Get your PCI GPIB card!

[bigben2k]

I just spotted a seller on eBay again: lamho2004

This fellow based in Hong Kong sells PCI GPIB cards for cheap ($60 +$20 shipping). I've purchased one from him in the past. I might pick up another one, as backup.

He just posted 5 cards. The item numbers are: 7577773673, 7577773622, 7577773576, 7577773038, and 7577772989 .

They are listed as "Buy Now" for $59.90 (+$20 shipping).

[BillA]

this whole China thing is scary
did you see the new dP units for $150 with digital indicator ? (vs. $1500 from Rosemount)

[bigben2k]

No, where?

[BillA]

http://cgi.ebay.com/Yish-Model-LD3051-Pressure-Transmitter-New_W0QQitemZ7575769040QQcategoryZ78182QQrdZ1QQcmd ZViewItem

[bigben2k]

Dandy. Expensive.

That fellow in SugarLand (seller id: bcotten) seems to have shut down for the holidays, but he was selling Rosemount 2024's for $50-$60, back to back. I can't wait to fire up mine.

[BillA]

cal it ?

[bigben2k]

It's cal'ed. Suspect I'll have to re-cal myself as often as every 6 months, not sure yet. At least I can track any deviation with a basic quick-check.

[BillA]

how will you cal it yourself ?

[bigben2k]

I have no idea.

[BillA]

well then why say such dumb stuff ?
eBay for a pressure tester, thats why cal labs exist
1/yr is normal, never had one drift though

[bigben2k]

Dumb stuff? I like to think of it as a happy reminder to re-cal, and expressing a wish to do it myself; I'm all for self-sufficiency, as much as possible.

[BillA]

do you want to make tools, or test ?
~$1200 for a caled pressure tester, used, good price
prioritize Ben

[bigben2k]

do you want to make tools, or test ?
~$1200 for a caled pressure tester, used, good price
prioritize Ben
Thanks for the reminder; even with my New Year's resolution, I still get side-tracked.:rolleyes:

[BillA]

self sufficiency ?
lol

[Brians256]

It's all a tradeoff of how we want to spend time, Bill. Time is money. Money is time. A high-demand skill just changes the ratio of the two, but does not invalidate the idea.

There is no self-sufficiency in modern society. Mine yer own iron and nickel for the stainless steel in the dP tester? Ben, you and I are late bloomers in being able to wisely pick our battles, I'm thinking.

[BillA]

indeed, I tried that pressure cal thing; got a steal on a unit I thought 'till I went to get it caled - resold it and moved on
-> why do I use blood platelet incubators for environmental chambers ?

I'm still waiting on the wisdom to make good choices.

[bigben2k]

Yep. found this unit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=7577896873

laughable, really, but tempting nonetheless (cheap).

[BillA]

no, you are lost - again
here is a VERY crude one (worthless for us)
http://cgi.ebay.com/AMETEK-MANSFIELD-GREEN-T-100-PRESSURE-TESTER_W0QQitemZ7578018965QQcategoryZ1504QQrdZ1QQc mdZViewItem

my barometric sensors are 80 to 110kPa, what would it take to cal such ?

[bigben2k]

A follow up: Make your own USB-based GPIB controller!

http://www.edn.com/contents/images/6290453.pdf
(PDF, 5 pages, 209 KB)

edit: a link to a zipped file (from above article) containing all the necessary info, including sample code:
http://lsd.fe.uni-lj.si/gpib/complete.zip
(1.5 Mb)