Quote:
Originally Posted by woodchips
I don't really understand the comments about how expensive and risky these CT160's are being bought from auction
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The risk is simply financial.
The price of these instruments is hyped up far above the current values shown by other types of instruments of comparable complexity and quality because they are imbued with some sort of mystical aura. It also pumps up the auction prices of CT160s MkIVs and VCM163 in unverified condition.
OK, so you buy one, and it's duff. No problemo. Whip up another meter and print a scale for it. Add an opamp and psu to fix the sensitivity and bob's your aunty Alice. You can now test valves to your heart's delight.
Where you come unstuck is if you decide to sell it. Without the original meter it is obviously non-original, and the magic premium has evaporated. You'd likely get more for it as a non-worker untouched, and hey, at auction, off power, unchecked, it might get close to the price of a worker!
If non-originality doesn't bother you and you can see straight through magic auras, skip the silly prices, avoid the uncertainty, and build a Sussex. That won't have much resale value either, but the valves it tests will be just as tested.
Custom chips in HP and Tek gear are real risks. I get around them by buying several pieces of the equipment at trivial prices by being in the right place at the right time. Then, I've got spares and I can keep sme marvellous test gear going for quite some time. It's software issues that bug me.
David