Test Equipment Anonymous (TEA) : Discussion and Group Therapy Thread

[EC8010]

I periodically state that I have all the test gear I need. So, at 11:00 this morning a Keithley 2400 sourcemeter arrived from Fleabay. Very well packed, box within a box, and within a box. It will have spent the night in a cold warehouse, so it's on the top shelf but unpowered until any condensation has evaporated. It has already been plumbed into the GPIB bus. Now that I have two 2400, I can do curve tracing on semiconductors.

[Zenith]

I periodically state that I have all the test gear I need.

And that's why you post on here.

So, at 11:00 this morning a Keithley 2400 sourcemeter arrived from Fleabay. Very well packed, box within a box, and within a box. It will have spent the night in a cold warehouse, so it's on the top shelf but unpowered until any condensation has evaporated. It has already been plumbed into the GPIB bus. Now that I have two 2400, I can do curve tracing on semiconductors.

Exactly.

[EC8010]

It flies. All looks good except for the display which is a bit patchy; dim and dingy in places. That won't really matter much as I will only ever use it under computer control (yep, that works). It seems that the state of the (vacuum fluorescent) display is something to watch out for in beige (as opposed to grey) Keithleys that don't have "A Tektronix Company" under their front panel Keithley legend. I expect someone here can give chapter and verse on what that description means in terms of age. I'll probably whip the covers off at some point to determine its exact age. Having said that, the Tektronix rep (when quizzed) conceded that boards were populated way before a collection of boards was assembled to become an instrument for delivery, explaining why my "new" 2400's lithium coin cell died only five years after I bought the instrument from Tek.

[Zenith]

Just a thought, but you might try cleaning the VFD and its screen. It's probably been kept in a environment where a lot of grime hasn't built up, and so what you have is ageing, but it can make a difference.

VFDs and LCDs may have been made as generic parts for a specific market, such as clocks or stereo receivers, but they are most often specials for a particular product, so if they go wrong in something which has dropped off the price list and off the supported products list, you'll be lucky to find a straight replacement. It's just as well you intend to use it under computer control.

[EC8010]

Thanks for the thought, but the outside is remakably clean, so I suspect the VFD inside is also clean. But I'll take a look. A replacement VFD is almost certainly unobtainium, but it's not the end of the world.

What I have learned is that it's in a very good state of calibration. Which made me wonder about my other 2400. So I looked up calibration and discovered that the calibration coefficients are stored in RAM maintained by the lithium button cell; that'll be the one I replaced a few years ago. Looks like the other 2400 wants calibration. Doesn't look too daunting.

[MED6753]

Going to be a fun weekend. Frigid temps, winds, and snow.....lots of snow. Upwards of 2 feet predicted. That's a once in 5 to 10 year storm. We'll see if the predictions are accurate. I'll post photos from the balcony.

[Cubdriver]

I guess it's time to get the snowblower out and running... Haven't used it in years. No doubt the stores will be a mob scene on Saturday, and look like a plague of locusts have passed through.

On a different note, MGJ was the destination for my first dual cross country from Oxford, CT (OXC) back in 1985.

-Pat

[tautech]

Yup unpredictable weather cycles, hardly anything new and so much for GloBULL warming.

AKL high 20's back in November when we wouldn't expect them until now yet a 19 high and showers are forecast for today and much the same for the next few.
The 44C on Xmas day in Perth now seems like a dream from another life.....

[MED6753]

I guess it's time to get the snowblower out and running... Haven't used it in years. No doubt the stores will be a mob scene on Saturday, and look like a plague of locusts have passed through.

On a different note, MGJ was the destination for my first dual cross country from Oxford, CT (OXC) back in 1985.

-Pat

We were at grocery today and it was nuts.

[MED6753]

I guess it's time to get the snowblower out and running... Haven't used it in years. No doubt the stores will be a mob scene on Saturday, and look like a plague of locusts have passed through.

On a different note, MGJ was the destination for my first dual cross country from Oxford, CT (OXC) back in 1985.

-Pat

Pat, if it's a Tecumseh snow king engine good luck getting it started. Their carbs are notorious for gumming up even after sitting one season.