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After my recent experience discovering the bad capacitor only after almost complete disassembly of the filter, I'm considering getting an LCR meter but there's only one catch in my case: it has to be low cost.? I know low cost and reasonable quality stay mostly opposite but in today's market, the relationship between them has increased... sometimes.? So what would you recommend? Someone recently suggested an LC-100A, but then I read that it can arrive with issues that make reading of low value components impossible.? I suppose I could go that route as long as it had free returns and only from China as the US vendors are too expensive for me.
Thanks in advance.
Jon
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Hi Jon,
My students and I have been using these cheap transistor testers <>.? They will measure fairly accurately inductance and capacitance.? It should save you from this problem in the future. You can get them cheaper elsewhere.
73,
Rob
KL7NA
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On 7/8/21 2:55 PM, JonI via groups.io wrote: CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University email system.
After my recent experience discovering the bad capacitor only after
almost complete disassembly of the filter, I'm considering getting an
LCR meter but there's only one catch in my case: it has to be low cost.
I know low cost and reasonable quality stay mostly opposite but in
today's market, the relationship between them has increased...
sometimes.? So what would you recommend? Someone recently suggested an
LC-100A, but then I read that it can arrive with issues that make
reading of low value components impossible.? I suppose I could go that
route as long as it had free returns and only from China as the US
vendors are too expensive for me.
Thanks in advance.
Jon
--
Rob Frohne, Ph.D. P.E.
E. F. Cross School of Engineering
Walla Walla University
100 SW 4th Street
College Place, WA 99362
(509) 527-2075
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This works for me.? This is MY LC meter.? I tested against many known manufactured inductors and caps and it is accurate enough for my needs.
73
kc1enn
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On Thursday, July 8, 2021, 5:55:58 PM EDT, JonI via groups.io <ji425bt@...> wrote:
After my recent experience discovering the bad capacitor only after
almost complete disassembly of the filter, I'm considering getting an
LCR meter but there's only one catch in my case: it has to be low cost.?
I know low cost and reasonable quality stay mostly opposite but in
today's market, the relationship between them has increased...
sometimes.? So what would you recommend? Someone recently suggested an
LC-100A, but then I read that it can arrive with issues that make
reading of low value components impossible.? I suppose I could go that
route as long as it had free returns and only from China as the US
vendors are too expensive for me.
Thanks in advance.
Jon
|
Hi Jon,
Another much more accurate instrument to use is the nanoVNA.
73,
Rob
KL7NA
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On 7/8/21 3:07 PM, Rob Frohne via groups.io wrote: CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University email system.
Hi Jon,
My students and I have been using these cheap transistor testers
<;data=04%7C01%7Crob.frohne%40wallawalla.edu%7Cbc352f6471c84540230008d9425ccabf%7Cd958f048e43142779c8debfb75e7aa64%7C0%7C0%7C637613788575342095%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=w63Nv0MnWMmKoV%2BotdsEGfHV8lu4mTOHI4vGyaYrBGA%3D&reserved=0>.
They will measure fairly accurately inductance and capacitance. It
should save you from this problem in the future. You can get them
cheaper elsewhere.
73,
Rob
KL7NA
On 7/8/21 2:55 PM, JonI via groups.io wrote:
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University
email system.
After my recent experience discovering the bad capacitor only after
almost complete disassembly of the filter, I'm considering getting an
LCR meter but there's only one catch in my case: it has to be low cost.
I know low cost and reasonable quality stay mostly opposite but in
today's market, the relationship between them has increased...
sometimes.? So what would you recommend? Someone recently suggested an
LC-100A, but then I read that it can arrive with issues that make
reading of low value components impossible.? I suppose I could go that
route as long as it had free returns and only from China as the US
vendors are too expensive for me.
Thanks in advance.
Jon
--
Rob Frohne, Ph.D. P.E.
E. F. Cross School of Engineering
Walla Walla University
100 SW 4th Street
College Place, WA 99362
(509) 527-2075
--
Rob Frohne, Ph.D. P.E.
E. F. Cross School of Engineering
Walla Walla University
100 SW 4th Street
College Place, WA 99362
(509) 527-2075
|
Charles wrote: This looks like the one I have. My tests You should not lose out if you buy from Amazon/Ebay, others I do not know. They have good support if the item is not satisfactory when it arrives. Long-term guarantee may not be so good. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Hello Rob, Jon, and the group.
The GM328 testers like Rob recommends are good testers.? I have a couple here.? I do not know what experience Rob and his students had with those testers but I found very quickly that none of my GM328 testers would measure inductance or capacitance for low values.? The ones I had would not read (accurately or even ball park) for any inductor less than 3uh and capacitance less than 30pf.? In other words,? it did not and does not measure low values.? I ended up building a VK3BHR version of those testers and it measures low values very well.? If you are not concerned about low value inductance and capacitance then the stock GM328 testers that are so prevalent on ebay and apparently Amazon are good cheap testers.
Thank you.
Jim Pruitt
WA7DUY
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On 7/8/2021 3:07 PM, Rob Frohne wrote: Hi Jon,
My students and I have been using these cheap transistor testers <>. They will measure fairly accurately inductance and capacitance. It should save you from this problem in the future. You can get them cheaper elsewhere.
73,
Rob
KL7NA
On 7/8/21 2:55 PM, JonI via groups.io wrote:
CAUTION: This email originated from outside the Walla Walla University email system.
After my recent experience discovering the bad capacitor only after
almost complete disassembly of the filter, I'm considering getting an
LCR meter but there's only one catch in my case: it has to be low cost.
I know low cost and reasonable quality stay mostly opposite but in
today's market, the relationship between them has increased...
sometimes.? So what would you recommend? Someone recently suggested an
LC-100A, but then I read that it can arrive with issues that make
reading of low value components impossible.? I suppose I could go that
route as long as it had free returns and only from China as the US
vendors are too expensive for me.
Thanks in advance.
Jon
|
I ended up building a VK3BHR version of those testers and it measures low values very well. Jim, I started by building one of those. It certainly works well, I consider it the best because it will give negative "zero" readings if calibration drifts in use. Particularly useful for low measurements. 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Thanks to all, you've given me a lot of options.? I have already been investigating the LC-100A and the "transistor checker" to some extent before posting this inquiry here.? My only concern with those is their longevity as I read of problems sometimes developing months after purchase, particularly the loss of low level inductor and capacitor reading.
I wasn't aware of the NanoVNA's capability to measure inductors and caps.? Correctly me if I'm wrong as it doesn't seem to be a direct measurement according to the videos on the process.
I think under the circumstances, I might just wait a while until I build up more savings for a suitable unit.
Thanks again to all,
Jon
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On 7/9/21 6:09 AM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote: I ended up building a VK3BHR version of those testers and it measures low values very well. Jim,
I started by building one of those.
It certainly works well, I consider it the best because it will give negative "zero" readings if calibration drifts in use. Particularly useful for low measurements.
73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Good morning,
I recently bought one of the cheap LCR-T4, GM328 testers and it works very well (for me anyway). It won't measure under about 30pf. However, if I insert and measure ~100pf cap, then add a small-value cap in parallel to the 100pf, the difference in the two measurements is the value of the second capacitor, so I think that's a reasonable work-around. My hobby work does not usually require an extremely high-level of accuracy anyway.
I have a box of capacitors that require a magnifier to read, and this thing helps a LOT with that problem. YMMV!
73, Jim KO5V
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Alan wrote: This looks like the one I have. My tests Got another place for that? Something we can get to? Yours is private. (Love seeing user reports and tests.) Andy
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Interesting.? What about inductors, insert a known say 100 uH, then an unknown 2 uH?
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On 7/9/21 12:59 PM, jrf1959@... wrote: Good morning,
I recently bought one of the cheap LCR-T4, GM328 testers and it works very well (for me anyway). It won't measure under about 30pf. However, if I insert and measure ~100pf cap, then add a small-value cap in parallel to the 100pf, the difference in the two measurements is the value of the second capacitor, so I think that's a reasonable work-around. My hobby work does not usually require an extremely high-level of accuracy anyway.
I have a box of capacitors that require a magnifier to read, and this thing helps a LOT with that problem. YMMV!
73, Jim KO5V
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On 09/07/2021 23:00, JonI via groups.io wrote: Interesting.? What about inductors, insert a known say 100 uH, then an unknown 2 uH? In the case of inductors the 'unknown' 2uH would have to be in series with the 'known' 100uH. I also use a VK3BHR LC meter. Good for low values, not so good for high values. 73 Nick
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Andy Got another place for that? Something we can get to? Yours is private. Thanks for telling me! I've given that link several times in the last few years and nobody has queried it. I finally found a computer where Google did not know me and discovered it is not "published". It's on an old site, I'll put it with the rest of my pages. Below, a quick copy/paste of my measurements, I'll get the page done tomorrow, maybe. 73 Alan Marked Value LC100 Measured Value. 4pF +/-0.5pF 4.06pF 8pF+/-1pF 8.23pF 43pF+/-2.5% 43.12pF 47pF+/-0.5pF 47.4pF 200pF 1% 199pF 330pF 2% 335pF 600pF 2.5% 596pF 4,700pF 1% 4,785pF 4,700pF 1% 4,779pF 7,500pF 1% 7,625pF 10,000pF 1% 10,160pF 20K 1% 20470pF 0.1 1% 102n(0.102uF) Inductor, Measured with Dip Meter LC100 Measured Value 0.25uH 0.240uH 0.92uH 0.889uH 5.0uH 5.004uH 8.8uH 8.667uH 21.66uH 21.99uH
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Thanks for sharing, Alan, did notice the privacy too but figured someone else might chime in before me.? Appreciate your posting of the values, seems pretty accurate.? Unfortunately, my budget is just shy of being able to purchase from a US carrier at this time.? Chinese possibility remains, but not sure about refunds & returns if it fails.
I've also been considering the cheaper unit that also tests transistors and the workaround provided.? That might me more feasible for me for now.? If inductors can be paired up to get readings for the low valued ones, that unit may be a future purchase in short order.
Jon
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On 7/10/21 12:14 PM, Alan G4ZFQ wrote: Andy
Got another place for that?? Something we can get to?? Yours is private. Thanks for telling me!
I've given that link several times in the last few years and nobody has queried it.
I finally found a computer where Google did not know me and discovered it is not "published". It's on an old site, I'll put it with the rest of my pages.
Below, a quick copy/paste of my measurements, I'll get the page done tomorrow, maybe.
73 Alan
?Marked Value???? LC100 Measured Value.
?4pF +/-0.5pF????? 4.06pF
?8pF+/-1pF????? 8.23pF
?43pF+/-2.5%????? 43.12pF
?47pF+/-0.5pF????? 47.4pF
?200pF 1%????? 199pF
?330pF 2%????? 335pF
?600pF 2.5%????? 596pF
?4,700pF 1%????? 4,785pF
?4,700pF 1%????? 4,779pF
?7,500pF 1%????? 7,625pF
?10,000pF 1%????? 10,160pF
?20K 1%????? 20470pF
?0.1 1%????? 102n(0.102uF)
?Inductor, Measured with Dip Meter???? LC100 Measured Value
?0.25uH????? 0.240uH
?0.92uH????? 0.889uH
?5.0uH????? 5.004uH
?8.8uH????? 8.667uH
?21.66uH????? 21.99uH
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Jon, I don't know where you live, but Mouser Electronics has sales warehouses in a number of countries. 73 Mike W0BTU On Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 3:22 PM JonI via groups.io <ji425bt= verizon.net@groups.io> wrote: ... Unfortunately, my budget is just shy of being
able to purchase from a US carrier at this time. Chinese possibility
remains, but not sure about refunds & returns if it fails.
...
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Yes, familiar with them.? In fact, ordered some parts from them at the start of summer for an electronics project.? I don't think they carry the meters being discussed here though.
Jon
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On 7/10/21 4:52 PM, W0BTU wrote: Jon,
I don't know where you live, but Mouser Electronics has sales warehouses in
a number of countries.
73 Mike
W0BTU
On Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 3:22 PM JonI via groups.io <ji425bt=
verizon.net@groups.io> wrote:
... Unfortunately, my budget is just shy of being
able to purchase from a US carrier at this time. Chinese possibility
remains, but not sure about refunds & returns if it fails.
...
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Hi Jon,
I have a tendency to save my pennies and buy something that is going to last a bit longer than the other $20 LC meters you can get. And.. it is accurate and measures at Multiple Frequencies. It is a well known meter..
Hope this helps..
Guy N1GMM
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Jon, If you can give me your snail mail address, I will send you something useful. Tony ________________________________ From: softrock40@groups.io <softrock40@groups.io> on behalf of JonI via groups.io <ji425bt@...> Sent: Saturday, July 10, 2021 3:55 PM To: softrock40@groups.io <softrock40@groups.io> Subject: Re: [softrock40] LCR recommendations? Yes, familiar with them. In fact, ordered some parts from them at the start of summer for an electronics project. I don't think they carry the meters being discussed here though. Jon On 7/10/21 4:52 PM, W0BTU wrote: Jon,
I don't know where you live, but Mouser Electronics has sales warehouses in
a number of countries.
73 Mike
W0BTU
On Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 3:22 PM JonI via groups.io <ji425bt=
verizon.net@groups.io> wrote:
... Unfortunately, my budget is just shy of being
able to purchase from a US carrier at this time. Chinese possibility
remains, but not sure about refunds & returns if it fails.
...
|
Message sent to your direct email.? Thanks.
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On 7/11/21 11:08 AM, Tony_AD0VC wrote: Jon,
If you can give me your snail mail address, I will send you something useful.
Tony
________________________________
From: softrock40@groups.io <softrock40@groups.io> on behalf of JonI via groups.io <ji425bt@...>
Sent: Saturday, July 10, 2021 3:55 PM
To: softrock40@groups.io <softrock40@groups.io>
Subject: Re: [softrock40] LCR recommendations?
Yes, familiar with them. In fact, ordered some parts from them at the
start of summer for an electronics project. I don't think they carry
the meters being discussed here though.
Jon
On 7/10/21 4:52 PM, W0BTU wrote:
Jon,
I don't know where you live, but Mouser Electronics has sales warehouses in
a number of countries.
73 Mike
W0BTU
On Sat, Jul 10, 2021, 3:22 PM JonI via groups.io <ji425bt=
verizon.net@groups.io> wrote:
... Unfortunately, my budget is just shy of being
able to purchase from a US carrier at this time. Chinese possibility
remains, but not sure about refunds & returns if it fails.
...
|
Guy, And.. it is accurate and measures at Multiple Frequencies. I wonder why different frequencies? For higher values? I ask because some criticise meters that measure at low frequencies although for HF values I've not noticed any difference. That one is complete, not a barebone assembly. My link for Andy The new groups do not have a table to make the results look neat! 73 Alan G4ZFQ
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Rob Frohne (KL7NA)
W0BTU
Guy Mengel N1GMM