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Reliable and trustworthy transistor tester,,,

tutor_turtle

tutor_turtle

AK Subscriber
Subscriber
Bought the DROK transistor checker on amazon for $40.
I've used it for a few years now, but don't always trust it.
Sometimes repeated testing of the same device shows different results.

Yesterday I know I had shorted output transistors.
This tester tested them as good, while a simple ohmmeter test showed one was a dead short, while the complement was almost a dead short.
What gives?
Do I need a meter tester, or stick to ohming them out?
I like to gain match in some cases, or at least know what the gain is.

I am going to check out the Peak Atlas DCA55 as recommended here.
 
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avionic said:
Just had to have that Apple didn't cha. :rflmao:
Click to expand...
Wife got free computers from her work, along with all the programs.
(Desktop publishing)
Kinda got used to the free stuff.
Now we have no free hardware/software, they're a burden, in more ways than one.

They are increasingly marginalized, price having a lot to do with it.

I know enough about PC to navigate around, but I'm not proficient yet.
I should just break down and get a cheap laptop to bone-up my skill set.

Is there any one brand you suggest?
I should have jumped when my sister-in-law worked at HP.
 
I'm a novice at this stuff, but have found my Atlas DCA55 most valuable. There probably is better stuff out there, but for me, that unit represents big bang for the buck for what little I do in this arena. Just my two cents. A Atlas DCA55 is highly recommended.
Al
 
tutor_turtle said:
Wife got free computers from her work, along with all the programs.
(Desktop publishing)
Kinda got used to the free stuff.
Now we have no free hardware/software, they're a burden, in more ways than one.

They are increasingly marginalized, price having a lot to do with it.

I know enough about PC to navigate around, but I'm not proficient yet.
I should just break down and get a cheap laptop to bone-up my skill set.

Is there any one brand you suggest?
I should have jumped when my sister-in-law worked at HP.
Click to expand...
@tutor_turtle and @avionic - good questions (and potential responses), but off topic. Please pursue elsewhere.
 
If I didn't have a curve tracer, I'd just use my ancient Fluke 73 on diode-check and measure B-E and B-C, sometimes C-E on power devices. Never seen it fail to sort good from bad. In fact, I often do that rather than fire up the tracer.

Now, something that's appealing, though I've yet to try it, is use my Siglent scope and sig gen to trace curves. The sig gen has two outputs so you can use one for base drive and one for collector. It will sync to the scope and, voila, a curve family. I know people have done it, but I haven't pursued it yet, probably when the big Tek 575 becomes unrepairable. I suspect you can buy the more modest (lower bandwidth) scope and sig gen for less than you can buy a curve tracer!
 
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