[heathkit] test leads

["Dennis C. Henry" <dchenry@gac.edu>]

Carl,

I've seen the same effect, starting with my own V-7A, built in 1959, 
and continuing with that and other models for another decade, at 
least.  The same problem showed up in the bulk red Belden 5-KV test 
lead wire I cut up into patch cords by the dozens in the late 1950's 
and 60's, with the speed and severity of the deterioration somewhat 
influenced by where the leads were used and stored.  The black ones 
always held up better than the red, but it seems to hold up better 
than it used to.  I think that I've replaced the red wires three 
times on that elderly and still working fine V-7A, which I built when 
I was 13.  As we know from the various kinds of rubber feet and 
grommets, none of them are in very good shape after 20 years.

Cheers,

Dennis

Dennis C. Henry                 Office Location: 213 Olin Hall
Professor of Physics                    Office phone: (507) 933-7314
Gustavus Adolphus College               Office fax: (507) 933-6104
St. Peter, MN  56082-1498               Home phone: (507) 931-2784
e-mail: dchenry@gac.edu         http://physics.gac.edu/~dchenry/

At 04:22 PM 6/11/2008, you wrote:
>           This is a question that has bothered me for a long time. !!!
>            Over the years, all the vtvm's I've seen have nearly all 
> had the "red" lead (ohms) go bad and start cracking, making them 
> "almost" unuseable.!!!
>         Does anyone have any good answers to this ??? All the 
> "black" leads on these meters seem to hold up fine.!!
>         I have a multermeter here, (me26D/U) mil . version of the 
> well known HP410B.
> I have replaced the Red lead" twice in 5 years or so  , and it kind 
> of irritates me. !!!
>       Is the wire that bad, or am I , Well , whatever.???????????
>         carl / kz5ca