RETRO-TECH ○ SANWA P3 Review & Teardown! (1958)

[@barrybogart5436]

Thanks for the additional research. I learned a few things. I got my ham license in '58, so I could have bought it new! But I didn't live in BC then and didn't know about Sanwa. Instead, I got a Lafayette VOM around then. (It still works.) BTW R. Mack was a Vancouver BC company that built but also rebranded instruments. I have the manual and parts list, but not the total price. But the meter and panel alone was $4.90Cdn. I wonder what that would be now (and what the exchange rate was then!) I admit that I didn't consciously appreciate the aesthetics of this meter before. In particular, the shape of the meter surround with those vertical lines around the adjustment screw is very Art Deco. And I like the way the pin jacks are arrayed, and I think that would make choosing the right range more reliable. We don't need no stinkin' LED lights to warn us when we use the wrong banana jacks for the dial setting! Thanks very much for checking it out. Have you done a Triplett 310? It also dates from the '50s but is still in production! It's still a classic. Barry.

[@KeepOnTesting]

Triplett 310 is on my list..been wanting one for quite awhile. Your SANWA sure is a beauty Barry! Love the look and retro style, I repaired the battery posts with some Araldite, so aesthetically, it's in one piece 😀 Thx again for letting us all enjoy that classic analog meter!

[@numerical_error]

Very cool retro meter. Any piece of electronics that survives 70+ years deserves respect in my opinion. I remember having something very similar in my early childhood. It had a very distinctive smell that I can't possibly put into words. No electronics have it nowadays. 🤔

[@KeepOnTesting]

AHH, the smell...yes indeed , some of my best electronics memories include the same. I remember how the RadioShack stores would smell when you walked inside...yummy 👍

[@pault6533]

That needle is responsive and returns to zero perfectly. A good movement and glass panel sure does make all the difference. I’m surprised Darren didn’t mind the lack of tilt stand. Hey, at least it has shielding! Champagne 🎉

[@KeepOnTesting]

That shielding was literally squeezed to perfection ! Yes Paul, I decided the ol beauty was just fine without the tilt stand! That's my story and I'm sticking to it! 😅

[@ruikazane5123]

How brave would someone be, measuring 1kV with rather bare leads! The nice thing about it is, no switch contacts that put your measurement off when they start losing contact. If we can get a meter dial that large for just old school current and voltage on amplifiers I would definitely want some, jumping needles!

[@KeepOnTesting]

Love those jumpin needles!

[@pault6533]

The input impedance of the meter is less than a digital meter, so it may pull down the voltage of the 9V battery a little bit. The independent inputs are more durable and more easily repaired than a range selector. I like how they arranged these inputs in a ascending pattern which matches the angle of the bezel of the dial. I am not too familiar with how the capacitance and inductance measurement is used. I guess it's effectively measuring reactance at 60 Hz and reporting as C or H? A vintage meter with a good movement sure is a worthy find! Cheers to Barry! 🥳

[@KeepOnTesting]

SANWA always impressed, even in its early years..Great feedback Paul 😊

[@barrybogart5436]

I was wondering about the orientation of the meter during the test - flat or vertical. I thought it was more accurate than that. But it was zeroed. Hard to be sure without a mirror.

[@Jose-Ribeiro]

Thanks for another review. 😀 Please do a review on the NJTY-T58. The new bang for the buck?😉

[@mp1454]

😮😮😮😊😊😊

[@bhushan9066]

First time ever heard there was a "Squeezed Iron" which acts as a Faraday cage. Something about this makes me think how would you squeeze it, like a lemon? 😅

[@KeepOnTesting]

Interesting eh? I guess Sanwa was way ahead of the game. 😅 👍

[@goodun2974]

Looks to me like there are some cold solder joints in there. Someone's soldering iron wasnt quite hot enough....

[@laleyviva]

Buenas.... buenos videos y tiene una gran varida de multimetro... m gustaria de ver una rewie dd el miyota usa 960 analogico q el interne no hay... ya no lo fabrican.... yo tengo uno en caja

[@KeepOnTesting]

Gracias! Do you have a link ? Can you email me a picture of yours? [e-mail]