ESR meter project from Nuova Elettronica

Re: ESR Meter

I think it is OK for VT1 = BC327. Pinout of BC327 is diffrent from BC807 !!!
VD1=VD3=1N4148 is ok but I recomende 1N4007. Is safer if testing some accidentaly charged capacitors.
Check with ohm-meter if there is a bridge betwen test leads. With ohm-meter on test leads and ESR-meter powered ON, you should get alternating readings from 50 ohm to 700 ohm or so. If ok, then DD1 ( CD4066 ) and / or DA1 ( TL082 ) are defective or that area. You should get some readings without DA2 or DA3.
OMG. I have re-read your firs post.
Make sure if you have GND connected to pin7 of CD4066. And pin14 to +5V.

Re: ESR Meter

bkelciov said:

I think it is OK for VT1 = BC327. Pinout of BC327 is diffrent from BC807 !!!
VD1=VD3=1N4148 is ok but I recomende 1N4007. Is safer if testing some accidentaly charged capacitors.
Check with ohm-meter if there is a bridge betwen test leads. With ohm-meter on test leads and ESR-meter powered ON, you should get alternating readings from 50 ohm to 700 ohm or so. If ok, then DD1 ( CD4066 ) and / or DA1 ( TL082 ) are defective or that area. You should get some readings without DA2 or DA3.
OMG. I have re-read your firs post.
Make sure if you have GND connected to pin7 of CD4066. And pin14 to +5V.

Click to expand...

Finally My ESR tester is working. Thank you very much Bkelciov without your help I couldn’t have done this project. I bothered you almost a week and you answered every single questions Thanks for your precious time.
The problem was I didn’t connect pin 7 & 14 on CD4066.

Now how can I calibrate this unit?

What’s the failsafe range ESR value on a good Capacitor according to this unit?

The capacitor I tested 10UF 16v photo attached

Thanks very much pal,
Haran

Re: ESR Meter

Well done.
Is important to use some new capacitors and if it is possible from different makers.
Make note: This is not an accurate device. You don't need one. You will see differences from good caps to bad caps. When you check for bridges on a main board, you will see that 1 cm of printed circuit board have 0.010 ohm. Whit this reading You can pinpoint an electrical bridge within 1 centimeter accuracy so You don't have to desolder 30-40 pieces from a 10cm radius area ( ha, ha, ha )
First make the "zero" point. DO NOT make the "zero" point equal to zero !!! Make-it greater, 0.005 - 0.020. This is done with the test leads "short-circuited". Use thiker test leads.
Then put a 1 OHM resistor on leads and check again.
Then use a 10 OHM resistor on test leads and check.
Use 1000uF / 16V and set the ESR to aprox 0.200. For the "C" showing, compare to several NEW capacitors to a capacimeter.
This device can measure only electrolytics above 1uF.
Is not important the exact reading of the ESR. Is important the difference from a new cap to an used / defective cap. This is verry important at smaller capacitors.
For example:
- new cap 47uF/63V readings: 46,3uF , ESR: 0,500 ( this an approximation !!! is not the actual reading )
- used / defective cap 47uF / 50V readings: 43uF , ESR: 1,500.
Basically a bad cappacitor have ESR 3-4-6 times greater than a new one.
Check your device on greater capacitors or on more capacitors in parallel on a computer motherboard.

This is all I can remember of callibration.
From now, You are on Your on.
Good luck.

Re: ESR Meter

Dear friends:
I continue without finding the fault in my circuit.
No shorts - no mistakes of connection (seemingly)
The uC that I am using is PIC16F873-04I/SP and not PIC16F873A.
Is it possible that there is the fail? Maybe?

Regards for all.

Re: ESR Meter

Please post some good pictures so we can see if there is something wrong with your tester. Pictures from all possible angle, just like your device is on my table.
Did you read all the post from this thread ?

Re: ESR Meter

bkelciov said:

Well done.
Is important to use some new capacitors and if it is possible from different makers.
Make note: This is not an accurate device. You don't need one. You will see differences from good caps to bad caps. When you check for bridges o a main board, you will see that 1 cm of printed circuit board have 0.010 ohm. Whit this reading You can pinpoint an electrical bridge within 1 centimeter accuracy so You don't have to desolder 30-40 pieces from a 10cm radius area ( ha, ha, ha )
First make the "zero" point. DO NOT make the "zero" point equal to zero !!! Make-it greater, 0.005 - 0.020. This is done with the test leads "short-circuited". Use thiker test leads.
Then put a 1 OHM resistor on leads and check again.
Then use a 10 OHM resistor on test leads and check.
Use 1000uF / 16V and set the ESR to aprox 0.200. For the "C" showing, compare to several NEW capacitors to a capacimeter.
This device can measure only electrolytics above 1uF.
Is not important the exact reading of the ESR. Is important the difference from a new cap to an used / defective cap. This is verry important at smaller capacitors.
For example:
- new cap 47uF/63V readings: 46,3uF , ESR: 0,500 ( this an approximation !!! is not the actual reading )
- used / defective cap 47uF / 50V readings: 43uF , ESR: 1,500.
Basically a bad cappacitor have ESR 3-4-6 times greater than a new one.
Check your device on greater capacitors or on more capacitors in parallel on a computer motherboard.

This is all I can remember of callibration.
From now, You are on Your on.
Good luck.

Click to expand...

Thank you very much Bkelciov, You are my Electronic buddy. I would like to start another useful project testing FETS, Transistor & SCR on circuit something like Peak Atlas Component analyzer.

Do you have any PIC based projects available ? Let me know.

Thanks for everything I appreciate you for the important advices you gave me.


Haran

---------- Post added at 07:23 ---------- Previous post was at 06:42 ----------

Emiliojuan said:

Dear friends:
I continue without finding the fault in my circuit.
No shorts - no mistakes of connection (seemingly)
The uC that I am using is PIC16F873-04I/SP and not PIC16F873A.
Is it possible that there is the fail? Maybe?

Regards for all.

Click to expand...

Hi Emiliojuan, Well i'm not a pro but i had the same issue like you. It's the best way to isolate the circuit to a bread board(solder less)

Bkelciov gave me the suggestions. On page two you can see his post.

Anyways use only the PIC the crystal 20MHz, 22pf caps (22 the digit), 1N4148 diode the Resistor 10k(for MCLR) Power supply for the PIC 2 GND(8,19) VDD 20, The display and the appropriate Resistor config for V0(contrast) the one you are using is fine. Make sure is there any bridges in between D7-4, E, R/W,RS & V0 (Display) test continuity and use a magnifier and see if there any bridges i found a bridge in between D7&6 with the magnifier (problem solved) because of bad solder joint. This is the right way to fix this issue if this bread board method works(Cx---,ESR 0.000 the display shows this msg) then bring it to your PCB otherwise it's hard to fix this issue because we're not using printed circuit that's my opinion. Please don't blame the poor hex file. it's working great the guy who programmed is a hero.

Good Luck I'm pretty sure you'll fix it.

Haran

Re: ESR Meter

Haran24 said:

I would like to start another useful project testing FETS, Transistor & SCR on circuit something like Peak Atlas Component analyzer.
Do you have any PIC based projects available ? Let me know.
Haran

Click to expand...

this thread is a good start ...
https://www.edaboard.com/threads/17100/

Re: ESR Meter

Thanks Kripton and Bkelciov

Re: ESR Meter

due to high demand, I will soon post schematics about transistor tester on my website.
stay connected !
**broken link removed**

Re: ESR Meter

Kripton2035 said:

due to high demand, I will soon post schematics about transistor tester on my website.
stay connected !
**broken link removed**

Click to expand...

Great i can't wait to see your repository.

Re: ESR Meter

Haran24 said:

Great i can't wait to see your repository.

Click to expand...

web site online, not finished but I'm waiting for comments !

Re: ESR Meter

Nice and interesting project , can distinguish digital tranzistor ?

Costas

Re: ESR Meter

Kripton2035 said:

web site online, not finished but I'm waiting for comments !

Click to expand...

Great Job pal and we all have to appreciate your voluntary service. Very nice projects with minimal components.

My problem is what to choose.

Thanks for your help to the world.

With Regards
Haran

Re: ESR Meter

Haran24 said:

Very nice projects with minimal components.
My problem is what to choose.
Haran

Click to expand...

most users seems to prefer the elektor sc2005 if this can helps you !
in fact the schematics are very similar
only with the avr you have full source file to understand and maybe add features to it ?
regards,

Re: ESR Meter

Thank you very much buddy. I'll let you know the feed back after i finish my project.

Regards
Haran

Kripton2035 said:

most users seems to prefer the elektor sc2005 if this can helps you !
in fact the schematics are very similar
only with the avr you have full source file to understand and maybe add features to it ?
regards,

Click to expand...

Re: ESR Meter

Hi my buddies Bkelciov & Kripton, How are you guys doing? I hope you guys doing great. Well I just completed Elector SC2005 Semiconductor Analyzer it works excellent. I had problems with it from the beginning after I read manual I did set up the right fuses thing works fabulous also I order the programmed chip from Elector So I can test Darlington, Triac & the other Semiconductors. (fully functional)

Kripton buddy, Thank you very much for your Semiconductor Repository.

Besides guys I have to ask you a favor would you please recommend me a PIC based Thermometer which I could measure 200 to 480 Celsius, I wanted one for my soldering station. Let me know if guys come across with any good projects.

Thanks again guys Herewith I’m attaching my SC2005

With Regards
Haran

Re: ESR Meter

bkelciov said:

For calibration, please read the first page of this thread.

Click to expand...

Hi bkelciov and others,
I want to build this ESR-Go meter as well and the posts here were very helpful.
Still I am comparing several ESR meters. This one looks the best so far, but I cannot find how to calibrate it. You say I can find it on the first page of this treat, but I must be blind :shock:
What is the set, + and - button doing?

Another question, does anyone have the specifications for the capacity range this meter has?

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

Rob.

Edit: Very sorry, see now that you explained the calibration on this page :???:
Still wondering what the pushbuttons are for...

Re: ESR Meter

some translation from the russian documentation...

Setting. 
 First Time - check for +5 V and after 78L05 
-5V (4.7V) Output DA4. 
 By choosing R31 achieve normal contrast on the display.
A little about the buttons: 
 Enabling device while holding down the Set button turns it into install mode 
 correction factors. There are only three 
 - Channel 1 Ohm, 10 Ohm and capacity. Change 
 factors + and - buttons, record in the EEPROM and bust - 
 same button Set.
There is also a debug mode - this mode to 
 indicator displays the measured values ​​without treatment - 
 to capacity - the state of the timer (about 15 samples per 1 uF) 
 and both channels measure ESR (1 step ADC = 5V/1024). 
 transition in debug mode - Pressing the "+"
And one more thing - zero adjustment. 
 This is closable entrance, press and hold button "+" 
 and through R4 are making the minimum reading (but not zero!) 
 simultaneously on both channels. Without releasing the "+" button, click 
 Set - the indicator will display a message on the Conservation of U0 in the EEPROM.
Next, measure the resistance of 1 ohm model (or less), 10 ohms 
 and capacity (you trust), we determine the correction factors. 
 can turn, turn while holding down the Set button and set the 
 to-you, respectively, the results of the measurements.

Click to expand...

Re: ESR Meter

rob040 said:

Hi bkelciov and others,
I want to build this ESR-Go meter as well and the posts here were very helpful.
Still I am comparing several ESR meters. This one looks the best so far, but I cannot find how to calibrate it. You say I can find it on the first page of this treat, but I must be blind :shock:
What is the set, + and - button doing?

Another question, does anyone have the specifications for the capacity range this meter has?

Kind regards and thanks in advance!

Rob.

Edit: Very sorry, see now that you explained the calibration on this page :???:
Still wondering what the pushbuttons are for...

Click to expand...

Hello Rob welcome aboard,

Actually it’s not necessary to calibrate this device. I would say this device is a comparator. You can compare good known capacitors with bad once so you can have an idea. I strongly recommend find some good capacitors with different farads range and voltage make your own chart for reference. Really this device is not accurate and this is all you need for most of the problematic scenario in a circuit . The person who developed this device is a genius. This device is an excellent device for hobbyist and repairer. The range is 1 uf to 150,000 uf

Just for your peace of mind you can calibrate this device.

Turn off your device first. BY holding set button and turn it on, now you’ll go to the calibration mode.

There’re 3 areas that you can calibrate.

Coefficient for 1 Ω
Coefficient for 10 Ω
Coefficient for CX, this can be achieved by pressing set button.

+/- Buttons for change the value for tweaking purposes.

Now you have to gather a 1 Ω & 10 Ω resistor in order to calibrate the ESR.

First to begin with 1 Ω resistor connected Across the CX and check the reading should read closes to 1 Ω if not go to calibration mode change the 1000 value range +/_ until for you satisfaction, Do the same with 10 Ω . It will show the same results at a certain point.

CX is for capacitances by changing the value you are not going to reach everything accurate. If you’re focusing 1uf capacitor with 10uf, it’ll read 1uf exact 1uf and 10uf it’ll read 12.xxx or 8.xxx but just for the sake of calibration just play with it you’ll see what I meant.

According to this device in my own experience anything over 2.xxx ESR considered bad caps. Do your own research please.

Have fun

Regards
Haran

Re: ESR Meter

Thanks a lot Kripton and Haran. I think it is clear how to calibrate.
Haran, I understand your remark about compairing good and bad capacitors. That is of course the most important function. But the reading is very accurate, so I do want to make it as precise as possible (I know it is a tick of me...).

One question about the 4066. I also saw a design of Elektor (Combi-C-Meter in sept. 2005) and they state that it is better to use a high speed version (HC4066). This to avoid unwanted reactance (or half it). Any thoughts about that?
Disadvantage of that meter for me is that you have to switch between C and ESR measurements.

Best regards, Rob.