Re: Mysterious armada problem
My monitor works fine for text but pictures are way too dark. I am not about to change it yet and I am not sure I can tinker with it to make the picture brighter. It is a HP Ergo 1280. Well, now I am spending time trying to find the schematic diagram online.... not much luck though
gs3
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Last Activity: 02-09-2021, 07:04 AM
Joined: 09-06-2006
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
Well, if anyone wants to put together a prototype, I will be glad to help with any troubleshooting. I don't think I can do much more.
If you are going to tinker, it helps greatly if you have a 'scope so you can see what's going on.
I am going to see if I can get my friend to make some more PCBs for me but he does it as a fav9or and I do not want to abuse him.Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
sorry, my earlier post was answering Whiz.
I suggest a few people build some prototypes and, after they test them they report their findings and any suggestions for improvements.
Then you can think of further "mass production".
I do not have PCB design software so others would be in a better position to do this because I do my modifications entirely by hand.
If this goes well and a few people report the instrument is useful, then I may try to get some manufacturer to mass produce the item....Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
Well, feel free to do it. I do not have good means for any of this. I design the PCB entirely manually as I have no design software and I have no way of making them myself. I had a friend make a few samples for me. If someone wants to go ahead and do it, they do not need my permission.
My design is 33 x 38 mm so you can put 9 (3x3) on 10 x 12 cm. Anyone who has access to make a board can make this easily and recoup the cost. Hey, I may even buy one or two myself!
I feel I have done enough with what I have already done. Someone...Leave a comment:
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Re: Mysterious armada problem
I don't know but, man, my monitor is kind of dark, .. please tell me your avatar is not what it appears to be.Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
I forgot one more diode 1n4148 and the PCB.
I guess it is difficult to assess value on the parts because just the galvanometer and box would make a big difference depending on what you are using. Not counting those, the rest comes out at maybe 2 ~4 dollars if you have to buy it.
The PCB I built is tiny. If you do not mind a bigger size you can use regular strip PCB.
You can see I did not use jacks for the test leads and the probes are just rigid copper wire. Everything except the PCB is recycled.Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
I agree that it can be built for very little. As I said, I already have what I need as I have built several. The only thing is that I am involved in this for fun and I would like to see this mass produced just for the heck of it. I believe it could be sold for just a few dollars.
By the way, here is an approximate parts list. As I say, I keep making changes and no two are alike.
16 resistors
4 resistors 1% tolerance for the bridge
Trimmer resistor to adjust ammeter end of scale
4 x 1 uF tantalum caps...Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
Well, the switch, like the box, ammeter, etc. is something you can use anyone you like or have handy and it makes no difference. I happen to have in my junk box a push switch whch pops a green button when it is on so the situation is immediately visible. I may use that if I ever build a "final" sample.
As long as you understand the circuit, you can build it with the schematic as it is. But if you can only follow exact instructions without being able to troubleshoot the circuit then I would advise that you wait.
As I said,...Leave a comment:
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
Good idea [b]whiz[/b]. The thing though is that I was thinking of using the same LED that is already in the circuit. Also, you have to weigh the soncumption of the "reminder" LED with the consumption of forgetting the thing on. Maybe it is not worth it. I think the best solution may be a power button which changes color (mechanically) when it is on. That uses no energy.
I have several other thoughts. Maybe rechargeable batteries. Maybe two or three cells and a switching circuit to raise the voltage....Re: Cheaper ESR meter
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Re: Cheaper ESR meter
I made a small PCB but this design does not exactly match the schematic because I have introduced changes. The resistors in series with the ammeter depend on the particular instrument. As I say, I have made several but no two exactly alike. I am trying to make some final improvements and then give it final form. The you have to assemble several to make sure they all work well and within tolerance in spite of component variation etc.
I thnk this could be cheaply manufactured in China and sold at a low price. Similar to those analogue (or even...Leave a comment:
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EPoX 8KHAL
I've been using my EPoX 8KHAL for about 4.5 years now and, for now it meets my needs and I would prefer to keep it some more.
A few weeks ago the Agiler-ATX400 power supply died. I replaced a few caps and semiconductors and got it to work again.
A couple weeks later I started smelling something burning and I thought I'd wait until whateber it was died. Sure enough, the whole thing died and when I opened the box I found the four +5 pins of the ATX mobo connecter had melted and burnt. Ah, I hate the smell of defeat!
I could not replace the connector so... -
Re: Cheaper ESR meter
Hmmm, it seems that page [url]www.qsl.net/iz7ath/web/02_brew/15_lab/06_esr/[/url] is down now. I found the google cached page but it does not show the graphics which are the most important part. Maybe it will come online again soon.
At any rate, here is my version as it stands now. Still a work in progress though. Notice some values are not final yet and some labels are not consecutive etc. But I will answer any questions.
The ESR meter has two test probes to connect it to the capacitor under test without removing it from the circuit....Leave a comment:
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Cheaper ESR meter
This is a very cheap ESR meter. Initially published in the Italian magazine [url="http://www.nuovaelettronica.it/it/kit/index.cfm?fb=scheda_kit&ww_articoli_id=16281"]Nuova Elettronica[/url] as an accesory to use with an analog multimeter. Shown in [url="http://www.qsl.net/iz7ath/web/02_brew/15_lab/06_esr/index.htm"]this page[/url] and discussed in Spanish [url="http://www.yoreparo.com/foros/diseno_electronico/80575.html"]here[/url].
It is extremely simple to build. It only has an TL084 quad opamp IC, a couple transistors and a few other pasive components.... -
Re: Voltage doubler? Which component(s) is it?
Sometimes I find that redrawing the circuit I can understand it better and that is what I have done here. Both circuits are equivalent. Now look at the lower one. open the switch and you have a normal four diode bridge with a capacitor (formed by two capacitors in series). Close the switch and you have a voltage doubler circuit where the two diodes to the right are not working. ´hope this helps....Leave a comment:
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Re: Basic question regarding use of ungrounded sockets
I see some misinformation in this thread.
GFCIs work just as well whether the circuit is grounded or not. A GFCI measures any difference between the two supply wires and the ground wire is not involved. In fact, I would say a GFCI is more important and useful when you do not have the protection of a grounded appliance.
Yes, you can live with ungrounded devices and survive. Many people did. But many lives could have been saved by grounding appliances and that is why today the grounding is required....Leave a comment:
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