The room:

A +/- 30m² fitted cellar, with heating... but often in disorder!

On the left, metallic cup-boards. In the middle, radios are waiting for the repair... On the top, very old theater lights are used as load for the test of lighting equipment. On the right, the working places. See below...

Electronic site working place

Attached to wall, the table, and a shelf for the test equipments. At the end, boxes with the spare parts. One old «HI-FI» Japaneese stereo is used for the audio tests. The loudpeakers enclosures are self-built, with Visaton loudspeakers.

«mechanical» place:

Vertical drilling machine and boxes with screws, nuts,...

A plastic canalization with electrical sockets is placed all working place long.

Audio signals and loudspeakers plugs are placed on this, near the usual working place.

Vacuuming fumes:

Above the soldering points, a little extractor. It can be placed at every point of the working place, above the working position. Soldering fumes are evacuated to the exterior. It seems to be necessary, it's toxic!

Electronic test equipement:

This is what I use in my lab.What I wish to show here is: no need of sophisticated or expensive material for the audio and old radio hobby. Of course, «pros» who own very high-end equipment will think all of this very limited and simple. But, for the hobbyist, it work well.

This description is mainly for the beginners who hesitate for the equipment choice...

One of the first part of a electronic lab...

Soldering station Weller WECP20, with adjustable temperature. This station is useful for all the repairings into modern and old electronic. If solderings on metallic frames are necessary, a bigger iron will be needed, 100-150W.

To test switching power supplies:

63VA insulation transformer with protection and main switch, assembled in a old PC supply box...

The little power will limit the short-cut current, it's interesting when testing this supplies, to avoid too big blows!

To test radios and other appliances connected to mains: In a industrial case, a 800VA insulation transformer and variac, same power. Measure equipment; amp and volt-meters. One fixed and one variable output.

I think this equimpent is essential when repairing old appliances. The variac gives possibility to supply the appliance with under-voltage, a few hours in order to heat it slowly. With the amp-meter, the current is metering.

The insulation transformer will provide an insulation from the mains supply. To repair an «all-currents» radio, it's absolutely necessary! See also the «security» pages on this site...

Schematic.

Tube tester CENTRAD 752.

It's not a tester I use a lot, but it's sometimes useful. In case of doubt about a tube, or to matching two pieces. Tech and use manual of this appliance free on request by mail ! Pdf file, 7.4Mo !

Wobulable low frequency generator, with frequency-meter and audio monitor (little amp with loudspeaker).

Self-built, with schematics from the french version of Elektor electronics. I've use a old box for the mounting.

Modulated high frequency generator with indicating frequency meter. From 40kHz to 30MHz with 12 gammas.

Also a self-built, with also schematics from Elektor (80's). Also mounted in a old case.

Low voltage supply 0-30V, 10A. Some LM317 used in parallel, driven by a 741. Simple and solid, short-cut proof. I've built this supply in 1984, when 18-old aged...

My high voltage supply (600V) is in working. The description and schematic will be placed on this site, as soon as it will be finished.

Little measure testers, most used. Tester Fluke 73, and R-L-C checker. This little tester is not the absolute precision, but it's OK to identify an unknown value component.

Probably not a high-end oscilloscope, but this Hameg HM203-6 (2X20MHz) dated 1987 is very useful to me.

In november 2006, I've buy this digital storage oscillloscope HP54503A (4 channels X 500MHz). A little bit old, yes, but this scope is very useful when experimenting switch mode power supplies !

My insulation tester. The complete description is Here. Only in French, sorry! My english is too bad to translate this pages correctly...

And, for the final: one very old RF modulated generator... «Radio-Coucou» brand! I don't use this, but it work always well!