WTB : Scanner card for 3 Solartron multimeter models: 7061; 7071; 7081 - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 08, 2021, 07:54:26 pm
content: I'm looking for these cards for these three multimeter models: 7061; 7071; 7081.- These optional scanner boards provide eight additional input connectors.- Please find an example belowThank you for all your suggestions.Best regardsDj

author: branadic
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2021, 08:55:55 pm
content: I've only found the pictures provided here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/test-equipment-anonymous-(tea)-group-therapy-thread/msg2380377/#msg2380377With the relays at hand it shouldn't be too hard to replicate the scanner board.-branadic-

author: Kleinstein
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 20, 2021, 09:21:06 pm
content: The relay card shown still has quite some extra logic to go with it. It is more than just some shift registers and drivers and one would need some kind of plan or details description of the interface to buit such a card.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2021, 05:13:02 am
content: Even duplicating the schematics if they are available into a pcb, the coto relays must be expensives as hell ??

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 21, 2021, 05:11:01 pm
content: Hello,Thank you for the link.Best regardsDjil

author: codaroma
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2022, 09:47:20 am
content: Apologies for the nostalgia. I worked for Solartron back in the late 80's, early 90's in Farnborough, UK. I was an engineer involved in designing the IMP and Orion product lines. My lab booth was right next door to the DVM guys' booth. They were all in their 50's and really knew their shit. As a youngster I was always a bit intimidated by working along side these geniuses designing equipment capable of accurately measuring nano volts.https://books.google.com.au/books?id=MUzc2MoLONAC&pg=PA627#v=onepage&q&f=false

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 18, 2022, 08:48:04 pm
content: Hello,Thank you for the link.Best regardsDjil

author: meandeev
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2022, 10:22:29 am
content: I don´t want to sell my card, but I can provide detailed photos if you wish.The card is only for 7061!

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 22, 2022, 10:30:12 am
content: Hello,I really appreciate these pictures.Thank you very much.Best regardsDjil

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2022, 03:33:21 pm
content: Hello,I really appreciate these pictures if you have a moment to do them.Thank you very much.Best regardsDjil

author: manganin
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2022, 01:52:27 pm
content: Quote from: Djil on December 08, 2021, 07:54:26 pmThe Solartron 7071 and 7081 have a D25 connector called Minate bus for connecting an external scanner. The bus is simply an 8 bit BCD, so it is easy to make your own scanner. There can be up to 127 channels and also a 5V 100mA supply is available, which is very handy.The bus pinout can be found here on page 1.4.http://www.perdrix.co.uk/Solartron7081/Solartron%207081%20User%20Manual.pdfThe bus was originally designed to control the Solartron 7010 Minate which is a 16-way 4-wire scanner from the 7075 era. The 7010 was made of hermetic reed tubes operated by electric magnets on the opposite side of the printed circuit board. That provided low leakage and very long life. I still have two units left, but the 7010 seems to be very rare nowadays. I couldn't even find a photo online.The 7061 was designed as a system voltmeter and had an option for a built in scanner card as already mentioned.As far as I remember the original 7061 scanner card was not very good and limited to only 8 inputs. That is why I designed a set of 32-way scanners using a DIN41612 multipole connector for the inputs (best known from Euro card format and provides up to 96 pins of decent quality gold plated contacs in a small space). The connector idea was probably stolen from the Prema scanner multimeters.The trick was that, even though mechanically different, the 7061 also has a Minate bus. It can found in a DIP IC socket on the main PCB. The socket accepts a DIP flat cable connector which was back then more common than the current IDC connectors.With a DIP to D25 cable it was even possible to control the 7010 scanner directly.

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 25, 2022, 12:05:23 pm
content: Hello Mangamin,Thank you for these details.Best regardsDjil

author: 005
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: June 06, 2022, 12:20:43 pm
content: While looking around for the Fischer connectors for my newly aquired 7061, I came across this thread and read you would appeciate some photos.Here you are!

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 07, 2022, 06:05:02 am
content: Hello,Thank you for these picts.Best regardsDjil

author: hu_lin
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: December 29, 2022, 05:29:47 am
content: 我有一台7010，但状态不太好。

author: Kurets
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 23, 2024, 11:13:03 am
content: I am working on a semi-clone of the 70612A scanner card. I guess a lot can be said about other alternatives like: external box controlled by 7061, external box controlled by AVR, etc. But my feel is that this is quite clean.I don't know if OP is still looking, but thought to share it in case as I will probably end up with spare PCBs.

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 13, 2024, 01:09:56 pm
content: Hello,Thank you for this information.I'm interested in it.To build one and keep spare PCB also.Best regardsDjil

author: Kurets
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: February 19, 2024, 04:19:16 pm
content: An update.I have now assembled and integrated the board in myu 7061. The board has some bugs which needed workarounds, nothing major:Pinning of DIP16 ribbon cable plug is 16, 1, 15, 2.. etc. I had expected 1, 16, 2, 15.. which means that the cable needs to have every second pair twistedA trace needs to be cut between U3 and U4 due to misreading of the schematicThe OHM V+ and V- labels on the board are flipped, but the TP/DP numbers are correctSome more general info: I built the board using COTO 3500 and 2300 series relays. This (of course) drives the cost quite a lot, but I found a decent deal on Ebay for the 3500 relays and decided it was worth it. I realize that this might not be ideal if you dont have a source which can give you a discount so the spare PCBs may not be very useful. So I have therefore put all the design files in a Onedrive folder that I can provide a link for to those interested, I am hesitant to share a link in a public forum. The folder contains the Kicad project for the board along with library files and a drawing for the back panel.Otherwise the schematic is more or less identical to the one found in the service manual with exception to replacing the octal diode package with discrete LL4148s and using an 11V Zener instead of the 30V (!?) which is shown in the parts list. I also added footprints for SMD decoupling capacitors instead of the ceramic disc caps used in the original design.The back panel and mounting bracket is very improtant for this as the 20+ relays are very heavy and the board is only mounted on two standoffs in the opposite end of the bard from the main mass of relays. I chose to make the mounting bracket from a piece of 15x25mm angle iron just because I had it at home, but given the size of the mini-XLR plugs, I think a 25x25 angle would be better.

author: Oldtestgear
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2024, 07:59:57 am
content: If anyone is still interested, I have just bought a Solartron 7061 with scanner card. Would anyone be interested in buying it?Drop me a message if you are.Phil

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: June 26, 2024, 12:16:54 pm
content: Hello Phil,I sent a private message.Best regards

author: Djil
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 09, 2024, 04:10:31 pm
content: Hello Phil,The parcel arrived quickly and in good condition.Thank you very much for all!Pictures below.Best regards