Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[tggzzz]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 
eBay auction: #324848242577   

..... and I don't have a TDR!

That 1502 appears to be missing the battery box. If the battery is absent or faulty then it will not work on mains power alone. Some people have built "battery fakers", but I have found them unreliable.

Without a battery, the best technique is to have a 12V 2Apeak PSU, and connect that to the 4mm banana plugs in the recess that contains the battery box.

When recapping, watch the diameter; there is little headroom.

When working, they are delightful.

[Vince]

Metrix Wobuloscope back on the bench.

That's a nifty device. Have you posted about it before? If so, I missed it.

Yep I posted about it a month ago the day I unpacked it, as I usually do, here it is/was :

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3706627/?topicseen#msg3706627

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

[tggzzz]

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

The classic mistake here is so prevalent it has a name: "greengrocer's apostrophe". Traditionally greengrocer's (sic) put an incorrect apostrophe in a plural, e.g. onion's (incorrect) vs onions (correct)..

[med6753]

Cng is cow farts at 200 bar. LPG is liquified propane/butane . Vol o offered both version the energy density of cow farts is considerably higher than LPG

Ah OK thanks for the details, didn't know you could have different kind of gases in these cars. Here at the pumps we have LPG, so according to Google, a mix of butane and propane, mostly, as you said. So cow gas is more energetic then ? That's cool... I mean they all say how cow farts is tremendously more dangerous for the ozone layer than CO2 emissions... so let's make use of it to power cars rather letting it blow a hole in the ozone layer ! 

It's the usual media (over-)simplification with methane from cows - yes they always produce methane, yes methane is a more powerfull "greenhouse effect gas" than CO2 but a cow on a pasture feeding naturally has low emissions. A "high octane" milk cow that lives inside, gets fed much soy protein and other stuff to pump out 13000L milk a year - now that one has worrysome amounts of methane emission (and, TBH lives a shitty live IMHO). It does allow to fuel a biogas reactor from it's manure alone, that can be readily collected in such an environment - so it is exploited to the end, in a way...

Why imply CNG is a agricultural byproduct when it's not ! 
As CNG's last 2 letters implies it's a natural gas from the bowels of the earth and a byproduct of oil wells and in many cases targeted from natural gas fields then compressed to provide better density and therefore greater range when used for ICE fuel. In low pressure form it's domestic and industrial fuel used for all manner of generally heating requirements.

Here I register my offence in CNG being associated with agricultural emissions !   

OK I am lost now, was this CNG a joke of Saskia I didn't get, and it's just another name for the LPG/GPL stuff we have in France...

Sorry Saskia, I guess I was not 100% today.... 

CNG in Oz is stuff that comes out of the ground, is compressed, & used as fuel for industrial processes, home cooking, & electricity generators, as well as city buses.

Western Australia had the foresight to reserve a reasonable proportion of the CNG produced in the State for local use.
The other States "went ape" about the export earnings & sold most of theirs overseas, now being in the embarrassing position of having to "buy it bacK!"

Of course, CNG is a fossil fuel, & is not sustainable in the long term, but it is a lot more environmentally friendly than Coal, which quite a bit of East coast power generation relies upon.

The WA gas is from "deep wells" offshore, & doesn't use "fracking".

Surely CNG is sustainable, as long as there are people and animals about pooping and dumping rubbish in landfill sites and then covering them over with soil. Correct me if I'm wrong but CNG (cow farts etc) is just natural methane isn't it?

The "natural" in CNG usually means "nature put it into the ground for us". Most biogas and sewage treatment "digestion tower" produced methane is used on-site in big ICE to produce heat and electrical energy. Not sure about landfill methane - I guess it's even less in volume so I'd guess it's just burned? The gas treatment (filter, dry, ...) and pumps needed to put it into the CNG network are not cost effective for small producers like farms and sewage treatment facilitys - plus both consume enough electricity and heat to find making these from their "waste" attractive (as it keeps cost down).

Never thought this thread would degrade to farts and poops. Here's a guy who can fill up your tank with one mighty gas release. 

[Vince]

Med I didn't know you had your own YT channel ! 

You should quit smoking though, could be dangerous in case you ignite your ass...

[med6753]

Med I didn't know you had your own YT channel ! 

You should quit smoking though, could be dangerous in case you ignite your ass...

Then I'm speaking to you from the dead because "Angry Grandpa" died a few years ago (no surprise). 

[Vince]

Oh, it was a different Angry Grandpas then, and I thought we had THE one ! 

Ours will live long, thanks to a dozen Tek scopes all working, plenty of CRT stuff to monitor his heart condition 24/7 !

[Saskia]

Now for TEA.
Say no more, nudge nudge ...

Got myself a 6.5 digit bench DMM brand new in a damaged shipping box.
GW Instek GDM 9061
Price: can't tell. Not allowed. But stoopeedly cheep.

[Andrew_Debbie]

Ordered 2 NOS SN74188s from UK  and  16(!) K155PE3  from Ukraine.

K155PE3 is a soviet era clone of the SN74188.   


I plan to use the inexpensive 155PE3's to test my yet to be built  homemade burner.  Once I've got it working I'll program a '188.   


Google found me several designs for simple home made burners.   Mine will be based on that and parts I have on hand.

Stay tuned.

[Brumby]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 

eBay auction: #324848393872       

..... and I don't have a TDR!

I've got one of those in the queue down stairs; it came with a lot of gear I bought years ago.  Go for it!  Might prompt me to dig mine out and look into it as well.  Surprisingly, it's mostly air inside that big honkin' plug-in.

-Pat

Cheap playthings near Sydney 
eBay auction: #324848242577   

..... and I don't have a TDR!

That 1502 appears to be missing the battery box. If the battery is absent or faulty then it will not work on mains power alone. Some people have built "battery fakers", but I have found them unreliable.

Without a battery, the best technique is to have a 12V 2Apeak PSU, and connect that to the 4mm banana plugs in the recess that contains the battery box.

When recapping, watch the diameter; there is little headroom.

When working, they are delightful.

    Enablers.



...or was I secretly hoping for this sort of response ........?

[nfmax]

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

The classic mistake here is so prevalent it has a name: "greengrocer's apostrophe". Traditionally greengrocer's (sic) put an incorrect apostrophe in a plural, e.g. onion's (incorrect) vs onions (correct)..

English spelling can be daunting. It can be understood though, through thorough thought
 

[mnementh]

Time to go somewhat recursive and somewhat to the topic of TEA.

I have decided that I need a toque torque screwdriver. (EDIT: was toque a Freudian slip with winter coming?)
The main use would be for electrical work as part of house renovations and for working on TEA.
The tool may also be used in the repair of personal transportation vehicle by whatever terminology we decide to use here (yep, still an agitatingly good day).
Back in July, right around this message (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg3615444/?topicseen#msg3615444)
the clear choice was to get something from Wiha.

I took a look at Wiha, found a kit that I liked, then looked at the price in the GWN 
That is more than a mortgage payment on the house!
Also, I am not sure what Wiha mean by Slimline and whether these tools might be used with bits that have 1/4" hex shanks?

Any suggestions for something that has a better price per use ratio?
(price per use, especially price per km for sports equipment, is generally accepted by SWMBO, but I suspect there is an algorithm to convert to peace & quiet time while the boys are out of the house)
Something that accepts 1/4" hex shanks would be great, since all sorts of bits in NA are made with these shanks.
My lowest torque wrench starts at scales of 25 in-lbs or 3.61 Nm.  I would like something for a lower range, with some overlap.

I looked at Greenlee (aka Brymen) and those are almost as expensive as Wiha.
Snap-On would need two tools to cover a similar range, so would end up close to the same expense as Wiha.
Are Wera tools any good; I am not familiar with them?
Crappy Tire had nothing .... that is, well ... crappy.
DigiKey also has Gedore, Weidmüller and PhoenixConact; none of which I am familiar with.

-- If it's not TEA, at least it can be found to fix TEA

Wera is as good as Wiha.

Ditto on Wera quality; I've used them in production work, they're industrial-grade.

Otherwise, I like my old Makita 6019D for most of my general assembly/disassembly work; this is why:

...Yeah, I've been a Makita guy ever since the late 90s when DeWalt screwed a whole generation of customers with their infamous self-detonating gearboxes, then shipped their warranty claim handling to phone banks in India to make it physically painful to complete the process.  I threw away 4 of them. Now I have a whole collection of the Lowes Kobalt Brushless 24VMAX (6-cell) product line... they're proving very durable, and when bought on Christmas/Father's Day/Memorial Day/Labor Day sales, quite affordable. Brushless and Li-Ion are, IMHO, minimum requirements nowadays. My wife is a tool-dwagon enabler. 

I still use a 6019D I've had for over 20 years as my daily drill-driver; it has a 9-step clutch that on its lowest setting will drive m3 self-tapping screws into plastic without stripping out. I've tried dozens of others trying to find something newer that functions similarly; every one has failed to deliver and been discarded. I've replaced the motor and recently the gearbox as it got noisy and I randomly found a stash of NOS ones on fleaBay last year. I expect it to outlive me since I also modded it with a 2S2P 18650 pack that has twice the capacity and weighs half as much as the original pack.

...That is precisely what the 6019D is for, and why I keep coming back to it. I've been taking small machinery of every kind imaginable apart for a living for decades. Zipping out a zillion screws and putting them back in is my bread and butter. That thing is a toy. I've bought dozens just like it, all promising the same thing. Every one has failed to hold a candle to, much less beat my poor beat-up old Makita. It is the right tool for the job.

You need to be able to set torque down in the teens and single digits for plastic. You need 500-700 RPM top speed for zipping out a zillion screws and zipping them back in. You need fine-resolution variable speed control and a reliable, single-finger-convenient reversing mechanism, and you need to be able to "feel" the edge of the first thread so you can start the screw without cross-threading it, so you need a solid pistol-grip while at the same time being light enough to have "a light touch" yourself. And sometimes, you need the control that only chucking up a bit tight can give you.

   I have all the drills and impact drivers, and a slew of old ones as backups. This is just the latest crop. Of CORDLESS ones. But the 6019D still endures...

Now if you're rebuilding vintage tape decks or VCRs... you're going to need finer control than the old 6019D can deliver. Bot for most electronic assembly/disassembly work, it has a setting that's just right.


mnem
Nope; a Canuckian slip.    Waitaminnit... wouldn't that be some form of insulated underwear...?

[nfmax]

Agreed. I got myself a Wera 2.5 to 11.5 lbs-in torque driver, because it was cheaper than the metric equivalent and I have lots of calculators (mostly without an = key)

[mnementh]

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.   ...   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.

Looks like you're off to a right and proper start, Trymon. Welcome to the TEA House.

As for helping, we're all great at helping your addiction. Some are even experts at helping. But we don't have nor administer cures. Just so we're clear.

Tut-tut... I have just what you need.   

Here's a scrip for experimental electronics in the "I saw that on The Flash" category; take two exotic power sources and call me in the morning.   

mnem
"Very helpful." Chibila thought to himself. "Very helpful indeed."

[mnementh]

For those that prefer electronics to boxes on wheels, here's the latest acquisition - no thanks to ParcelFarce.   I know the Sinclair/Thurlby SC110A is my Nth 'scope, but it won't take up much room - see the multimeter for comparison

It needs tuning, and the battery compartment is missing, but it will do.      The screen is 3cm*2.5cm.

Oooh... I missed that yesterday. What a cutie; tho not sure my old eyes can focus on a screen that small anymore.

Of course, 3DP is the answer for the battery door/compartment. Ideally remixed to accomodate a 18650 pack. 

mnem
*juicy*

[mnementh]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 

eBay auction: #324848393872           eBay auction: #324848242577   

..... and I don't have a TDR!

Nearly an hour each way by untolled roads or about half that time with an extra $27 in tolls.  I'm sorta tempted, but not sure if I'm that motivated.

Not to mention the reception upon return to the household.   

Oh, come now... just think of the countless hours you can waste while away quietly and constructively figuring out how to take the X-Y outputs and turn them into datapoints in some logging software. 

mnem
      *bows before imaginary applause*

         
"Thank you, thank you... that's great. I'll be here all week..."

[tggzzz]

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

The classic mistake here is so prevalent it has a name: "greengrocer's apostrophe". Traditionally greengrocer's (sic) put an incorrect apostrophe in a plural, e.g. onion's (incorrect) vs onions (correct)..

English spelling can be daunting. It can be understood though, through thorough thought
 

As we discussed earlier https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2901298/#msg2901298

[mnementh]

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

The classic mistake here is so prevalent it has a name: "greengrocer's apostrophe". Traditionally greengrocer's (sic) put an incorrect apostrophe in a plural, e.g. onion's (incorrect) vs onions (correct)..

*cringes so loudly you can hear it on the other side of your screen*

mnem
that is all.

[med6753]

Well since a number of you are always singing the praises and swooning over an 8060A I figured I'd join the club and see what all the fuss is about. Should be here early next week. It looks a little dirty but should clean up. Seller claims 100% functional.

[mansaxel]

Well since a number of you are always singing the praises and swooning over an 8060A

Nice! Congratulations. A recap is in order. Mrmodemhead has written the crucial blog post that should be your guidance in this.

[Specmaster]

Never thought this thread would degrade to farts and poops. Here's a guy who can fill up your tank with one mighty gas release. 

Well seeing as you managed to drag us down there, how about this then, plenty of CNG here 

[med6753]

Nice! Congratulations. A recap is in order. Mrmodemhead has written the crucial blog post that should be your guidance in this.

Looked over his page. Thanks.   LCD on this one from the pix appears to be OK. I was planning on doing a re-cap anyway.

[Cubdriver]

Cheap playthings near Sydney 

eBay auction: #324848393872       

..... and I don't have a TDR!

I've got one of those in the queue down stairs; it came with a lot of gear I bought years ago.  Go for it!  Might prompt me to dig mine out and look into it as well.  Surprisingly, it's mostly air inside that big honkin' plug-in.

-Pat

Cheap playthings near Sydney 
eBay auction: #324848242577   

..... and I don't have a TDR!

That 1502 appears to be missing the battery box. If the battery is absent or faulty then it will not work on mains power alone. Some people have built "battery fakers", but I have found them unreliable.

Without a battery, the best technique is to have a 12V 2Apeak PSU, and connect that to the 4mm banana plugs in the recess that contains the battery box.

When recapping, watch the diameter; there is little headroom.

When working, they are delightful.

    Enablers.



...or was I secretly hoping for this sort of response ........?

You're welcome.   

-Pat

[Cubdriver]

Now the center of my attention, it's its turn.

And you got the correct forms of "it's" and "its". You're doing far better than many native speakers.

Thanks !    I try to do well where I can... hoping people would then forgive all the mistakes I do without even realizing it .... it's about balance ! 

The natives also mix  to/too, your / you're ... I guess every language tends to mix things that sound the same.

Same problem here in France, only much worse / severe, it's a complete shit show over here.

The classic mistake here is so prevalent it has a name: "greengrocer's apostrophe". Traditionally greengrocer's (sic) put an incorrect apostrophe in a plural, e.g. onion's (incorrect) vs onions (correct)..

There's a guy on another forum I'm on who gets apostrophes wrong more often than he gets them right.  He usually puts them where they shouldn't be, and doesn't use them where he should.  He'd probably be correct more often if he simply didn't use any at all because his default method to pluralize a word is to add an apostrophe s to it.  If anyone points it out, he proudly waves his flag of ignorance and calls them a Grammar Nazi, then says this is how I am and I'm not going to change.  In my head I call him an idiot, and am much more inclined to dismiss anything he says.  It's embarrassing how often folks who speak English as a second language are better at this than native speakers.

This poster should be on every classroom wall:
https://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

-Pat

[tonyalbus]

The Agilent arrived.. the display is clear, Yeah!
Siglent takes 40 minutes to settle and goes almost a full last digit down..
while the Agilent is ready in 2 minutes and after 40 mins only goes 2 counts up on the last digit..
but the Siglent is spot on.
Cool! happy with both 🙂