Retractable hook tip on RIGOL DS1054Z  scope doesn't stay on its probe ! - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:03:56 pm
content: Hi.I just got my DS1054Z and I noticed that the Retractable hook tip from the probe doesn't firmly stays on the probe.It is painful because it can disconnect on its own without almost touching the cables.There's also a yellow protection (when the Retractable hook tip is not on) that is almost loose and can easily be lost when moving the probe.

author: LektroiD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:05:26 pm
content: Push it on harder, it will click into place

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:17:41 pm
content: Well, thanks, for the Retractable hook tip, it works fine, actually, I think now it's a bet hard ! Specially to pull it away !The yellow protection won't be better, and will be easily lost, but anyway.Many thanks, I was shy to push to hard !By the way, there is like a spring with the set of probe. It's called Ground spring in the documentation but I found nowhere explain how to use it !Any advice ?

author: ebastler
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:32:59 pm
content: Quote from: hary on March 23, 2015, 06:17:41 pmWith the yellow tip protector removed, push the spring over the exposed metal sleeve right behind the tip, with the free end of the spring pointing forward towards the tip. That sleeve is connected to the scope's ground. You can then use tip + spring wire as your probe and ground connection, and reove the longer ground wire from the probe. Shorter ground lead -> less artefacts at high frequencies.

author: bitwelder
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:38:37 pm
content: Quote from: hary on March 23, 2015, 06:17:41 pmAlan (w2aew) explains it very clearly in his video #68:

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 06:58:12 pm
content: I've never bothered to use the yellow tip cover thingy, it's called a "Locating Sleeve" apparently. It might possibly have some limited magical powers as a tip protector in certain obscure circumstances, but other than that, I am not sure of its function.The spring ground thingies on the other hand, I use daily. Although you can logistically barely use more than one at a time, it is worth keeping all four of them for those rainy days when you lose one or one breaks.

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 07:25:10 pm
content: Ok, I see.Thanks you very much for pointing me out in the right direction about this little spring !

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 07:32:47 pm
content: Quote from: Howardlong on March 23, 2015, 06:58:12 pmThe sleeve is for prevention of the chrome GND ring near the end of the probe coming into contact with any part of the DUT.Valuable when probing HV circuits and/or probing a high density DUT to prevent shorts.Some probes come with a selection of these, they might have little side wings to assist location on a DIP IC pin.Great when the DUT has a common GND and your'e not using the reference (GND) lead.

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 07:35:35 pm
content: DUT ?

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 07:42:58 pm
content: Quote from: hary on March 23, 2015, 07:35:35 pmDevice under test.

author: Howardlong
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 09:54:43 pm
content: Quote from: tautech on March 23, 2015, 07:32:47 pmOK got it, I don't do HV, but I can see why you'd do that. I do do high density (>100 parts/sq in) but it's all low profile low current SMD, so the ground ring is miles away from anything. I do have quite a selection of the intra-pin plastic tips for all sorts of pitches, but again I find I never use them, usually in too much of a hurry, and breaking off my workflow to pop a tip on would be disaster for my poor attention span!

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 23, 2015, 10:03:51 pm
content: The yellow tip is handy when probing a pin of a thru-hole IC. It's stops the tip slipping off the pin.I never use the spring ground though. The next ground point is usually too far away.On my Rigol, I found the black insulator between the probe pin and ground sleeve hadn't been fully pushed home on 2 of my probes and the accessories didn't sit properly till I'd pushed them in properly.Bryce.

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2015, 07:14:42 am
content: The instrument is delivered with a 2000 minutes Trial Versions of some options.Is there any way to save this time ?Just taking hand on the unit to know how it works, the time is elapsing for no use with little chance to test and use these options before time remaining is ending !

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2015, 08:33:18 am
content: The trial period is for usage of that feature, as long as you don't use the feature the time won't go down AFAIK.That said, there are ways to unlock it if you search in the forum

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2015, 08:45:21 am
content: The trial periods are actually for usage of the Scope, not the particular feature (or at least that's how my MSO1104Z-S counted down). So if you left the scope running for the entire time all the trials will expire together.McBryce.

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 24, 2015, 08:51:07 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on March 24, 2015, 08:45:21 amThat's what I also noticed !Quote from: miguelvp on March 24, 2015, 08:33:18 amOk, I'll' see when the trial period will end.

author: Datman
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2015, 10:23:57 am
content: The GND spring is useful for testing signals in BNC.

author: hary
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2015, 01:09:51 pm
content: Quote from: Datman on March 26, 2015, 10:23:57 amBNC ??By the way, this noisy fan is pretty annoying.Why did they put a such powerful and noisy fan ? The air going out is not even lukewarm !

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 26, 2015, 01:12:23 pm
content: Quote from: Datman on March 26, 2015, 10:23:57 amThere's a BNC probe adapter supplied for doing just that.McBryce.

author: LektroiD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2015, 09:55:29 am
content: Quote from: hary on March 26, 2015, 01:09:51 pmUse 6x 1n5401 diodes in series along the positive wire, the voltage drop should be enough to slow the fan to a reasonable noise floor, or buy a silent fan.

author: LektroiD
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 27, 2015, 09:56:22 am
content: Quote from: McBryce on March 26, 2015, 01:12:23 pmSupplied? I didn't get one, just the GND spring.

author: McBryce
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 10, 2015, 10:52:37 am
content: Quote from: LektroiD on March 27, 2015, 09:56:22 amCorrection: I checked the "Contents lists" of my scopes and it turns out that the BNC probe adapters came with an Agilent DSO3062A which I also own.McBryce.

author: Shirley Marquez
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: April 22, 2015, 04:23:26 am
content: I haven't had any success with the yellow caps either; none of mine will stay on. The hook tips are fine; they just take a firm press to attach. They take a bit more push than the ones on the Tektronix and Agilent probes I have used.The only other minor quibble I can offer is that the orange indicator rings don't really match the pinkish red channel color on the scope. (But they're great to have, especially on a DSO because the trace colors also match, so it's easy to see which trace goes with which probe.) Bonus point - the compensation on all four probes was correct out of the package. I haven't tested the noise thing in x1 mode that some people have reported, since I don't expect to ever use it.All in all, decent probes for a free throw-in with a budget scope.

author: TomB19
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: January 28, 2016, 07:58:34 pm
content: Quote from: Shirley Marquez on April 22, 2015, 04:23:26 amI was wondering what those caps were for. Mine aren't even a friction fit. They will slide off as soon as the probe tilts down below horizontal. I put them back in the clear plastic probe pouch where I expect they will be a curiosity for whomever gets my scope when I die.