Decent probes from...  ebay?  somewhere else? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 08:06:24 am
content: Anyone have favorite source for inexpensive oscilloscope probes? 100+ MHz would be nice.Why new probes? Well, I was happily scoping along with my DS2072 with stock probes... They're fine, but the clip-on hooks have a crummy sliding action. They're always binding up and slipping off the wire or post that they're trying to probe.So, I figured I'd fix this once and for all and sprayed some dry lube inside one of the hook barrels. It felt great. Slid wonderfully, grabbed tight, totally fixed! Then, a few seconds later, it started performing the original Robocop vat of acid scene. The plastic turned gray and started sliding around...Looked at my can of dry lube. The solvent is acetone? ffffffuuuuuuuuu.Scratch one scope probe. Only consolation is that it's cheap Rigol kit. If I'd done that with my other probes, that would be a 5X costlier mistake.So, where should I buy the replacement?I already orderedhttp://www.buyincoins.com/item/26836.htmlbut, yeah.... Not expecting a lot there.

author: kg4arn
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 09:22:36 am
content: I have purchased several probes from Probemaster and they are good quality and value for money.http://www.probemaster.com/index.php?cPath=1&osCsid=54074add698eead11f41a4fcb4a827ce

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 10:36:26 am
content: I have not had any problems or complaints with the cheap Aidetek 100 MHz and Texas 250 MHz probes available on Ebay which I have tested up to 300 MHz. If you do not have a flat reference level pulse generator to test the transient response of your probes though, you may want a more reputable manufacturer.I would not mind finding a good source for switchable x1/x10 probes that include the readout pin but Probemaster is the only source I know of and I find their price too high compared to just using separate x1 and x10 probes.http://www.davmar.org/probes.htmlThese have been recommended to me before:http://www.pmk-gmbh.com/en/products/http://www.testproductsintl.com/

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 05:52:17 pm
content: Are the Probemasters really made in the USA? If so, and they're good, $160 for a 3-probe kit plus case ain't bad at all.(my policy is, if something is made in the USA/Europe and less than 2X the price of Asian alternatives, I'm obligated to buy it)David, those microline PMKs are cute! Any idea if they're available in the US? Found them for sale in Germany and Australia...Edit: these look similar, and I love Pomona stuff, but $315 for a passive probe is too much for me:http://www.amazon.com/Pomona-6551-Microline-Oscilloscope-Bandwidth/dp/B005T959BM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1397584168&sr=8-1&keywords=microline+probeI actually like the non-switchable probes. It's not unheard of for me to accidentally one when fiddling with the connection and start wondering why things look slightly different. Not a big deal but I tend to just leave them on X10 99% of the time. I'm happy to plug in a different probe the few times I need every last ounce of resolution.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 06:30:24 pm
content: Quote from: bronson on April 15, 2014, 05:52:17 pmThe Probemaster kit with readout probes starts at $209.00 which would be 5 times what I paid for much faster probes.QuoteI am usually more concerned with the quality and customer service but in increasingly many cases, those have dropped because the product is imported and relabeled anyway.QuoteThey are and the prices are good but I have not found a US source. I find an increasing number of parts, accessories, and test equipment now that is EU or foreign only.QuoteThe switchable probes are fine at 100 MHz and below although I would prefer to have the readout (and probe button if I could get it) function. x1 probes are really only good to about 30 MHz anyway so having dedicated x1 and x10 probes is not much of a sacrifice.

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 07:56:30 pm
content: That's true, the readout adds $50 or 25% to the price. As much as I love my 2465, for that difference I'll skip it.You paid $42ish for 3 fast probes? $15/probe? Where??The probemasters include the carrying case and accessories too. They look pretty nice. Sure beats getting another crappy vinyl envelope!Yeah, I like the probe button a lot. Not something that can mess you up if you flick the wrong switch, and saves you from the tedium of keeping track of little colored rings. No idea why it never seemed to catch on.Huh, a 3 probe kit seems really odd... who has a 3 channel scope?

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 08:43:51 pm
content: Quote from: bronson on April 15, 2014, 07:56:30 pmI paid not much more than that for 2 faster probes with the x10 readout pin made by Texas.QuoteWe might be thinking about different things. On my Tektronix oscilloscopes, the probe button grounds the readout signal and the DSO can be configured to do a number of different things in response. My analog Tektronix oscilloscope use the probe button function to identify a trace on the CRT.QuoteThey do not include 3 of the same type of probe and there is always the trigger channel.Many old analog oscilloscopes can use the trigger as a third input channel but I doubt that is what Probemaster was thinking of.

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 15, 2014, 08:51:21 pm
content: Yep, that's what I was thinking of: a little button that makes the trace jump.No idea why it doesn't seem to have caught on. Seems cheap and useful.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 16, 2014, 12:35:14 am
content: Quote from: bronson on April 15, 2014, 08:51:21 pmOn my 2440, the probe identify push-button can be set to automatically setup the display, step through a programmed sequence, or set the trigger level to 50%.QuoteNobody makes the probe cable with the third conductor. Heck, I cannot even buy probe cable by itself.

author: bronson
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2014, 10:11:51 pm
content: Oh, I can make the trace jump with only two conductors and a resistor.Whether I can do it cheaply and aesthetically over the entire voltage range... that might take some thinking.

author: linux-works
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 25, 2014, 11:13:10 pm
content: I feel confident with used tektronix probes. many can be found NOS in bags. rough handled ones are to be avoided, but new old stock is great. 250mhz probes for $50 each is not hard at all, brand new, tek branded.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2014, 02:00:00 am
content: Quote from: linux-works on April 25, 2014, 11:13:10 pmThe problem with this is that we reached "peak NOS probe" long ago.

author: Shock
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2014, 01:10:02 pm
content: Tequipmentsell many different types of probes cheapest being ElencoP2E 100MHzfor $20 andP3E 250MHzfor $26.Not tried them but you might want to check them out, they have got to be better than buying random Chinese fakes.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: April 26, 2014, 05:24:44 pm
content: Quote from: Shock on April 26, 2014, 01:10:02 pmI recognize some of those probes as being OEMed by the same cheap Chinese manufacturers so buying name brand is not always a solution.