[sdiy] Re: ebay scores - info on my new DMM?

[R. D. Davis]

Quothe Metrophage, from writings of Wed, Jun 15, 2005 at 01:36:38PM -0700:
> I scored an Extech 380285 meter for $20.50! I am delighted, fast

Congratulaions on the the E-bay find!  

Speaking of E-bay, surely most people on this list do this, but for
those who don't: always open up whatever equipment you buy on E-bay
(and anywhere else, for that matter, even if it's new) and check it
out carefully inside!

When I bought one piece of equipment several years ago, I was in the
midst of lots of work and failed to open it up and give it a good look
around inside for some time.  Anyway, a look at a backplane board
revealed a disgusting mess... cat hair, some sort of tiny
crystaline-like white specs forming little clumps in places like they
were growing, brown gunk, something that looked like mildew, etc.  It
should have had a "WARNING: looking inside may gross you out!"  label
on it.  Naturally, that's also where a cold solder joint was which
caused an intermittent problem... and major disassembly was required
to remove that board.  I was not amused after spending a few hundred
dollars to buy it.

> Off to play on the bench!

Have fun!

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