Keithley 2636A SMU Group Buy!!!........  - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 06:28:52 pm
content: Check this out....https://www.ebay.com/itm/404614191134?epid=16039392544The photos suck, but it looks like there are are 31 Keithley 2636A SMUs in those racks! Plus the cabling (triax?), and power supply. The listing claims he has 5 of these rack systems. Crazy.At the Buyitnow price of $204,750.00 that's about $6605 per SMU, but it has a "Make Offer" option.The -A version of those units isn't shown on Tek's site anymore, but the -B version is and it's the highest end model for $24100 each.https://www.tek.com/en/products/keithley/source-measure-units/2600b-series-sourcemeterWho's in?

author: zrq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 07:17:07 pm
content: Given an original 2636 with a channel broken was just sold on ebay for $2024, I don't think I'll be able to afford it (but if there can be a miracle?) and will stay with my 238.

author: Old Printer
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 08:44:24 pm
content: The salesman on the original order must have had a happy day. Yes sir, a quote for 155 units coming right up.

author: voltsandjolts
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 11, 2023, 08:54:56 pm
content: You guys in the USA have all the T.E. fun. That test system probably has more 2636A smu's than the whole of the UK!

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 12:44:22 am
content: I think the seller has been smoking something illegal if they think that anyone is going to shell out over $200,000 for any used TE on FleaBay! There are too many risks involved and anyone that can afford that kind of money isn't going to buy anything used. And if you read the description it doesn't say how many units the buyer will be getting or their condition. The seller has been on FleaBay for some time now and they should be aware of all of this by now. This haslooks likea legitimate account that has been hacked by a scammer.Note to the OP, the small print says that cabling is not included!!WHY someone would remove the cabling and then try to sell this as a system is beyond me! But the whole thing smells.

author: zrq
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 07:51:58 am
content: It's very normal for semiconductor fabs (that are doing older processes) to buy expensive second-hand equipments.

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 08:06:26 am
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on December 12, 2023, 12:44:22 amJust to be clear, I have nothing to do with this listing.But... The listing note says:QuoteThe cables are clearly pictured, both inside and outside the racks.

author: AVGresponding
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 11:07:32 am
content: Quote from: Smokey on December 12, 2023, 08:06:26 amThe disclaimer about cables etc is a standard thing that they will include on most if not all of their listings. The triax cables are clearly pictured and therefore are part of the sale.This will be a legit sale; anyone serious about buying such will be asking the vendor lots of questions which will be answered if they expect to make a sale. Looks like it had a Keithley service and calibration contract, up until 2018 at least, so will be in good order. Selling it as a system rather than breaking it down limits the potential client base quite a bit of course, but they probably weigh that against having to break the thing down and strip the loom, with all the time and risk that involves, not to mention the added ballache of arranging shipping and doing the accounts on 31 separate units instead of 1 (or 155 instead of 5).

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 11:23:07 am
content: yeah my thoughts, they will prefer a simple sale, or if it doesn't work they will adjust, or split the looteven i myself would not love to handle xxx different shipments etc ... time is money lollthis sale is not at the moment good for any diy like us, unless an X mass gift lollcaring about the cables ... mmm good pointsome do care because they know how important it could be, to have and keep a good name, others may simply dont care and chop / cut out the units for mere profitsbut if the seller see some traction here ? who knows ?

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 11:40:26 am
content: Datasheet for the S500 product rack:https://www.nubicom.co.kr/download/download.jsp?file_name=tektronix/S500.pdf

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 12:48:11 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on December 12, 2023, 08:06:26 amI understand and that wasn't aimed at you. But my point is that the pictures show a pile of loose cables andseveraldifferent units, some with cables, so a buyer can't besureof what they're going to get. And as quoted above, the disclaimer says that no cables are included so the ad is too vague and either unprofessional at best, or deliberately misleading at worst.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 01:51:49 pm
content: For these kind of listings / prices you better get over there and inspect in person. Even when buying from the EU, spending 3k euro on a plane ticket + hotel is totally doable. Transport costs would be high anyway.The seller knows what they have and what kind of buyer they attrackt so they are not going to waste their time on making a super pristine Ebay listing. Likely these units will be picked up by somebody who is going to take the racks apart, inspect the equipment and resell.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 01:53:49 pm
content: In the end forget that sale .............

author: Smokey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 08:59:49 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on December 12, 2023, 01:51:49 pmThat could be US!! Where is that EEVBlog entrepreneurial sprit?Do people use gofundme for stuff like this, or is that against the TOS? "Contribute" at the $2000 level and receive $4000 as your "reward" when the parted out system sells.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 09:28:14 pm
content: Quote from: Smokey on December 12, 2023, 08:59:49 pmThere are 31 units in each rack. Count on 3 being broken somehow so 28 left. Maybe the seller will take an offer of US 100k for the last cabinet if it turns out they are going to sit on it for a long time. Then count on another 20k to cover shipping and expenses. All in all you'd need to find 28 people willing to buy a unit for around 4300 dollars.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 12, 2023, 10:30:02 pm
content: man

author: Brumby
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 07:46:24 am
content: Yeah ... nah.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 13, 2023, 10:24:10 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on December 12, 2023, 09:28:14 pm"Used" means the product has to be 100% functional. Seller states in the listing: “To be tested prior to shipment (Cal & ext warranty available upon request)”.These kind of sellers have no problem sitting on gear for years. They will probably part it out themselves before it drops to 100k though.

author: MadTux
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 03:45:02 pm
content: Cut a 0 at the price and it might get interesting...Apart from that, stick with the old 236, plenty of fancy enough for my needs and with schematic and no unobtainium inside, I can at least keep it in working order.

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 03:57:42 pm
content: Quote from: thm_w on December 13, 2023, 10:24:10 pmThat was one of the things that concerned me about this listing, it appears that the units have not already been tested. I want my items tested BEFORE I buy them, not afterwards.

author: PlainName
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 08:41:59 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on December 14, 2023, 03:57:42 pmPresumably you would get a refund (or replacement - they keep testing until one passes) if it failed the test, otherwise there would be no point in testing them!

author: MadTux
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 09:03:49 pm
content: What are the real world application for such a rack btw?Apart from fully analog low frequency devices (OpAmps, multipliers...) and perhaps transistor dies, I see little usage for a rack full of K2636.So perhaps a few of them at Analog Devices, TI... for their analog stuff, but for anything mixed signal or digital, those racks seem rather useless to me.Except maybe, to power up digital circuits and see, whether there is a short or any other abnormal behavior?

author: Stray Electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 09:26:38 pm
content: Quote from: PlainName on December 14, 2023, 08:41:59 pmAre you willing to risk $204,000 on an assumption? And an E-bay, no less? I'm not.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 14, 2023, 09:41:53 pm
content: Quote from: Stray Electron on December 14, 2023, 09:26:38 pmIts not an assumption its ebays guarantee.I don't have the money or need for these, but if I did, I would contact the seller asking what tests they will perform, then buy if they seemed suitable. Not much more info than that is needed I think?

author: bnz
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2023, 11:20:34 am
content: If there is realy enought interest ... here is a more realistic lot:https://www.ebay.com/itm/404692843796

author: guenthert
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2023, 11:39:59 am
content: Quote from: bnz on December 22, 2023, 11:20:34 amI knew ALLTEST has been around for a while (have no experience with them though), but didn't know that they were selling lots, but then, I never looked for those either. I thought they always managed to get their name in the picture and wondered whether their eBay account has been hacked. Doesn't seem to be, the lot of ten 2636A is offered on their own web site as well:https://alltest.net/categories/products/2636A-Keithley/1347495-2636A/4132(don't really know why I looked at it -- even one would be outside my budget)

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2023, 12:59:34 pm
content: so far so good with them, company bought some used and brand new stuff,but i would say kinda overpriced on some items ...but this one at 65K $$$but normally they do intensives tests and do warranty themat 11K $$ and a mere 750$ shippinghttps://www.ebay.com/itm/255543158573?

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: December 22, 2023, 10:50:41 pm
content: They sell singles for $7,300 so getting ten for 6,500 each isn't a wild deal unless its a local group or something:https://alltest.net/categories/products/2636A-Keithley/4009078-2636A/4101