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Best Way To Power This ?

I got these two pieces of equipment.

One is a Data Precision benchtop DMM. It had a bad power transformer. It ru ns on a shunt Zener regulation using the impedance of the transformers. not something I would have done. But it's current drain is in the mA, maybe 10

0 or so. Might be a bit more if I happen to be reading 88.888 volts, it is LED. I prefer that, I find it easier to see and it is a bigun.

Then I got this Tektronix 422 with the battery option. It has a very elusiv e fault and I think it is the transformer. I have been through many tests o n this, but it comes back to the transformer. However it works well on 12 v olts. the internal transformer gives it like 27 and it gets hot and shuts d own but in 12 or so volts it will run forever.

So these two Are going to become my road set. I also got one of those car j ump starters that will undoubtedly run it for quite some time. But I would rather not do that. I would rather custom the system.

The scope drains around two amps tops, usually lower. I am not even thinkin g about using the original batteries, or their equivalents, it is too easy to modify the charging and use much better newer ones, and lighter. This th ing is heavy. And then I want to screw a DMM to the top of it ? Yes I do.

I think I want the whole thing to be powered by one battery, and I want the charger integrated so all I have to do is plug it in, I'll put an IEC on i t, any cord works. I also want the charger to charge and operate the unit s imultaneously. And I want CAPACITY, like if I go to Montana or something.

Recommendations ? Maybe a laptop battery (19 volts) with a Joule thief ? Ke ep it at 14 volts, that would work. I can calculate from that.

This would be great like when I go down to Hillbilly's. He messes with engi nes. Well I set ignition points with a scope. You want the points closed ex actly 2/3rds of the time. That is dwell.

Anyway, maybe I get some hosting and show it. The scope is much deeper than the meter. In fact the depth of the scope is why I don't keep it on the bu nch. I can give it 12 volts all day long. But it sticks out too much. But b ehind the meter on the top could be a spot for the battery and charger. May be.

What would you do ? (and don't say throw al that junk away)

Reply to
jurb6006
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check this out, you can get one of these big custom battery packs made from surplus Nissan Leaf battery modules, integrated charger and display and all that shit. 66ah, 2.5kWh!

Reply to
bitrex

Actually not sure if the charger is integrated in that one but not hard to add

Reply to
bitrex

With 66 amp hours I might be dead before I have to charge it. But if not for the cost it could be an option. Almost $400, all the equipment is not worth that except maybe the scope to a Tek collector, and maybe fifty bucks tops for the meter.

Reply to
jurb6006

Well, i have a 2000 Watts inverter powered by a 24kWhr Nissan battery, enough to power my scope, drill, saw, computers and mobile router for days. Oh yes, it can be driven too.

Reply to
edward.ming.lee

o add

The other thing is the 36 volts. I would have to regulate that down, I need around 13 and no more, and it can't go below like 11.5. So a higher voltag e battery is not the worst idea.

However I was thinking that I got a junk laptop here, broken screen. I got the battery and power supply. Maybe I could use that. They are generally 19 volts which is not too much of a drop, but enough headroom to not make a m ess of the drive for the chopper.

But maybe that is the right way, head for the higher voltage and regulate i t down. Both units need regulation due to how they are. The meter is regula ted by 2 watts of Zeners. I don't want a big Dale on a heatsink hanging off this thing. The scope has a fault and after extensive troubleshooting I ha ve determined the transformer is leaking at higher voltages. It can handle

12 volts or so but not the 24 that its AC transformer does or the battery p ack, which is pretty much defunct anyway. The thing is from about 1972.

I have also been pondering the fact that the same capacity batteries could go where the originals were and after adapting the charging circuit properl y or using an external one maybe it could output to power the meter as well , that meter hardly pulls anything.

One leetle problem with that though, that will force the two units to have a common ground.

Reply to
jurb6006

you could use one of these units:

and then these buck-boost converters that plug right into the USB ports. Screw terminals for the gear and they have pots to adjust the output voltage.

Reply to
bitrex

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