Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Tektronix 3052B Oscilloscope

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 02:48

A close associate is using a 3052B 'scope and has asked me to help him source the batteries for it.

Tektronix wants $500 each for the three batteries required. Ouch! Not to mention a one month delivery lead time.

Anyone have any details on what the specs might be? OEM, V, mAh, that sort of thing?

There must be a more cost effective way to power this scope.

YT2095 - 25-4-2008 at 03:25

http://energy.ece.uiuc.edu/equipment/tds3000_service.pdf

have a wade through here, it May help.


Bingo! http://www.trs-rentelco.com/manual/TEK_TDS3BAT_Manual.pdf


[Edited on 25-4-2008 by YT2095]

not_important - 25-4-2008 at 04:46

Three batteries? Thought it took a single NiCd pack, and will run off of mains power about anywhere in the world.

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 05:50

It is to be operated in a location with no mains power.

The batteries I am talking about are Li-ion, not NiCd. I inderstand charger is seperate, not built in as with the NiCd.

Interesting that the NiCd pack was 12 V 4400 mAh. Obviouly that is 10 1.2 V 440 mAh cells strapped together.

Which is more info than I had before.

I assume he needs three batteries so he can run the scope at remote location for 12 hours or so.

YT2095 - 25-4-2008 at 05:58

personally, I say Car batt and some croc clips :)

failing that, get a UPS, you can run all sorts of those too.

not_important - 25-4-2008 at 06:03

If they want to use Li-ion of a low volume form factor , it's going to cost them multiple appendages.

I'd seriously consider getting an inverter to provide AC, and run that off the cheapest battery choice they have. A lead-acid battery and sine wave inverter will cost less than half of one of the product specific batteries. The only reason to go with multiple battery packs is the absolute need for maximum portability and minimum space taken up.

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 06:16

The real explanation is a contractor who obviously thinks the client has a deep pocket and wants to get him to shell out for expensive batteries.

Thus far he has rejected all suggestions to employ a portable generator, or the battery power from an automobile (via a cigaretter lighter type adapter.) I have seen portable GCs run that way So why not an oscilloscope?

not_important - 25-4-2008 at 06:48

Should have said the project had "green" requirements, the contractor will be required to lug about several square meters of photovoltaic panels to recharge batteries with. Alternatively they could used one of the bicycle derived peddle-power generators for recharging. And BTW the client will be checking to see that the green power requirement is being met.

Be worth the battery cost to see the contractor pumping away for 6 hours a day recharging batteries.

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 07:16

The specific Tektronix part number is:

Tektronix TDS3BATC Battery Pack, Lithium-Ion (TDS3BATC is a direct replacement for the TDS3BATB providing the same features and capabilities as the TDS3BATB.)

$495 each.

franklyn - 25-4-2008 at 15:47

Won't this do
http://www.yamahagenerators.com/yamaha_generator_ef1000is_pr...
http://www.amazon.com/Yamaha-000-Watt-Portable-Generator-EF1...

http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/Products/modeldetail.aspx...

These are only an example I'm sure there are cheaper units available

http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B000QUZEBO/ref=dp_olp...
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000QUZEBO/ref=olp_product_...

.

MagicJigPipe - 25-4-2008 at 16:35

$500 a piece? It would be cheaper to buy a small generator and power it with that (then you would have a generator you could do other things with)! Is that not an acceptable option in your friend's case?

However, now that you know the specs, do you think he would be willing to "rig" something up? It shouldn't be that hard even with basic electronics knowledge.

I do stuff like that all the time out of necessity but I'm sure you won't need any instruction. It may not look very good but it will save him ~$1450.

[Edited on 4-25-2008 by MagicJigPipe]

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 18:54

A small portable generator was my very first suggestion, but the idea was rejected as being too electrically noisy for the application (spectrum analysis of firearms signatures with sound suppressors).

The people have apparently never heard of filters or power conditioners.

Well, they are in a primitive benighted place (Arkansas.)

franklyn - 25-4-2008 at 20:58

R U Serious ,
Use a pocket digital recorder in the field , then sample the recording at your
leisure at home base. The yamaha produces 47 Decibels, about that of the
sibilant wisper of your underworld connection, the bird chatter will be louder
than that. As for electrical noise, these things are brushless and the equal
of a computer uninterruptible power supply, which is another alternative.
http://www.apc.com/products/family/index.cfm?id=23
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_I...
http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_I...
Batteries ( not manufacturers replacement part ) are cheap enough
to stack, so nature boy can commune in silence all afternoon.

.

MagicJigPipe - 25-4-2008 at 21:46

Sauron, I should feel insulted as I grew up in Arkansas. Strangely I'm not because it's true (at least outside of Little Rock).

LR is good though. That's probably just because it's my home town but other than the meth scare I love it.

I apologize about making the generator suggestion again because, I admit, I did not read the entire thread.

Franklyn, what do you mean by "nature boy"? Are you trying to imply that anyone working with firearms is some sort of "redneck" or just anyone who lives in Arkansas?

If so, I find that extremely judgemental and in poor taste.


[Edited on 4-25-2008 by MagicJigPipe]

Sauron - 25-4-2008 at 21:49

They were talkinbg about supposed electrical noise, I regard that as just an excuse to insist on these stupid batteries.

A UPS is generally an array of SLAs with an interter and yes I am sure they could use one, I know for a fact they make large ones as I used to have (in my office) about a dozen 1 KVA UPS we sold to the Mass Communications Authority of Thailand.

At 220 V these will put out 4 hours @ 1 A.

not_important - 25-4-2008 at 23:30

Quote:
Originally posted by MagicJigPipe
...what do you mean by "nature boy"? ...
[Edited on 4-25-2008 by MagicJigPipe]


An old term that is very roughly equivalent to "hippie", similar term was "nature nut". Someone wanting to stay away from urban civilization, out in the wilds without manmade noises. Also used to indicate a naturalist/nudist.

There was a boy
A very strange enchanted boy
They say he wandered very far, very far
Over land and sea
A little shy and sad of eye
But very wise was he

-- Eden Ahbez, a nature boy himself

Sauron - 26-4-2008 at 08:28

Ah. I remember that song.

It seems to me that R.Goulet or A.Williams popularized that one in the U.S.

[Edited on 26-4-2008 by Sauron]