Unintuitive switch functionality - READ DATASHEET
For 5 Decade Inductance Board with Cover (0 H - 1mH)
When I bought this device back in April 2023, there was no datasheet provided. When I first tried to use the device I was seeing no inductance (open circuit) when I tried to engage any of the switches. I contacted the seller and he then provided a datasheet with a schematic that shows that you must engage at least 1 switch on each row in order to complete the circuit and read an inductance across the terminals. If you don't want to use an inductance value from a particular row, then you need to engage switch 10 on that row as a pass-through. This is unusual and not like any other decade box I've used before. I would never have figured out this little switch requirement on my own and I'm not sure how the designer expected folks to know this without a schematic, datasheet, or instructions.
I also purchased the Resistance decade box and it had similar issues.
I asked the seller for a refund since the device did not behave as I had expected, but I was declined for being outside of the 30 day return window. I should have tested the device when I received it, but this is such a dead simple function that I didn't foresee the types of problems I would have. I'm leaving this review to inform the next customer as to what they can expect.
Response from Regan Tech | Aug. 8, 2023
Hi Matt,
This was a brand-new product and the datasheet was mistakenly not put up. It is now!
"This is unusual and not like any other decade box I've used before"
YES! That is what makes this product unique and special. By having a switch 10 "bypass switch", we were able to design a product that has less overall internal parasitic inductance/resistance. So instead of the signal having to go through 45 switches, it only has to go through 5 switches' (for inductance box). The tradeoff of having to use switch 10 as a bypass, you get much better performance! This makes the product last much longer and give more repeatable results in the long term.
Kevin
