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#134903 12/06/02 08:52 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
Just picked up this meter from eBay for the princely sum of £5! An interesting item to add to my collection of older test equipment:
[Linked Image from members.aol.com]

It's a typical general-purpose meter with AC/DC voltage ranges from 2.5 to 1000V, DC current 100uA to 1A, plus resistance ranges. The rotary switch selects AC/DC/Res., but all range selection is by way of plugging into the appropriate jacks.

Nothing unusual so far, but this meter is obviously of Eastern-Block origin by the Cyrillic letters on the meter movement and in the accompanying paperwork. The latter indicates that the meter meets the standards of GOST (that's transposed into English letters) and the certificate shows an official looking stamp bearing the date 3/71. This meter was presumably made for export, as the certificate and the instructions on the back of the meter are in English (the latter giving ample evidence that English was obviously not the writer's first language!).

Does anyone know in which country GOST would have applied? I'm guessing this came from the USSR, but it could have been some other nearby country.

There's no other manufacturer's name I can see, although the model number TS-437 appears. (Again, that's the single Russian character which translates into English as TS). The steel carry case has a rubber ring around the edge to seal the meter when closed, and overall it looks as though this device would have cost quite a few roubles (or whatever other currency) when new.

One last peculiarity: It still has the original probe leads, which are white and black instead of the more usual red and black that we're used to in the West.

#134904 12/07/02 02:35 PM
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 106
J
Member
Paul mate,

have you taken the back off of it to see whether there are any identification marks within,

sometimes with eatern block equipment it is on the inside of the back cover plate,

one of the only companies i know that exported from the eastern block was a company called Tesla Electric from the forma Chech republic ( as it was then, about 20 years ago).

if you can do a better photo of the unit i could have one of our boys at work ask his girlfriend, as she is from Russia.

John H

#134905 12/09/02 11:02 AM
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 1,691
S
Member
The GOST standard is for Russia. So your meter is probably of Russian origin (or was maufactured for sale in Russia).

Looks like a nice meter.

GOST is at http://www.gost.ru

There is an English section.

#134906 12/09/02 07:01 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
Thanks for the help guys.

I haven't had much time spare today, but I'll have a closer look at the innards when I get a chance, mainly out of curiosity to see if there are any other markings and to compare the internal construction to Western meters.

#134907 12/20/02 07:03 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
Been so busy that I put the meter in a cupboard and have only just taken it out to examine it more closely.

I should have looked more carefully first time around: On the meter face, although tucked right up at the top where it's just visible through the glass at the right angle, it does indeed say "Made in USSR."

The individually stamped certificate with it just seems very, well, Soviet.... [Linked Image]

I think I should sit this on the shelf next to my trusty Simpson 260 -- The latter to the West, of course! [Linked Image]



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 12-20-2002).]

#134908 12/21/02 11:36 PM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Paul,
You were saying that you collect old test equipment.
How many other "beauties", like this do you have?. [Linked Image]

#134909 12/22/02 08:49 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
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pauluk Offline OP
Member
All sorts of stuff stashed in cupboards here!

Did you see this set of Avo accessories that I posted a while ago? I justed picked these up on eBay a few weeks back:
[Linked Image from members.aol.com]
I have an Avo 8 (1960s vintage) that I inherited from my father, so these compliment it nicely.

The two big shunts extend the current range up to 400A, the CT has two windings to give AC ranges up to 200A, and the remaining item is a voltage multiplier to extend to 4kV.



[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 12-22-2002).]

#134910 12/22/02 09:10 AM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 7,520
P
pauluk Offline OP
Member
Here's another item you might find interesting. This is a Solartron digital voltmeter, 1960s vintage:
[Linked Image from members.aol.com]

The picture doesn't really give you an idea of the scale, but this is in a 19" wide cabinet and it weighs the proverbial ton!

The readout is by Nixie tubes, for anyone who remembers them! It has several useful features, such as selectable 50Hz attentuation for reducing mains hum when measuring on low-V high-Z circuits, and it can also be set to register the minimum or maximum voltage attained since last reset for long-term monitoring.

This would have been real laboratory-standard equipment that cost a fortune when it was made.

[This message has been edited by pauluk (edited 12-22-2002).]

#134911 12/23/02 01:08 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Oh my God Paul, we have one of these in the Electrical workshop, at work.
Complete with the Nixie Tube Display, its our test bench meter. [Linked Image]

#134912 12/27/02 02:01 AM
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 8,443
Likes: 3
Member
Believe you me Paul, our Workshop is the state-of the-art, just like it was back in the 1960's.
Ever heard of a Series Test Unit, for 230/400V?, normally self-built. [Linked Image]

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