Path: ...!fu-berlin.de!uni-berlin.de!individual.net!not-for-mail From: Trevor Wilson Newsgroups: sci.electronics.design,sci.electronics.repair Subject: Re: Favourite Test Equipment Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 06:30:54 +1000 Lines: 46 Message-ID: References: <9k7j0jlnbhs8qfg5m17pium0835meean83@4ax.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8; format=flowed Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: individual.net PV3/OGEvmCvEW7mDW5BgbwH1WxStnQqx+dKdJ1Qkax9tzZswA2 Cancel-Lock: sha1:yOH4L+C4hyN0KFWD9uElTzMUzL0= sha256:omWIVycY0efgFIzMN98WG3sPnl3KGXDpY5Ycs7/Zoqo= User-Agent: Mozilla Thunderbird Content-Language: en-US In-Reply-To: X-Antivirus: Avast (VPS 240409-4, 4/9/2024), Outbound message X-Antivirus-Status: Clean Bytes: 3092 On 11/04/2024 3:42 am, Cursitor Doom wrote: > On Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:40:02 +1000, Trevor Wilson > wrote: > >> On 1/04/2024 4:41 am, Cursitor Doom wrote: >>> Hi all, >>> >>> I'm starting to get a bit fed up with having my test equipment blow up >>> just when it's needed. This is the drawback with vintage gear; if it's >>> not used frequently then it can go *bang* the next time you switch it >>> on. It makes for good practice in repairing stuff, but wastes a lot of >>> time which could be better spent doing other things. >>> I think it's time I modernised my test gear. I was just wondering if >>> anyone has any recommendations they can share. Is there a particular >>> piece of test equipment you couldn't live without? Something you're >>> particularly impressed with? I'd be interested to know so I can >>> perhaps acquire said item and thereby reduce the number of explosions >>> I experience. >>> >>> Thanks, >>> >>> CD. >> >> **In my 55 years of servicing, I've only blown up one thing: A Micronta >> DMM, which I connected to a laser power supply. I should not have done >> it. Clear operator failure. Everything else works just fine. Even my >> first multimeter. A Sanwa U-50D my dad gave me on my 14th birthday. >> Still works fine. My first DMM. A cheap 'n cheerful SOAR. Works just >> fine. My first Fluke meter. A 40 year old Fluke 85. Works fine. I've had >> to clean the switch a few times. Otherwise, no problems. Ditto my other >> 15 or so meters. Same deal with my 'scopes. >> >> I don't know what your problem is. Test equipment, when treated properly >> lasts a long time. > > To be fair, these "explosions" are typically capacitors: old, dried > -out electrolytics in test gear that hasn't been used in a long time > go bang when the power's switched on - as do old X2 safety caps. Those > are the chief culprits IME. **Oh, I see. You ignore regular maintenance. That makes sense. I hope no one buys a car from you. -- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. www.avast.com