$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[Giox040]

Hi!
Today rereading the documentation in ctester-1.42m.pdf, I had a doubt about how the adjustment procedure of the Component tester should be performed correctly the first time it is turned on after loading a new firmware.

First I think I have to measure a film capacitor with a value between 100nF and 3.3µF at least three times in a row.

Then I'm not sure if only the "Self Test" or only "Self Adjustment" should be performed, or both should be performed.

Perhaps the only difference between the two is that between the "Self Test" it stores the parameters in the eprom automatically, while with the "Self Adjustment" you must also use the "Save" function?

Thank you

[madires]

The steps are:
- measure a film cap (100nF - 3.3µF) three times (unless your tester has a fixed adjustment cap)
- run the self-adjustment
- save the offset values

The self-test is meant to check the probes in case of strange readings or other issues.

[mrmox]

Stumbling again... if I download a tarball from here
https://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Software/Markus/

I cannot find ctester-1.42m.pdf!?!?

I thought it would be within ComponentTester-1.42m.tgz but I only see EUPL-v1.1.pdf.

Where should I be looking?   Thanks!

[Ser9ei]

https://github.com/madires/Transistortester-Warehouse/tree/master/Documentation/English

[madires]

I cannot find ctester-1.42m.pdf!?!?

The firmware archive includes a "README" file with the documentation, a CHANGES file with firmware changes and the "Clones" file with settings for various clones. The ctester-1.42m.pdf is a compilation of those plus some additional information, done by Bohu.

[mrmox]

Is anyone else frustrated that none of the permutations for sale are EXPERIMENTER FRIENDLY? 

Like with the programming connector present and accessible?

And maybe some extra breadboard spots on the PCB?

(or am I just missing this?)

I wonder if one of the (many?) manufacturers could be coaxed into producing such a device?

I have some unspent travel money to help fund such a foolhardy project...anyone have contacts?

Thanks!

 

[hobbyist]

mrmox, if you were to put the ultimate transistor tester on the market, here are some cool features that it could include:
-- precision 5 volt regulator
-- high precision resistors
-- header pins for programming
-- a hardwired capacitor for convenient self adjustment
-- a relay to short connections whenever a measurement is not being made, preventing accidental tester destruction
-- an ATMega in a DIP socket so that it can be easily replaced if it ever gets damaged by misuse
-- clear markings to show the connections for frequency measurement, voltage measurement, and function generator
-- a 16MHz crystal
-- the latest M or K firmware
A typical user does not really need all of the above, but there is no reason that a kit or completed device could not have all of the above features.  I would like to buy one. 
Since an ideal tester is not available now, and since I don't quite know how to design my own board, I ordered an AY-AT type of kit from eBay, and precision parts from mouser.com.  Earlier posts from "blurpy" describe what to do, and I expect that it will all turn out quite well.   My tester will not have the relay or the self adjustment capacitor. 
For that matter, if you know how to design a board with all of those features, there must be lots of people on this forum who would like to buy one and populate it themselves, or who would like to get your Gerber file to have their own boards manufactured.

[liquidair]

Just bought one of the kits along with some 0.1% resistors, new voltage reg and precision reference. I'm hoping to update it to Markus's latest version 1.42m, but I'm a simple creature and only know how to compile within Atmel Studio 7 or Visual Studio. I've tried nMake in VS console but get errors because of illegal characters '{' or something.  I've also tried going the "Create project from Makefile" route in AS7, but it keeps telling me "Failed to get info from Makefile. Did you select a valid Makefile?". Then of course I've tried to build the project outright in AS7 but the code depends so much on the Makefile I'm not sure how to decouple them. Could anyone help me get straightened out on a Windows machine?

[madires]

DAIRVINE has posted a short guide for Atmel Studio 7 two pages back.

[liquidair]

Thank you, madires! I tried DAIRVINE's method but it seems to have a problem with the Makefile on my machine for whatever reason. I just noticed there's more to it, so maybe there's something I missed.

[liquidair]

So I read and re-read everything about compiling this with AS7, including adding the .elf extension to ${NAME} and nothing, still "Failed to get info from Makefile...". Anyone successfully compile 1.42m in AS7, or can tell me how to compile this with make on Windows? Thank you!

[Ser9ei]

liquidair,
In case the same issue with others projects, for example, k-firmware, please try reinstalling atmel studio with complete uninstallation of the previous version (check that directory with atmel studio will be removed after the “uninstallation operation”).

[mrmox]

liquidair:
I was apparently able to compile 1.42m without errors.
I do not know if the code runs though as I am do not have hardware at this instant.

I will attach my output in case it may be of some use.

I also took a screenshot as I generated the project so I will attach that too.

[mrmox]

Can someone tell me if my LCR-T4 (now running K-Firmware mega328_T4_v2_st7565) should be able to
support the IR function if I attach a VS 1838 Infrared Receiver? (or is it TL1838?)

I think the IR is only in the M-Firmware, is this correct?

Thanks!

[Dumidan]

Anyone successfully compile 1.42m in AS7, or can tell me how to compile this with make on Windows? Thank you!

I have Windows 7 64 bit installed on my PC and I use Notepad Programmers from WinAVR to customize and compile code. For programming I use USBavr with AVRDUDESS.

[Dumidan]

Can someone tell me if my LCR-T4 (now running K-Firmware mega328_T4_v2_st7565) should be able to
support the IR function if I attach a VS 1838 Infrared Receiver? (or is it TL1838?)

In short: YES

Detailed: you must compile with SW_IR_RECEIVER enabled. Careful! Due to the 32k flash memory you will have to give up other options.
The IR receiver will be connected to the 3 test terminals according to the indication that is displayed on the screen.
You cannot use the HW_IR_RECEIVER hardware option due to the lack of free GPIO ports.

[madires]

Can someone tell me if my LCR-T4 (now running K-Firmware mega328_T4_v2_st7565) should be able to
support the IR function if I attach a VS 1838 Infrared Receiver? (or is it TL1838?)

I think the IR is only in the M-Firmware, is this correct?

Yep, the m-firmware supports standard IR receiver modules and about 20 protocols. You can either connect the IR receiver via the probes or a dedicated MCU pin (if there's one unused). The VS1838 seems to need an additional pull-up resistor for the data/out line (around 33k between data/out and Vcc).

[Alphonso]

Hi all,

Can anyone confirm that they can build the current trunk copy (113K) using Atmel Studio 7.0 in Windowsn10.
I can build 112k and Marcus 1.42 but 113K fails with message...

“recipe for target ‘directories’ failed”. At line 115 of the finish.mk file.

any help appreciated.

 

[liquidair]

@Ser9ei & @mrmox, I did a complete uninstall and have the exact same problem as before. Is there a step I'm missing? mrmox, what version of VS7 are you on? And did you have to do anything special to the makefile and/or code to get it up and running or was it as simple as your image seemed to show. For kicks, I named the project JAYSMarkus like in your image but no dice. I might try the PN route, but I would prefer to stick with AS7 because its convenient to use with my JTAGICE3.

[madires]

Can anyone confirm that they can build the current trunk copy (113K) using Atmel Studio 7.0 in Windowsn10.
I can build 112k and Marcus 1.42 but 113K fails with message...

“recipe for target ‘directories’ failed”. At line 115 of the finish.mk file.

The related part in finish.mk is:

Code: [Select]

deleteobj:
        rm -rf $(OBJDIR)
# create directories
directories: deleteobj
        mkdir $(OBJDIR)
        mkdir $(DEPDIR)

To ignore errors from those shell commands you could prepend each command with a "-":

Code: [Select]

deleteobj:
        -rm -rf $(OBJDIR)
# create directories
directories: deleteobj
        -mkdir $(OBJDIR)
        -mkdir $(DEPDIR)

However, you might to have to create those directories manually (dep and Obj).

[almamater]

  Today my 2016 EZM328 started showing this error message:




I've tried the SelfTest a few times but it always blocks when it asks for the 100nF capacitor..

With the multimeter's continuity test, the probe 1 is actually in contact with probe 3, is it normal?

I don't know what happened, I was testing a capacitor and started doing this, I don't know if it was completely discharged or not ... did i burned the 328??

[DAIRVINE]

Just bought one of the kits along with some 0.1% resistors, new voltage reg and precision reference. I'm hoping to update it to Markus's latest version 1.42m, but I'm a simple creature and only know how to compile within Atmel Studio 7 or Visual Studio. I've tried nMake in VS console but get errors because of illegal characters '{' or something.  I've also tried going the "Create project from Makefile" route in AS7, but it keeps telling me "Failed to get info from Makefile. Did you select a valid Makefile?". Then of course I've tried to build the project outright in AS7 but the code depends so much on the Makefile I'm not sure how to decouple them. Could anyone help me get straightened out on a Windows machine?

I never had a problem with the "Create project from Makefile", it just worked the first time I tried. I repeated this and it still works for me. So it can make a project. I did have a compile issue caused by a lack of a dep folder. The elf issue is only important if you want to simulate or debug. I know it sounds silly, but are you actually selecting the file called makefile, and have you extracted the files?
I did have a bit of trouble getting the LCD screen working, but finally found the correct settings for my LCD.

Also I am not sure that 0.1% resistors are going to help much, this is not a precision instrument, you are expecting too much.

I am now building the project straight in AS7. I initially had a series of compile errors, but resolved them all by moving the defines one at a time, (followed by a new compile) from the makefile into config.h. So this route is also possible.

[madires]

I don't know what happened, I was testing a capacitor and started doing this, I don't know if it was completely discharged or not ... did i burned the 328??

Most likely. Anything with a voltage higher than 5V can damage the ATmega. You could replace the ATmega and program a new firmware, or buy a new clone.

[liquidair]

I never had a problem with the "Create project from Makefile", it just worked the first time I tried. I repeated this and it still works for me. So it can make a project. I did have a compile issue caused by a lack of a dep folder. The elf issue is only important if you want to simulate or debug. I know it sounds silly, but are you actually selecting the file called makefile, and have you extracted the files?
I did have a bit of trouble getting the LCD screen working, but finally found the correct settings for my LCD.

I extracted what looks like all versions as .tgz files then extracted "ComponentTester-1.42m.tgz" to its own folder. Then ya, in that folder I use the file that says Makefile. What version of AS7 are you on? I'm using 7.0.2397 if that makes a difference. I'm hesitant to upgrade to the Microchip version. Maybe I'll try extracting again or try an earlier version, who knows maybe when I was first exploring I changed something in the Makefile that screws it up.

Also I am not sure that 0.1% resistors are going to help much, this is not a precision instrument, you are expecting too much.

Ah well, I found a Github page where someone did that to improve accuracy. Honestly, I doubt I will ever need this thing to be accurate, but that's kinda how I learn. Always trying to push things.

[liquidair]

So I just did the following:
1. Re-extracted v1.42m and tried that Makefile
2. Extracted v1.41m and tried that Makefile
3. Downgraded to AS7 7.0.1645 and tried both 1.41m and 1.42m Makefiles
4. Reinstalled AS7 7.0.1645 on my C: drive instead of my D: drive

Same thing each time "Failed to get info from Makefile. Did you select a valid makefile?"