Cheap ESR meter

[Rainbow]

I bought this as a DYI kit http://www.zajic.cz/esr/esr.htm
Assembling was not hard and it works fine. It's not as good as ESR meters with display, but still good enough to test many caps.
As you can see from the photo, the PCB is very simple.

[Galvanized]

Your link is broken. I closed all open windows and tried several times.

[tiresias]

Originally Posted by Galvanized

Your link is broken. I closed all open windows and tried several times.

Same here, zajic.cz seems to be down...

[Per Hansson]

It works now

Looks very interesting, Think I might build something like that, if I can just find it for sale someplace where I can also read what the text says ;-)

[arneson]

http://www.flippers.com/esrktmtr.html

This is similar, in english?

[willawake]

thats the big brother, bob parker design same as this one
http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=1287



difference is that this one doesnt have an lcd readout, it has leds.

the interesting ones are ohm 0.1, 0.3, 1.0, 3.0

if we check my example readings, it will catch the bad caps because they will measure above 0.1 and more likely 1.0 to 3.0. its not perfect but useful.

Sanyo WG 2200uf 6.3v : 0.0 ohm (too small to measure)
Panasonic FC 1000uf 50v : 0.01 ohm
Panasonic FC 3300uf 6.3v : 0.02 ohm
Ost 1000uf 6.3v : 0.04 ohm
Chhsi 1000uf 6.3 : 0.06 ohm
GSC LE 3300uf 6.3v (bulging) : 0.27 ohm
Gloria 1000uf 50v (bulging) : 1.1 ohm
Jackcon 1000uf 10v : (bulging) : 1.5 ohm
Jackcon 1500uf 6.3v (bulging) : 1.6 ohm
JPCON 2200uf 6.3v (bulging) 2.1 ohm
Lelon 1500uf 10v (bulging) : 2.78 ohm
Gloria 1500uf 6.3v (bulging) 5.0 ohm

on another matter, say if i measure a cap on the board as 0.04 ohm, when i desolder it, it will measure 0.05. i dont know if this is damage from the desoldering or just a more accurate reading from when it is off the board.

[steve6375]

Try Atlas ESR meter from Peak Electronics or Farnell. This also gives capacitance value as well as ESR reading. About £80-90 inc delivery and ready built.

[arneson]

Anantech pointed me to this meter, I hadn't seen before.
http://www.awiz.com/cappic.htm