Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) group therapy thread

[bd139]

What is a world without a pulse generator with a straight UI?
When designing the HP8015A Pulse Generator in the late 70s the HP guys in Boeblingen were inspired by aircraft cockpit design principles.

OK, I will need to do some debugging as channel A is dead and there seem to be some more flaws. But in priciple there is a pulse signal on channel B and some reaction to frequency settings etc. Hope I can manage.

I mean. ...  But it was 100 Euro only.  And it is in very good shape. It needed to get rescued, did'nt it?   :-)

Oh nice. Check out Curious Marc’s repair of those on YouTube as well.

[cyclin_al]

This thread diversion is quite funny.

I buy stuff to play with it. Play is an essential part of life and the generation of culture.

Tautech has mastered the art of getting to play with stuff and make a living out of it. I salute him 

If only I did.....not yet anyway as we haven't been greedy accepting and taking on the advances of other brands.

Other skills were needed today when Larry Minor came out with; pop can you look at the tire on that borrowed silage wagon full of flood damaged green peppers scored free for stock food ?
Looks like it picked up a screw on the way home pop and could you stick one of those tire dog turds (rubber plug) in it.

Well some can't tell a tubed tire for tubeless and of course the bitch was tubed which should have been straightforward enough if the 1/2" rattle gun would spin the nuts off but no way ! So 3/4" drive gear for a 24mm nut  and it still needed a length of pipe on the ratchet.
Bead broke easily enough with my trusty beast of a homemade slide hammer so had the tube out in just a minute of two where the hole was simple to find and a 2" patch we always have on hand applied and all ready for reassembly.......then things turned to poo !

Well it's not like this was my first rodeo as my first job was in a sawmill mechanics shop and given the title of tire boy. 
Car tires I quickly mastered as they had an old school tire machine with which you bore a long lever and walked around the tire to work the bead off. Truck tires were another world as the weakling I was I could barely flip the things over until a year or so later when I started a couple years of weight lifting.

Back to today....tubed tires when initially inflated run the risk of the tube sucking the stem back inside the rim....something that may catch the unwary and has me just once before which sticks in your mind never to let it happen again !
Well it did  and there's only ONE recovery....puncture the tube so to be able to get the tire apart again and set the tube up more carefully. 2nd patch applied  and all back together 2nd time without drama.
Each day is very different here at Tautechsville. 

Sorry about the big pic as MS Pic Manager has not yet made it to this PC. 

I do not envy that job!  It is definitely a pain in the a$$ to do.
Even a bicycle tire puncture is a pain, which is nowhere near as heavy work.

I have to ask a question though.
Can you not just unscrew the valve stem from within the valve and deflate the tube, rather than puncture it?
That can be done with all the schraeder valves here, using a slotted tool that fits over the valve pin, but fits inside the stem.

I can go to the garage later to take a picture of the tools.
However, to get there I have to pass by the mountain bike with flat rear tire ... there must be a very well hidden object stuck in the tire that I cannot find; already at 3 patches on the tube without even riding it since the initial flat. 

Also, there are inflator heads that clamp onto the valve.  Is such a thing useful, or is the clamping not secure enough for such a big tube?

The tiny presta valves are actually threaded on the exterior.  You can thread on a collar which holds the valve securely in position.
Just do not over-tighten the collar and pull the valve right out of the tube ... been there, done that, more than once.

[Neomys Sapiens]

What the hell? Are they just using random word generators or something these days for product names?

And charity names...

"Contact the elderly" gave the idea that it allowed elderly people to remain in touch with each other and part of society. It has been re-branded "Re-engage", which sounds like something out of "Top Gear" or "Star Trek" or a dating agency.

"Royal National Institute for the Deaf" rebranded itself as "Action on Hearing Loss" - and 10 years later has just re-rebranded itself as RNID for obvious reasons.

And never forget "Royal Mail" -> "Consignia" -> "Royal Mail".

'Contact the elderly' gives me ideas for entertainment. Like setting some kids loose in a park with long test leads and large crocodile clips. The team that manages to shock the most at once wins.
ZZZAP!

[factory]

The mini-chainsaw and precision scales arrived today.

The chainsaw has much potential for injury in the hands of stupid people, I will have to supervise carefully when I take it in to work...

Have you bought one of those nice extra safe chainsaws, like the one BigClive did a teardown of earlier this week? 


David

[Neomys Sapiens]

What the hell? Are they just using random word generators or something these days for product names?

And charity names...

"Contact the elderly" gave the idea that it allowed elderly people to remain in touch with each other and part of society. It has been re-branded "Re-engage", which sounds like something out of "Top Gear" or "Star Trek" or a dating agency.

"Royal National Institute for the Deaf" rebranded itself as "Action on Hearing Loss" - and 10 years later has just re-rebranded itself as RNID for obvious reasons.

And never forget "Royal Mail" -> "Consignia" -> "Royal Mail".

Well what you are saying is giving me HOPE ! At least in the UK seems like they eventually saw the light and REVERTED back to the old meaningful name ! Now here is hoping France would follow.... I know, probably not ! 

Wait, what? Isn't 'France' called 'France' anymore?
I'll be happy to contribute! Amphibianbuffetstan?

[Cerebus]

"Do you have too many fingers?"
"Do small children mock you in the streets for your extra digits?"



"Do we have the tool for you!"

[bd139]

I actually need one of them to fuck up the ivy bush trying to eat up my fence.

[mansaxel]

This thread diversion is quite funny.

I buy stuff to play with it. Play is an essential part of life and the generation of culture.

Tautech has mastered the art of getting to play with stuff and make a living out of it. I salute him 

I buy stuff because I could not afford it before. Still can't, not all of it, but I've been slowly assembling a Collection. Now I can do a lot of the things I dreamed of back in the day. And sometimes I even do them 

[Cerebus]

This thread diversion is quite funny.

I buy stuff to play with it. Play is an essential part of life and the generation of culture.

Tautech has mastered the art of getting to play with stuff and make a living out of it. I salute him 

If only I did.....not yet anyway as we haven't been greedy accepting and taking on the advances of other brands.

Other skills were needed today when Larry Minor came out with; pop can you look at the tire on that borrowed silage wagon full of flood damaged green peppers scored free for stock food ?
Looks like it picked up a screw on the way home pop and could you stick one of those tire dog turds (rubber plug) in it.

Well some can't tell a tubed tire for tubeless and of course the bitch was tubed which should have been straightforward enough if the 1/2" rattle gun would spin the nuts off but no way ! So 3/4" drive gear for a 24mm nut  and it still needed a length of pipe on the ratchet.
Bead broke easily enough with my trusty beast of a homemade slide hammer so had the tube out in just a minute of two where the hole was simple to find and a 2" patch we always have on hand applied and all ready for reassembly.......then things turned to poo !

Well it's not like this was my first rodeo as my first job was in a sawmill mechanics shop and given the title of tire boy. 
Car tires I quickly mastered as they had an old school tire machine with which you bore a long lever and walked around the tire to work the bead off. Truck tires were another world as the weakling I was I could barely flip the things over until a year or so later when I started a couple years of weight lifting.

Back to today....tubed tires when initially inflated run the risk of the tube sucking the stem back inside the rim....something that may catch the unwary and has me just once before which sticks in your mind never to let it happen again !
Well it did  and there's only ONE recovery....puncture the tube so to be able to get the tire apart again and set the tube up more carefully. 2nd patch applied  and all back together 2nd time without drama.
Each day is very different here at Tautechsville. 

Sorry about the big pic as MS Pic Manager has not yet made it to this PC. 

I do not envy that job!  It is definitely a pain in the a$$ to do.
Even a bicycle tire puncture is a pain, which is nowhere near as heavy work.

I have to ask a question though.
Can you not just unscrew the valve stem from within the valve and deflate the tube, rather than puncture it?
That can be done with all the schraeder valves here, using a slotted tool that fits over the valve pin, but fits inside the stem.

I can go to the garage later to take a picture of the tools.
However, to get there I have to pass by the mountain bike with flat rear tire ... there must be a very well hidden object stuck in the tire that I cannot find; already at 3 patches on the tube without even riding it since the initial flat. 

Also, there are inflator heads that clamp onto the valve.  Is such a thing useful, or is the clamping not secure enough for such a big tube?

The tiny presta valves are actually threaded on the exterior.  You can thread on a collar which holds the valve securely in position.
Just do not over-tighten the collar and pull the valve right out of the tube ... been there, done that, more than once.

He's talking about this type of valve that is held in the hole by pressure alone. No thread to put a nut on to hold it in place while you inflate it. If it pulls into the type while inflating, you're buggered.

[Peter_O]

What is a world without a pulse generator with a straight UI?
When designing the HP8015A Pulse Generator in the late 70s the HP guys in Boeblingen were inspired by aircraft cockpit design principles.

OK, I will need to do some debugging as channel A is dead and there seem to be some more flaws. But in priciple there is a pulse signal on channel B and some reaction to frequency settings etc. Hope I can manage.

I mean. ...  But it was 100 Euro only.  And it is in very good shape. It needed to get rescued, did'nt it?   :-)

Oh nice. Check out Curious Marc’s repair of those on YouTube as well.

Marc's video addresses an 8082 which is 5 times faster but the video gives a lot of information how to proceed in general.
Thanks a lot for that hint!

[xrunner]

The needles are red   

You use the digits on your hands to grasp those round fluted things poking out of the front panel and turn them to change the settings.   

It might on very rare occasions require a new fuse, but mine haven't needed such upgrades thus far.   

I'll be happy to 'discard' any someone wants to dispose of.   

-Pat

Well I have some red too - but no keypad, firmware, or color screen here either.

Mainly a comment for the guests that are following (normally 30 to 50 people) - no I don't want a power supply with a keypad, menu, color screen, and firmware updates. I like what I have and I like to turn the knob to adjust it.

 

[mnementh]

*sigh*

Shaving lessons for my son tonight. No way in hell I am old enough to have a kid that age. 

mnem
"It's not the years, baby. It's the mileage." ~mom

Shocking, is it not? 

For me, it was the realization that he was halfway between being a baby and being old enough to drive 
So, why did I finally buy a super nice car?    The super nice sporty car is going to be the old beater by the time he is old enough to drive ... guess what he is likely to learn to drive on ... oops

Oh yeah... and you want him to learn on a stickshift, not a automatic, right? 

Thing I'm looking forward to with some trepidation is when we finally do get our work visas and the Trailer of Doom can come up here with us. Aboot 3x what we just moved, and much of the day-to-day stuff in there already replaced over the last couple years, so lots of culling of the various different herds of stuffs.

It'll be just like moving again and TBF, this one like to 'ave killed me. 

Major moving milestone today tho: Got enough unpacked and moved where it's gonna go that there was room to set up the dining room table and eat lunch at it together like a normal family. As if.   

Hey, like the good Rev Edgar told me once: "Fake it 'til you make it." 

mnem
*parental unit #1.5*

[Cubdriver]

The needles are red   

You use the digits on your hands to grasp those round fluted things poking out of the front panel and turn them to change the settings.   

It might on very rare occasions require a new fuse, but mine haven't needed such upgrades thus far.   

I'll be happy to 'discard' any someone wants to dispose of.   

-Pat

Well I have some red too - but no keypad, firmware, or color screen here either.

Mainly a comment for the guests that are following (normally 30 to 50 people) - no I don't want a power supply with a keypad, menu, color screen, and firmware updates. I like what I have and I like to turn the knob to adjust it.

 

 

Exactly!!  I'd just as soon NOT need to wait while my power supply boots up.   

-Pat

[bd139]

Proud E3630A owner here too. That and the TTi PL series are spot on.

[Zucca]

Proud E3630A owner here too. That and the TTi PL series are spot on.

How much you paid for it?

Remeber they go for $744.00@https://www.newark.com/

My guess 62 GBP.

[cyclin_al]

Result, all companies have nonsensical names that all look and sound similar so when you hear a name you have no idea what the company is/does, and you can easily mistake one for another.

There are still positive examples. How about the Société Momentanée pour le Démantèlement des outils de la phase à chaud d'ArcelorMittal à Liège.

Ralf

Gurrgle Translate falls down on the job yet again: Temporary company for the dismantling of tools for the hot phase of ArcelorMittal in Liège

I'm guessing it means something along the lines of Industrial/Commercial Electricians Team/Group...? Or is it a maker of electricians' tools?

mnem
*tzzzzzt*

Even with almost all French long time forgotten that've I've learned at school, some googling tells me: "phase a chaud" is some kind of hot material industrial processing, "ArcelorMittal" is a company doing this, but closing down the business in Liege. And the "Société Momentanée pour le Démantèlement" is a temporary company to handle that (closing down the business).

In Germany, we use the term "Auffanggesellschaft" when a company is closed down, but the employees can't be dismissed immediately - so they are kept employed for some time at this "Auffanggesellschaft" (basically getting paid for nothing but looking for new jobs).

Said "Société Momentanée pour le Démantèlement" might be something like that, but also might be a company to handle the physical teardown ("Démantèlement" would point to this). Nothing uncommon to found a company for just dismantling another one that was shut down.

Edit: The pictures should give you some imagination of what "phase a chaud" is:

https://belgium.arcelormittal.com/fr/environnement-de-travail/departements-industriels/

I was thinking similarly that the gurrgle translation was not too bad...
In my Quebecois, the hot phase in an electrical sense would be "la phase chaude", without the word 'à' and the gender of hot matching the gender of phase.
The wording as it was confused me until your picture explanation.

[bd139]

Proud E3630A owner here too. That and the TTi PL series are spot on.

How much you paid for it?

Remeber they go for $744.00@https://www.newark.com/

My guess 62 GBP.

Yeah they’re not cheap new.

AVGresponding pointed it out on eBay and I dived on it like a seagull on chips.

£100. Brand new completely unused Agilent labelled with cal cert in original packaging

I’ve got some seriously good deals this year so far.

[AVGresponding]

The mini-chainsaw and precision scales arrived today.

The chainsaw has much potential for injury in the hands of stupid people, I will have to supervise carefully when I take it in to work...

Have you bought one of those nice extra safe chainsaws, like the one BigClive did a teardown of earlier this week? 


David

Yes. It's a dangerous channel to watch for people with a liking for geegaws and having poor impulse control.

[Vince]

Wait, what? Isn't 'France' called 'France' anymore?
I'll be happy to contribute! Amphibianbuffetstan?

No, it's called SHITHOLE now, has been for the past 20+ years, and it's not looking like it's going to improve anytime soon I am afraid.  To the contrary, it's just getting worse and worse and worse with each passing year.

[cyclin_al]

The mini-chainsaw and precision scales arrived today.

The chainsaw has much potential for injury in the hands of stupid people, I will have to supervise carefully when I take it in to work...

The scale was sold for parts/not working, but has a January 2021 UKAS cal sticker. As near as I can tell it is missing 3 things; a good clean, a PSU, and a tray. Aside from that it works fine, so just need to find/make a tray/pan, the weight of which is quite important as it needs a certain amount in order to zero properly.

These things are not cheap, new: https://www.camlab.co.uk/a-d-balance-gx-model

In my neighbourhood, no one shares a chainsaw or takes it in to work.

For those with experience, the chain and keeping it sharp is a very delicate thing and it takes very little to go from a very effective cutting machine to a frustrating turd that will not cut.

For only the closest of friends and for family, I respond to requests with MAYBE, but you will also have to borrow the operator along with the saw...

[tautech]

Place holder for 4047 image. 

[Vince]

I also brought some spares in case my own 210 ever needs them replaced and also should I see another going cheaply, they might be needed for that as well. This one is for flipping once its all back together again, they are a good source of income if you get the mix right and the profit will help to offset the recent extra car expenses 

OK.... so that means you will buy all the decently priced TDS2XX for the coming year until you have finally paid for your cam belt and clutch, is that it ?! 

So I have to wait a year before it's even worth bothering searching for one  ! 

Would love a TDS 220 or 224 rather than a basic 210. Want the optional " Communications Interface "module at the back of it, too.

That makes the search much more difficult than a simple 210 without the module.

Am in no hurry and plenty other priorities though, so it will have to wait... a few years probalby. Maybe by then prices will have become reasonable...or not ! 

I have a surplus TDS 210 with the comms module... it's in nice condition apart from having a replacement 3DP power button and comes in a hard carry case. PM me if you are interested.

Thanks ! ... but I will wait a year at least, need to get going on the house construction and then find a new job, before I buy my 35th (I think) scope 

[tautech]

The mini-chainsaw and precision scales arrived today.

The chainsaw has much potential for injury in the hands of stupid people, I will have to supervise carefully when I take it in to work...

The scale was sold for parts/not working, but has a January 2021 UKAS cal sticker. As near as I can tell it is missing 3 things; a good clean, a PSU, and a tray. Aside from that it works fine, so just need to find/make a tray/pan, the weight of which is quite important as it needs a certain amount in order to zero properly.

These things are not cheap, new: https://www.camlab.co.uk/a-d-balance-gx-model

In my neighbourhood, no one shares a chainsaw or takes it in to work.

For those with experience, the chain and keeping it sharp is a very delicate thing and it takes very little to go from a very effective cutting machine to a frustrating turd that will not cut.

For only the closest of friends and for family, I respond to requests with MAYBE, but you will also have to borrow the operator along with the saw...

Yeah this. ^ In a previous life when fixing pro saws for a living there were only 2 things the pro cutters would not share, their chainsaw and their wife !

[cyclin_al]

In other news...

The control board in my window A/C unit took a giant shit.  It keeps cycling between modes all by itself and beeping. And won't respond to any inputs. It's 10 years old and been driven hard so I guess I can't be surprised. And luckily this happen at the end of the cooling season. I'm tempted to try to figure out how to pull the control board but it probably won't be worth the effort. I guess it's headed for re-cycle and I'll purchase a new one come next Spring.   

I bet that is because of failing caps, go on open it up and take a squiz inside, it really could be that simple.

Yep, could be. The biggest issue is figuring out how to get it apart without destroying it. It's NOT like the unit in Dave's video.

Yeah, another consumer gadget designed to be assembled with the fewest human hands possible, and if that means you can't get it apart to fix it then BONUS!!!: Built-in turnover!!!

mnem
 

Well I looked it over and it appears the only way to gain access to the electronics board is to pull the entire cooling unit out of the cabinet. Under normal circumstances that would be no issue. But it's heavy, very heavy. I won't risk it and injure myself.

That consumer gadget as you call it lasted 10 years under a harsh environment of heat, cool, and excess moisture. An environment where you wouldn't last 5 minutes. It owes me nothing. It more than paid for itself.

Get a modern one with a variable speed compressor, AKA "Inverter" and it will pay for itself in power savings. Als less insrusve becaue it runs aall the time at the power required rather than baning on and off at full power.

Where you are, look into going one step further and getting a heat pump, especially if your heating is electrical.  By that, I do not mean the old scopes 
I am a bit further north with a new heat pump installed last year.  The previous machine was an air conditioner that was about 12 years old.
The new machine is much more efficient and quieter.  The heating function does work well down to about -20 deg C, losing some efficiency as it gets colder.
It is much more efficient that the electrical baseboard heaters, which get much less use now.

EDIT:  Apologies!  I forgot it was a window insert unit.  I am not sure they make heat pumps in that form factor.  I do not recall if you rent or own...

[Neomys Sapiens]

Wait, what? Isn't 'France' called 'France' anymore?
I'll be happy to contribute! Amphibianbuffetstan?

No, it's called SHITHOLE now, has been for the past 20+ years, and it's not looking like it's going to improve anytime soon I am afraid.  To the contrary, it's just getting worse and worse and worse with each passing year.

I think that's rather global! Or even beyond..it might be the first thing we hear should SETI ever succeed.
At least in D it's spot on.