Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

I would love to have a handheld oscilloscope for use on installation sites. Does anyone have one that you are particularly fond of? It would be great to have something with several hundred MHz of bandwidth, but looking at the prices I may have to settle for less.

If you recommend, can you please also list the pros and cons of the unit along with some ideas of where I can get a good used one cheap. (eBay is the obvious choice, but perhaps there are other places I can get one?)

TIA!

Reg

Comments

  • PhilS
    PhilS Solar Expert Posts: 370 ✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I don't have one but IF I could afford it I'd buy a Fluke. I have a Fluke 88 and have used Fluke's products for decades. I've also used many other brands and none have been as good. I've seen the Fluke scopes in action and have been impressed.

    My old 88 needs a new display... you gotta hold it at an angle to read it. But the displays are available online and at eBay for less than $30 IIRC and is just one of those things I'll get to "one of these days". I also have the Fluke inductive ammeter and that is a valuable tool for off-grid maintenance.

    I have an o-scope in the attic but haven't yet had the need to dig it out.

    Phil
  • MisterB
    MisterB Solar Expert Posts: 156 ✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I would buy a Fluke or Tektronix handheld too if I could justify the expense. What I do have is a cheap Vellman handheld that is OK for basic things and audio frequency testing. It's low power and very easy to use. It's not all that rugged and if I had to use it a lot, I would get something better. I have a 1970s Tektronix dual trace bench scope for more serious work.
  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    There is no way you are going to find a hand held sillyscope "with hundreds of megahertz bandwidth" even most consumer ones that are affordable(below$1000) are limited to about 100 mhz
    Hand help usually about 5 to 20 mhz and most of them are useless when it comes to looking at high voltages or frequencies above 2 mhz.
    Tried one along time ago we had a few at work for a while but they got thrown out as useless,or they just blew up first..
    If you want high frequency ability get a digital desktop one they now very small and quite rugged..
  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I really like my fluke 123 version 003.
    The 124 serries costs more and has features not even I have a use for.
    I believe my 123 goes up to 20MHz and the 124 goes some what higher.

    The very and I mean very expensive 19X fluke serries goes up to 99MHz and I think there is one that goes up to 199MHz now.
    One of those new 19X serries, you are looking at around $2500+.

    I stole my 123 off ebay for $400 shipped, it had a dead battery but I built a new one out of AAAs for about $12.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

  • RegGuheert
    RegGuheert Solar Expert Posts: 102 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    Thanks for the tips, guys! I have an old Fluke 77 Multimeter which I still use constantly, so I would be happy to purchase another product for them. I was hopeful that these things were a little cheaper these days, but it doesn't sound like it. I'll have to keep my eyes open and see if any deals arise.
  • feedhorn
    feedhorn Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I have a DSO Nano and it works great for inverters, chargers, and MPPT stuff. And its a great deal for under $100 dollars.

    See: www.dso.seeedstudio.com

    Have Fun!

    FH
  • XRinger
    XRinger Solar Expert Posts: 529 ✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I'm an old guy, so I like old test gear.. (Stuff that I can run without a manual).
    I had an older 450 mHz scope that I never really used much.
    (Got it for $50 and repaired it's power supply).

    Sold it to a buddy and later got the exact same scope for $20 when
    my company shut down. (And laid us all off)!

    Still didn't use it much. It wasn't real big, but it was too dang heavy.

    I found that a smaller (lighter) used analog scope worked better for me,
    And that I really didn't need all those mHz..

    squarewave.jpg

    Not too heavy and not too expensive. And, I like the analog display..
  • oil pan 4
    oil pan 4 Solar Expert Posts: 767 ✭✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?
    RegGuheert wrote: »
    Thanks for the tips, guys! I have an old Fluke 77 Multimeter which I still use constantly, so I would be happy to purchase another product for them. I was hopeful that these things were a little cheaper these days, but it doesn't sound like it. I'll have to keep my eyes open and see if any deals arise.

    Back when the economy was good you couldn't touch a repairable fluke scope meter for less than $600. Now is the time to get one while there seems to be more sellers than buyers for these types of items.

    Solar hybrid gasoline generator, 7kw gas, 180 watts of solar, Morningstar 15 amp MPPT, group 31 AGM, 900 watt kisae inverter.

    Solar roof top GMC suburban, a normal 3/4 ton suburban with 180 watts of panels on the roof and 10 amp genasun MPPT, 2000w samlex pure sine wave inverter, 12v gast and ARB air compressors.

  • john p
    john p Solar Expert Posts: 814 ✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    Reg why you wanting one that does high frequencies for solar install work??
  • MisterB
    MisterB Solar Expert Posts: 156 ✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?
    XRinger wrote: »
    I'm an old guy, so I like old test gear.. (Stuff that I can run without a manual).
    I had an older 450 mHz scope that I never really used much.
    (Got it for $50 and repaired it's power supply).

    Sold it to a buddy and later got the exact same scope for $20 when
    my company shut down. (And laid us all off)!

    Still didn't use it much. It wasn't real big, but it was too dang heavy.

    I found that a smaller (lighter) used analog scope worked better for me,
    And that I really didn't need all those mHz..


    Not too heavy and not too expensive. And, I like the analog display..

    I have a Tektronix T935. It's one of their smaller analog scopes made in the late 70s. It's a 35mhz scope which is a lot more than I need these days. Dual channel with great triggering and dislplay options. It cost me all of $10 and I had to resolder one cracked solder joint. Using similar Tektronix scopes at school and work for a number of years gives me a bias towards them--there just about 2nd nature to me.
  • feedhorn
    feedhorn Solar Expert Posts: 103 ✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    Some DSO Nano Screens:

    See attached files:


    Enjoy!

    FH
  • BB.
    BB. Super Moderators, Administrators Posts: 33,431 admin
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    Boy that is a really neat device for $90:

    http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/dso-nano-v2-p-681.html

    Wish it had two channels (I think it only has one)...

    -Bill

    Hmm, they do have a two channel + 2 digital channel scope in Beta:

    http://www.seeedstudio.com/depot/preorder-dso-quad-beta-test-p-736.html
    Near San Francisco California: 3.5kWatt Grid Tied Solar power system+small backup genset
  • Dave Angelini
    Dave Angelini Solar Expert Posts: 6,731 ✭✭✭✭✭✭
    Re: Does anyone have a handheld oscilloscope that you would recommend?

    I have and love my Agilent U1600. It is 40 Mhz. and has USB for printing. It is the best thing since the TEK THS730A that my brother in-law ran over with his truck.
    The Agilent battery lasts forever and is half the size of the TEK. I do like most anything HP/Agilent makes.
    "we go where power lines don't" Sierra Nevada mountain area
       htps://offgridsolar1.com/
    E-mail offgridsolar@sti.net