What to do with scope probes after use? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 05:42:57 am
content: Hey everyone,Total noob here.... So I recently purchased an oscilloscope.I was wondering what to do with the probes after use. What I've been doing is just wrapping them up as you can see in the attached image.Is this good? I feel bad doing it every time.Whats the best thing to do to ensure the longevity of my investment?

author: Fsck
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 06:10:23 am
content: I usually leave my haphazardly around so they don't interfere with whatever I'm doing.

author: taco
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 06:33:55 am
content: What scope did you buy? Being a newb myself, I'm looking for a low cost learning one that will serve me for a few years. do you like it?

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 06:46:33 am
content: To do the job properly:http://nz.rs-online.com/web/c/test-measurement/test-leads/test-lead-racks/

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 09:26:14 am
content: Quote from: tautech on March 16, 2015, 06:46:33 amThere's a good argument for that, but personally I'd bend up a piece of metal or acrylic!I'm continually amazed by the number of ebay ads that show probe leads compressed into a figure of 8 by elastic bands. Currently there's an £800 Agilent probe like that!

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 09:58:06 am
content: The test lead racks look interesting. I never knew they existed. Seems like a bit of overkill for me since I only have 4 scope probes and a 2 for my multimeter though.So in terms of just leaving the probes lying around, no worries?Also if you were to continually connect and disconnect the BNC connectors, in your guys experience, do they wear down and if so how quickly?

author: Jeroen3
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 10:03:24 am
content: Quote from: bitshift on March 16, 2015, 09:58:06 amHow many USB cables do you have? Or are they all compressed in the drawer of knotted cables?I have one of those racks, for my 6 test lead and 3 probe wires. But the rack is full of other stuff. USB, IEC, VGA, HDMI.

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 10:05:42 am
content: A lot, but USB cables are so cheap and readily available I'm not too concerned with them. I guess they could house my other cables.Do you always unplug the probes on your scope after use?

author: george graves
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 11:08:18 am
content: If I know I'm not going to be using by scope for a while I hand them up on a Wall Mount Cable Organizer:At $10 a pop, they aren't bad. They have some trays for random connectors as well.Other wise I gently drape them over the back of the scope and let the ends rest on the front panel. Then when I need them, they are right there, and I can use them straight away.The one thing that I struggle with is my leads and my soldering iron getting to close to one another. (haven't burned anything yet! But a few close calls) I haven't heard many people talk about solutions to that. Would love to hear some.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 11:33:49 am
content: Quote from: george graves on March 16, 2015, 11:08:18 amAt the local hackspace I put up a friendly multicoloured sign warning people of exactly that issue. The scope was used on a shel above a soldering area!The best solution is to have a large enough worktop that you solder over here and use scope over there.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 11:57:56 am
content: I'm a cheapskate, I use slotted conduit both for storage and cable management. I know it's frowned upon in certain quarters, but I generally leave the probes connected all the time, and use the fingers of the slotted conduit to manage the probes in a kind of first in last out arrangement so they don't get tangled up.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 12:26:37 pm
content: One of my frustrations at my pre-retirement day job was a tendency of whipper-snapper EEs immediately to lose (or discard) the ground lead on scope probes, followed by loss of the "witches' hat" since they only probed PCBs with the sharp point. It's a good habit to ensure both are on the probe before you store it in a drawer or on a rack.

author: Wh1sper
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 12:30:52 pm
content: I'm using clothing hooks from a discounter.much cheaper

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 12:38:49 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on March 16, 2015, 12:26:37 pmTotally agreed, I think the only way you can stop this kind of thing is to have people provide their own probes, then they might take a bit more care of them. A bit like chefs who use their own knives.

author: bitshift
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 12:40:30 pm
content: That's a nice setup you get there Howardlong!@Wh1sper How do you keep the wires from falling off?

author: katzohki
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 06:32:47 pm
content: Looks pretty much exactly how I store them in your first pic. I don't use expensive probes. Expensive ones sometimes come with a case for storage.

author: kezat
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 07:13:05 pm
content: If you have a 3d printer handy you could print one.http://www.thingiverse.com/thing:631202

author: Alex Eisenhut
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 07:32:46 pm
content: My hairdresser gave me some nice promotional items, just the perfect size. I had the probes dangling from various 1$ plastic clips before, but I found they get in the way or the cats chew on them. Zipping them up also solves the accessory issue, and keeps them clean too.

author: tggzzz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 08:02:02 pm
content: Quote from: kezat on March 16, 2015, 07:13:05 pmIf you search for "oscilloscope" on that site, you will get other ideas which may be more relevant to your circumstances.

author: rdl
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 08:07:34 pm
content: Springy clips on a plastic peg board. My work area is in a closet and because of the existing shelf brackets I couldn't mount the peg boards quite as high as I wanted, so some of the longer cables reach down to the carpet. Actually I keep one probe attached to the scope all the time, I shove all the excess cable behind the scope when not in use, just so it's out of the way.

author: jpb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 08:10:38 pm
content: With my expensive 500MHz LeCroy probes I carefully coil them up and put them back in the bag that each came from and keep the bags in a hard "really useful" box inside a drawer in my workbench.It is a bit tedious taking them in and out but I actually don't use the probes very often as I tend to use cables with BNC connectors instead.

author: Matje
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 16, 2015, 11:29:10 pm
content: Quote from: bitshift on March 16, 2015, 09:58:06 amAs long as you don't make the loop too tight, no problem. I personally would put them on top of the scope, if you don't move it around, frees up space.I would not connect/disconnect the BNCs all the time. While this will be no problem in the short run, connectors have a maximum number of "mating cycles" for which they are guaranteed to work. It may be less than one expects, see the datasheet (USB would have a quite large number, DVI on the other hand, well...). What I could find for BNC is 500 mating cycles, which is, hmm, less than I would have expected =8^(.

author: BurningTantalum
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2015, 08:08:12 am
content: I have a large-radius half-circle of ply with a thin flange to stop the leads falling off. It is glued to my 'coat-rack' of hooks in the shack. My scope leads, Metcal leads and anything else coaxial are draped over it.I must confess to not having given any thought to the 'cycle' life of the BNC and F plugs. Now I won't sleep tonight !Regards, BT

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2015, 08:44:48 am
content: Quote from: Matje on March 16, 2015, 11:29:10 pmAt one extreme, when I worked at ESA, we were allowed just one cycle of SMA connectors on flight hardware! I used to think that this was actually self defeating, because if you need to replace both connectors each time you've cycled them, the effect on the rest of the system is worse, such as thermal cycling of the PCB, although cable ends were always crimped, but of they were loomed up, you might end up having to re-loom.Practically it is a lot more than that: I have a test jig for one of my products, and it takes around 6,000 cycles before the jig's male connector starts to faulter. The failure mode is always the centre pin, it is visibly thinner after 6,000 cycles because of the abrasive effect of the female receptacle. After a while, it no longer makes reliable contact.

author: Kjelt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2015, 08:55:31 am
content: I always leave them connected so I don't have to search for them when I need them. I curl them up ontop of the scope or now I have a led light i hang them around the light pole.

author: Neganur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 17, 2015, 10:43:38 pm
content: I use those SmartStore plastic boxes for probes and the better SMA cables. I have one right next to the scope.4mm banana leads used to hang from the shelf but it turned out to be a bad idea with cats around. Now they're banned from entering my lab though so that works OK.

author: Matje
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 17, 2015, 11:42:23 pm
content: Quote from: Howardlong on March 17, 2015, 08:44:48 amHehehe, space hardware. Different rules, because it is somewhat hard to fix once shot up there. I'd assume these where always fastened with a torque wrench?Quote from: bitshift on March 16, 2015, 09:58:06 amYes, connectors will usually last way longer then the manufacturer guarantees. Especially if manufactured by a real manufacturer, not some chinese backyard outift, and if used by people with half a clue and more than one brain cell - you wouldn't believe what happens in "advanced" organisations like the military though...The problem is just all the trouble until one does recognize that the connector is gone. I'd guess you change your connectors above before 6000 cycles have passed?

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2015, 11:54:36 am
content: Put your scope on a shelf then attach a piece of wood that adds a slight lip on the edge of the shelf the width of the scope, the probes will sit there nicely and you can quickly loop them into place.If you want to hang general cables up. Drill multiple holes in the face of a length of wood, then cut up small wooden dowel pieces the size of the holes and arrange the cables how you like. My other idea is to substitute the dowels for old brass rifle casings. This is dirt cheap.You can also purchase something like this.

author: Neganur
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 18, 2015, 12:47:55 pm
content: regarding leaving probes attached, reminded me of on of the nice Jim Williams lab photos:a scope cart seems great, cables over the handle of the drawer and probes hanging down or in the drawer itself (and all kinds of adapters).I wonder if I can just attach a towel holder at the edge of my desk and hang cables there hmmmm... !

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2015, 01:34:44 pm
content: I get some soft neoprene velcro close cases at the dollar store (for $1!) that are designed for tablets. I can put 2 or 4 scope probes in them and it keeps them together and from getting all dust covered.

author: AG6QR
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2015, 08:04:21 pm
content: Lots of good ideas here. The main thing is to avoid bending the coax lead too tightly. The center conductor of a scope probe coax is somewhat fragile because it is very thin, intentionally made that way to have some distributed resistance, in order to avoid ringing. Repeated extreme bending could eventually lead to failure. Of course it's designed to handle moderate bending, so you don't need to be too picky about it.