of DMMs, that's still fairly good 

That's an excellent description. 

Does the top actually dissolve if you leave it out in the sun &  rain...? 

mnem
 

[Robert763]

When is a Fluke not a Fluke? When it's a Mastech. Trying to calibrate the DCV is an exercise in futility. It is very non-linear across the DC range and getting an acceptable compromise is near impossible. Now it COULD be because I'm doing it wrong due to lack of service info. So I have to consider that. But for critical measurements this guy falls flat. So it will just be used to quickly check new stock capacitors.



That concludes all my calibrations for now except the Tek 2465 DMS with the DMM option. But that would involve lifting and that's a no-no right now. And the Type 547 sits there mocking me again. Now that it has good power I want to dive in and fix the remaining issues. 

Stop being so negative towards this meter, think you find it is actually pretty good, it is only 1mV out, and I think it will be well within its design specification, take at the data sheets below. I think I told mnem a lie, I think that the maker of these meters might well be Appa, so email them with a photo of yours and enquire there, you may just get lucky. Keep up the good behaviour and keep well clear of these heavy beasts that are mocking, they will still sitting there once you're mended, they aint going anywhere.   

Well it's easy to meet the spec, DC volts 0.3% +_5 counts 
This is supposed to be a 4.5 digit meter a mid range fluke 77 3.5 digit handheld does better, a 8010A is 0.1% _+1 count and a 8050A 4.5 digit does 0.03%

Edit, sorry it's 4000 count not 4.5 digit but still 0.3% +5 counts that is 

[Specmaster]

When is a Fluke not a Fluke? When it's a Mastech. Trying to calibrate the DCV is an exercise in futility. It is very non-linear across the DC range and getting an acceptable compromise is near impossible. Now it COULD be because I'm doing it wrong due to lack of service info. So I have to consider that. But for critical measurements this guy falls flat. So it will just be used to quickly check new stock capacitors.



That concludes all my calibrations for now except the Tek 2465 DMS with the DMM option. But that would involve lifting and that's a no-no right now. And the Type 547 sits there mocking me again. Now that it has good power I want to dive in and fix the remaining issues. 

Stop being so negative towards this meter, think you find it is actually pretty good, it is only 1mV out, and I think it will be well within its design specification, take at the data sheets below. I think I told mnem a lie, I think that the maker of these meters might well be Appa, so email them with a photo of yours and enquire there, you may just get lucky. Keep up the good behaviour and keep well clear of these heavy beasts that are mocking, they will still sitting there once you're mended, they aint going anywhere.   

Well it's easy to meet the spec, DC volts 0.3% +_5 counts 
This is supposed to be a 4.5 digit meter a mid range fluke 77 3.5 digit handheld does better, a 8010A is 0.1% _+1 count and a 8050A 4.5 digit does 0.03%

Edit, sorry it's 4000 count not 4.5 digit but still 0.3% +5 counts that is 

Yep, but in reality, for what med does, it is perfectly usable, who has ever heard of Tektronix scope failing to function because the supply lines were 1mV adrift of their true voltage? Answer, nobody and nobody ever will.

Fact is if this was the only meter he or anybody else ever had, it would be best meter for the job in their tool kits and it would not affect their ability to repair things in any way whatsoever. It is a massive jump up from an analogue meter and we all managed perfectly with those before digital became a reality. 

[mnementh]

Put it in perspective this way:

What do you imagine the guys who designed your hollow-state wonders would have thought of that meter...?

Especially if you told them it could be bought new for the price of steak dinner at a roadhouse...?

mnem
 

[AVGresponding]

Someone wanted a 3478? This one has no bids yet, and who knows how the seller might react to a careful offer?

What is a reasonable price these days?    I had a new one on my desk at work many many years ago.  Fab meter when new.

 I'm hesistant to buy a used one because of the internal battery  and potential loss of calibration.   If it still has calibration data,   I can change the battery.   Recovering from lost cal data is not something I can do at home.   I've only got a 2.5000V reference and a 9999 count DMM.

The one I scored has date codes suggesting a build date around late 1986 - early 1987, and the battery measures 3.03v. Perhaps of more immediate concern are the 4 RIFAs...

If you really want one, getting a clean one for £100 seems reasonable, but I wouldn't be in any hurry to bid higher as there doesn't seem to be a shortage of these.

[cyclin_al]

to paraphrase Crocodile Dundee: thats not a bridge - THAT is a bridge! https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%B6ltzschtalbr%C3%BCcke

 

Greetings,

Rainer

Nay, laddie, tha's nae a bridge,-------tha's a bridge!
https://thebeautyoftransport.com/2013/08/28/close-encounters-of-the-forth-kind-forth-bridge-queensferry-uk/

That one is quite impressive.

However....
'Aye there bye, thees be a bridge:
https://www.confederationbridge.com/photo-gallery

[med6753]

When is a Fluke not a Fluke? When it's a Mastech. Trying to calibrate the DCV is an exercise in futility. It is very non-linear across the DC range and getting an acceptable compromise is near impossible. Now it COULD be because I'm doing it wrong due to lack of service info. So I have to consider that. But for critical measurements this guy falls flat. So it will just be used to quickly check new stock capacitors.



That concludes all my calibrations for now except the Tek 2465 DMS with the DMM option. But that would involve lifting and that's a no-no right now. And the Type 547 sits there mocking me again. Now that it has good power I want to dive in and fix the remaining issues. 

Stop being so negative towards this meter, think you find it is actually pretty good, it is only 1mV out, and I think it will be well within its design specification, take at the data sheets below. I think I told mnem a lie, I think that the maker of these meters might well be Appa, so email them with a photo of yours and enquire there, you may just get lucky. Keep up the good behaviour and keep well clear of these heavy beasts that are mocking, they will still sitting there once you're mended, they aint going anywhere.   

Well it's easy to meet the spec, DC volts 0.3% +_5 counts 
This is supposed to be a 4.5 digit meter a mid range fluke 77 3.5 digit handheld does better, a 8010A is 0.1% _+1 count and a 8050A 4.5 digit does 0.03%

Edit, sorry it's 4000 count not 4.5 digit but still 0.3% +5 counts that is 

Yep, but in reality, for what med does, it is perfectly usable, who has ever heard of Tektronix scope failing to function because the supply lines were 1mV adrift of their true voltage? Answer, nobody and nobody ever will.

Fact is if this was the only meter he or anybody else ever had, it would be best meter for the job in their tool kits and it would not affect their ability to repair things in any way whatsoever. It is a massive jump up from an analogue meter and we all managed perfectly with those before digital became a reality. 

Well, regardless. I have 40 year old Flukes that run circles around it so in reality let's call it what it is. A POS. 

[Robert763]

Put it in perspective this way:

What do you imagine the guys who designed your hollow-state wonders would have thought of that meter...?

mnem
 

Well if it's not linear as Med suggests and the specification is only 3 times better than an AVO 8, probably not too much.