EEVblog Electronics Community Forum

Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: Martin72 on February 17, 2021, 11:24:50 pm

Title: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: Martin72 on February 17, 2021, 11:24:50 pm
Hi Folks,

Looking for a curve tracer which can handle bipolar transistors as well as fet types ( including igbt).
Should be an affordable one for a hobbyist, so let´s say till 500$/€, maybe a little more.
No used ones, new stuff.
And no primitive things like octopus, as they could damaging the DUT.

Martin

Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: Gyro on February 18, 2021, 10:29:49 am
Depending on your maximum test voltage and current limit requirements, you could do a lot worse than the Peak DCA75 Pro...

https://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/dca75-dca-pro-semiconductor-analyser.html (https://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/dca75-dca-pro-semiconductor-analyser.html)

It works as a standalone tester, but when you connect it via USB and use the PC app, it provides decent curve tracing capabilities.

(There's an eevblog member discount code too).
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: 2N3055 on February 18, 2021, 11:08:26 am
Martin,

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/transistor-curve-tracer-kit-on-ebay/ (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/transistor-curve-tracer-kit-on-ebay/)

Maybe something interesting there...

Take care..
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: Cloud on February 18, 2021, 11:20:48 am
DCA75 is quite useful tool, I use it daily.

But if you want true curve tracer I have made it some time ago so currently I don't know where I have documentation. But it was basically two DACs with power amplifiers and buffer/differential amp for output to scope.
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: MarkF on February 18, 2021, 11:57:32 am
Martin,

https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/transistor-curve-tracer-kit-on-ebay/ (https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/transistor-curve-tracer-kit-on-ebay/)

Maybe something interesting there...

Take care..

I picked up one of those a while ago (Pre-assembled version).  It never worked.
I need to get a few new parts for it and debug more.  No clock as I remember.
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: Martin72 on February 18, 2021, 09:21:08 pm
Hi and thank you so far.

The DCA75 I "know", but don´t have it - When everything will fail, I think I´ll buy this.
But it got only a few mA current and "low" voltage.
The other one seems to have not the possibility to trace several FET types.
There are few very old and used tracers on the market, which still costs a lot and having huge dimensions... :P

Quote
But if you want true curve tracer I have made it some time ago so currently I don't know where I have documentation.

Please look for it.. 8)

Martin
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: 2N3055 on February 18, 2021, 11:01:15 pm
Martin,

some time ago I was looking at this one. Looks quite sophisticated actually..

https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendor-s-bazaar/205733-intelligent-curve-tracer-3-0-release.html (https://www.diyaudio.com/forums/vendor-s-bazaar/205733-intelligent-curve-tracer-3-0-release.html)

Not really cheap, but if it works as specified quite serious device..

Never pulled the trigger though, too much other stuff took me elsewhere...

Take care
Sinisa

P.S. There is also github https://github.com/locky-z/Curve-Tracer (https://github.com/locky-z/Curve-Tracer) where all schematics and code is published..... Last updates to git were 15 days ago..

E-bay: https://www.ebay.com/itm/114234796434 (https://www.ebay.com/itm/114234796434)
Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: Johnny10 on February 18, 2021, 11:12:00 pm
The DOS4EVER utracer curve tracer
goes to over 400 V

The tube tracer has a lab note about turning it into a Transistor tester.

Not sure if you are familiar with this or if you have interest in kit.




Title: Re: Curve Tracer for Bipolar and FETs
Post by: dougg on February 19, 2021, 01:21:47 am
A small instrument maker in Toronto, Canada has this curve tracer product:
https://www.syscompdesign.com/product/ctr-201/ (https://www.syscompdesign.com/product/ctr-201/)