Re: Repairing old Radio Shack equipment

On Feb 27, 8:04 pm, "Zootal" <gigan...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
"David Nebenzahl" <nob...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message

news:49a88e39$0$2696$822641b3@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx





On 2/27/2009 4:39 PM mm spake thus:

On Fri, 27 Feb 2009 18:35:34 -0500, "DesignGuy" <nob...@xxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:

"Zootal" <gigan...@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:A7idnSv0pLqI9TXUnZ2dnUVZ_hiWnZ2d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I have an old Radio Shack multi meter, 22-166A. I talked to Radio
Shack

I don't know there part numbers by heart.  What exactly is this.
Digital, with a needle?

about betting it fixed, and they said that for something this old
I'm pretty much out of luck. Does anyone here know of a source of
parts and repair for old Radio Shack equipment?

What he said.  What's wrong with it?  Does it work at all?  Is one
setting not working?  That could be a burned out resistor. It
might say on the resistor what the value is, but if that part might be
burned off.  You maybe can measuere the resistor for the settings on
either side, and the one burnt out with be the, I forget what you call
it, but if the ones left are 20 ohms, 200, 20000, 200K, the one in the
middle that is burned out is 2000.

Problem is, you can't just drop a new resistor into a meter and call it
done. The resistors inside them are high-precision: at least 1%, sometimes
more, and sometimes weird, completely non-standard values. (You might get
lucky and be able to replace one, but that's not a sure thing.)

We need to hear from the O.P. just what's wrong with the unit.

Besides, it may be that it just isn't worth it to fix it. Radio Shack
(Micronta) multimeters are mediocre quality at best. Better to get a
*real* meter, like an old Simpson, Triplett, etc.

I wouldn't mind having an old Simpson. Those things are bricks - you can use
them in place of a hammer and they still work :)

So - the fuse is not blown. The unit turns on (it's digital), display
appears. I switch to ohms, the display shows 11M with the leads
disconnected. If I plug in a set of test leads and squeeze the tips with my
fingers, it shows an erratic display, indicating that it's trying to do
something. I put a 12k resister across the leads, and it shows 10.00M with
the ones digit flashing off and on. All other settings result in -1000v with
the one flashing on and off. I put a battery across it, nothing. I put the
leads across a 120vac source, nothing. It is effectively non-responsive
except in ohms mode. There isn't much to this thing - it was not a high
quality unit to start with, and there are only a handfull of components in
it. There is no obvious sign of damage. Is it worth fixing? Probably not.
But it belonged to my Father and it has some sentimental value. I'm willing
to give it a shot.

The 22-166A is a small digital only meter. It has five settings, DC V, AC V,
ohms, diode test, 200mA. There are no other settings or controls.- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

All those symptoms add up to a high probability of a bad lead,
probably the black one. Hold the plugs and pull on the wire. If you
see any stretching of the insulation, that's where the break is at.
Red
.

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