Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[vk6zgo]

Fuck me ! 

Look at what just popped up here !  A Tek type 547 for only 20 Euros !!! 


OF COURSE it's local pick-up only and in Paris 500kms from me, as always !! 

https://www.leboncoin.fr/equipements_industriels/2168134078.htm

OK looks a bit rough on the outside but might be nice inside you just don't know. And at that price I couldn't care less, it's well worth the 20 Euros just as a parts mule !

Busy today but had to respond to this. I would not touch that with a 10 foot pole. It's very obvious it's been left out in the weather and I guarantee the internals are gonna be worthless shit.

It's not even worth scrap value. Stay away. (Maybe the vacuum tubes if it hasn't been raped)

Back to regular programming.

Thanks Med, you just confirmed what I said before, maybe Vince won't be so confused this time around, as you spelled it out for him 

Well thanks but it looks like it's YOU not understanding the situation here !

There is no need to dissuade me from buying it, because again as I said... I am NOT going to buy it simply because it's local pick-up only and 500kms away from me !
Given it's condition I obviously can not justify any travel expense to go pick it up, that goes without saying.

However were it down the street hence zero cost to go get it, yes sorry chaps but for 20 Euros I would take 5 minutes of my time to go down the street open it up to see what it's like inside. Yes, with gloves and breathing apparatus and also a flame thrower in case some nasty snake jumps at me when I crack the cabinet open. You never know these days...

I don't know what you get in New York or the UK for 20 bucks but here, you get not more than the middle finger.

A complete 547 for 20 Euros regardless of condition, if it's in my village sorry boys I would at least have a look at it see what's it's like inside, and then offer 10 Euros.

The binding posts alone on the front panel are worth at least that, then add all the knobs, plastic so can't rust can it. Then the face plate in good nick, CRT bezel and its thumb screws (Papa Smurf could do with these eh !  ), etc etc...
So regardless of what's it's like inside, it's still worth 20 Euros to me IF it was very local to me. Hell even if it were 50kms I might still go get it, provided I can see good pictures of the insides of course, and ask a few questions.

You are too choosy chaps. These things don't grow on trees here. I already have one 547 worth restoring, another one for parts. A third one for 20 Euros no matter what can be saved from it, sorry but I am all for it !

But again, discussion is pointless since I am of course not going to drive 500kms (1000kms total then, 150 Euros in fuel and tolls at least) to get a 20 Euros garden ornament.

Looks too far gone, some of the knobs have disintegrated, probably from corrosion of the metal insert, getting the remaining intact ones off would be difficult due to steel to aluminium corrosion, I bet most of the vacuum bulbs have gone white too, i.e. no vacuum left, garden ornament is probably all it's any use for.

David

7 & 9 pin "miniature" tubes don't much care about conditions---the working bits are sealed inside, after all, & the pins are quite rigid.
Octals may suffer, because the connecting leads inside the plastic bases are a bit more flimsy.

Lost vacuum is usually the result of "one off" sealing problems in service, or rough handling of loose tubes.
Even though I have no real space for a 500 series CRO, I would grab it if it were nearby at that price.

[kleiner Rainer]

For reference:

https://www.we-online.com/catalog/en/WE-CBF

The App-notes about ferrite beads are recommended reading.

Greetings,

Rainer

[tautech]

bd on Discord asked for EMEX pics, well here's just one part way through setting up our stand with hendorog's help.
Finished, it will look very different and we'll do a further show and tell when it's all finished and functional.

Like our pissed off center sign ? ....well that's another story and I'll fill you all in later but hey, it does catch the eye. 

[TERRA Operative]

Well, if anyone makes it here to Japan, hit me up and I'll show you some good eating and drinking spots.

My good friend has a number of AirBnB rooms (that I built!) featured in a bunch of AirBnB's 'best of Tokyo' lists (of course! If it's in Tateishi, it's probably mine)  so cheap-ish accomodation in Tokyo can be arranged for the regulars here, my treat, but I will be introducing you to the local nightlife!   So be warned! haha.

[vk6zgo]

That sounds like the cue for a "Yo mama so ugly that ..." joke.

I shall resist. This time.

Let me help you out: Denmark never dissapiont.

"Yo mama's an Astronaut!"

[mansaxel]

I learned that sticky labels and sharpies are a better investment 

"Mixing desk tape", i.e. Permacel P-724 or similar, a pair of scissors, and Sharpies, is a far better idea than labels. But labels are "tidier".

[Saskia]

Ugh so my middle one wants a gaming PC. She has a T495 Ryzen 5 3500U pro laptop which isn't cutting the mustard now. Plus the constant fan noise is pissing me off 

Anyone care to comment on the following idea:

- Ryzen 5600G
- 16Gb corsair LPX 3200 RAM (2x 8Gb)
- 500Gb Samsung 870 Evo Plus
- Be quiet 600W supply
- Lian Li Liancool 205M
- have monitor, keyboard, mouse, MSI B550 board, be quiet cooler floating around already which can go in it. Oh and a ripped off win 10 pro license 

Will upgrade the GPU next year...

have several here. Contact me if you want. Also have GPUs to go along with those. From 1660ti to 3090 ...

would go for a 5600, not the G type, and an external GPU. Or the 3600x. The performance boost you are getting from 5600 imho does not make an upgrade mandatory.
As for RAM, all AMDs just love high speed memory. Would go for 3600, if not faster, CL as low as you can reasonably afford.
Have made good experience with Trident Z 3600 Cl16, but that was some time ago.
SSD: try to find a Samsung PM981. Least troublesome and fastest SSD I had found a while back. The thing to go for if you do not want PCIE4 with your SSD.
600W will be sufficient for 2070/2070 Super and below, 3060 and most likely 3060ti. The 3070ti I have here wants a 750W PSU ...
CPU TDP is about 120W - 140W depending on overclocking or not. (count in a reasonable margin, and I am factoring in the non-G version). I'd summarily add about 100W for the rest (mainboard, DVD if needed, RAM (if overclocked), fans, SSD, HDDs).
Which would give you about 250 W headroom for a GPU if you want to run the PSU in the most favorable load conditions.
250W would give you a 2060/2070/3050/3060/3060ti and a wee bit of headroom. Note: the 30 series GPUs have peak loads that make you shiver unless you undervolt them. A 3080 can easily go up to 500W spikes which would immediately shut down your PSU as the 12V rail could not handle it.

If you are planning to upgrade the GPU anyway and stick with AMD (which is perfectly fine), get a starter GPU which you can flip. Some older model like a 970 or 1060. And throw it out at a later point in time.

just my 2c

[Saskia]

Well, if anyone makes it here to Japan, hit me up and I'll show you some good eating and drinking spots.

My good friend has a number of AirBnB rooms (that I built!) featured in a bunch of AirBnB's 'best of Tokyo' lists (of course! If it's in Tateishi, it's probably mine)  so cheap-ish accomodation in Tokyo can be arranged for the regulars here, my treat, but I will be introducing you to the local nightlife!   So be warned! haha.

I just might take you up on this
In which case I would ask you to bolo for a Sony TA-N 86 and a TA-E 88 ...

[bd139]

If they are crapacitors, why are they marked "BDxx" when others in the meter are marked "Cxx"? And why are they all measuring 0Ω?

SMD 0 Ohm resistors used as wire bridges?

That's my belief, but I've never seen zero-ohms-links like these before. They are normally ceramic chips with carbon/metal film, these are like chunks of carbon in the shape of smd caps, hence the confusion.

I don't understand what you're talking about, unless for some reason I have the wrong photo to work from. I can see the 2 glass tube thingies next to the PTC's which I think you will discover are purely surge arrestors, like spark gaps but encapsulated in glass and the only thing I can see (under 300% magnification) where you describe as being below the spring contact is a SMD crapacitor marked C7, see attached photo edited.

In the interests of maintaining Specmaster's sanity, I broke out the usb microscope and took some better pictures of the offending articles.

The one marked BD7 is slightly over-inked, and that and the ink from the package outline have bled together somewhat. I took a pic of BD8 as well, which you can see could easily be read as "BOB" if the lighting and magnification weren't optimal.

BD = ferrite beads. Check if they are short or not. Should be

Edit: just seen this was established further up the thread 

[mansaxel]

damn you. damn you to... New Jersey. 

https://speakerrepairshop.nl/en/foam-surrounds/infinity/g-10000017

They are a nice supplier , and the surrounds I got were good quality and did exactly what they should.  Happy customer.

[Robert763]

I was watching another bench meter (yeah like I need another  ), a TTi 1906 on the bay of evil, and right upto the last few seconds it was going just £30 + £11 P&P which I thought for that meter is pretty good, so I whacked my max bid on it in the closing stages but was staggered to see it jump to £66 + P&P,  I thought someone was really desperate to get one of that level of quality to pay that much, considering the overall condition of it 

Was it anyone on here that won it? They are really nice meters to have on the bench apart from its accuracy, they one of the very few affordable bench meters that have a continuity setting built in. I like mine, and the other bench meter that I know has that feature is the Blackstar 4503.

I was watching but didn't bid

[Specmaster]

I tried, but even tho it supposedly ships from the US, they wouldn't let me have one. bastards. 



Hmmm.... Less than stellar feedback. Maybe you should try that phone number, see if you do in fact talk to a real human being in less than 10 seconds... 

mnem
*shopping speaker surround kits*

I also had a look at that, seems to good to be true, one person stated that he did not get a new unit but a refurbed one and even that had channel 1 dead on arrival. I was on the verge of ordering of ordering to see what it was like, would I be able to order one from them and have it sent to the UK? Then I woke up and thought about the shipping costs to the UK and the import duty might well wipe out the price advantage, plus of course I already have a perfectly good 2 channel combiscope that is good upto 200Mhz and thought nah.

[Specmaster]

If they are crapacitors, why are they marked "BDxx" when others in the meter are marked "Cxx"? And why are they all measuring 0Ω?

SMD 0 Ohm resistors used as wire bridges?

That's my belief, but I've never seen zero-ohms-links like these before. They are normally ceramic chips with carbon/metal film, these are like chunks of carbon in the shape of smd caps, hence the confusion.

I don't understand what you're talking about, unless for some reason I have the wrong photo to work from. I can see the 2 glass tube thingies next to the PTC's which I think you will discover are purely surge arrestors, like spark gaps but encapsulated in glass and the only thing I can see (under 300% magnification) where you describe as being below the spring contact is a SMD crapacitor marked C7, see attached photo edited.

In the interests of maintaining Specmaster's sanity, I broke out the usb microscope and took some better pictures of the offending articles.

The one marked BD7 is slightly over-inked, and that and the ink from the package outline have bled together somewhat. I took a pic of BD8 as well, which you can see could easily be read as "BOB" if the lighting and magnification weren't optimal.

Arh, yes, this is a far better photo to work from, yes in this case I agree it is either a SMD link or a link with a ferrite bead around it, but in the original photo, it looked like C07 but difficult to be sure due to the low resolution and the poor inking. 

[Specmaster]

Well thanks but it looks like it's YOU not understanding the situation here !

There is no need to dissuade me from buying it, because again as I said... I am NOT going to buy it simply because it's local pick-up only and 500kms away from me !
Given it's condition I obviously can not justify any travel expense to go pick it up, that goes without saying.

However were it down the street hence zero cost to go get it, yes sorry chaps but for 20 Euros I would take 5 minutes of my time to go down the street open it up to see what it's like inside. Yes, with gloves and breathing apparatus and also a flame thrower in case some nasty snake jumps at me when I crack the cabinet open. You never know these days...

I don't know what you get in New York or the UK for 20 bucks but here, you get not more than the middle finger.

A complete 547 for 20 Euros regardless of condition, if it's in my village sorry boys I would at least have a look at it see what's it's like inside, and then offer 10 Euros.

The binding posts alone on the front panel are worth at least that, then add all the knobs, plastic so can't rust can it. Then the face plate in good nick, CRT bezel and its thumb screws (Papa Smurf could do with these eh !  ), etc etc...
So regardless of what's it's like inside, it's still worth 20 Euros to me IF it was very local to me. Hell even if it were 50kms I might still go get it, provided I can see good pictures of the insides of course, and ask a few questions.

You are too choosy chaps. These things don't grow on trees here. I already have one 547 worth restoring, another one for parts. A third one for 20 Euros no matter what can be saved from it, sorry but I am all for it !

But again, discussion is pointless since I am of course not going to drive 500kms (1000kms total then, 150 Euros in fuel and tolls at least) to get a 20 Euros garden ornament.

Even the plastic parts, if it has been living in the garden for a while, which you have to admit, looks very likely, would be very suspect to me because of the impact of the environment on not only the plastic itself, but on the grub screws holding the knobs onto the shafts, hell many of us have lost battles with grub screws on equipment that has always been inside and protected.

As to being too choosy, nah I doubt that, I really can't see that France would be all that much different to the UK or the USA come to that, you have the population that makes France a worthy sales region for manufacturers to sell in large volumes, unlike Australia for instance where it is well known that oscilloscopes are not as common. 

[Vince]

Vince it is now my turn on the fridge.

wife screaming: the freezer stuff is melted....

Freezer coil completely frozen, coil heater element 30 Ohm so good.
Whirlpool W10165425 Defrost Bimetal switch 58KOhm at 27 Degrees, fishy. I am now let the freezer running and see....

oh see, it could be good:

Some defrost terminators have an internal resistor, usually about 55k, that is used by ADC (adaptive defrost control, i.e. electronic circuit board) to determine how often and how long (duration) the defrost cycle has functioned, basically building a short defrost "history" to minimize energy usage. That helps explain why some terminators are specific, not necessarily just Open or Closed, but Open= 55k ohms.  My notes for W10165425 say "Opens @ 42 degrees, Closes @ 12 degrees; with 56k PTC (ohms incr with temp increase); has fixed 5/16" tube clip, 6" leads, no terminals; included in harness W10290745; not illus for heater 12729128"

Best case the door was left open... and no I do not have an open door alarm.

Oh I am late to the party, was sleeping..... so what was it then ? I guess your freezer has had enough time to defrost by now, does it work OK now ?! 

[Vince]

Well thanks but it looks like it's YOU not understanding the situation here !

There is no need to dissuade me from buying it, because again as I said... I am NOT going to buy it simply because it's local pick-up only and 500kms away from me !
Given it's condition I obviously can not justify any travel expense to go pick it up, that goes without saying.

However were it down the street hence zero cost to go get it, yes sorry chaps but for 20 Euros I would take 5 minutes of my time to go down the street open it up to see what it's like inside. Yes, with gloves and breathing apparatus and also a flame thrower in case some nasty snake jumps at me when I crack the cabinet open. You never know these days...

I don't know what you get in New York or the UK for 20 bucks but here, you get not more than the middle finger.

A complete 547 for 20 Euros regardless of condition, if it's in my village sorry boys I would at least have a look at it see what's it's like inside, and then offer 10 Euros.

The binding posts alone on the front panel are worth at least that, then add all the knobs, plastic so can't rust can it. Then the face plate in good nick, CRT bezel and its thumb screws (Papa Smurf could do with these eh !  ), etc etc...
So regardless of what's it's like inside, it's still worth 20 Euros to me IF it was very local to me. Hell even if it were 50kms I might still go get it, provided I can see good pictures of the insides of course, and ask a few questions.

You are too choosy chaps. These things don't grow on trees here. I already have one 547 worth restoring, another one for parts. A third one for 20 Euros no matter what can be saved from it, sorry but I am all for it !

But again, discussion is pointless since I am of course not going to drive 500kms (1000kms total then, 150 Euros in fuel and tolls at least) to get a 20 Euros garden ornament.

Even the plastic parts, if it has been living in the garden for a while, which you have to admit, looks very likely, would be very suspect to me because of the impact of the environment on not only the plastic itself, but on the grub screws holding the knobs onto the shafts, hell many of us have lost battles with grub screws on equipment that has always been inside and protected.

As to being too choosy, nah I doubt that, I really can't see that France would be all that much different to the UK or the USA come to that, you have the population that makes France a worthy sales region for manufacturers to sell in large volumes, unlike Australia for instance where it is well known that oscilloscopes are not as common.

Nope Spec. I got my 547 3 years ago and traveled 450kms away to get it. I am still waiting to find another one within that distance.
The other one I got was sheer luck : a guy selling it on ebay, and hte ad said it could be shipped, and for only 12 Euros. I called Bull shit but thought I had not much to lose, so I innocently clicked " Buy ".. and a few days later I did get my 547. I just could not believe it. Turns out the guy was a professional so had access to super cheap shipping prices and the right to send above standard weight (and size) packages, and had the equipment to painlessly package the beast.
But that was a miracle. Well, actually I got super lucky, because I never watch Ebay. A friend does though, and he told me about this ad, thank you my friend !
Same friend who told m about the Ferisol 8 digit rack mount Nixie counter that's now mine. He found it on some obscure French HAM website.
Hell same friend also found me the first of my two Rochar Nixie DVM as well ! I think I am lucky to have him in my life !

As for condition, again, again... again.... again.. there is no point speculating about its condition, as I would only buy it if I lived close enough to just go have a quick look at it. Once I have it in the flesh and can see it with my own eyes and open it up and play with it... I am capable enough to see if I like what I see and if I deem it worth the 20 Euros, or not... it's not like it was my first glowing Tek, no it's my 25th, literally 
Now as to the definition of "worth it ", of course you may not have the same as mine in this particular case. Like,n this nice Bench TTi meter that was deemed too expensibve at 66 quid.. when here that thing would be advertised at 150 minimum no offers. I think stuff is too readily available and too cheap in the UK... I need to move back up there. 

If you can find cheap good condition 547's regularly and close to you... well lucky you ! Not here.

[Saskia]

Hmm. was told the UT61 DMM had display  issues when switching ranges - they would first move the decimal point, and then adjust the rest. I just crosschecked with the UT161E that I picked up for relatively low bucks and that one does not exhibit the issue.

Just thought that this might be of interest to someone here ...

[Vince]

I learned that sticky labels and sharpies are a better investment 

"Mixing desk tape", i.e. Permacel P-724 or similar, a pair of scissors, and Sharpies, is a far better idea than labels. But labels are "tidier".

Yes labels are tidier, and I just don't see any other way to achieve the same level of tidiness, it that's a word. Firefox seems to believe it is, good.

I am thinking of maybe a middle ground here.... hand written labels, but NOT stzicky : the top part of the drawer frotns have little slots on each side, so you can slide a paper label into them.
I think AVG or Factory hinted at that a few month ago when I was asking about labeling of my new shiny drawer cabinet. IIRC I dismissed it. Might change my mind...
Using non sticky labels would make it so much more convenient / easier to modify / replace them whenever needed. It's also easier to fit : sticky labels it's hard to line them up perfectly, whereas non stick, you just drop them into the slots and call it a day, self aligning technology ! 
Also, I could go the extra mile and print those labels on my printer, so it looks nice.

Only thing is, for these non-stick labels to work well, I can't just use regular 80/90grams paper, it's too thin/flexible, it doesn't stay in place in the slots, I tried. So I would need to find/buy some very thick paper, at least 200 or 250g or something, I don't know the standard grammages (now Firefox doesn't like that one !  ). Not sure my local office supplies would have thick paper like that, will check. If not I guess I could find some in a craft shop where they sell stuff for elementary schools and art classes... just need to find where such a shop might be located near me.

[Peter_O]

in our company they are worshipping the holy agile. they wanted to send me an agile coach for a waterfall project with a 120 item work breakdown structure .

Put 10 engineers into a room and give them a clear objective.
They will implicitely and instantly organize based on engineer's common sense without even talking about it.*

Bring in business people searching for a role,  ...   

* If this does not happen to go smoothly, you do not have the right mix of engineering professions, experience and seniority. No SCRUM master will replace that ever.

[Vince]

bd on Discord asked for EMEX pics, well here's just one part way through setting up our stand with hendorog's help.
Finished, it will look very different and we'll do a further show and tell when it's all finished and functional.

Like our pissed off center sign ? ....well that's another story and I'll fill you all in later but hey, it does catch the eye. 

Off-center not a problem... since it is perfectly aligned to the right corner. So it still looks tidy. Would look crap I agree, if it were neither center nor left/right aligned... but as long as it is aligned to something, it makes OCD happy I think ?!

All that black is a bit depressing... they didn't allow participants to come with their own "walls" ?! 

" Taupaki Technonologies " !  Now your avatar makes perfect sense ! 

" Taupaki " also sounds exactly the same as the French " Taupe à qui ? ", interrogative sentence that means " Whose mole is that ?! " 
Do you have moles in Australian Gardens ? I have one here in my back garden... well I used to... since I dug the ground and made the foundations for my 60m2 garage, I have not seen it...
" Taupe " here is also a popular word for a Spy....

I am surprised by one thing.... the Siglent logo is tiny and hard to read, low contrast, barely noticeable ! Be it on your own banner or the promotional posters from Siglent's on the walls.

Now in your case that's OK.. means you care about your business more than Siglent, which is logical, so would turn to another brand if a better one came up, you don't feel tied to Siglent that much.
However, in the case of Siglent OWN promotional  posters, that's more weird... it makes it look like they want to flog you scopes but are ashamed of themselves somehow and don't want you to know they are the ones making these scopes... strange.

Well regardless, wishing you the expo will bring you more customers ! 

[Specmaster]

Well thanks but it looks like it's YOU not understanding the situation here !

There is no need to dissuade me from buying it, because again as I said... I am NOT going to buy it simply because it's local pick-up only and 500kms away from me !
Given it's condition I obviously can not justify any travel expense to go pick it up, that goes without saying.

However were it down the street hence zero cost to go get it, yes sorry chaps but for 20 Euros I would take 5 minutes of my time to go down the street open it up to see what it's like inside. Yes, with gloves and breathing apparatus and also a flame thrower in case some nasty snake jumps at me when I crack the cabinet open. You never know these days...

I don't know what you get in New York or the UK for 20 bucks but here, you get not more than the middle finger.

A complete 547 for 20 Euros regardless of condition, if it's in my village sorry boys I would at least have a look at it see what's it's like inside, and then offer 10 Euros.

The binding posts alone on the front panel are worth at least that, then add all the knobs, plastic so can't rust can it. Then the face plate in good nick, CRT bezel and its thumb screws (Papa Smurf could do with these eh !  ), etc etc...
So regardless of what's it's like inside, it's still worth 20 Euros to me IF it was very local to me. Hell even if it were 50kms I might still go get it, provided I can see good pictures of the insides of course, and ask a few questions.

You are too choosy chaps. These things don't grow on trees here. I already have one 547 worth restoring, another one for parts. A third one for 20 Euros no matter what can be saved from it, sorry but I am all for it !

But again, discussion is pointless since I am of course not going to drive 500kms (1000kms total then, 150 Euros in fuel and tolls at least) to get a 20 Euros garden ornament.

Even the plastic parts, if it has been living in the garden for a while, which you have to admit, looks very likely, would be very suspect to me because of the impact of the environment on not only the plastic itself, but on the grub screws holding the knobs onto the shafts, hell many of us have lost battles with grub screws on equipment that has always been inside and protected.

As to being too choosy, nah I doubt that, I really can't see that France would be all that much different to the UK or the USA come to that, you have the population that makes France a worthy sales region for manufacturers to sell in large volumes, unlike Australia for instance where it is well known that oscilloscopes are not as common.

Nope Spec. I got my 547 3 years ago and traveled 450kms away to get it. I am still waiting to find another one within that distance.
The other one I got was sheer luck : a guy selling it on ebay, and hte ad said it could be shipped, and for only 12 Euros. I called Bull shit but thought I had not much to lose, so I innocently clicked " Buy ".. and a few days later I did get my 547. I just could not believe it. Turns out the guy was a professional so had access to super cheap shipping prices and the right to send above standard weight (and size) packages, and had the equipment to painlessly package the beast.
But that was a miracle. Well, actually I got super lucky, because I never watch Ebay. A friend does though, and he told me about this ad, thank you my friend !
Same friend who told m about the Ferisol 8 digit rack mount Nixie counter that's now mine. He found it on some obscure French HAM website.
Hell same friend also found me the first of my two Rochar Nixie DVM as well ! I think I am lucky to have him in my life !

As for condition, again, again... again.... again.. there is no point speculating about its condition, as I would only buy it if I lived close enough to just go have a quick look at it. Once I have it in the flesh and can see it with my own eyes and open it up and play with it... I am capable enough to see if I like what I see and if I deem it worth the 20 Euros, or not... it's not like it was my first glowing Tek, no it's my 25th, literally 
Now as to the definition of "worth it ", of course you may not have the same as mine in this particular case. Like,n this nice Bench TTi meter that was deemed too expensibve at 66 quid.. when here that thing would be advertised at 150 minimum no offers. I think stuff is too readily available and too cheap in the UK... I need to move back up there. 

If you can find cheap good condition 547's regularly and close to you... well lucky you ! Not here.

Come back to the UK then. Am I right in thinking that you went to the Hertford University to study? If so, that I have done a few lighting projects there.

[Saskia]

in our company they are worshipping the holy agile. they wanted to send me an agile coach for a waterfall project with a 120 item work breakdown structure .

Put 10 engineers into a room and give them a clear objective.
They will implicitely and instantly organize based on engineer's common sense without even talking about it.*

Bring in business people searching for a role,  ...   

* If this does not happen to go smoothly, you do not have the right mix of engineering professions, experience and seniority. No SCRUM master will replace that ever.

True. Especially if all those business people ever learned was pushing beans across imaginary pools on ppt charts. Same with the blind trust in McKinsey or similar consultants. Those critters get off business school and apply the bullshit that gets force fed into their brains to actual businesses without ever having worked themselves ...
The results are beancounterlike catastrophic.
Those consultant critters gather work experience ruining one company after another (see Anderson Consulting, now Accenture and Enron ...)

I do know how to remediate the situation, but I am not posting this here.

[factory]

Fuck me ! 

Look at what just popped up here !  A Tek type 547 for only 20 Euros !!! 


OF COURSE it's local pick-up only and in Paris 500kms from me, as always !! 

https://www.leboncoin.fr/equipements_industriels/2168134078.htm

OK looks a bit rough on the outside but might be nice inside you just don't know. And at that price I couldn't care less, it's well worth the 20 Euros just as a parts mule !

Busy today but had to respond to this. I would not touch that with a 10 foot pole. It's very obvious it's been left out in the weather and I guarantee the internals are gonna be worthless shit.

It's not even worth scrap value. Stay away. (Maybe the vacuum tubes if it hasn't been raped)

Back to regular programming.

Thanks Med, you just confirmed what I said before, maybe Vince won't be so confused this time around, as you spelled it out for him 

Well thanks but it looks like it's YOU not understanding the situation here !

There is no need to dissuade me from buying it, because again as I said... I am NOT going to buy it simply because it's local pick-up only and 500kms away from me !
Given it's condition I obviously can not justify any travel expense to go pick it up, that goes without saying.

However were it down the street hence zero cost to go get it, yes sorry chaps but for 20 Euros I would take 5 minutes of my time to go down the street open it up to see what it's like inside. Yes, with gloves and breathing apparatus and also a flame thrower in case some nasty snake jumps at me when I crack the cabinet open. You never know these days...

I don't know what you get in New York or the UK for 20 bucks but here, you get not more than the middle finger.

A complete 547 for 20 Euros regardless of condition, if it's in my village sorry boys I would at least have a look at it see what's it's like inside, and then offer 10 Euros.

The binding posts alone on the front panel are worth at least that, then add all the knobs, plastic so can't rust can it. Then the face plate in good nick, CRT bezel and its thumb screws (Papa Smurf could do with these eh !  ), etc etc...
So regardless of what's it's like inside, it's still worth 20 Euros to me IF it was very local to me. Hell even if it were 50kms I might still go get it, provided I can see good pictures of the insides of course, and ask a few questions.

You are too choosy chaps. These things don't grow on trees here. I already have one 547 worth restoring, another one for parts. A third one for 20 Euros no matter what can be saved from it, sorry but I am all for it !

But again, discussion is pointless since I am of course not going to drive 500kms (1000kms total then, 150 Euros in fuel and tolls at least) to get a 20 Euros garden ornament.

Looks too far gone, some of the knobs have disintegrated, probably from corrosion of the metal insert, getting the remaining intact ones off would be difficult due to steel to aluminium corrosion, I bet most of the vacuum bulbs have gone white too, i.e. no vacuum left, garden ornament is probably all it's any use for.

David

7 & 9 pin "miniature" tubes don't much care about conditions---the working bits are sealed inside, after all, & the pins are quite rigid.
Octals may suffer, because the connecting leads inside the plastic bases are a bit more flimsy.

Lost vacuum is usually the result of "one off" sealing problems in service, or rough handling of loose tubes.
Even though I have no real space for a 500 series CRO, I would grab it if it were nearby at that price.

I have to disagree with you there, unless the outside environment is very dry, i.e the desert mine dumps, that a certain Youtuber has found old TVs & radios to resurrect.
In the UK outside with plenty of rain, or damp leaky sheds, lofts, garages etc. is more typical. The tube pins corrode to the point they crack the glass and you can say goodbye to the vacuum, or the neon fill for volt-ref & display tubes.

Example from a 50MHz hp scope, 2/3rds of the glassware was cracked and it didn't matter it they were German, British, Dutch, US or Japanese, etc. brands, they failed they same way. 
I was able to rescue enough OK tubes to get the vertical input plug-in going and a couple for the delayed timebase plug-in, but that was it. The rest became a parts donor, as I have three of them that are in much better condition.

P.S. the modified TV flyback transformer is not something it left the factory with.

David

[bd139]

Oh bollocks. So who sniped this before I did at the checkout 

[Saskia]

I did snipe something today, but not the Keithley. I promise ...