$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[Obelix2007]

... I did this in the firmware I attached above in the archive.

... sorry, in which archive I can find that modified function menu.c  file?

Horst

[indman]

Obelix2007,I did not upload the file function menu.c, since each user himself must decide which items to delete and which not. I gave a hint.

[upsss]

What are the differences between the LCR TC1 and LCR T7 testers, they look the same.

[Obelix2007]

@upsss

my Multi-Funktion-Tester - T7 (the same PCB and all the same Components as LCR-T1) has now I modificated with TC1-Mod, a Rotary-Switch and change the controller to ATmega644PA U-TH

... also the same FW I think.

Horst

[madires]

I've received a report about another Hiland M644 mystery problem, this time regarding the ESR measurement (firmware 1.40m). In the standard probing cycle the ESR values look reasonable but in the ESR check or C monitor the ESR values are way too high. Have you seen that too with your M644?

Edit: Happens for caps >= 470µF.

BTW, the new firmware will support 8 bit parallel bus and disabled extended command set for ILI9341. Some ILI9341 display modules for Arduino come with the extended command set disabled for whatever reason. And the SH1106 OLED controller will be supported too. Several OLED modules sold as SSD1306 actually have an SH1106. Both controllers are quite similar but not identical. The SH1106 can drive four additional columns, for example.

[Obelix2007]

... Have you seen that too with your M644?

... no, my "Hiland M644", my "M644-Lochraster" and my new "mod. T7 M644" has nearly the same ESR values at all three operating modes with the same DUT.

But the values at smaller capacitors (not only with M644 testers, also with the M328th in M1.40 FW) are to high in comparison to K1.13 FW testers  and my Gen_Rad_1687_LCR_Digibridge.

Horst

[indman]

Obelix2007, can you check on your M644 devices ESR measurement at 1000μF capacitor in C-monitor mode and compare them with measurement in standart mode?
m-firmware 1.40.

[K595]

indman, Maybe my measurements will fit. Two measurements were made in each mode. Firmware 1.40.

[indman]

K595, thanks, this confirms the problem. Now there is another mystery for the madires. I think he will solve it successfully, as usual.

[Obelix2007]

Obelix2007, can you check on your M644 devices ESR measurement at 1000μF capacitor in C-monitor mode and compare them with measurement in standart mode?
m-firmware 1.40.

... the tests I have done, only my Selfmade with a M644 40p DIP hasn't this problem.

[Obelix2007]

Hello K595,

... you have a "Hiland M644" with M1.40 firmware,  so I want to ask you:

Please can you test for me a PNP transistor BC558C or similar and tell me the hFE value? A year ago I have found a problem with hFE values 1500 and more with such components, at other testers with 328s the value a "normal" between 400 and max. 600 hFE.


Best regards

Horst

[K595]

Hi Obelix2007, I tested two BC558C transistors as you requested. Results in the photo. Sorry for the quality of the photo.

[indman]

... the tests I have done, only my Selfmade with a M644 40p DIP hasn't this problem.

Your Selfmade with a M644 tester also measures ESR incorrectly. I see ESR 0.20 in the photo, which exceeds the real 0.04-0.07 one by 4-5 times.

[Obelix2007]

@ indman

... may be the absolut values of ESR are incorrect, but the question in this time was the deviation bitween the two methods "normal" component test and test in the continous test "C Monitor".
 

[Obelix2007]

Hi Obelix2007, I tested two BC558C transistors as you requested. Results in the photo. Sorry for the quality of the photo.

... thank you for the test.

In the hardware-configuration of your "Hiland" did you activatet the workaround #define NO_HFE_C_RL?

In this case has my "Hiland" tester the "normal" values too.

Best regards Horst

[K595]

Obelix2007, Yes, you are right. I have commented out the #define NO_HFE_C_RL line. Strange indications. But I cannot explain it.

[Obelix2007]

... cannot explain it.

... oh, that was fast, thank you!

... comment of Markus: *    Hiland M664 (under investigation) 

Greetings Horst

P.S.  your new display for the "Hiland" looks better then the "Orginal"!!!

[madires]

The Hiland ESR issue is intriguing. It also happens in the normal probing cycle when the cap is connected to probes #1 and #2, which is the last check performed. A quick & dirty workaround is to add a MeasureCap() for another pin pair before measuring the ESR. More to come ...

[madires]

Looks like I found a way to solve the Hiland ESR issue. Please edit both functions MeasureESR() in cap.c. Yep, there are two. Look for

Code: [Select]

  /*
   *  init stuff
   */

  DischargeProbes();                    /* try to discharge probes */
  if (Check.Found == COMP_ERROR) return ESR;   /* skip on error */

and insert below

Code: [Select]

  /*
   *  init stuff
   */

  DischargeProbes();                    /* try to discharge probes */
  if (Check.Found == COMP_ERROR) return ESR;   /* skip on error */

  DischargeProbes();
  DischargeProbes();

Yes, it's weird.

[K595]

Madires, After editing the cap.c file, everything began to show normally. Thank.

[FearTec]

Where is the best place to order the latest venison of the M328 tester?

Featured here

[Obelix2007]

... Hiland ESR issue.

... hallo madires,

May be, it is not only a problem with the Hiland and his M644, my testers T7, TC-1, T3 and T4 have the same ESR issue. Only the testers with a DIL (28/40) package are without this problem!

Best regards Horst

[madires]

I don't think it's a DIL vs. non-DIL issue. A tester with a QFN ATmega328 (Nick's PCB) shows consistent ESR values without the patch.

[madires]

Where is the best place to order the latest venison of the M328 tester?

Wherever you like.

[madires]

Looks like I found a way to solve the Hiland ESR issue. Please edit both functions MeasureESR() in cap.c.

Not really. It only mitigates the problem for caps up to about 2200µF.