Author Topic: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project  (Read 3408132 times)

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Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #175 on: October 22, 2013, 01:02:19 pm »
Is there a page on differences between versions anywhere? Wiki? Something like that?

There's no side-by-side comparison but most major differences are mentioned in the readme file of the m-version. A short ad hoc list for the m-version:
- no ESR (yet) and Vloss (caps)
- just two languages included
- no support for software UART (serial output)
- no support for alternative LCD module pins (stripboard version)
- just ATmega168 and 328
- UI with selectable hold mode (wait for key press) and menu
- PWM tool (select from several predefined frequencies and change the PWM ratio in 5% steps)
- several measurements differ in some details
- completely different logic for diode detection
- low resistance measurement (kind of :-)
- Zener tool (4-30/40V) is selected via menu
- IGBT detection (if 5V are sufficient)
- readable source code with tons of comments

Quote
Should I make one? (not something I'd enjoy doing but it's info I would like to know anyway)

We would keep you busy :-)
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #176 on: October 22, 2013, 01:14:11 pm »
Can someone link to the best one of these to get please ?

The best one is the one you build yourself :-) Actually you could choose any clone but make sure that it has got an ATmega328. The 168 doesn't got enough flash to support all features. And the clones without ISP pin header or pads could be less convenient to update.
 

Offline A Hellene

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #177 on: October 22, 2013, 04:27:23 pm »
Can someone link to the best one of these to get please ?
Here you are: This is what to look for and what to avoid, regarding a clone, and this is a deductive visual inspection round-up of five clones suggested by another fellow EEVBlogger; and this is what, for example, you can build.


-George
Hi! This is George; and I am three and a half years old!
(This was one of my latest realisations, now in my early fifties!...)
 

Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #178 on: October 26, 2013, 09:39:22 am »
I picked up a few of these.
Hopefully I can also get those free solder splashes on the LCD thrown in (just kidding).

I have a few questions to you guys who have been through this already:
1. Was there a consensus on the ISP header such as the one Darrylp mounted?
2. Since this may have a ATmega168. Is it possible to retrofit an ATmega328P, ATmega328 or socket in the same package?
3. How can I tell them apart? Are they essentially the same beast or need further mods?
4. Wheres a good resource for info on AVR ISP programming?
5. Anyone got a good place to purchase headers, chips and programming related parts from?
« Last Edit: November 08, 2013, 05:04:00 am by Shock »
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #179 on: October 26, 2013, 12:47:22 pm »
I have a few questions to you guys who have been through this already:
1. Was there a consensus on the ISP header such as the one Darrylp mounted?
2. Since this may have a ATmega168. Is it possible to retrofit an ATmega328P, ATmega328 or socket in the same package?
3. How can I tell them apart? Are they essentially the same beast or need further mods?
4. Wheres a good resource for info on AVR ISP programming?
5. Anyone got a good place to purchase headers, chips and programming related parts from?

1. Use what fits :-)
2. Yes, same package, same pinout.
3. If you're talking about the ATmegas, just compile and flash the firmware for the 328 and enjoy the additional featues. No hardware mods are required. You can distinguish the types by the chip's signature (using an ISP programmer) if the markings are sanded off.
4. Look at http://www.atmel.com/ for datasheets and application notes (AVR910).
5. Please set your country in your profile.
 

Offline Frenchie

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #180 on: October 26, 2013, 03:28:45 pm »
I've laid out a SMD board with the intention of soldering it directly onto the back of an LCD with a pin header. I figure the board layout might be useful to someone else, so the Gerbers are attached and the board is shared at OSHPark (http://oshpark.com/shared_projects/ir4NKmKE).



I'm currently waiting on the 0603 0.1% resistors to arrive with my next digikey order. I've tested with 5% resistors and everything works okay (of course not as accurately as it would otherwise be). Shown below is a breadboard test, in the final configuration I intend to back to back the board with the display (ie top side facing out) and solder them together with a pin header. Plugging both into a breadboard lets me get at the through hole components if I need to.



Changes:
  • I've used an ISL21070-25 to supply the 2.5V reference because it's what I had to hand
  • I've bumped the LCD backlight resistor to 2k2. 8mA is a bit of overkill and the SOT23 PNP transistor was getting a touch warm for my liking. 1mA gave me more than acceptable brightness.

A quick word of caution, this is my RevC board, I renumbered my schematic to match Karl-Heinz Kübbeler's annotation and took the opportunity to make a  few very minor position & routing changes. Everything passes ERC/DRC so there should be no issues with this revised layout but I've not built it up to check. PM me if you instead want gerbers for the RevB which I know works. Murphy got me with RevA and I swapped one of the transistor's pins
« Last Edit: October 26, 2013, 03:39:00 pm by Frenchie »
 

Offline Stonent

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #181 on: October 26, 2013, 04:18:16 pm »
I saw another one of these on Ebay that had some sort of rudimentary function generator. And now I can't find it. 
« Last Edit: October 26, 2013, 04:29:11 pm by Stonent »
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Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #182 on: October 26, 2013, 08:16:54 pm »
I saw another one of these on Ebay that had some sort of rudimentary function generator. And now I can't find it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161135107947

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321157000855

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150959457334


Nice work Frenchie on your PCB.  Did you make that yourself or?
« Last Edit: October 26, 2013, 09:05:22 pm by Shock »
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline Stonent

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #183 on: October 26, 2013, 11:27:06 pm »
I saw another one of these on Ebay that had some sort of rudimentary function generator. And now I can't find it.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/161135107947

http://www.ebay.com/itm/321157000855

http://www.ebay.com/itm/150959457334


Nice work Frenchie on your PCB.  Did you make that yourself or?

No, but I did see those as well. The one I saw showed them testing caps in the pictures, and also had a mp3-style oscilloscope connected to it in one of the pictures showing a wave form. But it did not have any BNCs. The LCD showed the frequency and voltage of the waveform it was outputting.
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Offline Stonent

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #184 on: October 29, 2013, 09:51:39 am »
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Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #185 on: October 29, 2013, 08:47:54 pm »
I was thinking something along the lines of this.
I like the ZIF socket idea as you can just drop a component in or short test wires.
I would case mount it or put on a separate PCB to reduce opening and closing stresses. You can also change it later with no hassle.
9v battery compartment with door and external socket.

Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #186 on: October 29, 2013, 10:11:53 pm »
I was thinking something along the lines of this.
I like the ZIF socket idea as you can just drop a component in or short test wires.
I would case mount it or put on a separate PCB to reduce opening and closing stresses. You can also change it later with no hassle.
9v battery compartment with door and external socket.

Another nice idea! Someone has built a version with all hardware options (2.5V reference, relay and boost converter) and put the ZIF socket and contact pads on a small doughter board.
 

Offline moemoe

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #187 on: October 30, 2013, 08:17:41 am »
Another nice idea! Someone has built a version with all hardware options (2.5V reference, relay and boost converter) and put the ZIF socket and contact pads on a small doughter board.

I think this someone is me, see https://github.com/maugsburger/avr-component-tester
https://github.com/maugsburger/
Breadboard Adapters featured in EEVBlog #573 on Tindie
 
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Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #188 on: October 30, 2013, 08:56:58 am »
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline moemoe

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« Last Edit: October 30, 2013, 09:17:22 am by moemoe »
https://github.com/maugsburger/
Breadboard Adapters featured in EEVBlog #573 on Tindie
 

Offline Stonent

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #190 on: October 30, 2013, 09:44:52 am »
I didn't know cat droppings came in 0.025uF ratings.  :-DD. I don't think that I've seen a brown capacitor before with a round end.

But I do like the board and also how you used a bare LCD.
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Offline moemoe

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #191 on: October 30, 2013, 12:02:03 pm »
Most of the pictures are taken by other users at mikrocontroller.net, I just did a batch order of these PCBs.

I didn't know cat droppings came in 0.025uF ratings.  :-DD. I don't think that I've seen a brown capacitor before with a round end.

It's from an old tube radio and quite dead (see vloss), therefore the capacity measurement failed and shows a much too high capacity.

But I do like the board and also how you used a bare LCD.

In fact this is not a bare LCD, but a dogm http://www.lcd-module.de/pdf/doma/dog-m.pdf

Karl-Heinz finished version 1.08k (http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Software/tags/) with following highlights:
- support of DOG-M LCD modules with ST7036 controller
https://github.com/maugsburger/
Breadboard Adapters featured in EEVBlog #573 on Tindie
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #192 on: October 30, 2013, 02:08:19 pm »
Just seeing that I don't have the mentioned ZIF daugher board, but it should be possible to add one without problems, just expand the SMD daughter board to the left and add a ZIF socket there.

IIRC the PCB I mentioned is from someone in the Ukraine, but yours is also nice! It even includes the PWM driver for the backlight ;-)

PS: A suggestion for a bench DIY version can be found at http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Hardware/Markus/.
« Last Edit: October 30, 2013, 02:10:34 pm by madires »
 

Offline Stonent

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Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #194 on: November 04, 2013, 02:08:05 pm »
Looks like someone was on to us for carefully scrutinizing chosen parts.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Transistor-Tester-Diode-Triode-Capacitance-ESR-resistance-Meter-MOS-PNP-NPN-/221280589574?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338559d706

I like the design with the banana connectors (2mm?) and the ZIF adapter! But, as always, there's no documentation. Has anyone, who bought one of tester clones, ever received a manual or a link to the project webpage? 
 

Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #195 on: November 08, 2013, 01:01:13 am »
The one I just brought for $25 is a blue back-lite version 2.4 board dated 2013/07/01 with ATmega168V 10AU
Draws 26mA at idle and 1.3uA settling down to 0.7uA when auto off.

I would not recommend it yet, requires further testing. 
« Last Edit: November 08, 2013, 01:24:35 am by Shock »
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #196 on: November 10, 2013, 12:16:52 am »
Just found my first bad cap with my ESR meter. A compact fluorescent lamp failed and I could hear a cap complaining.  After butchering the case got 3045nF with ESR of 4.8 Ohms on the 3uF 400v electrolytic (Aishi).  A 5% 1 Ohm load resistor was also reading 1.2 Ohms.
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 

Offline cib3k

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #197 on: November 10, 2013, 09:59:56 pm »
Hi guys, what do you think about this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC12-Transistor-Tester-resistance-Meter-MOS-PNP-NPN-Diode-Triode-Capacitance-ESR-/290944824363

It seems to already have an ATmega328, 0.1% resistors, 8MHz crystal and software version 1.07(k).
What's unusual is the built-in 9v battery and a DC power jack for 7.5-12v.
I'm not sure what this means: "Fuse, from low to high: F7DCF9".

The overview seems translated with Google Translate from this chinese page. The pictures are standard pictures that also appear on other ebay auctions and seem obsolete compared to the stated capabilities of the tester. There's also a manual for a digital controller (REX-C100) that doesn't seem to have anything to do with the tester.

At the moment it would be difficult for me to just build a tester by myself - for various reasons. So I need to buy one, but I'm torn between this one and the one that Tony bought. The latter also has ATmega328/8MHz crystal/software 1.07, but no 0.1% resistors and no built-in battery. I'm not sure if the 0.1% resistors make much difference, and I'm worried that the built-in battery/DC power jack might add some unnecessary circuitry that might increase electrical noise. What do you think?
« Last Edit: November 11, 2013, 02:30:05 am by cib3k »
 

Offline madires

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #198 on: November 11, 2013, 01:50:42 pm »
Hi guys, what do you think about this:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DC12-Transistor-Tester-resistance-Meter-MOS-PNP-NPN-Diode-Triode-Capacitance-ESR-/290944824363

I like the design with the banana connectors and the ZIF adapter.

Quote
It seems to already have an ATmega328, 0.1% resistors, 8MHz crystal and software version 1.07(k).
What's unusual is the built-in 9v battery and a DC power jack for 7.5-12v.
I'm not sure what this means: "Fuse, from low to high: F7DCF9".

The current k-version is 1.08k (1.09 is under development) and "F7DCF9" describes the fuse settings, which seem to be slighly off. The recommended fuse settings for a 328 with 8MHz crystal are hfuse 0xd9, efuse 0xfc and lfuse 0xf7. Someone mentioned that the boxed tester clone lacks an ISP header.

Quote
At the moment it would be difficult for me to just build a tester by myself - for various reasons. So I need to buy one, but I'm torn between this one and the one that Tony bought. The latter also has ATmega328/8MHz crystal/software 1.07, but no 0.1% resistors and no built-in battery. I'm not sure if the 0.1% resistors make much difference, and I'm worried that the built-in battery/DC power jack might add some unnecessary circuitry that might increase electrical noise. What do you think?

I'd buy the boxed one. It's got a nice box with nice banana connectors (2mm?) and the 0.1% resistors. The bare one lacks an ISP header, maybe the boxed one too. 1% resistors work also fine if they are matched and you've built a custom firmware with the resistor values updated in config.h. Additional power circuitry isn't a problem, there's a version powered by coin cells via a boost converter.
 

Offline Shock

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Re: $20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project
« Reply #199 on: November 12, 2013, 02:26:09 am »
I have a 475K 630V polyester capacitor that's reading 47.28nF shouldn't it be 4700nF (4.7uF)?  Any ideas?
Soldering/Rework: Pace ADS200, Pace MBT350
Multimeters: Fluke 189, 87V, 117, 112   >>> WANTED STUFF <<<
Oszilloskopen: Lecroy 9314, Phillips PM3065, Tektronix 2215a, 314
 


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