Empathy List Archives

MD

Marek Doršic

Wed, Dec 8, 2021 10:53 PM

Hello,

while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side?

The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned?

.marek

Hello, while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side? The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o>) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned? .marek

PS

paul swed

Wed, Dec 8, 2021 11:04 PM

HP used rubber feet as standoffs and they literally melt over time making
quite a mess. But reasonable to clean up. Can't comment on the sparks.
Regards
Paul
WB8TSL

On Wed, Dec 8, 2021 at 5:54 PM Marek Doršic marek.dorsic@gmail.com wrote:

Hello,

 while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became

quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before
pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that
couses a shortcircuit at the HV side?

The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as
it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and
Spillage Clean-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o) and his
counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to
get it cleaned?

.marek

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send
an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

HP used rubber feet as standoffs and they literally melt over time making quite a mess. But reasonable to clean up. Can't comment on the sparks. Regards Paul WB8TSL On Wed, Dec 8, 2021 at 5:54 PM Marek Doršic <marek.dorsic@gmail.com> wrote: > Hello, > > while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became > quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before > pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that > couses a shortcircuit at the HV side? > > The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as > it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and > Spillage Clean-Up <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o>) and his > counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to > get it cleaned? > > .marek > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send > an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there. >

GL

Glenn Little WB4UIV

Wed, Dec 8, 2021 11:08 PM

If I were a betting man, I would say that the spillage is from a
decomposed bumper that was placed to prevent the board from flexing and
possibly shorting out.

This is somewhat a common failure for bumpers and rubber feet.

Glenn

On 12/8/2021 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic wrote:

Hello,

  while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side?

The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned?

 .marek

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

--

Glenn Little ARRL Technical Specialist QCWA LM 28417
Amateur Callsign: WB4UIV wb4uiv@arrl.net AMSAT LM 2178
QTH: Goose Creek, SC USA (EM92xx) USSVI, FRA, NRA-LM ARRL TAPR
"It is not the class of license that the Amateur holds but the class
of the Amateur that holds the license"

If I were a betting man, I would say that the spillage is from a decomposed bumper that was placed to prevent the board from flexing and possibly shorting out. This is somewhat a common failure for bumpers and rubber feet. Glenn On 12/8/2021 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic wrote: > Hello, > > while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side? > > The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o>) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned? > > .marek > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Glenn Little ARRL Technical Specialist QCWA LM 28417 Amateur Callsign: WB4UIV wb4uiv@arrl.net AMSAT LM 2178 QTH: Goose Creek, SC USA (EM92xx) USSVI, FRA, NRA-LM ARRL TAPR "It is not the class of license that the Amateur holds but the class of the Amateur that holds the license"

BK

Bob kb8tq

Thu, Dec 9, 2021 12:00 AM

Hi

The PSU in the 131 is a known weak point. Usually when they die, they
take a lot of parts out in the process. The good news is that the PSU in
the 53181 is the same as the 131 PSU. Since 181’s tend to sell for “not
much” they are a fine parts donor ….

Bob

On Dec 8, 2021, at 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic marek.dorsic@gmail.com wrote:

Hello,

while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side?

The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned?

.marek

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

Hi The PSU in the 131 is a known weak point. Usually when they die, they take a lot of parts out in the process. The good news is that the PSU in the 53181 is the same as the 131 PSU. Since 181’s tend to sell for “not much” they are a fine parts donor …. Bob > On Dec 8, 2021, at 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic <marek.dorsic@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hello, > > while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side? > > The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o>) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned? > > .marek > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

E

ew

Thu, Dec 9, 2021 12:38 PM

My 132 Power Module failed. Not made by HP. removed the white silicone one Diode was not soldered in sometimes touched, solder it in no more problems. Bert Kehren

In a message dated 12/8/2021 7:02:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, kb8tq@n1k.org writes:
Hi

The PSU in the 131 is a known weak point. Usually when they die, they
take a lot of parts out in the process. The good news is that the PSU in
the 53181 is the same as the 131 PSU. Since 181’s tend to sell for “not
much” they are a fine parts donor ….

Bob

On Dec 8, 2021, at 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic marek.dorsic@gmail.com wrote:

Hello,

while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side?

The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned?

.marek

time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com
To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

My 132 Power Module failed. Not made by HP. removed the white silicone one Diode was not soldered in sometimes touched, solder it in no more problems. Bert Kehren In a message dated 12/8/2021 7:02:06 PM Eastern Standard Time, kb8tq@n1k.org writes: Hi The PSU in the 131 is a known weak point. Usually when they die, they take a lot of parts out in the process. The good news is that the PSU in the 53181 is the same as the 131 PSU. Since 181’s tend to sell for “not much” they are a fine parts donor …. Bob > On Dec 8, 2021, at 5:53 PM, Marek Doršic <marek.dorsic@gmail.com> wrote: > > Hello, > > while taking a measurement my HP53131a counter sparked and became quiet. After tear down I found both 3A/240V fuses in the PSU burnt. Before pluging a new set of fuses, is there a knowledge of a common problem that couses a shortcircuit at the HV side? > > The counter has also a spilage at the bottom side of the mainboard, but as it is same as in Gerry Sweeney's youtube video (HP 53131A Teardown and Spillage Clean-Up <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=czCLXrUPX0o>) and his counter still works I assume it is not related. Is it a good practice to get it cleaned? > > .marek > _______________________________________________ > time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com > To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there. _______________________________________________ time-nuts mailing list -- time-nuts@lists.febo.com -- To unsubscribe send an email to time-nuts-leave@lists.febo.com To unsubscribe, go to and follow the instructions there.

time-nuts@lists.febo.com

HP53131 Power Supply shortened

--