$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[Maniaxx]

Should be able to measure the capacitance (needs some time, be patient)

Still enough to figure out if its still in good shape i guess. That would be ok.

I guess the ESR is going to be too low.

You mean the on-screen ESR value not the real/technical ESR characteristics (that might lead to test abortion or sth), right?

[indman]

Is the GM328A able to test horn caps (e.g. 82V 15000uF)? I'm aware of the 5V, 7mA limit (regarding diacs, triacs) as stated in the manual but i'm not sure if this affects caps as well as the 82V is just the max voltage.

The tester is capable of measuring capacitances up to 100000uF and the model of the tester does not matter. The approximate test time for such a large capacity is 40-50 seconds.

[madires]

You mean the on-screen ESR value not the real/technical ESR characteristics (that might lead to test abortion or sth), right?

No, both. The tester's lower limit is 0.01 Ohms and anything below that will be shown as 0 Ohms. When there's a problem with the ESR measurement nothing bad happens. IIRC, the k-firmware displays 0 Ohms in that case, while the m-firmware simply doesn't show the ESR value.

[xfint34]

I checked the firmware size using the major GCC versions from GCC 12 going back to GCC 4.8.5. GCC 8.5.0 generates the smallest firmware size. A bit better than the commonly used GCC 7.3.0 for compiling these firmwares.

The results are a bit better with the m firmware. 160 bytes smaller. With k firmware it is only 26 bytes smaller.

1.50m firmware:

Code: [Select]

avr-gcc --version
avr-gcc (GCC) 7.3.0

AVR Memory Usage
----------------
Device: atmega328

Program:   27132 bytes (82.8% Full)
(.text + .data + .bootloader)

Data:        226 bytes (11.0% Full)
(.data + .bss + .noinit)

EEPROM:      749 bytes (73.1% Full)
(.eeprom)



avr-gcc --version
avr-gcc (GCC) 8.5.0

AVR Memory Usage
----------------
Device: atmega328

Program:   26972 bytes (82.3% Full)
(.text + .data + .bootloader)

Data:        226 bytes (11.0% Full)
(.data + .bss + .noinit)

EEPROM:      749 bytes (73.1% Full)
(.eeprom)


1.13k firmware:

Code: [Select]

avr-gcc --version
avr-gcc (GCC) 7.3.0

AVR Memory Usage
----------------
Device: atmega328p

Program:   31454 bytes (96.0% Full)
(.text + .data + .bootloader)

Data:        204 bytes (10.0% Full)
(.data + .bss + .noinit)

EEPROM:      875 bytes (85.4% Full)
(.eeprom)

avr-gcc --version
avr-gcc (GCC) 8.5.0

AVR Memory Usage
----------------
Device: atmega328p

Program:   31428 bytes (95.9% Full)
(.text + .data + .bootloader)

Data:        204 bytes (10.0% Full)
(.data + .bss + .noinit)

EEPROM:      875 bytes (85.4% Full)
(.eeprom)



[Maniaxx]

If the GM328A has a 16MHz crystal but the external ISP flasher dev board only an 8MHz crystal. Is it possible to flash a 16MHz firmware with an 8MHz board?
Edit: Maybe the 8MHz crystal is only used when running (not flashing) the chip on the dev board itself? The ISP pinout includes SCK (serial clock). Shouldn't that be the clock frequency (independent from crystal) provided by the ISP flasher itself?

Flasher:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005001655965219.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32582933115.html

[hapless]

Shouldn't make any difference.

[moimem]

Find attached simple french translation (without special letters: é è à ^¨ etc...) that work without dedicated fonts

[MaxaM]

Good morning, this is my first post although I have been following you for a long time.

I need your help: can someone kindly compile the latest firmware for GM328A (v1.50m) for 20Mhz quartz?
I am not very experienced in linux and on Windows I can't. Thank you in advance!

[Maniaxx]

can someone kindly compile the latest firmware for GM328A

If you post your configs (or the diffs) it might be possible.

[VEGETA]

hello,

i am planning to get one of these, mainly to test capacitors and their ESR.

I found this on amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Transistor-DROK-Capacitor-Capacitance-Automatic/dp/B01MS1FOYM/

is this good? also, can it be software updated? I do have pic and atmel programmer on hand.

[ledtester]

Have a look at this comparison chart:

https://github.com/madires/Transistortester-Warehouse/blob/master/Documentation/English/Clone-Comparison-Chart.pdf

Compared to other models the  one you are interested in lacks input protection and only tests zener diodes up to 5V.

It may contain a genuine Atmel MCU. Since you buying from Amazon you might be able to disassemble it, check and return it if it doesn't.

For mesuring ESR I'd take a look at the 5 transistor ESR meter project:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/5-transistor-esr-meter-design/

[VEGETA]

Have a look at this comparison chart:

https://github.com/madires/Transistortester-Warehouse/blob/master/Documentation/English/Clone-Comparison-Chart.pdf

Compared to other models the  one you are interested in lacks input protection and only tests zener diodes up to 5V.

It may contain a genuine Atmel MCU. Since you buying from Amazon you might be able to disassemble it, check and return it if it doesn't.

For mesuring ESR I'd take a look at the 5 transistor ESR meter project:

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/projects/5-transistor-esr-meter-design/

I am interested in a good form-factor thing, not bare board.

I couldn't find LCR-TC2 on amazon but found this one: https://www.amazon.com/Transistor-Aideepen-Multi-Function-Capacitor-Resistor/dp/B08YNJYWCW/

it looks like TC1 model, right?

it has "-H" variant which supposed to be upgraded specs and so on. USB power is always better than battery.

what do you think about this model?

[madires]

We can't give any recommendations on specific tester clones at the moment because many of them come with alternative MCUs and a poorly adapted firmware. Some lack the self-adjustment feature, and there are measurement issues with ESR and other values. The most important thing is to get a tester with a genuine ATmega.

[VEGETA]

We can't give any recommendations on specific tester clones at the moment because many of them come with alternative MCUs and a poorly adapted firmware. Some lack the self-adjustment feature, and there are measurement issues with ESR and other values. The most important thing is to get a tester with a genuine ATmega.

ok then what is the recommended product to get? not bare board

[madires]

Any tester clone with a genuine ATmega, as I already explained.

[VEGETA]

Any tester clone with a genuine ATmega, as I already explained.

well, I need to buy from amazon this time since it deals with customs automatically for us in Jordan without headache.

I think I should just get the H version: https://www.amazon.com/Transistor-Aideepen-Multi-Function-Capacitor-Resistor/dp/B07RZRSBC5/?th=1

All I need to to check caps and their ESR (or ESL if possible?) reasonably accurate... no need to update it if it does the job well.

if you know any store selling a superior version with genuine atmel MCU please link it.

[hapless]

Instead of playing the lottery and very possibly losing (who knows what's inside that "LCR-Txx" thing!), why not just buy a dedicated ESR meter instead? Sounds like you need a DE-5000 or something like that, not the component analyzer that this thread is about.

[VEGETA]

Instead of playing the lottery and very possibly losing (who knows what's inside that "LCR-Txx" thing!), why not just buy a dedicated ESR meter instead? Sounds like you need a DE-5000 or something like that, not the component analyzer that this thread is about.

well, a component tester is more versatile and offers much more than just an esr meter + cheaper. i am not a hardcore user anyway.

i searched for a professionally made component tester but could not find one, only the one in this thread and its clones are available.

[Calambres]

I've recently used (not mine) a TC-7 and a TC-7H. Both used non ATmega processors and the TC-7H didn't even have a self calibration routine.

[indman]

VEGETA Currently these models are not available on Amazon, but you can focus on buying these clones with a solid case and sufficient functionality. At least until that time, none of the buyers complained that a non-original ATMEGA328 was installed on the board.

BSIDE ESR02 PRO Transistor SMD Diode Triode Capacitor MOSFET Resistor Inductance LCR ESR
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07MKRBW2S/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_68KT99GVRAE5G0C3K6FZ?psc=1

MK-328 Transistor Capacitor ESR Inductance Resist LCR NPN PNP MOS
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09132HM31/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_1AB3MQRWT310Y9BT5G86?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

[MaxaM]

can someone kindly compile the latest firmware for GM328A

If you post your configs (or the diffs) it might be possible.

Thank you for your interest, currently I'm using the 1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz) version and I'm quite happy, I just wanted to browse and test the new version, if you can take a look at the 1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz) version and compile the 1.50 m with the same configurations I would be grateful. Thank you!

[moimem]

Thank you for your interest, currently I'm using the 1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz) version and I'm quite happy, I just wanted to browse and test the new version, if you can take a look at the 1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz) version and compile the 1.50 m with the same configurations I would be grateful. Thank you!

GM328A_1.50mEnMod2(20Mhz)_UNTESTED!!!
 some faitures needed to be removed to fit the firmware in the flash, try at your own risk!
Unfortunatly the atmega328P cant fit all the faitures of the firmware, the best you can do is try to build your own firmware with the faitures you like, its very eazy and well documented in this thread,and  you have already the config files provided in 1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz).zip

[indman]

GM328A_1.50mEnMod2(20Mhz)_UNTESTED!!!

You will not be able to compile the same firmware as I did in 1.45Mod2 because the configuration files I put in the archive only for example.And also because this is a MODIFIED firmware and most of the author's source files have been changed.This is the main difference between the original firmware and modified. The most important thing is that these changes do not violate the functionality and proper operation of the author's algorithm.

[moimem]

Thats true, i didnt use those exact files but used them as a base with the clones file in the firmware source to modify the stock config files of the 1.50m firmware, you can find attached those exact files

[MaxaM]

GM328A_1.50mEnMod2(20Mhz)_UNTESTED!!!
...try at your own risk!

Thank you guys for your help and excuse my ignorance, what do you mean by test at your own risk? If it doesn't work I can always reprogram with GM328A_1.45mEnMod2(20Mhz) and restore the device, right? Or could irreversible problems arise?
Finally, to program the atmega328p, in addition to the file GM328A_1.50mEnMod2(20Mhz)_UNTESTED.hex wouldn't I also need a file like "ComponentTester.eep"? Please explain to me... Thanks again!