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Re: wrenching ( was: Capacitor sniffing) OT
I don't use the same tools for Electronics and automotive work. I do have several large adjustable wrenches, but they are New Britain. The smaller ones for electronics are Xcelite, and they do have plastic coated handles.
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I've also been told that no real mechanic ever uses an adjustable wrench because he has all the proper tools to work on a vehicle. If that wrench still stinks, it had to stink when he bought it. If so, he should have bought something else. I had someone give me a buncuh of Japanese tools made in the '60s and '70s. They were made of pot metal, and the drill bits were so soft that they unwound while drilling plastic. They were quickly tossed in the scrap for recycling. I agree about throwing out crap tools, or gather them all up, and only loan them to people instead of your good tools. The only cheap tools that I have had were either given as cheap gifts, or will be part of what I clean out of my dad's house as we get it ready to sell. He got them from a neighbor who had passed away. I started buying good quality tools as a teenager, and I still have some of them, 50 years later. The only ones that ever broke, were sold as tools for mechanics. The rest of what is missing were stolen from my truck, or at job sites. -----Original Message-----
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Re: wrenching ( was: Capacitor sniffing) OT
An oily cover on a Cresecent wrench or just oily slippery hands on the thing becomes a deadly weapon when under the car on the skate board doing something with an adjustable wrench you shouldn't be doing. Be there done that hurry ups are dangerous critters.
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Jim O On December 8, 2018 at 6:29 PM John Griessen <john@... mailto:john@... > wrote: |
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Re: Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes?
As an estate and probate attorney and one who has handled several
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significant estates from engineers who continued to work well past retirement (and thus had more than a casual amount of stuff), the assumptions that most testators (people that are making a plan for passing and dealing with their stuff), make regarding the desirability and marketability of their stuff is sadly inaccurate. As an example, several times I've had clients tell me that their computer collections are worth quite a lot and they'll just donate for a tax benefit. And I agree that some of the collections have rare items and are indeed quite extensive. I suggest to them to go get an appraisal (like if they would be getting it insured) as well as having a frank discussion with organizations that they'd have their executor donate to. I do this because mostly no one thinks at all about the executor having to actually deal with the stuff (or the attorney for that matter) and presume that everyone is as knowledgeable and aware as they are about their stuff. The results of that investigation usually disabuse people of the notion that 1) any organization wants more than a few select pieces of a collection, and/or 2) it's worth even a fraction of what they think it is. When organizations are willing to take more than a small bit, it's usually to sell the other items to raise cash. I'm also the attorney for a number of smaller non-profits so I see the other side of the equation and most groups don't have the volunteer expertise and time to deal with the items that are proposed to be dumped off on them. Often the cost of dealing with the 'donations' and the hassle of discarding electronics created policies of not accepting 'enmasss' donations. Collections of parts is an even worse situation. In fact I've been dealing with one for going on two years as a charity case and this collection of test gear, hardware, intellectual property, and parts was of substantial value (purchase prices.) Who actually wants to buy a bank of parts drawers containing resistors, capacitors, transistors, etc.? Pretty much no one. They'll take it for free and add to their mess... that someone else down the road will have to deal with and pass on yet again. In the case of this estate, I'd estimate that in one set of drawers there is something close to $20,000 retail of various kinds of newer* memory devices. I've tried shopping it around and pretty much had no serious takers. Offers of "we'll pay shipping" or "ship it to us and we'll appraise it and send you a check..." Another set of drawers and boxes has CPUs and microprocessors a plenty.... Other drawers hold other current production devices. Same answers for most all the stuff. I had similar results (pennies on the dollar) for some of the more expensive and unusual test and manufacturing equipment. As an example, there is a international power systems power supply that even includes 400Hz aircraft power in its capability. New units of similar design run around $2000 to 2600. This one would seem to appraise out at $900-1000, going for slightly more in the hands of a used equipment dealer (listing at $1600.) I got one offer for $100. *The engineer worked for a significant design and manufacturing company, and did so from his home lab as a subcontractor after her retired young and very well off. He died rather quickly (and young) with his parts inventory being substantial due to (his) low volume production of several new products ongoing. Based on a repeat of these sorts of stories and experiences my advice has been: get rid of stuff while you're still alive if you care about the stuff getting into hands of people that truly appreciate it. And if you don't, track down someone that understands the hardware and cares enough about you to not let the stuff get tipped into a dumpster once you're gone. That last thing has happened far more frequently than I like thinking about. Hope this gives people some food for thought. Grant On Sat, Dec 8, 2018 at 4:36 PM <toby@...> wrote:
On 2018-12-08 2:38 PM, oliver johnson via Groups.Io wrote:Hi all I for one have more scopes than i can or will ever use , but forsome strange reason i keep getting them . For me it just fixing them that i |
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wrenching ( was: Capacitor sniffing) OT
John Griessen
On 12/8/18 8:07 PM, Michael A. Terrell wrote:
The plastic is there to reduce the chance of damaging the device awaiting you on your bench.Ummmmm.... I use Crescent wrenches from Jamestown NY mostly and none have plastic and I have a fine touch at mechanicing. I'd say a vinyl or other plastic coating or dip layer is just insulation against fine feel on a wrench. If it reeks, lose it. If it wiggles around randomly, lose it. |
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Re: Capacitor sniffing
In that case, you only need a sledge hammer to look for intermittent problems, and a cold chisel to remove screws.
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Use the proper tool for the job, or forever be known as a butcher! The plastic is there to reduce the chance of damaging the device awaiting you on your bench. Michael A. Terrell -----Original Message-----
From: Jim Olson <v_12eng@...> |
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Re: Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes?
Hehe - the charity shops in the UK get all sorts, but I'm yet to find
any Tek or HP instruments :-( I have found an excellent Access Point, a camera, a scanner, and various other goodies all at silly prices. When I "pop my clogs" my executors have my suggestions as to what to do with my stuff but since I wont be there to care they can give it away if that gives them joy. My brother is a "ham" and develops covetous eyes when he visits but his wife keeps him on a short leash ;-) I am also a member of a ham radio club so I guess a "silent key" sale may be an option. Dave |
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Re: Capacitor sniffing
You could make the Cresent (adjustable) into a proper mechanics wrench and take the d**n plastic cover off. No self respecting Cresent wrench would have a cover on it. hehe.
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Jim O On December 8, 2018 at 5:23 PM Dave Seiter <d.seiter@... mailto:d.seiter@... > wrote: |
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Re: Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes?
The fourth one is probably the most common.
-Dave From: John Griessen <john@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, December 8, 2018 5:17 PM Subject: Re: Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes? On 12/8/18 6:36 PM, toby@... wrote: The "wife seeks to get rid of 97 of husband's instruments by Sunday, WCS = surviving wife driving tractor over instruments? WCS = Son calling the "got junk?" company? WCS = survivors putting craigslist ad for $500 per instrument, and one sells, rest go to estate sale buyer for $75. WCS = daughter delegates to her daughter, who calls local donations nonprofit that is expert at appraising silverware and furniture and clothing.? Instruments go to Salvation Army and are forwarded to e-waste company. etc, etc... |
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Re: Capacitor sniffing
I got a new Gerber lock blade knife as a gift about 20 years ago which had very strong perfume smell. After ten years it still smelled, but I just checked it and it now has no smell, so now I can actually use it!
A VFD arrived from China two weeks ago, and it's now outgassing on my porch because the smell is so strong.?? I much prefer the smell of working Tek gear!? You know, now that I think about, I do have a P6032 probe kit that has a fruity/medicinal smell.? -Dave From: Anthony via Groups.Io <keantoken@...> To: [email protected] Sent: Saturday, December 8, 2018 4:13 PM Subject: Re: [TekScopes] Capacitor sniffing I think some electronics vendors perfume their stuff. I have gotten several appliances which had a soapy perfumy smell without the usual electronic smell which I guess is nice but makes me suspect they sprayed the inside with Febreeze or something that coats the electronics and keeps the smell inside. I had a failing computer mouse and I recognized the smell of a failing capacitor right away. It's a weirdly fruity, sickly sweet smell. If you want to know what that smells like then just hook up a capacitor backwards. As for other components, I think they are all loaded with fire retardants so usually you get an overwhelming smell of bromine. It smells similar to chlorine and iodine, which are on the same column in the periodic table. The other components of the smell are usually burnt plastic or burnt epoxy, which I suppose could be identified if you had some practice, but this isn't particularly helpful since almost all components are covered in epoxy or plastic. Enameled wire has it's own smell which can often be distinguished from the other smells. Another common smell is just the usual outgassing of cheap solvents used by Chinese manufacturers in their plastics. I have a cheap adjustable wrench which I never touch because the rubber handle cover reeks and I can't wash the smell off my hands after using it. Probably not useful for diagnostic purposes. A faulty switch, for instance in the flasher in the dash of a car tends to just be singed black plastic which does not really melt since the plastic used in quality switches isn't the kind that melts. The dielectric grease is usually fine and needs a higher temperature than the plastic to break down. The smell is not really like burnt plastic and more like the burning of something organic, but not really like burning leaves or wood. It's an easier smell to live with than the smell of burning plastic. ? ? On Saturday, December 8, 2018, 11:27:27 AM CST, Craig Cramb <electronixtoolbox@...> wrote: My experience with failing capacitor is the strong smell of raw fish.? Sometimes I can smell it as soon as the unit arrives or definitely during case removal. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve noticed a soap/perfume smell. Craig |
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Re: Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes?
John Griessen
On 12/8/18 6:36 PM, toby@... wrote:
The "wife seeks to get rid of 97 of husband's instruments by Sunday, WCS = surviving wife driving tractor over instruments? WCS = Son calling the "got junk?" company? WCS = survivors putting craigslist ad for $500 per instrument, and one sells, rest go to estate sale buyer for $75. WCS = daughter delegates to her daughter, who calls local donations nonprofit that is expert at appraising silverware and furniture and clothing. Instruments go to Salvation Army and are forwarded to e-waste company. etc, etc... |
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Succession plans and wills - Re: [TekScopes] How Many Scopes?
On 2018-12-08 2:38 PM, oliver johnson via Groups.Io wrote:
Hi all?I for one have more scopes than i can or will ever use , but for some strange reason i keep getting them . For me it just fixing them that i enjoy and once fixed it goes in the pile that i have , speaking of pile i am looking for one last tek to complete my dual beam collection,? 7844 is the last tek needed for dual beam collection,? if anyone has one reasonable please let me know,? thanks and keep the hobby going . This thread really makes me wonder how many collectors have a succession plan for when we can't take care of them all any more. How many have lined up a Will, or executor who will successfully be able to rehome your collection to a museum or suitably responsible individual? The "wife seeks to get rid of 97 of husband's instruments by Sunday, local pickup only", that we see semi-regularly now, is far from the worst case scenario. --Toby Disclaimer: I haven't On Sat, Dec 8, 2018 at 1:39 PM, TomC<tomc@...> wrote: On 12/7/2018 3:15 PM, Craig Sawyers wrote:How?Now just what do I do if I have to display more than 12 waveforms at once ?Ah - you can do that with a single 7844 |
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Re: Capacitor sniffing
I think some electronics vendors perfume their stuff. I have gotten several appliances which had a soapy perfumy smell without the usual electronic smell which I guess is nice but makes me suspect they sprayed the inside with Febreeze or something that coats the electronics and keeps the smell inside.
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I had a failing computer mouse and I recognized the smell of a failing capacitor right away. It's a weirdly fruity, sickly sweet smell. If you want to know what that smells like then just hook up a capacitor backwards. As for other components, I think they are all loaded with fire retardants so usually you get an overwhelming smell of bromine. It smells similar to chlorine and iodine, which are on the same column in the periodic table. The other components of the smell are usually burnt plastic or burnt epoxy, which I suppose could be identified if you had some practice, but this isn't particularly helpful since almost all components are covered in epoxy or plastic. Enameled wire has it's own smell which can often be distinguished from the other smells. Another common smell is just the usual outgassing of cheap solvents used by Chinese manufacturers in their plastics. I have a cheap adjustable wrench which I never touch because the rubber handle cover reeks and I can't wash the smell off my hands after using it. Probably not useful for diagnostic purposes. A faulty switch, for instance in the flasher in the dash of a car tends to just be singed black plastic which does not really melt since the plastic used in quality switches isn't the kind that melts. The dielectric grease is usually fine and needs a higher temperature than the plastic to break down. The smell is not really like burnt plastic and more like the burning of something organic, but not really like burning leaves or wood. It's an easier smell to live with than the smell of burning plastic. On Saturday, December 8, 2018, 11:27:27 AM CST, Craig Cramb <electronixtoolbox@...> wrote:
My experience with failing capacitor is the strong smell of raw fish.? Sometimes I can smell it as soon as the unit arrives or definitely during case removal. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve noticed a soap/perfume smell. Craig |
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Re: 2235 display problem
Chuck Harris
Put the scope in X-Y mode, with no input signal, and
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measure each vertical deflection output to ground. They should be about the same voltage. If one is at zero, or the supply voltage, that driver is burned out. A very common problem that often comes from shorting one output to ground. -Chuck Harris Pmccandless via Groups.Io wrote: Beamfinder is working properly. When pressed, the display compresses to a single position on the x-axis, but the amplitude remains. Here is a helpful hint...I pulled (disconnected) the upper and lower plate deflector wires from the CRT and turned the unit on again... without any vertical input connected, the CRT display was exactly the same as before...just a big rectangle-appearing image at all sweep speeds. This tells me that something is amiss in the CRT or associated electronics. Still scratching my head on this one. |
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2019 Sphere Stuff Day event preview
walter shawlee
those of you that have come to one of our previous stuff day events know that there is a great mix of free and cheap electronic "stuff" for everybody to snorkel through. it is a true BYOB (bring your own boxes) affair. usually we get rid of at least 2 tons of gear at each event.
This year will be a bit different, as both susan and I are turning 70, and we need to totally clear out at least one of our off-site storage units (about 5 tons). We will be running the event for a full week, to fit as many of your schedules as we can, and whole bankers boxes of stock will go for just a few bucks. Boxes filled with new fans, terminal blocks, pots, tek and hp spares, breakers, switches, LEDS, displays, pots, power resistors, capacitors, motors, smd parts, transformers and CRTs. We have at least 50 CRTs that really need to go, to make some space. Also about 100,000 primo Osram SMD LEDs, new in reels. There will also be a huge pile of Tek, HP, Fluke, Boonton and other test gear and parts to go. Susan wants at least half of the stuff cleared out of rooms, aisles, our sauna, and storage, so this will really work to your benefit. We are located 4 hours NE of Vancouver in BC, close to Washington, Oregon and Alberta by highway. We are happy to put up guests overnight if the room is free, and we are looking for "best dates" for the event. To some degree, it is linked to weather, best with no rain for a week before, and clear highways. Usually it is within 2 weeks of the Easter long weekend. You can get more details from our website at: Our goal is to clear out all the bulky stuff, gear we are never going to get around to fixing, and extra stock that should really be home with somebody else! No, Sphere is not closing, but we REALLY need to clear out many things that nobody even knows we have. please feel free to email off list with any special requests (walter2 -at- sphere.bc.ca), and let us know if you can come up in 2019! all the best, walter sphere research corp. |
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Re: 466 Channel 2 problem
I have had another snoop around with my multi-meter and I find that test-points 4 and 7 on channel 1 both show +5.7V, the equivalent ones on channel 2 show +3.37V (TP 11) and +7.31V
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(TP 14). What does this show, I wonder? Colin. -----Original Message-----
From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Colin Herbert via Groups.Io Sent: 08 December 2018 14:42 To: [email protected] Subject: [TekScopes] 466 Channel 2 problem Hi, I have been faffing about with a 466 with a channel 2 problem for a few weeks, and though I might eventually sort it, I thought I would consult the experts and possibly save a bit of time. The scope came with a non-operational delayed time-base and an intermittent graticule illumination light. I have fixed both of these now, but the channel 2 problem is bugging me. The scope works on channel 1 alone fine, so it can't be anything after the diode-switching circuitry (can it?), but channel 2 doesn't display normally. If I push the beam-finder switch, I see channel 2, but the position control does nothing. If I use a slow time-base setting and switch to "alternate", I can see channel 1 and there is a period when channel 2 would be displayed, but no channel 2 shows. I have checked voltages and signals for channel 2 from the end of the attenuator through to the diode channel switching (possibly not comprehensively) and mostly cannot see anything untoward. I have also checked to see that the "position" control does change the voltages on the two nominal +2.8V rails, but rather asymmetrically (-0.6 to +2.8V on one rail and 2.79 to 2.8V on the other). I am suspecting that there is something wrong with the "position" control circuitry, but changing Q262 didn't solve the problem. I also noted that I cannot trigger the time-base from channel 2. Am I missing something obvious? I would like to get this 466 working, as it is one of three that I have, one of which has already become a parts-donor. I might even try fixing the other one sometime. TIA, Colin. |
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Re: How Many Scopes?
Craig Sawyers
Dual amplifier in left and right vertical (set to chop or alternate) and dual timebase (such as a
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7B92A) in each horizontal compartment. Select vertical mode beam 1 right, beam 2 left. Set horizontal mode to beam 1 right, beam 2 left Set each 7B92A to intensified and delayed sweep ,and set trace separations to suit. Gives a total of 16 traces. Craig -----Original Message----- |
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Re: 2235 display problem
Beamfinder is working properly. When pressed, the display compresses to a single position on the x-axis, but the amplitude remains. Here is a helpful hint...I pulled (disconnected) the upper and lower plate deflector wires from the CRT and turned the unit on again... without any vertical input connected, the CRT display was exactly the same as before...just a big rectangle-appearing image at all sweep speeds. This tells me that something is amiss in the CRT or associated electronics. Still scratching my head on this one.
Phil |
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Re: What have i here ? (Tek TDS 540 )
On 12/8/2018 3:26 PM, mattko87 wrote:
I has a TDS540, scussefully repaired.Hello, Matt-- As a guess... VER2 = version 2 73-- Brad AA1IP |
Michael A. Terrell
Gary Robert Bosworth
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