Keysight Chinese oscilloscope probes - are they still ... - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: EE-digger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 04:45:56 pm
content: ... a source of pain?Six years ago I bought an MSOX3104A from the Keysight store, for work. It cost a small fortune back then and came with probes and logic cable. About 4 months later, 3 of the 4 probes were bad. They are never strained, mishandled, or even used for the most part. Keysight wanted the scope returned for warranty coverage of the probes. Long story but that did NOT happen. They were all replaced under warranty. I think they had a bad bonding method for the coax in the comp box.Fast forward to now, are their Chinese probes still failing at this rate? I normally try to buy the German or Japanese probes they made but would like to know. This would probably make Ebay probes a dangerous purchase if they originated back in that time frame (assuming the problems were corrected).

author: mawyatt
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 04:59:30 pm
content: Probemaster is a US based supplier of all sorts of probes. We have the DMM probes and they are very nice.https://probemaster.com/oscilloscope-probes/Best,

author: SaskaShock
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 05:08:49 pm
content: I have purchased some ProbeMaster oscilloscope probes, and they are very nice in my opinion. They feel like something that you'll still be using in 20 years unless you are abusive with your gear.I have lusted after a set of their DMM probes for a long time, I'm just a bit mean to my DMM probes so I buy decent Chinese ones, so I don't cry when I break the ends or break a wire. I think when I finally get a Dave Multi-Meter, I'll treat those to a set of PM leadsIt might be heresy for me to say this but I prefer my 'cheap but not so cheap' Chinese DMM probes to my Fluke probes. Then again that's because my Flukes are PVC jacketed and I use my meters outside and nothing is more annoying than stiff leads knocking your meter over...

author: EE-digger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 05:24:40 pm
content: I agree, Probemaster is good. Haven't held their scope probes but I have several pairs of their hard gold DMM probes. These are invaluable for nulling and making low 2W resistance readings without resorting to 4W.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 11:04:44 pm
content: Quote from: SaskaShock on February 28, 2022, 05:08:49 pmFYI, only the cheaper Fluke leads are PVC. Most are silicone, pretty much as soft as Probe Master.

author: EE-digger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 11:46:27 pm
content: Now that we got DMM leads covered.Anyone care to comment on "recent" Keysight made in China scope probes? Do they last?

author: mlloyd1
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 11:47:24 pm
content: and I'll agree,too.been using Probemaster happily with my Fluke DMMs and HP/Agilent/Keysight scopes for years and not a failure yet.and no, we don't "baby" the probes.mlloyd1

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: February 28, 2022, 11:57:25 pm
content: Quote from: EE-digger on February 28, 2022, 11:46:27 pmSwitchable of fixed ?Do you know for sure they are made in China or in Asia ?Millions of people might be offended to be called Chinese.....

author: EE-digger
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2022, 12:02:59 am
content: While I don't recall the model no., they were with the MSOX3104A so should have been the 500MHz model, with "Made in China" on each of the plastic pouches.If I hadn't been there, I would have thought someone suspended the scope by them and swung it aroung their heads, but no, I was there and the probes were lightly used, several not even used more than a few times. Yet 3 of the 4 failed in four to six months.I'm suspicious, but have no knowledge, that perhaps the coax was attached by an incomplete crimp, maybe, or a cold solder joint.They were fixed probes. We had gone thru gen 1 of the switchable Rigol probes with a bunch of 1054Zs, total crap, caused massive project data to be incorrect for an associate, greatly improved in their gen 2, but not related here.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: March 01, 2022, 12:25:12 am
content: Quote from: EE-digger on March 01, 2022, 12:02:59 amYes OK 6 years back there were some substandard probes however of late those we get have been pretty good....but we still check every one to be sure. The hassle of warranty and inconvenience for the customer despite faults in probes now are rare give us piece of mind that they're ready to be put to use.I know of 2 largish Chinese probe makers and no doubt there are more but we source from neither of them and I don't believe they supply our OEM.