$20 LCR ESR Transistor checker project

[MrJohnnny]

Hi guys, decided to show it working. Have to say, it works like charm, considering that it's built in such a rude way  I discovered interesting little glitch - you test diode, it displays it OK (symbol), but when you reverse connection, symbol gets messed up Does someone have similar problem? I think it's connected either with LCD or EEPROM

[madires]

Hi guys, decided to show it working. Have to say, it works like charm, considering that it's built in such a rude way  I discovered interesting little glitch - you test diode, it displays it OK (symbol), but when you reverse connection, symbol gets messed up Does someone have similar problem? I think it's connected either with LCD or EEPROM

Cheap Chinese LCD? I'd think something went wrong while compiling or flashing the firmware.

[radioFlash]

Hi guys, decided to show it working. Have to say, it works like charm, considering that it's built in such a rude way  I discovered interesting little glitch - you test diode, it displays it OK (symbol), but when you reverse connection, symbol gets messed up Does someone have similar problem? I think it's connected either with LCD or EEPROM

I noticed the glitched diode icon with the latest version of the K version of the firmware. I didn't have the issue with earlier versions.


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[MrJohnnny]

Cheap Chinese LCD? I'd think something went wrong while compiling or flashing the firmware.

Yeah, I bought it for around 3$ 

I noticed the glitched diode icon with the latest version of the K version of the firmware. I didn't have the issue with earlier versions.
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Thanks for response, this means that I programmed MCU right

[firewalker]

Maybe you have mentioned it several times... What is the method used for measuring inductance, capacitance? I am thinking an LC meter spin-off.

Alexander.

[madires]

I noticed the glitched diode icon with the latest version of the K version of the firmware. I didn't have the issue with earlier versions.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Thanks for response, this means that I programmed MCU right

Ok, I've reported the issue to Karl-Heinz.

[madires]

Maybe you have mentioned it several times... What is the method used for measuring inductance, capacitance? I am thinking an LC meter spin-off.

I'd go for the frequency based solution (LC oscillator) for higher accuracy and a larger measurement range. The Transistor Tester uses:
- U_c(t) = U_in * (1 - e^(-t/RC)) for capacitance
- i_L(t) = I_0 * (1 - e^(-t R / L)) for inductance (limited by the max. test current supported)

[kubi48]

Hi guys, decided to show it working. Have to say, it works like charm, considering that it's built in such a rude way  I discovered interesting little glitch - you test diode, it displays it OK (symbol), but when you reverse connection, symbol gets messed up Does someone have similar problem? I think it's connected either with LCD or EEPROM

I could not verify this effect with my hardware and the developer version 1.11k . Probably you can send the .hex and .eep together with your Makefile to my Email address.
You can find the Email address at the front page of my PDF documentation. Usually the actual versions for the ATmega328 don't use the EEPROM for text and
fix table data because the USE_EEPROM option is deactivated in the Makefile. Only calibration data are hold in the EEPROM. So you need only load the .hex data to the flash memory. The EEPROM is initilized automatically, if no valid data are found.

[radioFlash]

Hi guys, decided to show it working. Have to say, it works like charm, considering that it's built in such a rude way  I discovered interesting little glitch - you test diode, it displays it OK (symbol), but when you reverse connection, symbol gets messed up Does someone have similar problem? I think it's connected either with LCD or EEPROM

I could not verify this effect with my hardware and the developer version 1.11k . Probably you can send the .hex and .eep together with your Makefile to my Email address.
You can find the Email address at the front page of my PDF documentation. Usually the actual versions for the ATmega328 don't use the EEPROM for text and
fix table data because the USE_EEPROM option is deactivated in the Makefile. Only calibration data are hold in the EEPROM. So you need only load the .hex data to the flash memory. The EEPROM is initilized automatically, if no valid data are found.

The odd thing is that it's only the diode symbol, and only the one that's supposed to point to the right. Also, I noticed that the glitch isn't always the same. Below is a photo of the tester with a dual diode device. I will email you a copy of the hex file. I use "make upload" and avrdude to upload the firmware.

[Hydrawerk]

Try other firmware version. I think I saw this problem a few months ago. But after replacing firmware it never appeared again.

[radioFlash]

Karl-Heinz has fixed the diode symbol issue and the fix is out in the repository. Thanks!

http://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/Software/trunk/

[firewalker]

What version contains LCR and ESR? m or k?

Alexander.

[madires]

What version contains LCR and ESR? m or k?

Both, also in-circuit ESR.

[Hydrawerk]

I finished my component tester. The varnish is not perfect, but I got it for free.

[con-f-use]

You really went ape shit on this one. Thanks for sharing.

[madires]

I finished my component tester. The varnish is not perfect, but I got it for free.

Nice rugged DIY design! 

[torch]

I like the credit for the firmware -- nice touch!

[SeanB]

I like that repurposed case you used. Even nicer is the 2 power input sockets so almost any power brick can be used as well irrespective of centre pin thickness.

[Hydrawerk]

In fact the metal case was never used before. A friend gave me that. It can be 10 years old or so.

[con-f-use]

Will you post a bit more detail of your work aka pics of its guts?

[Hydrawerk]

Some photos are included in the beginning of this video.

[torch]

Some photos are included in the beginning of this video.

A very nice job. I'm jealous and will have to seriously consider an ATmega328 version for myself.

One very minor little error I noticed: Correct spelling is "clamp the 3 leads together". Something for Karl to fix in the next build, I suspect.

[nickds1]

On the subject of typographical corrections, in the UK (and I suspect most native-English countries), we use "V" rather then "U" for voltage...

[retrolefty]

On the subject of typographical corrections, in the UK (and I suspect most native-English countries), we use "V" rather then "U" for voltage...

Good thing we use the same number symbols. 

[MrJohnnny]

I could not verify this effect with my hardware and the developer version 1.11k . Probably you can send the .hex and .eep together with your Makefile to my Email address.
You can find the Email address at the front page of my PDF documentation. Usually the actual versions for the ATmega328 don't use the EEPROM for text and
fix table data because the USE_EEPROM option is deactivated in the Makefile. Only calibration data are hold in the EEPROM. So you need only load the .hex data to the flash memory. The EEPROM is initilized automatically, if no valid data are found.

Hi, I used already compiled version (so I don't have a Makefile), link you can find in post #573. I used avrdude GUI (BitBurner  ) to write the software, manually - flash then EEPROM then fuses