Agilent probe power connectors

[Joel Koltner]

I was thinking of powering some of my own hacked-up scope/spectrum analyzer
probes from the "probe power" connectors on most newer Agilent spectrum
analyzers and VNAs (you get +15V and -12.6V -- handy), and did some Googling
to get part numbers. I didn't have much luck, so I posted to Agilent's forum,
where a helpful Agilent employer clued me into the part numbers, with pictures
and pricing available on www.parts.agilent.com:

Probe Power cable connectors --
5060-0466 - female connector assembly, $39.38
5040-0494 - sleeve, female connector, $76.58

Those prices are just insane -- $116 for a dinky little 3-pin plastic
connector!

Clearly Agilent has no interest in people homebrewing accessories for their
products. How sad...

---Joel

P.S. -- In the process I happened to come across the part number for a
Tektronix probe power connector... it's Lemo FFA.0S.304.CLAC42. About $30 in
quantities of 1, in stock at Heilind.Com (possibly the same as
FFA.0S.304.CLAZ, a mere ~$20 at Mouser), which -- while expensive -- suddenly
seems a much better deal than Agilent's offering, and it is mostly metal to
boot.

 

[Caesar Valenti]

You have to remember that Agilent deals with huge companies that think
nothing of spending $300k for one instrument. Agilent is not interested
in the homebrew/hobbyist. An a long time employee there, I try to give
hobbyists some access to info to let them repair older HP/Agilent
equipment, but you really don't want to buy from Agilent...the overhead
is too much and our labor rate is north of $100/hour. I even tell some
of our current customers that they can do better by buying some parts
through Newegg or similar.

These connectors are somewhat unique....at one time I provided the name
of the manufacturer for this, but I no longer have that info. Sorry.

cv





Joel Koltner wrote:

I was thinking of powering some of my own hacked-up scope/spectrum analyzer
probes from the "probe power" connectors on most newer Agilent spectrum
analyzers and VNAs (you get +15V and -12.6V -- handy), and did some Googling
to get part numbers. I didn't have much luck, so I posted to Agilent's forum,
where a helpful Agilent employer clued me into the part numbers, with pictures
and pricing available on www.parts.agilent.com:

Probe Power cable connectors --
5060-0466 - female connector assembly, $39.38
5040-0494 - sleeve, female connector, $76.58

Those prices are just insane -- $116 for a dinky little 3-pin plastic
connector!

Clearly Agilent has no interest in people homebrewing accessories for their
products. How sad...

---Joel

P.S. -- In the process I happened to come across the part number for a
Tektronix probe power connector... it's Lemo FFA.0S.304.CLAC42. About $30 in
quantities of 1, in stock at Heilind.Com (possibly the same as
FFA.0S.304.CLAZ, a mere ~$20 at Mouser), which -- while expensive -- suddenly
seems a much better deal than Agilent's offering, and it is mostly metal to
boot.