Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[mnementh]

... Only this time I'm greeted with no trace and the smell of something getting hot. Not again!

Enabler mode: ON - you need an IR camera ... 

True, this seems like an obvious use case. Of course with all those hot valves around you're not going to get away with a bottom of the barrel low resolution model, you're going to need to be able the differentiate the fault from a filament. So the obvious choice is a secondhand one, possibly in need of some restoration. So ... 

Oh, that is positively diabolical. You'll have the man shopping $2K FLIRs in moments of distraction when he doesn't even have a decent point & click for taking benchtop pics...

mnem
*click*

[BU508A]

I had a fight with gimp regarding this Sisyphos Tekscope (I have used the 547).
Here are the results:

Difference is the lettering, EEVBLOG vs. EEVBlog


I created then a version with a transparent background and uploaded it to spreadshirt.
This is how it looks on their preview on their website (I do like the grey background):



If somebody is interested, I can upload the xcf files from gimp.

What do you think about this result? Any suggestions, comments, improvements?
@bd139: I did not convert it to a vector graphic image, because I don't know how to do this. 

Nice job 

Sooo where do I buy one? 

Thanks,

I think, I'll order one for me at spreadshirt: https://www.spreadshirt.de/selbst-gestalten
For my size it is ca. 21 Euro plus shipping for one t-shirt.

I've attached the png with the transparent background for convenience.

Edit:
Somehow, this image is degrading for any reason. 
I've added a working .png with the transparent background with as a .zip file. Please download the zip file and unzip it and then you should be good to go.

I did today (20210828) a new version, which I've uploaded to imgur. If you want to download it, just click on the picture, then right-click on the expanded picture and save it.


Sorry for the inconvenience.

[mnementh]

Started packing. lugged 6 DVD racks downstairs today (of the 2.02 m kind) and need to get to my taxes later tonite.

Started clearing house. Lugged ~250kg of vinyl LPs to auction house.

Hope you took it to one with a wax stacks specialist. That much tonnage, there have to be a few with actual collector value. Be a shame to see them sold off by the hundredweight... 

mnem
 

[bd139]

Some good points.

I contacted Mirfield and they have already replied saying they will send another unit out and to keep this one. They think that their supplier has thrown a few bad ones in to make up numbers. They apologised and are running self tests before sending them out now apparently. Now I know there is a probability, based on reading the group, that there are ones with modified firmware to pass the self tests so I will DFU the official firmware without such mods onto it and check it works then to make sure I'm not getting screwed. This might be a genuine issue at this point. Time will tell.

I do have to give a thumbs up to Erik at tinySA who has quite frankly amazing support and so far the Mirfield turnaround is minutes 

DFU both units and then you might end up with 2 working ones 

Just remember... "DFU mode" means DON'T. FUCK. UP. Or you may wind up with a nicely decorated brick. 

mnem
Actually, STM32xxxx are remarkably hard to kill... but man, you can spend days pulling your hair out fixing one that's stuck in zombie mode...

I always get a little scared doing firmware updates, really need a UPS for safety’s sake but hey those things cost some serious money.

I've not managed to brick anything other than a couple of android handsets so far. Should be fine. I've done DFU on NanoVNA and tinySA before and have done some STM32 dev so know the drill already. Worst case I'd have to buy a hot air doohickey and swap the MCU out

[mnementh]

...Can anyone recommend a 4-wire kelvin leads/clips set with banana (safety OK) plugs? Looking for something dirt cheap, around USD25.

My recommendation for Kelvin leads. Order some cheap Chinese ones like the links above, but just to get the end clips. Then build your own leads with them using decent cable and decent banana plugs.

McBryce.

Huh...? All the same sources (BG, AliEx, GearBest, etc) who have the leads also sell just the clips... and they're only $2-5 each, depending on qty... 

mnem
 

[mnementh]

I just bought some gear to bounce. Got a tidy looking 50MHz TBS1052B-EDU For under 100 quid. Reckon I can double that just by taking some better photos

tautech can leer at it disapprovingly 

Edit: wow even 50MHz analogues go for more than that at the moment  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/114837779169

I'd have been tickled pink with purple polka dots to get that before I picked up my 54645A. Actually, once we move into the new place with a actual basement, I might be in the market for some analog wiggly again... 

mnem
 

[Cerebus]

... what with all the shit BREXIT is dumping on China-Direct anything now...

You might think it would go that way, but it hasn't. I used to be very cautious with my purchases from China, staying under the, then, VAT de minimus of £15, not to avoid paying VAT but to avoid paying a few quid of VAT and £12 to the Post Office for collecting the VAT from me  - something that would turn a £17 purchase into a £30.20 purchase.

The rules post Brexit are that I have to pay VAT on everything, there's no more £15 de minimus but if it's less than £135 + VAT then it's the seller's responsibility to collect VAT and give it to the government. So I no longer have to hedge my bets on whether I'm going to have to pay the "We're the Post Office, suck it up" tax. Under the new regime that putative £17 would become £20.40.

[bd139]

This is a good point actually. All the crap I've bought recently has VAT stuffed on at the seller end (ebay and aliexpress) and they are still clambering over each other do ship it for the lowest price possible. I can't complain. There is indeed no fuck you charge by the post office.

Also the GSP / shipping calculations on ebay are good. I nearly went for that Agilent supply yesterday. It was £68 without shipping and VAT and £164 with it, which is still a good price for one with one bust output which is probably trivially repairable.

[factory]

... what with all the shit BREXIT is dumping on China-Direct anything now...

You might think it would go that way, but it hasn't. I used to be very cautious with my purchases from China, staying under the, then, VAT de minimus of £15, not to avoid paying VAT but to avoid paying a few quid of VAT and £12 to the Post Office for collecting the VAT from me  - something that would turn a £17 purchase into a £30.20 purchase.

The rules post Brexit are that I have to pay VAT on everything, there's no more £15 de minimus but if it's less than £135 + VAT then it's the seller's responsibility to collect VAT and give it to the government. So I no longer have to hedge my bets on whether I'm going to have to pay the "We're the Post Office, suck it up" tax. Under the new regime that putative £17 would become £20.40.

This was nothing to do with leaving the EU, except we couldn't delay the introduction of the new VAT rules for 6 months, like the rest of the EU did for stuff from China & other non-EU countries.

David

[mnementh]

... what with all the shit BREXIT is dumping on China-Direct anything now...

You might think it would go that way, but it hasn't. I used to be very cautious with my purchases from China, staying under the, then, VAT de minimus of £15, not to avoid paying VAT but to avoid paying a few quid of VAT and £12 to the Post Office for collecting the VAT from me  - something that would turn a £17 purchase into a £30.20 purchase.

The rules post Brexit are that I have to pay VAT on everything, there's no more £15 de minimus but if it's less than £135 + VAT then it's the seller's responsibility to collect VAT and give it to the government. So I no longer have to hedge my bets on whether I'm going to have to pay the "We're the Post Office, suck it up" tax. Under the new regime that putative £17 would become £20.40.

Oh, jeez... wow. That just made the $98 UPS reaming for a $169 monitor I related in here a couple months ago start bleeding all over again... somehow it didn't seem as bad as long as someone else like you poor BREXIT survivors had it worse.

mnem

[Cerebus]

... what with all the shit BREXIT is dumping on China-Direct anything now...

You might think it would go that way, but it hasn't. I used to be very cautious with my purchases from China, staying under the, then, VAT de minimus of £15, not to avoid paying VAT but to avoid paying a few quid of VAT and £12 to the Post Office for collecting the VAT from me  - something that would turn a £17 purchase into a £30.20 purchase.

The rules post Brexit are that I have to pay VAT on everything, there's no more £15 de minimus but if it's less than £135 + VAT then it's the seller's responsibility to collect VAT and give it to the government. So I no longer have to hedge my bets on whether I'm going to have to pay the "We're the Post Office, suck it up" tax. Under the new regime that putative £17 would become £20.40.

This was nothing to do with leaving the EU, except we couldn't delay the introduction of the new VAT rules for 6 months, like the rest of the EU did for stuff from China & other non-EU countries.

David

Yeah, the abolition of the de minimus is on the cards for the whole EU, we just got there early.

[xrunner]

Some inside piccies of the 575 

As often the bottom side of the decks are pristine, only the upper parts are filthly because that's where dust and dirt collects, gravity and all that.

WTF - you better mind the notes on the inside of that monster. That nice huge metal panel on the inside that your mind just wants you to attach your scope ground clip to -

CAUTION: DO NOT GROUND THIS CHASSIS

 

[factory]

Another benefit of ePay handling the VAT is that printed paper i.e. TEA manuals are now VAT free, providing they are listed in the correct category of course, no more getting robbed on RM or Parcelfarce. 

David

[Saskia]

best of all, when evilbay effed up the arcade1up box, they refunded shipping+ vat. And I did not have to send it back ...

[Vince]

WTF - you better mind the notes on the inside of that monster. That nice huge metal panel on the inside that your mind just wants you to attach your scope ground clip to -

CAUTION: DO NOT GROUND THIS CHASSIS

 

Yeah how thoughtful of Tek isn't it ! In any other piece of gear with a live heat sink, there would be zero warning, they leave it to Darwin to figure out whose worthy of being a service tech or not ! 

Looking back at the pic, I notice that there are 2 missing rubber grommets ! 2 out of 5. So had a look in the flesh... grommets are STILL there... but they split in two, each half fell off of the heat  sink and slide along their wire. Found them riding on the wires a few inches down...
I think this style of grommet is fairly standard, you can still buy them new today.. so 5 new fresh grommets are on order, me thinks ! 

Took a close-up pic of the two power trannies mounted on the other side of the heat sink. Pics at an awkward angle sorry, because the neck of the CRT is right by the trannies.


One transistor is in a T03 package which looks mundane today but was probably state of the art back then...
It's so crusty that I can't read the part number, it's half gone. It's made by RCA. However one can see it is weird : it wears TWO part numbers, both starting " 2N " something. Strange...

The other transistor, made by Motorola, is an old weird looking package, golden, shaped like a lithium coin cell or something ?! 
It too, has 2 different 2N part numbers ! What's up with that ?! 
However this time the package is in good shape so we can read those numbers : 2N277 and 2N2082.

I Googled both numbers, separately, and they both led to the same thing, same package, so it's comforting... maybe the double P/N means the tranny is compatible with both ? Maybe the 2N277 was an ancient one, given it has only 3 digits ! Maybe when they decided to switch to a 4 digit numbering system, the 277 got renamed 2082 ? I have no idea ! Maybe the grey beards on here could enlighten us ? Share your knowledge people, or else what good is it for ! 

Anyway, according to what Google found me about this weird transistor... it's a beefy Germanium jobbie, 15 amps !  GERMANIUM ARRRRRGH !!!.. BUT somehow there are not one but TWO sources for NOS items, both in the USA !  A surplus store that sell the 2N277 for 9 bucks, and they even have a shit load of them, 234 units !!!    So I am covered, great ! 

https://www.electronicsurplus.com/motorola-inc-2n277-transistors-pnp-40v-70-watt-at-25degc


Then this Ebay store sells the 2N2082 for twice that amount :

https://www.ebay.fr/itm/113865954592

[0culus]

Some inside piccies of the 575 

As often the bottom side of the decks are pristine, only the upper parts are filthly because that's where dust and dirt collects, gravity and all that.

NICE!!! The 575 is one of my favorite instruments. Super versatile.

[mnementh]

   https://www.amazon.ca/Flycow-Adjustable-Switching-Temperature-Protection/dp/B081JQV816

Now that is a brand which inspires confidence. 

mnem
 

[Vince]

NICE!!! The 575 is one of my favorite instruments. Super versatile.

Yeah and there are info out there to turn it into a tube tester, might be useful to help me restore my 18 (and counting...) Classic Tek scopes....

The 575 is hard to find, but the 570 its tube tester counterpart , it's more like you wonder if it ever existed in real life.... I have never seen one for sale or anywhere other than in the period Tek catalogues...

[mnementh]

mmmmmmm... Moldy-Rolla.

mnem
This space FOR RENT.

[0culus]

NICE!!! The 575 is one of my favorite instruments. Super versatile.

Yeah and there are info out there to turn it into a tube tester, might be useful to help me restore my 18 (and counting...) Classic Tek scopes....

The 575 is hard to find, but the 570 its tube tester counterpart , it's more like you wonder if it ever existed in real life.... I have never seen one for sale or anywhere other than in the period Tek catalogues...

And when one comes for sale, it will be for stupid money, guaranteed. More generally, you can test a variety of two and three terminal things with a curve tracer, not just semiconductors. I've used my 575 to rejuvenate Nixie tubes.

[Vince]

mmmmmmm... Moldy-Rolla.

mnem

Well, more better than the RCA TO3 one ! 
I wonder if that crustiness might have migrated inside these transistors, if they are not sealed well enough, and might have degraded their performance... is htere any history on this matter, or is it not an issue  at all ?

[tggzzz]

Started packing. lugged 6 DVD racks downstairs today (of the 2.02 m kind) and need to get to my taxes later tonite.

Started clearing house. Lugged ~250kg of vinyl LPs to auction house.

Hope you took it to one with a wax stacks specialist. That much tonnage, there have to be a few with actual collector value. Be a shame to see them sold off by the hundredweight... 

mnem
 

The auctioneer has a clue, plus I haven't sent the 2% with the highest asking prices according to https://www.discogs.com/sell/list?format=Vinyl

Most will be sold in lots of 20, which is appropriate. Those that don't sell will end up in charity shops  not many people want Vera Lynn or 1930s jazz anymore !

[AaronLee]

   https://www.amazon.ca/Flycow-Adjustable-Switching-Temperature-Protection/dp/B081JQV816

Now that is a brand which inspires confidence. 

mnem
 

Perhaps they're trying to compete with Flying Pigs.

[mnementh]

I like this one better.

mnem

[mnementh]

   

Well, it does have some airflow...   

mnem