Calling Electricians- Function Generator?

Alright... I just did a call and found one of these at the residence... my partner and I and police were wondering what it was and what it's used for?

Wont go into any details about the call, but the device itself had alligator clips attached to copper pipe that looked to possibly be handles.

Anyone?

http://www.bkprecision.com/products/model/4011A/5-mhz-function-generator.html

 

We use them at school is is just like a big controller for electricity. You can can control many different things about the frequecy and voltage and amperage.

Do you think he was building bomb or something?

 

A function generator is a piece of electronic test equipment or software used to generate electrical waveforms. These waveforms can be either repetitive or single-shot, in which case some kind of triggering source is required (internal or external).
Function Generators are used in development, testing and repair of electronic equipment, e.g. as a signal source to test amplifiers, or to introduce an error signal into a control loop.

 

Nope, no bomb building.

 

I don't get it why does that concern you. The only other thing I can think of is that since there was pipe involved he was using it on his junk.

 

I'll buy it!!
Oh wait its not for sale is it!

 

Are there any medical uses for them?

 

Doubt it I think it is purely scientific. He was probably just checking the resitivity of the copper.

 

Its not a multimeter so I don't think he was checking resistivity, he was feeding electricity to the copper piece for whatever reason.

 

They are used mostly in engineering and testing electronics.

All they do is put out a electrical sign wave (some square and saw tooth wave also).

I've owned a few. I would take them and drive a amp or stereo and vary it between about 10hz and 20khz and listen to the response of the speakers throughout their range.

Its fun to find the resonant frequency of window...

 

why are you poking through this guys belongings in the first place?

 

maybe they are trying to figure out what happened to the guy

 

we use stuff like that at our work to test microwave amplifiers, isolators, combiner dividers hope that helps u out

 

I wasn't poking through his belongings. I was doing my job and saw it. Kinda hard to miss something of that size.

 

FYI, if thats the one he had, thats a cheap one. You can go to swap meets and pick those up used for like $50.

For the most part, the ones that real engineering labs use cost well into the thousands of $.

 

You work in microwave?

 

As others stated. It is used to generate a pulsed voltage in several types of wave forms. they do not generate enough voltage or capable of delivering much current. I doubt it was used to shock himself in any way. I have 2 of them in my office that i used on a regular basis.

 

Ok, so they don't put out much power. Thats kinda what I was looking for. Thanks.

 

Yes, in hindsight, that would have been a better title.