Good morning, day, evening my fellow test gear addicted.
I think I'm not that addicted than a lot of you but feel the urge to purchase more test gear. So there is already a addiction and the times between each shot become shorter.
It all began with this nice device.
Ok have to admit this can't really be seen as serious test gear. Especially if you consider the price compared with features and precision. So never mind, just keep it somewhere hidden in the basement. Still a lot of shops in Germany offer you this device together with a ISO17025 calibration. A certificate that will you cost more than the device itself.
Let's purchase something more precise and more serious. Guess I have to "blame" Dave vor this purchase ans he was there very influential.
Very trusty Brymen 869s. Was with me while building a phone preamp and learning/understanding electronics. But for such projects a DMM needs a team mate. Especially if you plan to recap a Amp and would like to know how good or bad the old caps are.
So we have here:
A nice DER EE DE-5000. For the price point a surprising good LCR meter.
But this is all child's play. I had the urge to have more digits, more precision. More everything.
So I had to welcome this Siglent SDM 3065X at home.
There I went full insane. Not just purchasing the top of the line Siglent DMM but also investing into a ISO17025 calibration right after purchase. Not trusting the Siglent cal certificate I had to have a tracible calibration. Well the Lab showed me, everything perfectly fine and well in spec. But this device felt very lonely and needed a friend. Maybe a friend with some experience it can compete against.
So this fella joined it just recently and the best thing about this purchase. Customs didn't show interest in it and so I didn't have to pay anything additional. Expected this as I purchased in in Japan. Unfortunately eBay Germany isn't a good source for this kind of equipment. The prices are way higher than in US or Japan. Even with shipping and customs they are often cheaper than a device purchased from somebody in Germany.
Build in 1998 it has already 23 years of experience and after a brief cleanup it also looked nice. Luckily the looks didn't compromise the readings. But unfortunately Siglent and HP just can't agree on each other. There always has to be a one or two count difference between this two devices. But somehow I trust more the experienced HP than the young Siglent. Just because the Siglent is a little bit more jumpy in the least significant digit while the HP decides on one reading and then sticks to it.
But I think, just to complete my insanity, I will send the 34401A also to the calibration lab so it will get some nice paperwork. Would be a shame to have a calibrated Siglent DMM but then saving money and not grant also the HP this honor.
Yes I'm perfectly aware of the fact, that I don't need tracible lab equipment. I don't earn my money with this and no business would be in trouble if my readings are slightly off. But still I like such details.
Well there is another device and without such a device a growing lab wouldn't be a lab.
Guess would be a tough task to find a Lab without such a Rigol 1054Z in it.
And last, even if it was one of the first devices I purchased, a small lab power supply.
Nothing special but it delivers enough power for my current usecases. But there is the urge to have something nicer. Maybe even with sense lines.
There is a lot missing to really call it a lab but with the addiction growing I'm quite sure there will be more money spent in near future and more devices delivered. But before this happens for gear, I need to build a a nice lab in the basement. Currently there is no dedicated space but I need some.
Could somebody help me with this addiction? With all the ideas floating around in my head I see me falling into a rabbit hole that costs more and more money.