(NZ) Function generator hire [SOLVED] - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: HendoNZ
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 12:54:41 am
content: Hi all,I'm curious to see if there's a place in Auckland that rents out test equipment?I've got an old AC millivoltmeter and want to calibrate it, but I don't have the equipment (function generator) to generate the frequencies and voltages required.If anyone knows of a place in Auckland please let me know.Cheers

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 02:47:29 am
content: @tautech will be along shortly to sell you a SiglentEven if you only have a single use 'this time' the cheap end of the Chinese stuff is actually decent. Feeltech for one. Likely price tag will be less than a rental.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 29, 2021, 05:46:57 am
content: You can borrow mine if you want.I have a Siglent that goes up to 160MhzI've checked it with my HP frequency counter + GPSDO and it's bang on.PM me.

author: edavid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2021, 03:34:25 am
content: Quote from: HendoNZ on March 29, 2021, 12:54:41 amA function generator is the wrong instrument for this, since they have rather loose output voltage specs. You would need an AC calibrator or at least a leveled signal generator.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 30, 2021, 04:11:43 am
content: Could measure the output of the function gen with a 6.5 digit meter to get a good idea of the true value.

author: beanflying
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2021, 04:27:00 am
content: While some of us have 'several; 6 1/2 DMM's (and 7 and ...) and some even have an AC calibrator (yep too) seems a bit clear the OP is looking for a solution on a budget without the toys. Toys like this in NZ or Oz are as rare as rocking horse poo and while we do have specialized companies in Oz for example that rent/lease gear out there are poison on price.If the OP cant make do with an 'ok' solution then finding someone with toys via here is likely the next best option. The only other NOW Kiwi I know of with an AC Calibrator (if it is now working) is the DefPom who escaped from Mother England.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 30, 2021, 04:57:24 am
content: Quote from: edavid on March 30, 2021, 03:34:25 amSort of depends on what he has and which function generator. If it is an analog instrument, anything within 1% will do. And an AWG like the Siglent SDG2042X is actually pretty accurate. I haven't tested my FeelTechs, for amplitude accuracy, but I wouldn't be surprised if they were accurate too, within certain frequency/power limits.

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 30, 2021, 05:48:03 am
content: It turns out I live literally around the corner from OP and have both a sig gen and a 6.5 digit multimeter I can loan him. So this problem is solved for now.

author: HendoNZ
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: April 02, 2021, 07:48:23 pm
content: Thanks for all the replies!A member has kindly offered to lend me a function generator. I am aware that ideally I would use an AC Calibrator, but that would be a hard bit of kit to find and I'm only using the AC millivoltmeter to work on audio gear, so close enough is good enough for me.Cheers