$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[indman]

And thinking about the compensation, I went to the other extreme, and tried a very large capacitor. I couldn't get a reading in this case: maybe the timeout for LCR monitoring is a tad short?

This is already interesting! I have not tested such large capacities in monitor mode. Tomorrow I'll check it on my clones.

[Kim Christensen]

Tried last indman's build.
And thinking about the compensation, I went to the other extreme, and tried a very large capacitor. I couldn't get a reading in this case: maybe the timeout for LCR monitoring is a tad short?
Note: I will check config's differences later.

I tried a 10,000uF and it worked in both modes with the "1.51mEn(8x16)Feliciano firmware". (Read as 11.78mF)
Then I paralleled another 8,200uF and it continued to work in both modes.  (Read as 19.6mF)
Crammed another 3900uF.   (Read as 26.19mF)
Note: My jumper wires did add some extra "ESR" and these, except for the 3900uF, were used parts...

Not sure what the point of your "ESR" test mode is, since it only works with capacitors... ie: RCL monitor does that already. Speed?

Feliciano, I am using WinAVR-20100110 + AVR-GCC 8.3.0.
Use the search, not so long ago in this thread we discussed the most favorable combination of software for compilation to get a compact firmware size.

Thanks. I'll try this instead of continuing with the "whack a mole" compiler error game that I'm currently playing... (Bit of a C compiler noob here, so the binaries and config files are a godsend)
FYI, the "FNIRSI 1.51mEnTestMonitor" binaries also worked fine with my unit in all modes.

EDIT on Mar 5th, 2024:
Here are the changes I made to my ComponentTester-1.51m code's makefile so it compiles using WinAVR-20100110 and AVR-GCC 8.3.0 and works on the TC-1 (FNIRSI-4A10 version) tester.
The LDFLAGS makes the code smaller so it'll fit.
"avr-size" is no longer supported and gave errors, so that line was commented out and "avr-objdump" was added instead.

MCU = atmega324p
FREQ = 16
LDFLAGS += -Wl,-relax
#   @avr-size -C --mcu=${MCU} $<
   @avr-objdump -Pmem-usage ${NAME}

See attached makefile which includes the above changes:

[Feliciano]

Not sure what the point of your "ESR" test mode is, since it only works with capacitors... ie: RCL monitor does that already. Speed?

From the manual:

The ESR tool measures capacitors in-circuit and displays the capacity and ESR if the measurement detects a valid capacitor. Make sure that the capacitor is discharged before connecting the tester! Values could differ from the standard measurement (out-of-circuit) because any component in parallel with the capacitor will affect the measurement.

Note: My jumper wires did add some extra "ESR"

That's why we have the "Adjustement" and "Save" for. In my case, I use the two connection methods by turns, so that's why I select the saved profile at the begining, but other people can prefer to adjust and not to save.

(Bit of a C compiler noob here, so the binaries and config files are a godsend)

From my part, a pleasure to help, and contribute a bit to the developement. And I think we also shall thank indman and the other people for helping support this clone variant, and ironing the code (either with the "say thanks" button, or in written).

BTW: I increased the cycle time, and now I can detect a 22mF. I suppose if we increase it more we could detect larger capacitors (like 44mF), but it would become a trade off on waiting when measuring "normal" values on regular basis.

[madires]

As a little give-back to the project, here I present an alternate 8x16 hf western font. I composed it to be heavier and less serif than the existing one, and shifted a bit to the right, so I hope it gets better readability overall.

It's my first font from scratch, so please check it before adding to upcoming releases.

Thanks! I've corrected the index addresses for the additional characters and removed a comma.

[Feliciano]

Thanks. I updated my original post for further readers.

[carl1961]

For who may want this  a alternative for WinAVR     Transistor-Tester-AVR-Compiled-files-On-Windows
Mainly did this so later when i forget how.

also the github link where anyone can fork and improve.

https://github.com/carl1961/Transistor-Tester-AVR-Compiled-files-On-Windows

[carl1961]

Got the 644 Adapter board in today.. Now the fun begins. Remember anyone who wants one, there free for what a stamp and envelope cost.

[carl1961]

Got the Board soldered and Programmed, having trouble with the 2.8 TFT
The firmware right now is von Boleslaw J. (boleslaw_43) pre compiled Adapter_m328_m644_AY-AT_mod_hard_SPI_firmware 1.49m
@indman can you have share how you connected the 2.8 TFT to AH-AT?

[Yuriy_K]

can you have share how you connected the 2.8 TFT to AH-AT?

Look at the message and at the fragment of the diagram...
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/$20-lcr-esr-transistor-checker-project/msg4882043/#msg4882043

The link works

[Boleslaw_J]

Got the Board soldered and Programmed, having trouble ...

In order for the microcontroller to work with an external crystal
resonator, the microcontroller's fuses must be properly positioned.
When programming these keys, an external resonator (e.g. 8 or 16 MHz) must be
connected to the microcontroller!

Valid key values are:
Fuses:
L: 0xF7
H: 0xD9
E: 0xFC

Lock bits:
LB: 0xFF  (do not touch!)

[carl1961]

Got the Board soldered and Programmed, having trouble ...

In order for the microcontroller to work with an external crystal
resonator, the microcontroller's fuses must be properly positioned.
When programming these keys, an external resonator (e.g. 8 or 16 MHz) must be
connected to the microcontroller!

Valid key values are:
Fuses:
L: 0xF7
H: 0xD9
E: 0xFC

Lock bits:
LB: 0xFF  (do not touch!)

Thanks Boleslaw_J ,

I already have a 16 MHZ Crystal on the main board, that's why the crystal is missing from your  644 Adapter. Do i need to remove it and install on adapter? I under stood to leave it off the crystal from Adapter if already have one on the board.

[Boleslaw_J]

Thanks Boleslaw_J ,

I already have a 16 MHZ Crystal on the main board, that's why the crystal is missing from your  644 Adapter. Do i need to remove it and install on adapter?

Of course not. The location of the external resonator is not important.

[Boleslaw_J]

@ carl1961

The current used 2.8-inch 240x320 LCD TFT displays with ILI9341 or ST7789 drivers are powered by 3.3 V. To connect them to the AY-AT tester, whose microcontroller is powered by 5 volts, an additional interface must be used to reduce the voltage level.
Here is an example of such an interface.

[carl1961]

Thanks Boleslaw_J ,

I already have a 16 MHZ Crystal on the main board, that's why the crystal is missing from your  644 Adapter. Do i need to remove it and install on adapter?

Of course not. The location of the external resonator is not important.

Thanks  Boleslaw_J,  that's what I read from your post    https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/transistortester-avr?page=32#7426316

[Feliciano]

Dear madires:
I'm still working, with low priority, on the fonts.

IIRC, Karl-Heinz used to show the test of the bitmaps continously as it fit the screen (reminds me a typewriter). You on the other hand plot 8 chars per line. Because there is the case of small and/or narrow fonts on a high_res LCD (like 8x16 on 160128), I wonder whether it would take too much code to do something like:
if((screen_witdh/font_width>17);then plot_16_char_per_row;else plot_8_char_per_row /*as done now*/)
That way we would have to scroll less, and get a better understanding of the whole set.

What do you think?

[Boleslaw_J]

Thanks Boleslaw_J ,
I already have a 16 MHZ Crystal on the main board, that's why the crystal is missing from your  644 Adapter. Do i need to remove it and install on adapter?

Of course not. The location of the external resonator is not important.

Thanks  Boleslaw_J,  that's what I read from your post    https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/transistortester-avr?page=32#7426316

If you want to know exactly what I meant, check out the content of the post I wrote earlier on the subject:
https://www.mikrocontroller.net/topic/transistortester-avr?page=31#7396852

[madires]

IIRC, Karl-Heinz used to show the test of the bitmaps continously as it fit the screen (reminds me a typewriter). You on the other hand plot 8 chars per line. Because there is the case of small and/or narrow fonts on a high_res LCD (like 8x16 on 160128), I wonder whether it would take too much code to do something like:
if((screen_witdh/font_width>17);then plot_16_char_per_row;else plot_8_char_per_row /*as done now*/)
That way we would have to scroll less, and get a better understanding of the whole set.

A similar suggestion was already on my to-do list (implemented a few days ago). The alternative output prints all available characters without an index address and uses the complete display width.

[Strateg58]

Hi guys. Which one of you has implemented the LOPT/FBT function in the transistor tester.? It doesn't work for me. See if I have connected the circuit correctly.

[madires]

It seems that Vcc and Gnd are reversed. From the README:

Code: [Select]

Pinout for control output via probes:
  Probe #1:  Vcc (5 V)
  Probe #2:  pulse output (with 680 Ohms resistor to limit current)
  Probe #3:  Ground
  T0:        counter input


[Strateg58]

Thanks Madires. And to connect to +5 volts, or is it enough to connect to Pin1

[carl1961]

Finally got AY-AT Running, with von Boleslaw J. (boleslaw_43) Adapter_m328_m644_AY-AT. made a adapter from His photo FotoAlbum_TT_diagram. attached is eagle cad of the adapter and the kicad version to CNC mill, putting 4 jumpers (green traces) on back, because I can only do one sided PCB's.  I forgot to mirror the board , when doing the Milling file gcodes and had to solder the chip directly  to pcb (or redo it). Now to make small cables for screen and tweak the Case. 

[madires]

Thanks Madires. And to connect to +5 volts, or is it enough to connect to Pin1

Probe #1 is fine.

[rogerdammit]

Thanks, I remember that discussion, but the conclusion was not clear to me.

I'm trying now that toolchain, downloaded from ZakKemble's github, but it gives me compile errors. I'm troubleshooting what it is.

Code: [Select]

avr-size: invalid option -- C


I'm getting the same error. Can you please post the fix?

[Feliciano]

I rolled back to the original avr-size.

[Kim Christensen]

Thanks, I remember that discussion, but the conclusion was not clear to me.

I'm trying now that toolchain, downloaded from ZakKemble's github, but it gives me compile errors. I'm troubleshooting what it is.

Code: [Select]

avr-size: invalid option -- C


I'm getting the same error. Can you please post the fix?

I made the following changes to my makefile:

#   @avr-size -C --mcu=${MCU} $<
   @avr-objdump -Pmem-usage ${NAME}