GW Instek LCR-800 Series Owners Support Group.....

[Smokey]

My name is Smokey... and I'm an .... LCR-821 owner....

Product page = https://www.gwinstek.com/en-US/products/detail/LCR-800
DataSheet = https://www.gwinstek.com/en-global/products/downloadSeriesDownNew/13514/766
Manual = https://www.gwinstek.com/en-US/products/downloadSeriesDownNew/13505/769

0.05% basic accuracy
12hz to 200khz
external bias up to 35V
5mv to 1.275V test voltage



Picked it up from the ebays with a slightly dodgy display, but otherwise working. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/gw-instek-lcr-821-lcr-meter-display-issue/

I'm sort of surprised at the lack of support/interest in this meter series.  Old crusty HP/Tek/Keithley gear gets way more love than these guys.  The official PC "App" was last supported in Windows Vista, it has RS232 and a SCPI manual but there are no drivers/libraries I could find for the typical python instrument interfaces.  Only an old labview vi that doesn't help me much.  They still sell on ebay for a decent amount and the specs are not terrible. 

So who else is in the club?

[coromonadalix]

Maybe in some   

Service manuals, users manual or mostly the calibration "how to" can be found more easily on the other brands ??

And this lcr from GW did not got good traction ...  maybe outdated software and lack of scpi commands .....

[nctnico]

My name is Smokey... and I'm an .... LCR-821 owner....

So who else is in the club?

I'll raise my hand 

I'll share that I have changed the BNCs on the front panel for some higher quality ones.

[Smokey]

Do you communicate with it through the RS232?  I'm trying to psych myself up to start a python driver.

[nctnico]

I have not tried that (in case the question was aimed at me).

[Conrad Hoffman]

I've got one of these, though I haven't really used it. The scary thing is that the whole instrument consists of a bunch of big custom ICs, with no way to repair anything.

[nctnico]

I've got one of these, though I haven't really used it. The scary thing is that the whole instrument consists of a bunch of big custom ICs, with no way to repair anything.

No, these are CPLDs. But a more modern device is just as unrepairable if any of the flash chips breaks.

[Smokey]

I've been putting together a python script to automate this thing and I came across something interesting in the manual:

https://www.gwinstek.com/en-US/products/downloadSeriesDownNew/13505/769

On pdf page 19 of 72 (or page 37 internally)

Note: After the test frequency has been changed, the zeroing must be performed again. See page 24

I was hoping to automate a frequency sweep of some components, but this isn't looking good for that. 

There is a "Recall Calibration" function, but no save calibration functions.  The only other mention of "Recall Calibration" is on page 46:

Recall Calibration Settings
Background: When measurement values are inaccurate, original calibration settings can be recalled.

There are 100 "Store" and a "Recall" memory slots, but it doesn't say anything about open/short cal being part of this setting saving.