Repair or Replace? [Was: Repairing Timex] - test-drb@ccmp.vtda.org

18 Jul 2000

...
 I'll agree with that. The instrument I use the most
is (obviously) a
multimeter -- in my case an old analogue one. One day I must get a Fluke 

Got a few of those, my favorite is an Eico circuit tester/transistor
tester
I built in my teens.  I like it as there are no diodes or other rectifier
devices
and it's stable in strong RF fields.  I also use a Triplite 630 pocket
meter
(analog).

The fluke is a M12, well made, rugged holds calibration well.  I also
have a weston, a digital volt meter that is probe shaped (NLS) and
an old tandy DMM I got back in 74.

...
 comes a logic probe. For a long time I used a cheap
Tandy one, then I
upgraded to the LogicDart. And third on the list comes a bench PSU. Mine 

Wish I had a Dart.  I do have several I've made for my own use.

...
 is a 30V 8A Velleman kit that works very well. It's
a simple design 

All my bench PSUs are home made or resurected and modified H744
PSUs.

...
 Ditto. I've found a little handheld 'scope
(only 5MHz on repetitive
waveforms, 500kHz single-shot) is very useful for checking for PSU 

Old faithful is a NLS M15 I got in 74, been through a few sets of gell
cells.  Another is a B&K 2120, at 379$(US) it's an honest 20mhz
triggered sweep scope, small too for the 5" screen.  I recently got a
heath IO 10D-31 5mhz triggered also, replaced a few bad fets and
dialed it in and it's a fair scope.

...
 the other instruments I've mentioned. Other stuff
(counters, sig-gen, LCR
...
 meter, etc) is very nice to have, and I'm sure
it's saved me a lot of
time, but I think I could work without it if I had to. 

I have them and use them, I do/did a fair amount of RF.

...
 As I said a few years back 'Your brain is the most
important piece of
test gear that you have'. No instrument will find the fault for you --
all instruments just provide information as to what's going on. You have
to know how to interpret the results. 

;)

Allison