Scope power

Because ungrounded equipment is always a bad idea.

--
"I am a river to my people." 
Jeff-1.0 
WA6FWi 
http:foxsmercantile.com

Tom Del Rosso wrote: ======================

** Errr - user safety ?

** Battery scopes are potentially lethal.

** BNC plugs are metal and so are accessory connectors on the front and back.

FYI

My 1987 analogue scope ( 10x8 cm, 50MHz, dual trace) draws the same power as my 1052E

..... Phil

I believe that Tektronix still offers the TPS2000 Series.

Phil Allison wrote: ======================

** Just rechecked, the Rigol uses 18W and the trusty BWD 825 only 15.

It don't need a noisy fan either.

.... Phil

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** Not the same idea and very exxe.

Float the DUT - not the damn scope.

.... Phil

Phil Allison wrote: ================

** Bugger - its a BWD 821

In 34 years of daily use, I have replaced 1 open 22kohm resistor and 1 pull switch mini pot.

..... Phil

There are scopes with battery power. I bought the Owon DS8202 for that reason, along with good memory depth.

It's just one way of increasing measurement flexibility and of monitoring ground loop effects, but requires care in use. Even low voltage circuits can present energy hazards to technicians and their test equipment.

For AC measurements, ground is everywhere, so your isolation should be limited to low frequency nodes.

Can't say much for the scope - it has the usual triggering and noise issues as most of the present digital offerings.

The battery can be expected to last ~3yrs. I refurbed the pack using cells from offshore and added a balancing circuit. Hopefully this will increase their lifetime.

There are "handheld" scopes with internal batteries as well (Wave2). These can make low-frequency monitoring a bit less invasive and replace expensive differential probes, in some applications.

Holding them in any energised circuit application is not advised.

You need internal waveform memory to save data, if you want to process it on a grounded PC, later.

RL

RL

I get the point. Maybe not a problem with a single channel battery scope.

Interesting...thanks.

--
 Defund the Thought Police

==================

** Like multimeter style scopes?

Hate them.

..... Phil

but, but but, it's not capable of 3Ghz and sampling. It must be a useless instrument.

=================== >

** Very true.....

But I needed a scope for knock down, drag out service work on all kinds of items from tube amps to 2kW SMPSs to 1kW linear mosfet power amplifiers. Plus all the small stuff like condensor mics. Plus I needed to be able to service it myself with readily available spares. Plus it must have a mu-metal shield on the tube.

I was able to buy a spare, internal graticule, PDA CRT for it for under $200 - beautiful thing. Eats the Rigol for breakfast for what I do.

...... Phil

nice. How rare/common is the fancy shielding on a scope? I don't travel with a scope so it's never been an issue for me.

A friend just got his first scope, some sort of mid 1980s Kenwood. He emailed kenwood in japan and they send a scan of the manual. Sort of jealous of it in fact.

Cydrome Leader wrote: ====================

** Low cost, Asian CRT scopes are unshielded. Everything else pretty much is. ** Got nothing to do with travelling.

** Likely has no mag shielding.

Be a real PITA if you locate a mains transformer anywhere near the tube. Such scopes must be sited well away from the work bench and other items of test gear.

Or else the trace shimmers horribly at 50/60 Hz. Major scam, IMO.

..... Phil