What to do with 20 dead Agilent active probes - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:01:18 am
content: I have 20 dead HP/Agilent 2.5 GHz 1152A active probes.Anyone have any thoughts on what to do with them? I figure they could be handy for DIY probes that you want to be compatible with the Agilent autoprobe interface.

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:07:24 am
content: Wow! A whole lot of 'em? Why are they dead anyway?

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:09:59 am
content: Quote from: bjcuizon on August 05, 2017, 05:07:24 amI didn't kill them, got them this way(along with some working ones). It isn't that hard to kill an active probe so I guess overvoltage or static.

author: bjcuizon
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:18:26 am
content: Quote from: TheSteve on August 05, 2017, 05:09:59 amOh okay, sorry for my ignorance. Never used an active probe before.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:47:22 am
content: Quote from: TheSteve on August 05, 2017, 05:09:59 amAnd you can tweak your KS to 1 GHz and can't fix these. ?If you spread them around the forum members as a repair project .............And one must go to someone with x-ray gear so they can post how they come apart.

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:54:49 am
content: Hah - I can't change bare dies and wire bond them in the home lab yet. I have looked, none of the easy stuff has failed.They actually come apart quite easily. I have some goodies to send to Dave for mailbag so I'll toss one in the box.

author: Jay_Diddy_B
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 05:56:37 am
content: Hi,There are picture of an Agilent active probe here:http://willhb.com/2014/07/agilent-active-probe/Steve, are your's similar to this one?Regards,Jay_Diddy_B

author: TheSteve
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 06:40:40 am
content: Internal pics:

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 08:15:53 am
content: How about a FrankenProbe?Autoprobe plug with tektronix head (P6245 et al). Just for fun

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 08:19:19 am
content: Mr. DJ is often down on his Youtube luck with knackered gear to fixI reckon these might fit the bill for a teardown, fix and working demo

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 08:24:34 am
content: Quote from: voltsandjolts on August 05, 2017, 08:15:53 amI'm having the same Franken thoughts:Quote from: MrW0lf on May 13, 2017, 10:45:12 pm

author: Dubbie
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 08:29:31 am
content: I got one of those to test. Works fine on my 200Mhz scope.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 08:32:22 am
content: Quote from: Dubbie on August 05, 2017, 08:29:31 amThen all you need is one of Steve's Agilent autoprobe connectors, right ?

author: danadak
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 11:44:00 am
content: Agilent repair them for fee ? Its a longshot but might stillbe worth it. Depends on how they did die attach.Shame to have to toss them......Regards, Dana.

author: mikeselectricstuff
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 05, 2017, 11:49:07 am
content: Repace the impossible-to-repair board with a new PCB, maybe with slightly less performance? A 1GHz active probe would still be useful for a lot of people.

author: Boppeldibop
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: March 31, 2023, 04:50:34 pm
content: so did you end up doing something with them?I myself have a 1152A that I patched in order to be recognized by my 3000T series scope only to find out that it doesn't work

author: Bud
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 31, 2023, 05:12:39 pm
content: It clips nicely to a regular BNC. Toss the spring loaded contacts and make x10 regular passive probes. These HP/Agilent probes have very nice soft cable. If one never used these probes he would not know what I am talking about.