Rigol DS1052E Annual Service (Knob Problem) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 29, 2011, 11:55:54 pm
content: last night i had a time to do yearly service on my rigol scope since i want to value it, and 3 knobs already become erratic (but still usable, but annoying). i did clean up all the encoders (knob) since the first try is a success, and i dont wanna to reopen it again soon in case the "now working" buttons become erratic in near future. so now i have all the six knobs/encoders rejuvenated, working like new! no more accidental annoying help menu popped up AFAICT. lets see how long this repair will last.my conclusion why its become erratic. the lubricant inside spilling around the encoder strips screwing connectivity, possibly damaging the accompanying diodes... related threads:Problem with rigol scope knobReplacing RIGOL DS1052E DSO rotary encodersHappy New Year!

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 12:43:33 pm
content: Thanks mecha, good photos for reference in the future.

author: wkb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 12:57:05 pm
content: Just wondering here: how much has this Rigol been used in order to require this kind of surgery?Wilko

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 01:09:25 pm
content: Quote from: wkb on November 30, 2011, 12:57:05 pmmy rigol bought 2 years ago. 1 knob start playing up about 1 year ago iirc. after 2 years, 3 knobs degraded. usage not so heavy, maybe something like once every week averaged throughout this 2 years, just a rough guess. FWIW, it is 2.02 FW.

author: wkb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 01:14:39 pm
content: Thank you. Hm, not stellar stuff these knobs apparantly. My 25-30 year old Tek's have none of this, andthat is after hard professional use in a repair workshopWilko

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 01:28:45 pm
content: That's crap quality, that means the thing would only last a few months with professional day-to-day use. Either they specced cheap encoders or screwed up on the debouncing.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 01:46:07 pm
content: Quote from: alm on November 30, 2011, 01:28:45 pmi hope it was the lubricant screwing things up. i got rid of it and its now ok. i will be looking forward for physical damage of the encoder such as damaged strips or lost elasticity in spring contact that made it beyond repair. i did leave lubricant on the top side though to keep it smooth scrolling (copper part 2nd picture) sometime a simple thing like this in cheap product can make a big issue, esp to "professional" (busy people). i wonder though why Dave and many others never complain about this. maybe this is only happen to few people only.

author: ivan747
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 09:54:52 pm
content: Quote from: alm on November 30, 2011, 01:28:45 pmNone of them are unfixable problems. You can replace the knobs with better quality ones, if replacements are available, and you can expect a software update to fix the debouncing issue. In case the debouncing is done in hardware, then changing some components on the low pass filter or whatever is used to debounce the encoders should fix it. Anyway, I just hope these bad encoders were only used in a small batch of scopes. Anyway, they should change their encoders to better quality ones.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 10:05:47 pm
content: Quote from: ivan747 on November 30, 2011, 09:54:52 pm(1)wont gonna happen in multK$ scope. if it does, they will be alot unluckier than ds1052e owner. but luckily, i never heard about it.(2)will gonna happen in multK$ scope(3)ok, both lower and multK$ end scope got this issue (FW fix)

author: vl400
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 11:26:38 pm
content: The horizontal timebase on my DS1052 started playing up so took the easy way out and just replaced it with a new one (used this part numberhttps://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=1245.msg16009#msg16009) - never had an issue after that.EDIT: Post #5 in the linked thread

author: oliver602
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 30, 2011, 11:40:09 pm
content: The horizontal scale knob on my rigol was noticeably flaky out of the box brand new. It's not unusable, just rather anoying.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 12:33:32 pm
content: So far have not had problems with the encoders. Just to balance this thread out.Given the lack of loud complaints from other users, who likely would not let an annoying issue slip by and not get posted on eevblog, I think its more just poor QC for the encoder maker.

author: hacklordsniper
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 12:44:17 pm
content: Not regarding the encoder but last 10 or so DS1052E-s that passed trough my hands developed a splitting knob problem in few days of use. I had no complaints on the encoder in last year

author: ddrl46
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 02:21:45 pm
content: I started having this problem after only a month or two of hardly any use, I'll probably try cleaning the encoders or replace them with something better.

author: DaveW
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 04:52:03 pm
content: Interesting to see this isn't an isolated problem, I've got (access to) 3 DS1102Es and have had two small small knobs split on one as well as the horizontal knob falling out on another; on inspection there was no retainer, so dropped an email to Batronix, they're replacing it and the split ones. Am tempted to find some nicer replacement ones that don't have this problem...

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 05:14:33 pm
content: Quote from: DaveW on December 01, 2011, 04:52:03 pmit is an isolated "batch" i believe. it does not happen to earlier and later batch.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 09:11:07 pm
content: Quote from: ivan747 on November 30, 2011, 09:54:52 pmThis should not be necessary though, it reminds me of what we do at work: buy the cheapest shit from china, fix it and then use it. something like a certain motor bike manufacturer making engineers of it's riders comes to mind. An oscilloscope is supposed to be a reliable precision instrument, not a remake me every year kit

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 09:35:07 pm
content: Quote from: Simon on December 01, 2011, 09:11:07 pmif i'm near you, just send the scope for service to me. one day done, charge, $100. you'll get $400 scope with nice encoders. next year, $500 still cheap! "you get what you pay" remember? i prefer buying shit for $300 and then repair it during christmas every year rather than paying $10K and enjoy the christmas. well,, only me.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 01, 2011, 09:43:52 pm
content: Quote from: Mechatrommer on December 01, 2011, 09:35:07 pmThe competition charges $10k?

author: FenderBender
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 12:43:11 am
content: Well the good thing is that these scopes are pretty accessible for repair. Unless the FPGA dies or something, it can be serviced pretty easily. Encoders, Capacitors...You know, that sort of stuff.

author: mobbarley
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 01:50:46 am
content: My knobs seem fine (low use) but I do find that I get the online help pop up from pressing buttons (without holding them) so there is obviously something erratic with the debounce going on - perhaps a later firmware fixes this as i've never upgraded it.

author: Simon
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 09:30:26 am
content: Quote from: mobbarley on December 02, 2011, 01:50:46 amWell I've had my scope two years and used it literally a handful of times, yet the timing knob is already acting up !

author: wkb
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 10:12:57 am
content: Quite conflicting opinions on the quality it seemsLets hope mine is of the blessed variant.

author: saturation
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 02, 2011, 12:42:10 pm
content: I'd expect it of PRC Chinese brands, more mixed quality from the same brand than we expect of established brands like Fluke, even if made in PRC [ Rigol 1052e have been among better of the low end DSO in terms of build quality.]Just to estimate the ages, what was the firmware version of those who have issues? I have no issues [ just rechecked today] and I have 2.04.Several of the folks posting here complained of knob issues ~ a year ago, but it wasn't so bad then. Seems like early symptoms predict more issues later on:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/index.php?topic=1245.msg16009#msg16009Quote from: wkb on December 02, 2011, 10:12:57 am

author: oliver602
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 03, 2011, 03:00:20 pm
content: I purchased mine in September and had to wait for stock. Firmware was 2.05 SP2. Have 2.06 now. It suffers from the odd screen flicker, occasional help pop ups and a flaky horizontal scale knob. But they are only minor issues and don't get in the way(yet). Im very happy with the scope apart from those annoyances.

author: Mechatrommer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: September 25, 2013, 05:02:39 pm
content: the ds1052e is aged or obsolete by now? after about a year from this thread started, some of the knobs are playing again, but 1 or 2 are still in good condition (namely the seldomly used vertcal position and level knobs) but they are all still workable but slightly annoying slowly worsening until today. so today i changed both vertical and horizontal scale knobs. i got the replacement knobs from ITead few months back, (blue knobs in the picture) i think this is ithttp://imall.iteadstudio.com/im120801015.html.they are like virgin again now, except rotation is inverted, nvm a good pilot can drive both wayfwiw.

author: ass20
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 17, 2017, 08:28:00 pm
content: hiI crack plastic shaft of one encoder in Rigolwhere i can found encoder for rigol?

author: boB
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: September 06, 2018, 06:29:20 pm
content: ALPS EC12E2424407 ENCODER, INCREMENTAL, 5VDC (1 piece)https://www.amazon.com/ALPS-EC12E2424407-ENCODER-INCREMENTAL-piece/dp/B005T8SUX2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1536258500&sr=8-1&keywords=ALPS+EC12E2424407+ENCODER%2C+INCREMENTAL