Products > Test Equipment
Bench LCR Recommendations?
KungFuJosh:
I'm interested in getting an accurate bench LCR meter. Preferably under $500. Is there anything good in that range? It seems like the price jumps pretty quickly with these.
I already have the DE-5000, the Shannon tweezers, and a couple others. But I want another bench meter. Blame TEAS. 🤷
Thanks,
Josh
mawyatt:
Doubt you'll find anything new much better than your DE-5000 in that price range, maybe look used.
We acquired a Tonghui TH2830 a few years ago for ~$850, this is an excellent lab grade bench LCR meter, superb build quality with meticulous attention to detail and a host of features. This and the higher frequency (and much more expensive) Hioki IM3536 are our Lab Grade Bench LCR meters.
If you can somehow swing for the TH2830 you won't be disappointed, and we've developed some routines for sweeping and plotting for this LCR as well as the ability to do external DC Bias measurements and so on. If you search for this meter, LCR fixtures and "mawyatt" you'll find what we've done. Forgot to mention ours has 5 digit frequency resolution, so you can set measurement frequency to 100.01Hz, 1.0001KHz, or 99.999KHz for example, and it's correct!
There' something about measuring a reference 4.7pF COG 0603 cap at 4.6718pf 10/28/21, then on 4/9/22 at 4.6872pF with an added DC bias adapter and the IM3536 at 4.6864pF, then 5/15/22 at 4.6885pF, then 12/23/22 at 4.6844pF that gives one confidence in these Lab Grade Bench LCR meters, call this addiction quest for precision and not in a controlled environment, just next to my desk in direct path of AC, with WiFi, phones and such ::)
Anyway, good luck with your LCR addiction quest :-+
Best,
KungFuJosh:
--- Quote from: mawyatt on May 20, 2023, 03:44:05 am ---Doubt you'll find anything new much better than your DE-5000 in that price range, maybe look used.
We acquired a Tonghui TH2830 a few years ago for ~$850, this is an excellent lab grade bench LCR meter, superb build quality with meticulous attention to detail and a host of features.
--- End quote ---
AliExpress has a couple of the TH2830s new for about that price. Not sure if I should trust that tho lol.
I was also looking at a used Hioki 3522-50. Any thoughts on that one?
I also should probably waste some money on kelvin test clips too, right? For the quest!
coromonadalix:
About them form Ali
theere was this warning
CAUTION!!!!! Do not purchase from any AliExpress site, none are authorized resellers of any Tonghui Products. OEM Tonghui will not honor the factory warranty if you purchase from an unauthorized site.
?? check before buying ...
come from this thread
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/measuring-small-capacitance-with-ks34465a-th2830/
mawyatt:
--- Quote from: KungFuJosh on May 20, 2023, 02:58:14 pm ---
AliExpress has a couple of the TH2830s new for about that price. Not sure if I should trust that tho lol.
--- End quote ---
May be better to get from an authorized source. Make sure you get the included Kelvin Clips and Leaded Test Fixtures, and the Shorting Bar. A bad seller may try and charge extra for these, they should come with the unit, ours did!!
--- Quote ---I was also looking at a used Hioki 3522-50. Any thoughts on that one?
--- End quote ---
Nice LCR but will be expensive relative to the TH2830, and likely not significantly better, we have the IM3536 because of the frequency range up to 8MHz, thus paid the price for this extended range which we needed.
--- Quote ---I also should probably waste some money on kelvin test clips too, right? For the quest!
--- End quote ---
If you acquire one of these lab grade Bench LCRs, you'll want the direct BNC fixtures as they eliminate a lot of the measurement uncertainty (no cables). The TH2830 comes with really nice Kelvin clips TH26011CS (and leaded fixture TH26048A), the IM3536 came without any fixtures but the Tonghui fixtures fit and work fine, as do some of the SMD fixtures we've employed, they all are on standard 3/4" BNC spacings.
Edit: Forgot to mention, the Hioki IM3536 fan is loud, much higher than anything we have in lab. Evidently this is normal as we complained to the distributer and they ran a test with another IM3536 they had, and it was also very loud :o
Not sure if other Hioki LCR bench meters have this is issue, so beware if acoustic noise is a concern. This alone has limited our use of the IM3536, otherwise it's a superb instrument covering 4Hz to 8MHz!!
Anyway, good luck with your LCR Meter decisions.
Best,
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