esr or cap tester

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by mariushm

Mike, are the ESR Micro 3.1 available?
Any special deals for Badcaps forum users?

yes version 3.1 available at any time as we have got them enough in stock.
But for USD50 you will get fully assembled ready for using PCB, just without plastic box and batteries... If you want to save some bucks you can order this one and use any case you want to build pcb in. USD50 is minimal price (if you want 1 pcs!) Better to email me directly.

[mariushm]

thanks for the answer. 50 dollars is still a good price so I might just give you a private message or an email.

I just have to give it some thought - I was recently thinking about getting that Blue ESR and make a smd version of the pcb as a side project/time waster but I don't know... I start a lot of things and don't finish them

[yesfan2]

Anyone knows how I can get my ESR-Micro V4.0s for warranty repair? I bought it from PRC68.com last month, I was checking on a power supply board of a plasma TV a few nights ago and one of the capacitor still has charge inside and it sparks and the meter is not working correctly anymore. The board had been disconnected from the power source for over a week and I'm surprise it still holds charge.

PRC68.com said they don't do repair. It said it has a 1 year warranty on the website.

I can still turn on the meter and show the voltage of the battery but I can't calibrate it or measure anything.

Thanks!

[cmj21973]

Send him a PM.
http://www.badcaps.net/forum/member.php?u=12802

[yesfan2]

Did that yesterday, no reply yet, maybe he's on vacation or something.

[RusMike]

yesfan2, sorry for long reply, yes sure you have 1 year warranty! First check 1 ohms resistor R1 in series with RED probe and if its value differ from 1 ohm, replace it. Let me know about result. Picture attached.

[yesfan2]

Yes, R1 is not 1 ohm, it's like .14 or something like that. Now I have to hunt down one of those, it may be hard to find in Honolulu; question - will it void the warranty if I do my own repair???

[juan.ictech@lantic.net]

i use a Huntron Tracker, i think it is the best tool for fault finding. from ESR on Caps, Diods, Fets, Gates all can be tested without removing 90% of them. Not cheap but it will bring your repair time down to a few minutes.
good site

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by yesfan2

Yes, R1 is not 1 ohm, it's like .14 or something like that. Now I have to hunt down one of those, it may be hard to find in Honolulu; question - will it void the warranty if I do my own repair???

I think it is not "hard to find" thing you can easily remove it from some another useless pcb. Sure you will have my warranty IN ANY CASE, except may be broken LCD glass or so (mechanical destroyings...)

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by juan.ictech@lantic.net

i use a Huntron Tracker, i think it is the best tool for fault finding. from ESR on Caps, Diods, Fets, Gates all can be tested without removing 90% of them. Not cheap but it will bring your repair time down to a few minutes.
good site

Just googled, actually good tool! Although I have never kept it in my hands. Thanks for usefull information!

[yesfan2]

Aloha RusMike,

The meter is fixed, simple enough, got an 1 ohm chip resistor from an old board, I usually throw those out but I was hanging on to this, I should start saving them even though they are no good

The new resistor is 4 times bigger but I soldered one side directly to the red probe, it works!

Thanks!

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by yesfan2

The meter is fixed..... it works!
Thanks!

Great! Hehe, sometimes even useless things may be useful

[twixt]

Originally Posted by twixt

Hi, Mike. When will production of the ESRmicro4.0 be available with the "deadless" feature?

I have checked your website and read about the production delays and the proposed timeframe for when new units will be available again - which should be shortly according to the latest info.

Please let me know when I will be able to order and receive a "deadless" ESRmicro 4.0. Thanks.

Hi, Mike. I picked up one of your ESR Micro 4.0s units on Ebay. Purchased through Paypal, sent by Russian Post to Canada. All went well and my unit arrived in just over 2 weeks - specified in the Ebay listing as the usual transit time by post from the Russian Federation.

So, I unpacked my new shiny

Tested my new shiny. It works! It works!



OK, now to gild the lily. <best mad-scientist cackle as music rises to a crescendo>


So, the only reason I found the ESR4s online was because I had bought a "Blue" kit the day before - was halfway through assembling the "Blue" - and there was your unit online. (Murphy at work, yet again.)

Purchased the ESR4s on the spot - of course - because that's what I wanted in the first place but couldn't find in North America for love nor money. However, having your unit in my hot little hands was at least 2 weeks in the future. I wanted to use the "Blue" - at least until your unit arrived.

Finished off assembling the "Blue". Defluxed, cleaned, tested, calibrated. Hate the wires/probes that come with it. So, off to the local electronics part stores to see what I can find as replacements.

Aha! There's what I want! The gold-plated microfine-tip (sharp as hell) probes that reliably get into tight places and properly pierce the oxidation on the solder to get a good reading. Buy now? Yes!

Get home, install the probes on the Blue. Yup, just exactly what I was looking for. Proceed to use the blue quite happily until your unit shows up.



Delivery notice for your unit in my Mailbox. Come and pick up. Dash to post office in wild anticipation.


Get home, open package. Well packed, I must say. Lots of bubblewrap.


OK, the probes on your unit are nice. But they're not as nice as the probes on the "Blue". Proceed to swap.

Now I have the probes I want on the ESR4s. Your probes are on the "Blue". While I've got the ESR4s apart, I use that opportunity to deflux the power switch, the test lead points, the test socket and the display mount points on your pcboard. Clean. Did I mention clean? Yeah, clean.


Upgraded all the screws on the unit to Black Chrome. Looks niiiiiiiiice.


See attached pictures of my baby....


Now, on to my first troubleshooting job. As noted in another post on the board, I had replaced three Samwha capacitors in my Samsung Laser Printer - of which two were bulged. I kept the caps so I could use them as testbeds for whatever ESR checker I purchased.

The "Blue" quite reliably told me two of the caps had higher ESR than normal. The other cap was not bulged but its ESR was marginal in comparison to the Panasonic FM-series units I used as replacements.

So I check those bad caps with your unit. ESRs come out the same (no surprise there). The numbers on your unit, however, tell the tale with the important details that IMO make the difference between guessing and knowing.


Cap 1: 1000uf, 10V - ESR: 14.2 ohms Capacitance: 13.6uf

Cap 2: 1000uf, 16V - ESR: 0.11 ohms Capacitance: 882uf

Cap 3: 1000uf, 35V - ESR: 0.54 ohms Capacitance: 177uf


Cap 1 - obvious failure detectable by the "Blue" on the basis of ESR alone.

Cap 2 - seems marginal, might be OK. Testing with your unit indicates it is just barely within specification (depending upon whether or not you think 20% below spec is "within specification" or not). I replaced it anyways because it was a Samwha and I wanted it out of there regardless.

Cap 3 - that ESR doesn't seem all that bad. Aha! The capacitance is a joke! Now your meter proves its worth! One more dud capacitor launched into the junk pile!



Thanks for making an excellent ESR/Cap Meter that removes the guesswork from the whole "Is it bad or is it good?" question. Well worth its purchase price.


-

[scokljat]

I just noticed there is ESR Micro V4.0 and ESR Micro V4.0s. What is the difference between 4.0 and 4.0s (except display)? Which one is better? Perhaps 4.0s is newer updated model with "deadless" feature? I just ordered one few days ago, actually I'm not sure which one will I receive ...also waiting for email response from radiodevices.

Cheers!

Suad

[twixt]

Originally Posted by scokljat

I just noticed there is ESR Micro V4.0 and ESR Micro V4.0s. What is the difference between 4.0 and 4.0s (except display)? Which one is better? Perhaps 4.0s is newer updated model with "deadless" feature? I just ordered one few days ago, actually I'm not sure which one will I receive ...also waiting for email response from radiodevices.

Cheers!

Suad

Hi, Suad. The Micro V4.0s does not have the "deadless" feature. It does have the newer input protection using the SMCJ5.0 transient suppressor - which is far superior to the back-to-back diodes used in the earlier model.

I don't know if mike switched production to the use of the SMCJ5 with the Micro 4.0 - you'll have to ask mike himself about that one.


Hope this helps.

[lucidbarrier]

Is Mike still selling these ESR micro units? I emailed him and havent received a response yet. I think I am interested in the 3.1 version.

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by twixt

if mike switched production to the use of the SMCJ5 with the Micro 4.0 - you'll have to ask mike himself about that one.

Yes currently all devices have suppressors protection as it is more reliable. Sorry for long reply, I am still alive but just not such often here

[RusMike]

Originally Posted by lucidbarrier

Is Mike still selling these ESR micro units? I emailed him and havent received a response yet. I think I am interested in the 3.1 version.

yes we have both version (3.1 and 4.0S) in stock now.
The only difference for 4.0S is another LCD we used (segments vs graphic in 4.0)
But power consumption became less.

[RusMike]

Twixt, are you professional writer?

[lucidbarrier]

Originally Posted by RusMike

yes we have both version (3.1 and 4.0S) in stock now.
The only difference for 4.0S is another LCD we used (segments vs graphic in 4.0)
But power consumption became less.

Could you send me a PM or email and give me a pricing quote and details on how to order?