$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[madires]

How can the rotary encoder be connected to the same pins as the display (PD1/3) without interfering with it?

Careful selection of resistors

[timelessbeing]

Ah. So the 328 and the display respond to different voltage thresholds then?
I still don't understand how the MCU can perform two actions simultaneously on the same pins (such as when scrolling though a menu): receive rotary encoder signals, and send display signals.
Unless ... they are carefully interleaved?

Are there any benefits to connecting the 7565 CS (CE) pin to PD5? The board which came with my kit simply connects it to ground.

[micro88]

I have a tester listed at

http://www.ebay.com/itm/MK-328-TR-ESR-transistor-inductance-capacitance-resistance-ESR-Tester-/121593935597

Unfortunately i dropped it and with the impact the LCD FPC tore and came off. I ordered an LCD from

http://www.ebay.com/itm/171324266047?_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I am not sure but I think this is based on ST7567 . Physically it is an exact fit.

I soldered it carefully.

On pressing the TEST button the backlight comes ON and goes OFF after some time. Nothing is displayed.

I suspect the firmware is corrupt. Can anyone point me to the correct tester.hex and eeprom.hex files for this model ?

The PCB has the following text printed :

EZM Electronics Studio
 MK_328_V1.0
 2014.07.14

Thanks in advance.

And also thanks for a great thread.

[timelessbeing]

All the pre-compiled firmware is listed here or here. You must download the entire directory via the link at the bottom. (Resources provided by Karl-Heinz Kubbeler and others)

I'm not sure which ROM is the correct one, but your unit looks similar to the GM328, and T3/4/5 ST7565 devices. Hopefully someone else will recognize it and chime in. Failing that, the source code is there for you to modify and compile yourself.

Even though your LCD module may be similar physically, there may be differences in pinout or interface. I would double-check those before assuming your firmware is corrupt. Check your datasheet. Karl-Heinz wrote some very detailed documentation which you may want to take a look at.

Hope that helps.

[tom666]

@micro88
Maybe it will help (parts of leanid indman archive).

MK-328 Tester:
https://yadi.sk/d/yW8xa5NJgUo5z/Mk-328/Foto
https://yadi.sk/d/yW8xa5NJgUo5z/Mk-328/Firmware

However, before using the new firmware I recommend to carefully check the LCD connection with the MCU. Especially shortcut between the data signal.

[madires]

Ah. So the 328 and the display respond to different voltage thresholds then?
I still don't understand how the MCU can perform two actions simultaneously on the same pins (such as when scrolling though a menu): receive rotary encoder signals, and send display signals.
Unless ... they are carefully interleaved?

The mode of the MCU's I/O pins is switched between input (polling the rotary encoder) and output (display output).

Are there any benefits to connecting the 7565 CS (CE) pin to PD5? The board which came with my kit simply connects it to ground.

If the rotary encoder is connected in parallel to specific LCD pins it might cause some interference. In that case you should drive the LCD's /CS (there are switches in the source code). PD1/PD3 are fine for the rotary encoder without any need for driving /CS.

[mauroh]

I want to add a relay to the tester to protect it from charged capacitors. Should I include a series resistor to limit the discharge current?
I know that when the "screwdriver method" is used with high energy caps, there is a visible arc, and then damage to the surface of the piece of metal used. Maybe the arcing would eventually destroy the relay contacts, or possibly weld them shut. I think a 1R3 resistor would do the trick.

The relay is just a crude protection. A series resistor limits the current but increases the discharge time, and the delay might be long enough to destroy the MCU. The question is more likely to be whether the MCU or the relay is cheaper. I'd suggest to have a simple process in place to measure the voltage with a DMM and discharge the cap with a resistor before using the Transistortester. This is a good advice anyway when repairing a device.

+1 , without protection an ESR meter would not last long in a real repair scene.  I have burnt a Russian cute tiny ESR 4 times and last time it became non-repairable.  Same to my capacitance meter.  Make it able to withstand 600V, even at 50V, I can retire my Bob Parker ESR.

In few days i'll receive the M12864 from Bangood and I was also thinking to add a relay to protect the inputs...
At page 11 of the excellent firmware documentation (http://www.avrtester.tode.cz/upload/ttester_en.pdf) is it clearly described how to add protections with relay or diodes.
Personally I prefer the relay and since the contacts are normally closed, when the charged capacitor is connected, the spark should occur at the capacitor lead touching the probes and not at the relay contacts.

Or, since I ordered also the case, I will glue on a side a small piece of metal and will discharge the capacitors on it before the measurement

Mauro

[micro88]

@micro88
Maybe it will help (parts of leanid indman archive).

MK-328 Tester:
https://yadi.sk/d/yW8xa5NJgUo5z/Mk-328/Foto
https://yadi.sk/d/yW8xa5NJgUo5z/Mk-328/Firmware

However, before using the new firmware I recommend to carefully check the LCD connection with the MCU. Especially shortcut between the data signal.

Thanks a lot tom666. I tried loading that firmware. Now I am getting some black horizontal and vertical dotted lines on the screen when I press the TEST button. As you said I will check the LCD connections carefully.

Thanks once again.

[timofonic]

I want to add a relay to the tester to protect it from charged capacitors. Should I include a series resistor to limit the discharge current?
I know that when the "screwdriver method" is used with high energy caps, there is a visible arc, and then damage to the surface of the piece of metal used. Maybe the arcing would eventually destroy the relay contacts, or possibly weld them shut. I think a 1R3 resistor would do the trick.

The relay is just a crude protection. A series resistor limits the current but increases the discharge time, and the delay might be long enough to destroy the MCU. The question is more likely to be whether the MCU or the relay is cheaper. I'd suggest to have a simple process in place to measure the voltage with a DMM and discharge the cap with a resistor before using the Transistortester. This is a good advice anyway when repairing a device.

+1 , without protection an ESR meter would not last long in a real repair scene.  I have burnt a Russian cute tiny ESR 4 times and last time it became non-repairable.  Same to my capacitance meter.  Make it able to withstand 600V, even at 50V, I can retire my Bob Parker ESR.

Oh, advices and procedures. My favorite way of breaking things. I'm working on avoiding it, trying to workaround that bug on me


That's how I break DMMs, so I dream to have a good one of those that advices me to not use the incorrect sockets and even blocking them physically. But I don't understand why DMMs can't use some solid state switching for that (added resistance?) [emoji14]

Would a fine way be too complex to implement? Foolproof, absent minded people that forget things quite often

I asked in the German forum about newer hardware project files. It would be nice to do an Open Hardware contest for it. I myself would like to try to do it both in OrCAD and KiCad, if my mind gets in better shape

What would be the better AVR to be supported?

I want to add a relay to the tester to protect it from charged capacitors. Should I include a series resistor to limit the discharge current?
I know that when the "screwdriver method" is used with high energy caps, there is a visible arc, and then damage to the surface of the piece of metal used. Maybe the arcing would eventually destroy the relay contacts, or possibly weld them shut. I think a 1R3 resistor would do the trick.

The relay is just a crude protection. A series resistor limits the current but increases the discharge time, and the delay might be long enough to destroy the MCU. The question is more likely to be whether the MCU or the relay is cheaper. I'd suggest to have a simple process in place to measure the voltage with a DMM and discharge the cap with a resistor before using the Transistortester. This is a good advice anyway when repairing a device.

+1 , without protection an ESR meter would not last long in a real repair scene.  I have burnt a Russian cute tiny ESR 4 times and last time it became non-repairable.  Same to my capacitance meter.  Make it able to withstand 600V, even at 50V, I can retire my Bob Parker ESR.

Oh, advices and procedures. My favorite way of breaking things. I'm working on avoiding it, trying to workaround that bug on me


That's how I break DMMs, so I dream to have a good one of those that advices me to not use the incorrect sockets and even blocking them physically. But I don't understand why DMMs can't use some solid state switching for that (added resistance?) [emoji14]

Would a fine way be too complex to implement? Foolproof, absent minded people that forget things quite often

I asked in the German forum about newer hardware project files. It would be nice to do an Open Hardware contest for it. I myself would like to try to do it both in OrCAD and KiCad, if my mind gets in better shape

What would be the better AVR to be supported?

[madires]

I asked in the German forum about newer hardware project files. It would be nice to do an Open Hardware contest for it. I myself would like to try to do it both in OrCAD and KiCad, if my mind gets in better shape

What would be the better AVR to be supported?

The ATmega 664 or 1284. There's a circuit in Karl-Heinz' documentation but I think it would be a good idea to change some I/O pins to be more flexible with future extensions and options. My idea is to have a complete port just for the display which allows to have a SPI with 2 or 3 /CS and an interrupt input. That would be nice for a graphics LCD, touchscreen and some other SPI device (SD card, GPIO?).

[timofonic]

I asked in the German forum about newer hardware project files. It would be nice to do an Open Hardware contest for it. I myself would like to try to do it both in OrCAD and KiCad, if my mind gets in better shape

What would be the better AVR to be supported?

The ATmega 664 or 1284. There's a circuit in Karl-Heinz' documentation but I think it would be a good idea to change some I/O pins to be more flexible with future extensions and options. My idea is to have a complete port just for the display which allows to have a SPI with 2 or 3 /CS and an interrupt input. That would be nice for a graphics LCD, touchscreen and some other SPI device (SD card, GPIO?).

OH, NICE!

Did you look at this?






       http://www.drviragopete.com/electronic-parts-testing-service.php  http://www.tauntek.com/LogICTester-low-cost-logic-
chip-tester.htm https:
//www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeZEP1OKqy8

[tom666]

@timofonic and other users
Please, do not use complet quotes unnecessarily!

[micro88]

@tom666

Happy to inform that I finally got the tester to work by repairing a broken PCB track. I also used the makefile from your link and compiled the required firmware for MK-328 model of the tester.

Thanks a million for your help.

Cheers and best wishes.

[tom666]

@micro88

I am very happy that it works again

Best regards
Tom

[upsss]

Hi, will this encoder work with this tester?  It doesn't say that it has a switch but I think all of them have one and I can see it has 5 pins. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rotary-Encoder-Module-Brick-Sensor-Development-Board-Test-For-Arduino-New-GU-/371451401545?hash=item567c3a9549:g:hIoAAOSwVL1WCV1O

[madires]

Hi, will this encoder work with this tester?  It doesn't say that it has a switch but I think all of them have one and I can see it has 5 pins. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rotary-Encoder-Module-Brick-Sensor-Development-Board-Test-For-Arduino-New-GU-/371451401545?hash=item567c3a9549:g:hIoAAOSwVL1WCV1O

Should be fine! And note the two 10k resistors already on the PCB.

[upsss]

Thanks, one more thing.  Do you or anyone else know, does this one have the code builtin for the rotary encoder or I have to re flash the AVR?

[madires]

Thanks, one more thing.  Do you or anyone else know, does this one have the code builtin for the rotary encoder or I have to re flash the AVR?

I'd assume that you have to compile the firmware with the rotary encoder option enabled and re-flash.

[ryanna]

Hi Tom666,

My parts just arrived and iam trying to follow your instructions but iam having problems, i think i need the hex and eep files also some errors in setting clk please see attaced photos, can you help me find the problem or files needed.

Thanks,

@ryanna

Procedure for flashing firmware:

Required hardware:
- USBasp programmer (price around US $1.87)
- AVR Development Board (price around US $1.55) - or other AVR ISP adapter

Note:
Alternatively, it can use USBasp with a breadboard (for example 400 pin) - see attached picture.

Required Software (download links below):
- USBasp Driver
- AVRDUDE
- Firmware

1. Unzip the downloaded files into a separate directory and then perform installation of the USBasp driver.
2. Then remove MCU from the socket and insert it into the AVR ISP adapter.
3. Through the ISP cable connect the USBasp programmer with the ISP connector on the AVR ISP adapter.
4. Navigate to the folder with the unpacked software and perform this following command from command line:
   avrdude -c usbasp -p m328p -B 4.0 -e -U flash:w:"TransistorTester.hex":i -U eeprom:w:"TransistorTester.eep":i -U lfuse:w:0xF7:m -U hfuse:w:0xD9:m -U efuse:w:0x04:m
   This command (also includes a section for writing fuses) can be copied and saved as e.g. "flash.bat" and stored in a prepared folder. In the future you can simplify this flashing of the firmware by the usage of "flash.bat".
5. After, if MCU is successfully burned, fit it back into the socket of the tester.
6. The first time the tester is suitable to calibrate. The procedure can be found in the manual.

Links:
USBasp - Driver:
http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/usbasp-windriver.2011-05-28.zip
or
http://www.protostack.com/download/USBasp-win-driver-x86-x64-v3.0.7.zip

AVRDUDE:
http://download.savannah.gnu.org/releases/avrdude/avrdude-6.1-mingw32.zip

Firmware:
http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Software/trunk/mega328_2X16_menu/?view=tar

USBasp - How to install driver on Windows 8:
http://letsmakerobots.com/node/36841

USBasp - How to install driver on Windows 8.1:
http://openchrysalis.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/installing-usbasp-driver-software-in-windows-8-1/

USBasp - User Guide:
http://www.protostack.com/download/Users%20Guide%20(AC-PG-USBASP-UG-V2.0).pdf

[tom666]

@ryanna
Hi,
warning "cannot set SCK period ..." is associated with an older version of the firmware. But it should not have a negative impact for the programming process.
The latest firmware and the updating procedure are available on:
http://www.fischl.de/usbasp/

Files "TransistorTester.hex" and "TransistorTester.eep" (included in the archive at the following link) must be placed in the folder with the program avrdude. In your case, it is the directory "C:\esrmeter\".
http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Software/trunk/mega328_2X16_menu/?view=tar

[demetris]

Hello guys,
I have an m168 with smd parts i was able to flash 1.21m classic but capacitors are only shown capacitance NO ESR values.
I only care for inline circuit measurements of capacitors and maybe some offline too plus if* possible transistors/mosfets.
Tried the 1.11k but prints cell! and is unusable.
I tried edit config.h in ComponentTester-classic-1.21m but there is no define SW_ESR option for < 32kB Flash
Please help me out if possible, my equipment is the standard mcu atmega168 with the classic 2x16 screen

[madires]

I tried edit config.h in ComponentTester-classic-1.21m but there is no define SW_ESR option for < 32kB Flash
Please help me out if possible, my equipment is the standard mcu atmega168 with the classic 2x16 screen

Simply add "#define SW_ESR" at the bottom of config.h. You also need to change MENU_ITEMS from 5 to 6 in function PresentMainMenu() in user.c. But I don't know if the firmware will be small enough for the ATmega168.

[tom666]

I have an m168 with smd parts ...
Tried the 1.11k but prints cell! and is unusable.
... my equipment is the standard mcu atmega168 with the classic 2x16 screen

If you own tester as shown in the attached picture, you need make for eliminate the problem with the message "cell!" modification of the hardware as recommended by the software author (Karl-Heinz Kübbeler). Modification consists in adding the additional blocking capacitor 100nF between Pin 18 (AVCC) and Pin 21 (GND) the MCU. Detail info can be found in the official manual (the relevant part of the manual is attached). However, if you want to fully exploit the capabilities of the software I recommend replacing the MCU (M328).

[demetris]

@tom666
Yes that is exactly my pcb, thank you for your  help on this.
Am not good at soldering so i cannot change the mcu as it has very small connections.
@madires
Are you sure is MENU_ITEMS 5->6 and not 5->8?
As i can see in user.c says define SW_ESR MenuID[Item] = 8; and next:
#ifdef SW_ESR
    case 8:              /* ESR tool */
      ESR_Tool();
      break;
    #endif

i have compiled it and hex is 45.9 kB (45909 bytes) is ok right?
These are my settings in config.h
//#define HW_ENCODER
//#define ENCODER_PULSES   2
//#define HW_REF25
#define UREF_25           2495
//#define HW_RELAY
//#define HW_ZENER
//#define HW_FREQ_COUNTER
and finally:
#define SW_ESR
Is here anything that needs to be enable/disable and its not?
Thank you for the help.

[ryanna]

Hi Tom,

Thanks but iam not able to open the second link, it give me time out error, do you have other links?