What equipment do I need for EE labs and projects on a budget of $1500?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the necessary equipment for electrical engineering (EE) labs and projects within a budget of $1500. Participants explore various tools such as protoboards, oscilloscopes, signal generators, power supplies, and multimeters, considering their utility for both academic and personal projects.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested
  • Homework-related

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests investing in a protoboard, oscilloscope, signal generator, power supply (with 5V, 12V, and 15V DC outputs), and a multimeter for lab work and personal projects.
  • Another participant provides a link to an oscilloscope they consider suitable.
  • A request for advice on equipment choices is made by one participant.
  • One participant recommends checking out various power supply options and emphasizes that a good bench power supply is worth the investment, but cautions against overspending.
  • Another participant argues that a decent oscilloscope with a bandwidth of less than 60 MHz is inadequate and suggests that finding quality equipment for under $1500 is unlikely. They recommend exploring school loan programs for equipment instead.
  • A participant reflects on the past availability of affordable equipment on eBay, noting that prices have risen as demand has increased.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the feasibility of acquiring quality equipment within the stated budget. Some suggest specific tools and brands, while others caution against the limitations of budget equipment and recommend alternative options like borrowing from schools.

Contextual Notes

Participants do not reach a consensus on the best equipment choices or the adequacy of the proposed budget for quality tools. The discussion includes varying opinions on the necessity and value of specific features in the equipment.

leright
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Hi everyone. I am an EE student (dual major in physics and EE) and I am considering investing in a decent protoboard, oscilloscope, and signal generator. I also would like a decent power supply that has 5V, 12V and 15V DC and I want a decent multimeter. This will mainly be for labs and whatnot, as I do not want to have to rely on the school's equipment for everything, and I may want to do some projects of my own. I feel that if I am going into EE as a career and I plan on going to grad school, having these tools will be very useful to me. I have a budget of only around $1500...

Preferably, the scope and signal generator will be rather portable. I do not need a screen on the scope. It will suffice to have just a USB connection to a computer. For the signal generator and scope I am considering something like this.

http://www.saelig.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PS023&Category_Code=PS

Will this be what I want for general lab work and other mescellaneous projects?

What about for the power supply, protoboard (maybe I could find a protoboard WITH a ps), and multimeter?
 
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http://www.saelig.com/miva/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=PS020&Category_Code=PS

this oscope looks good too.
 
anyone have any advice?
 
power supply, check out some of these: http://mpja.com/powersupply.asp

a good bench power supply is worth paying a little extra for, but it's a waste to dump a lot of money on one.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
I wouldn't bother with an oscilloscope with an input bandwidth of less than 60 MHz. Honestly, you're not going to be able to afford a decent scope for less than $1,500... that's just the way things are. Many schools have loan programs where you can borrow pieces of equipment like scopes for up to a week at a time... I'd suggest you look into that first before spending money on equipment that really isn't worth much beyond the hobbyist level.

- Warren
 
You used to be able to pick up stuff like that on ebay pretty cheap, but that was before it became so popular. Now it's to easy to find the going rate for stuff, and people actually know what they have before they post it:cry: .
 

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