Cheap Component Tester

[EchoWars]

In this post a while back, I stumbled on a cheap tester that I thought I'd check out. Here's the link to the device: http://m.banggood.com/3_5inch-Color...FT-Backlight-Transistor-Tester-p-1083042.html

I've also seen these on eBay, with and without the plastic case and battery. I could not resist, and I ordered one for $35. Took all month for it to show up, but it arrived today. Yay! New toys!

Anyway, it works like a charm. I've been comparing transistor measurements to the ones I get with my DCA55 (which was much more expensive) and they agree with each other to within 1%. Comes with a remote three-lead minigrabber ribbon cable, a (short 6") USB-A male to a male USB micro-A cable for charging the internal lithium battery, and a couple of seemingly random parts (in my case, a weird turquoise LED and an amazingly cheap 1uf cap that measures worse than some I've pulled from 40 year-old gear). I was also paranoid about plugging this into my computer for charging the battery, so I ordered a Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 wall charger that has some protections built-in and comes with a nice 1m cable. Link: https://www.amazon.com/AUKEY-Micro-...067289&sr=8-5&keywords=Quick+Charge+2.0+AUKEY

BTW, the price from Banggood (you know there's a good joke there somewhere) has dropped nearly $10 since I bought this one. Damn slow shipping, but it did eventually make it. Longevity is, of course, unknown, and someday that flat internal lithium battery is going to need replacing, but hell, $25! (plus a wall charger if you, like me, worry about plugging Chinese whatchamacallits into your computer USB port)

 

[EchoWars]

Wow...the price of this thing might jump around a bit...15 minutes ago it was $25, now it's $29. Still, a cool little tester if the cost of the Peak testers is a bit too dear for the wallet.

Might mention that there's also several eBay sellers of the same identical item:
182170556129
401011183719
322315868253
172200844257
391295053460

...and more.

 

[OMGCat!]

That's much fancier looking than my cheapo tester. I think I'm going to pick one up from eBay as an upgrade. I can always use my old one as a backup/comparison unit.
Thanks for the review.

 

[yo00]

Nice component tester Glenn, I can recommend the MK-328 as well, with a nice case and firmware upgradeable and configurable (font, features, language, and many more) via open source repository. (needs compile and usbasp for reprogram the avr).

Moderator edit: removed link to eBay auction as that would violate AK rules.

ps.

if anyone needs the compiled firmware for the MK-328 tester, just ask and i happily can upload it here with the latest available release.


best regards.


Pio

 

[ghazzer]

I bought this one 3+ years ago for $22 on fleabay, without the nice case and had to supply my own walwart. The Atmega chip has probably gotten better since then and I suspect that the programming has improved. I have found it to be a good qualitative component tester, but not precise enough for most cases. It is a great way to check/confirm the E/C/B identity of transistor leads

Have you figured out what the % tolerance of repeated readings is with your new tester? And how do its readings compare to readings from your other test equipment?

 

[N8Nagel]

Nice thread. I have a cheap capacitance meter that I use for caps over 5.6 microfarads (the limits of the built in cap checking ability of my Fluke)

I have nothing however that will measure ESR. This is very timely for me as I seem to be getting more serious about restoring/repairing gear and would like some assurances that caps that I am replacing really do need to be replaced, as a lot of them are in really tight spaces, plus I like originality. (don't worry, 60 year old electrolytics are going for sure)

So far I've seen

"TC1" mentioned in first post
was actually considering the "MK-328" that Pio mentions above
DCA55 mentioned in first post ($75)
BK Precision 879B ($260)
Agilent ??? ($$$$)

Are the TC1 or MK-328 good enough for hobbyist use, and are there any quirks that you're aware of that would make one read a cap as good where in fact it is not?

thanks! Watching this thread with great interest.

 

[ferninando]

i have the 9v battery version and i like it. it gives readings more matching the actual values of caps which is its primary purpose
for me. But other components arejust as accurate also.
highly recommended, and i like how it shoows the test circuit.
only used for passive components. i use other testors for transistors.

 

[elnaldo]

I bought this one 2+ years ago for $16 on fleabay, without the nice case and had to supply my own walwart. The Atmega chip has probably gotten better since then and I suspect that the programming has improved. I have found it to be a good qualitative component tester, but not precise enough for most cases. It is a great way to check/confirm the E/C/B identity of transistor leads

Have you figured out what the % tolerance of repeated readings is with your new tester? And how do its readings compare to readings from your other test equipment?

I have exactly this same device, I think I paid $10 or 12 at its time. I can't be happier with it. Inductance, capacitace, ESR, hfe...
I miss a case and proper connectors though.

I've seen it get confused when you measure FET transistors, the pinout is shown the same order even if you flip the transistor, so it's not accurate to identify DSG in a FET.

 

[SPL db]

 

[EchoWars]

I've seen it get confused when you measure FET transistors, the pinout is shown the same order even if you flip the transistor, so it's not accurate to identify DSG in a FET.

With many (perhaps most) small signal JFET's, the source and drain are interchangeable.

 

[bluehills5]

They are also available in kit form for under $15 shipped. Search ebay for "GM328 Transistor Tester Diode kit" (although the one I ordered one 5 weeks ago is still in shipping...grrr).
But I also think this would make a great purchase for the budding repairer. Not only do you get a good component tester, you'd also get some soldering and component experience before leaping into your first project.

 

[dondoucette]

I picked up a GM328A from banggood a while back, so far I'm fairly impressed, mine took a month to arrive and as with most of the Chinese junk it wasn't working when I got it so after I repaired it it's been a pretty decent piece of kit.

 

[Bob]

these are great for a cheap tester, transistors, diodes, resistors, caps. For caps, they tell you ESR but probably not n
exact measurement.

Note skip the 9V battery, wire a 6v AC adapter in, these units don't draw enough power to drop it to the stated output.
9V adapters gave 11V and mde the LED much brighter. the 6V adapter yielded 8.8 V - close enough,

 

[nj pheonix]

Glenn,
Must be the power of suggestion but like you said for 30 bucks what the H##l?
Now i just have to wait

 

[tom3]

See these now for under $15 on Ebay. Pretty handy and accurate enough for a DIYer like me. Cap. values above 100mf get pretty far off, 1000uf reads about 750 and does give an ESR value. But still gives a go-no go test for most components. And handy to double check transistor pinouts. Mounted this in a plastic case that was laying around.

 

[Anti_Skate]

I have that same one tom3. I like the way you used that plastic case for an enclosure. I'm gonna have to do that.

 

[EchoWars]

Just an FYI, price has dropped to $25 again...

http://m.banggood.com/3_5inch-Color...FT-Backlight-Transistor-Tester-p-1083042.html

 

[nj pheonix]

So weird?
I paid a little more but whatever, not losing any sleep over a couple of bucks. I wonder why the price jumps around so much?

 

[EchoWars]

IKR? Strange stuff...

 

[s-petersen]

Does the IR tester work? nice feature