Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[nixiefreqq]

THE BITCH HAD SOME SCREWS LOOSE!

have had this 3466a for maybe 20 years and it always bothered me that it would never zero on the 2 or 20 ohms setting.  (it would only go to around .5 ohm and then bobble around a little)

had been inside a couple of times peeking and tweeking but never found anything wrong........and it seemed to work 100% on all other ranges.

this morning i decided to try again and it hit me.  something sure looks weird about those crimp connectors on the back of the input jacks.  could some ape have been in here before me?  wiggled the wires and the screws were loose!  (not falling off loose.....but enough to move when wiggled).  tightened them a scooch and damn if the low ohms ranges now zero just fine.

maybe spec can tell me if those funky looking crimps are original or the result of someone fucking around?

 

[med6753]

Yup nailed it on every point. Literally the only reason to give a shit is the high DC standing voltage being on the outside of the can. Less bzzt makes everyone happy.

There is some opinion on whether or not RF capacitors should have the case grounded but usually the problem is better solved by adding some shielding around the circuit rather than worrying about capacitor orientation.

He's a twatenna.

While Carlson does have a point, sort of, the other school of thought concerning the "outside foil" and orientation is really immaterial on modern capacitors because of their small physical size. Smaller size is less chance of picking up any noise.

[med6753]

THE BITCH HAD SOME SCREWS LOOSE!

have had this 3466a for maybe 20 years and it always bothered me that it would never zero on the 2 or 20 ohms setting.  (it would only go to around .5 ohm and then bobble around a little)

had been inside a couple of times peeking and tweeking but never found anything wrong........and it seemed to work 100% on all other ranges.

this morning i decided to try again and it hit me.  something sure looks weird about those crimp connectors on the back of the input jacks.  could some ape have been in here before me?  wiggled the wires and the screws were loose!  (not falling off loose.....but enough to move when wiggled).  tightened them a scooch and damn if the low ohms ranges now zero just fine.

maybe spec can tell me if those funky looking crimps are original or the result of someone fucking around?

Gorillas are like Murphy. You never know when they will bite you in the arse. 

[mnementh]

THE BITCH HAD SOME SCREWS LOOSE! (SNIP)

...tightened them a scooch and damn if the low ohms ranges now zero just fine. maybe spec can tell me if those funky looking crimps are original or the result of someone fucking around?

FWIW, I've seen those very crimps used on some B&K equipment I used to own, so would not surprise me if they were original. 

I do, however, find the routing/location of that fuse-holder somewhat worrisome on a visceral level...

mnem
 

[dl6lr]

Pat was close. It's actually a 475A and yes Spec, PSU re-cap. Last time I powered it up after sitting for a few months the trace looked like garbage for a few seconds then cleared up. Fairly good indication that a PSU capacitor needed to re-form which to me means it's dying. This is the very reason I rotate my junk on a regular basis to catch this stuff early. Hence the surgery.

Mine has still the original caps and it just powers up very fine.
Be warned if cleaning the dashboard: the markings go off very easily. Mine lost almost all letters after cleaning it with a damp towel.
I am unsure whether I am printing new labels on decal paper and fiddling them on the push buttons, then fixating them with clear spray paint, or I will print out inverse white on black very large and use my sheet film camera to make a "negative" in 4x5" using orthochromatic high contrast film.

Currently operating it in blind mode...

[TERRA Operative]

Mr Carlson has the talent to stretch in 49min what could be said in 6min.
I love him, but after the third time he repeat himself my blood pressure goes high to the roof and goodbye

The next time he takes 30 minutes to show us how to test capacitor leakage yet again I swear......... 

But I still watch his vids, some good info and the perfect thing to have on in the background while I tinker away at my stuff.

[TERRA Operative]

NICE.

[med6753]

NICE.

I've used them before when I re-capped a 465B and they work a treat. 

[TERRA Operative]

NICE.

I've used them before when I re-capped a 465B and they work a treat. 

Got gerbers, precious? We needs them!

[mnementh]

In OTHER News...

   ... I am now ready for my authentic Mac experience.     *wibble*

ONE OF US. ONE OF US!   Still think that old kit looks better than my new kit 

I tried to use it... I really did. But I finally had to give up and go back to my old Dell BT KB & mouse. I just couldn't stand having to LOOK AT THE KEYBOARD all the time to use it. 

mnem

[BU508A]

Shielded capacitors? You called?



 

[mnementh]

NICE.

I've used them before when I re-capped a 465B and they work a treat. 

Got gerbers, precious? We needs them!

Pretty sure he just buys them from this guy:   https://www.ebay.com/sch/cuog/m.html?item=272777454683&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2562

We dogpiled him a while back and shamed him into it on his 465B; he later admitted it made things so much easier and looked so much better. 

mnem
 

[med6753]

NICE.

I've used them before when I re-capped a 465B and they work a treat. 

Got gerbers, precious? We needs them!

Pretty sure he just buys them from this guy:   https://www.ebay.com/sch/cuog/m.html?item=272777454683&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.m3561.l2562

We dogpiled him a while back and shamed him into it on his 465B; he later admitted it made things so much easier and looked so much better. 

mnem
 

Yes, that's where I got them and yes, I still have bruises from the dogpiling. 

[bd139]

Talking of which I designed some of these as well because they work out at around $35 a set here with delivery if I buy from that dude in the USA. I can order 20 for $10 delivered from JLCPCB and sell 3 sets on ebay for £10 each then. 

I will upload them somewhere once I've validated they are good.

[m k]

Shielded capacitors? You called?



 

Is that your picture?

Soft tissue seems familiar but at least those 3M yellow papers have something in German.

[med6753]

NICE.

I've used them before when I re-capped a 465B and they work a treat. 

Here's a shot of the 465B complete.

[bd139]

That looks kind of sad now.

Out of interest, what pins did you use with the boards?

Edit: OMG I just discovered this piece of glorious python mud: https://scikit-rf.readthedocs.io/en/latest/index.html (scikit-rf)

[med6753]

That looks kind of sad now.

Out of interest, what pins did you use with the boards?

The pins that came with the boards.

[bd139]

Ah generic header pins. Thanks for confirming 

[BU508A]

Shielded capacitors? You called?



 

Is that your picture?

Soft tissue seems familiar but at least those 3M yellow papers have something in German.

Yes, I have taken the picture by myself.

Those 3M post-it stickers are a gift from another TEA fellow and I do really like them for their anachronistic charm. 

Edit:
Source: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg4169428/#msg4169428

[tonyalbus]

Hi Guys,
it has been a while. Hope everyone is good! 

during my time away i have been collecting.
i am now looking for a list of specs and ages of the following FLUKE meters.
Fluke 23,25,27,73,77, 8025B
Maybe Med or BD will maybe have a list of this old Fluke meters as i think they have them.

Hope you can help me.
   
Tony

Fluke 27/AN is what a bunch of us have.  Every second one came with two service manuals.  Luckily, TEA membership helped get the service manuals properly distributed. 
Are you looking for the complete manual, or just certain specs?

I still have my second manual. It's very nice but not as good as a second breakfast.

Thank you both @cycling_al and @AVG

i am so confused how to see if it is type 1,2 or 3 sometimes it is in the display sometimes not.
also RMS or /FM sometime on the display sometimes only on the sticker in the back

Also what are the defferences between then 25/27 etc.. manuals are for many types the same.. but why then the different types..
i have a 27 i think a version1 then an other with the new logo i think prob a 2 or even 3.. in the back says FM, while in 70 serie is realy says RMS or FM on the display.
and i think i am looking for service manuals for type 1 as i only find online type 2 and 3..

so and of story i have no clue what iu just collected ))) help!   

Thank you 

[dl6lr]

Tek 1240 Saga slowly continues.

As discussed on Discord, the somehow rare MC1391P shall be ordered from a trustworthy seller. Unfortunately the chosen seller decided to take holidays from monday on
By browsing through datasheets I found that LM1391N from NatSemi is the same as MC1391P from Motorola. And guess what, there are more LM1391N on ebay than MC1391P. So ordered a quartet from a german seller for nearly the same price as one of the MC1391P. Now waiting for arrival.

[AVGresponding]

Hi Guys,
it has been a while. Hope everyone is good! 

during my time away i have been collecting.
i am now looking for a list of specs and ages of the following FLUKE meters.
Fluke 23,25,27,73,77, 8025B
Maybe Med or BD will maybe have a list of this old Fluke meters as i think they have them.

Hope you can help me.
   
Tony

Fluke 27/AN is what a bunch of us have.  Every second one came with two service manuals.  Luckily, TEA membership helped get the service manuals properly distributed. 
Are you looking for the complete manual, or just certain specs?

I still have my second manual. It's very nice but not as good as a second breakfast.

Thank you both @cycling_al and @AVG

i am so confused how to see if it is type 1,2 or 3 sometimes it is in the display sometimes not.
also RMS or /FM sometime on the display sometimes only on the sticker in the back

Also what are the defferences between then 25/27 etc.. manuals are for many types the same.. but why then the different types..
i have a 27 i think a version1 then an other with the new logo i think prob a 2 or even 3.. in the back says FM, while in 70 serie is realy says RMS or FM on the display.
and i think i am looking for service manuals for type 1 as i only find online type 2 and 3..

so and of story i have no clue what iu just collected ))) help!   

Thank you 

Well the AN/FM versions are made for (primarily) the US military sector. All their manuals are really old and they don't use true rms for the AC, instead preferring AVG responding...

[Robert763]

THE BITCH HAD SOME SCREWS LOOSE!

have had this 3466a for maybe 20 years and it always bothered me that it would never zero on the 2 or 20 ohms setting.  (it would only go to around .5 ohm and then bobble around a little)

had been inside a couple of times peeking and tweeking but never found anything wrong........and it seemed to work 100% on all other ranges.

this morning i decided to try again and it hit me.  something sure looks weird about those crimp connectors on the back of the input jacks.  could some ape have been in here before me?  wiggled the wires and the screws were loose!  (not falling off loose.....but enough to move when wiggled).  tightened them a scooch and damn if the low ohms ranges now zero just fine.

maybe spec can tell me if those funky looking crimps are original or the result of someone fucking around?

So I just checked my newly aquired 3466A.
As you can see, crimps are the same. They look like AMP PIDG but have not been crimped in a PIDG tool.
The scroews on mine were slightly loose too. Tock about 60-60 degrees of turn to tighten them. This did shift the zero offset
towards the middle of the adjustment on 20m range.
 

[m k]

Shielded capacitors? You called?



 

Is that your picture?

Soft tissue seems familiar but at least those 3M yellow papers have something in German.

Yes, I have taken the picture by myself.

Those 3M post-it stickers are a gift from another TEA fellow and I do really like them for their anachronistic charm. 

Edit:
Source: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg4169428/#msg4169428

Rats, you're obviously not going to waste your spare time with a second, without a reasonable doubt installation.