Is this site any good for learning the basics

[sam67]

Hi all,

I am new here and would like to know if anyone one has ever bought this and is it worth getting.. http://www.testingelectroniccomponents.com/ I am just getting into trying to repair motherboards and wanted to learn as much about electronics as possible ..Hope i have not posted a link that i should not have This site is amazing and very helpful..

Best

sam

[i4004]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

motherboards?
you'll learn more here, because that guy is mostly repairing monitors and other simillar things.

not to be misunderstood, i'm subscribed to that guy's newsletter and it usually has interesting information, and 37$ for the book and all those extras (esp. assistance in first 3 months) doesn't seem too much, but for the motherboards...i would rather suggests reading this
http://www.capacitorlab.com/
and than asking here about any particularities.

[sam67]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

Thank you ,that's why i thought i'd post the link as i was not sure and this site is awesome ..Was thinking of getting hold of a few dead mother boards to practice on with my soldering ..Will be reading as much as possible on here as this is the best site i have come across as i am really interested about trying to fault find on motherboards ..Any other tips from you guys and gals is much appreciated.

Thanks

sam

[electroguy75]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

Thank you ,that's why i thought i'd post the link as i was not sure and this site is awesome ..Was thinking of getting hold of a few dead mother boards to practice on with my soldering ..Will be reading as much as possible on here as this is the best site i have come across as i am really interested about trying to fault find on motherboards ..Any other tips from you guys and gals is much appreciated.

Thanks

sam

by the sounds of things u have the learning process under control. using old mobos to pratice on untill u become more proficient in the technigues of soldering is a solid idea and u cant replace reading as a source of knowledge. cheers and good luck in ur endeavours.

[sam67]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

Thanks guys ,been looking for an ESR meter and have read about BOBS on here..

Trouble is i am from the uk ..Anyone know where to get a good one from here..I have seen some multimeter's at maplins that have a capacitor tester on but how reliable are the multimeter versions ,would i be better with an ESR one that you can do while the cap it still on the board..

I already have a gunsons digi meter 360 that i use for trouble shooting cars but want some think that will test stuff on the motherboard..By the way that link above at the capacitor lab was just what i was looking for ..Are there anymore sites on here or links for testing other components on the mother boards..

I just want to get as much info before i jump in and buy a meter then find out i could buy some think with more stuff on to test motherboards.

Just wondering what you guys use for trouble shooting.

Thanks in advance

[deckart]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

This is what i have,http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/jz_esr70.html
It has identified heaps of blown caps,but have found it is really only very accurate out of the board.In circuit I do have my doubts about it.Values tend to fluctuate,but this could be down to the shocking soldering of the croc clips!.Now if anyone knows of an accurate in circuit tester I'm all ears.

[willawake]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

can you give example of the fluctuation?

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

Hi all,

I am new here and would like to know if anyone one has ever bought this and is it worth getting.. http://www.testingelectroniccomponents.com/ I am just getting into trying to repair motherboards and wanted to learn as much about electronics as possible ..Hope i have not posted a link that i should not have This site is amazing and very helpful..

Best

sam

You can learn anything found in that kind book by searching Google.

[i4004]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

>Now if anyone knows of an accurate in circuit tester I'm all ears.

but you canot have such thing, if for example you have 2 caps in parallel...
or very low resistance resistor...etc.etc.
only reliable way is to take it out...

sam67
https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showth...8946#post88946
that should be rather simillar to peak, but much cheaper...

[PCBONEZ]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

can you give example of the fluctuation?

Yeah.
First the reading goes up, then it goes down, then it goes up, then it goes down, then ....

~~~~~~~~~~
The leads on that unit aren't the greatest.
Using gator clips isn't always the best either.
.
I think I would mod it with a pig-tail to in-line banana jack sockets so I could change leads and probes as needed.
.

[deckart]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

can you give example of the fluctuation?
With the meter shorted to improve low range values,I have tested a blown cap and both capacitance and ESR have differed over several trials,on another day the same cap will produce consistent results.I have resoldered both ends of the croc clips but still it has days where it is inconsistent.
I have tested battery,all ok.
It probably is a case of having a lemon,but initially I was blown away by it's abilities.Unfortuneatly being a kind of neat freak round the house,I think I popped the receipt in the bin!,just hope I can find it in my emails.

[willawake]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

i have seen ESR to change with temperature, like when they are hot after desoldering. but yours does seem like prob with the meter.

>Now if anyone knows of an accurate in circuit tester I'm all ears.

but you canot have such thing, if for example you have 2 caps in parallel...
or very low resistance resistor...etc.etc.
only reliable way is to take it out...

yes.

[i4004]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

peak should be able to accept new firmware version...try that first...

[deckart]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

peak should be able to accept new firmware version...try that first...
Good idea!,I'll give them a call tomorrow.

[i4004]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/e...tml#esrversion

"Capacitance values are crazy

Characteristics of some capacitors (such as leakage or soakage) caused difficulties in the Atlas ESR's compensation calculations. This has been addressed in software version 1.6 and later. Please contact us if you require a free update to address this issue."

[sam67]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

Hi deckart, thanks for the link ..I was looking at them yesterday ...Can't make my mind up now lol..With you saying it is not accurate all the time makes me wonder if i should go with summat else..Anyone know if bob ships to the uk or is there anything else out there that will do the job..Could really do with some help choosin lol.

Thanks

sam

[i4004]

Re: Is this site any good for learning the basics

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...7&postcount=11
1st two paragraphs...