Other Basic Electronics, Multimeters, & Oscilloscopes

This thread is about basic electrical, electronics, Multimeters, and Oscilloscopes. It is an outcome of interest that various members have expressed about these subjects.

@Janger , @Johnwa , and @kevin.decelles have all recently obtained a starter Oscilloscope so I think the timing is good for a thread like this.

The primary resource will be a book (available on Amazon in paper or kindle) called Electronics for Dummies by Kathleen Shamieh. The book isn't a requirement, but it always helps to have a reference of some kind to facilitate discussion. Other references might get added as the thread progresses.

I'm not picturing this thread as a course, just a good place to ask questions, find answers, and share knowledge and experience about basic electrical knowledge and testing.

As always, a good time and lots of great jokes are expected!

 

[Johnwa]

Sure thing.

 

[terry_g]

I found this on an electronics forum: NJARC Oscilloscope School a.k.a. "Scopes For Dopes"

Its a bit long at over 2 hours but a lot of good info. I usually run videos a 2x speed.

​

 

[terry_g]

I picked up a Simpson 260 meter from Kijiji for $35. Seller said it worked a few years ago the last time he used it. I gave my last analogue meter to an apprentice when I bought my Fluke 77 decades ago. Working on an ATV with no spark recently an analogue would have been nice to have.

I took it apart to replace the batteries, the old ones in it were starting to leak. I replaced the batteries but the Ohm scale would not zero. So apart it came. I found the manual for it at simpso260.com and was surprised to find out it was made in 1958 or 1959. Following the circuit through the meter I found a poor connection between the board and the post where it connects to the meter. A serrated steel washer had rusted. I cleaned that up and put it back together now Rx100 and Rx10,000 would zero but Rx1 was unstable. I followed the Rx1 circuit and found a resistor that was not properly soldered to the trace on the board. This would have been a problem with it from the day it was new. It works but reads slightly low on the scales I tested. I will use my other two digital meters to calibrate it to.
I now have a very nicely made piece of Canadian history.




It takes five batteries. According to the manual it takes one "D" battery and four "Z"batteries. I believe "Z" batteries were smaller in diameter than "AA"batteries the AA's almost fit but the rear housing will not tighten up against the front housing completely not a big deal.

 

[Susquatch]

Once upon a time I had one just like it. I loved that meter.

A friend of mine asked me to come over so he could use it to check his Hotwater Tank Elements. He didn't disconnect the circuit. So I warned him about doing that. He was a master electrician in grid control at Ontario Hydro so I figured he knew more than me! He crawled behind his tank, took the cover off, and damn near killed himself when my meter blew up. It quite literally exploded!

Apparently, they don't disconnect circuits to test them on the grid and they use amps instead of Volts. Don't ask me to explain that cuz I don't get it. After 20 years working with high voltage, he assumed that low voltage was done the same way. He put my meter on amps and put both leads across the connection......

We both learned something that day. I don't Fk with high voltage and he doesn't Fk with low. But it cost me my Simpson. Someday I'll figure out why the methods are so different.

 

[Susquatch]

According to the manual it takes one "D" battery and four "Z"batteries. I believe "Z" batteries were smaller in diameter than "AA"batteries the AA's almost fit but the rear housing will not tighten up against the front housing completely not a big deal.

IIRC, I used AAAs with a thin tape collar at the bottom like a barbell, and a piece of brass recessed to take the battery and extend the length at the other end Worked great. Today, I would have made a brass collar for each end. Even way back then AAAs had more capacity than those old Z's. Some modern lithiums today and you would be laughing!

 

[slow-poke]

Apparently, they don't disconnect circuits to test them on the grid and they use amps instead of Volts. Don't ask me to explain that cuz I don't get it.

Either do I, and I worked for Ontario Hydro, I think the results speak for themselves;-)

 

[jcdammeyer]

My first meter. Doesn't work anymore. Not sure why. The tubes light up. But the On Indication lamp is missing. Maybe that's why. Might have the assembly instructions somewhere.

 

[Susquatch]

My first meter. Doesn't work anymore. Not sure why. The tubes light up. But the On Indication lamp is missing. Maybe that's why. Might have the assembly instructions somewhere.

That's beautiful! Never had a vaccum tube voltmeter. But I did have a vacuum tube oscilloscope with a green CRT Screen!

Bet we could find the assembly manual for your meter if you can't find yours!

 

[Bandit]

I still have my first meter, mother gave it to me for Xmas when I was 12 or so, then she taught me how to solder. An electisun at work was soldering wiring with acid core solder, gave him a bit of what for and to strip it out,clean it up and use rosein core. He wanted to know who taught me to solder, told him my mother and I started soldering nearly 40 years before he was born, and she had been a radar tech in the Air Force. I suggested he best not say anything about boots or other things, otherwise the day would get a bit bad.

 

[Johnwa]

This reminded me to take the batteries out of my 260. Mine uses 1 D cell and 1 9 volt battery. I think it is 1970 ish version.

 

[jcdammeyer]

That's beautiful! Never had a vaccum tube voltmeter. But I did have a vacuum tube oscilloscope with a green CRT Screen!

Bet we could find the assembly manual for your meter if you can't find yours!

I found it and the schematic is in the back. Now it's just a matter of time to hunt down the issue. I replaced it years ago with a Beckman 310 DVM

Beckman Multimeter 310

Multimeters are instruments capable of making multiple measurements, typically voltage, current, and resistance.

digital.sciencehistory.org

Bought that when I worked at Cardinal Industrial Electronics in Edmonton.

 

[slow-poke]

I found it and the schematic is in the back. Now it's just a matter of time to hunt down the issue. I replaced it years ago with a Beckman 310 DVM

Beckman Multimeter 310

Multimeters are instruments capable of making multiple measurements, typically voltage, current, and resistance.

digital.sciencehistory.org

Bought that when I worked at Cardinal Industrial Electronics in Edmonton.

I had a Beckman 330, purchased it new around 1981, started acting up within 5 year and then stopped working altogether. Nothing like a Fluke DMM from my perspective. How was yours reliability wise?

 

[Susquatch]

I replaced it years ago with a Beckman 310 DVM

LMAO! I have a Beckman too! I still use it to this day even though I also have several Flukes too. In fact, it's sitting on the counter in the barn as I write this hooked up to a spindle motor controller. You really don't need a Fluke to do 99% of the things you use a DVM for.

 

[jcdammeyer]

I had a Beckman 330, purchased it new around 1981, started acting up within 5 year and then stopped working altogether. Nothing like a Fluke DMM from my perspective. How was yours reliability wise?

I dropped it once. Sent it to Oregon for repairs. Came back with repaired including the bottom which is now a different colour. Then a while back I dropped it again. Hasn't quite worked properly since so I replaced it with a Fluke. However, bought the wrong type meant for a different goup of users and it always defaults to AC instead of DC when it powers up. Mostly just annoying.
Found service manual for the Beckman. Maybe one day I'll look at it. I prefer setting the range to auto ranging so that's why I like the fluke less.

 

[whydontu]

My second VOM, bought with my employee discount when I worked at Radio Shack in the mid-70s. Still have it, still use it. Bought the kit because it was an ego boost to say that I built it, even though it took maybe 45 minutes.
_________________
If I had saved all the money I've spent on test equipment, I'd probably spend it on test equipment.

 

[John Conroy]

I still have the Simpson 635 multimeter that my dad bought new for me in 1967.

 

[John Conroy]

Occasionally I still use the Snap On Tach-Dwell meter I bought in the 70's.

 

[thestelster]

Well, I might as well get in on the action.

 

[Susquatch]

I sure wish I saved my exploded Simpson. This will have to do till I can find something actually worthy of bragging about..... Like some of you guys! This old Beckman actually had transistor testing!




Who saves old receipts? You need some serious counselling John...... Maybe you and I can go together. I prolly have mine too but 6 moves later I have no idea where they are......

 

[John Conroy]

I actually found the receipt in my dad's papers after he passed. One of the best gifts he ever bought me.