DSE ESR meter

i bought 1 today for 25 bux it seems good value but i wan to run it on
external power adaptor instead should i only use a regulated one and how
many amps should it be rated for? thx

 

you dont need a regulated power supply it uses less than 50ma a 9v
100ma plugpack would work just fine

bob

 

Thanks also I got 1n4002 diodes even though they should be 1n4004 are they
ok to use?

 

If you mean the ones in the kit, that is perfectly OK.

Bob

 

Hi Bob, is DSE still selling your Meter?
I know Jaycar used to sell it, mine 'Blewup' a while ago (Bloody TV tech
used it and forgot to discharge the cap, and then Did not tell anyone he
stuffed it, could not workout why all these caps where stuffed..:>)
So I have been looking for a replacement.
Allan

 

G'day Allan,
As far as I know, DSE's still selling both the Mk1 and Mk2 kits for
the ridiculously cheap price of $24.99 each.
You better grab one fairly quickly because the rumour going around
is that they mightn't be making any more of them, or any other kits either.
Woolworths management has apparently decreed that Dick Smith
Electronics in future won't have any connection with either Dick Smith
or component-level electronics. :-(
BTW, probably only C6 (47uF bipolar) and the microcontroller (IC2)
are damaged in your meter. Both are replaceable, you know.


Rgds
Bob

 

*gasp*
They aren't going to drop the infamous Dick Head symbol are they?

Perhaps they will do a Kentucky Fried Chicken and simply become "DSE"?
Perhaps there was a 25 year deal on the use of the Dick Head?

Dave

 

Where can one buy spare parts?
Tom

 

What's the bet it costs as much to buy a programmed controller as DSE is
selling the kits for at the moment

MrT.

 

Who knows what the Woolies bean counters who run the company will do
next? Even that logo isn't the one they had originally.
They really should give it a new name which reflects what the
company really stands for. "Big W Consumer Electronics" would be accurate.


Bob

 

DSE should still be able to sell you a 47uF 50V bipolar capacitor.
It's catalog number R4650. Don't ask the staff for help though - they
don't know what a capacitor is.

I can help you with the microcontroller chip. Remove ".deletethis"
from my e-mail address to contact me. Click on the link in the
Bluebottle anti-spam e-mail you'll get, and I'll get it.


Bob

 

Are you a DSE employee?

I was simply saying that DSE has no involvement with Dick Smith
himself. I didn't mean that this was something new!

Bob

 

Thanks for your answer Bob. I was mainly asking about microcontroller as I don't recall seeing any sort of firmware for it anywhere. So far I don't need one (I've only built my ESR meter just a week ago) but it's good to know there are spares available.
Tom

 

No worries! DSE also sells the micro as a spare part, though I don't
know what its catalog number is.
The firmware hasn't been made public. Even if it was, there aren't a
lot of programmers for Zilog Z8 micros around.

Rgds
Bob

 

I find that surprising. I know the mark-up on components is massive,
more than any other consumer item, but they must represent a very
small proportion of sales? A classic case for slashing the inventory
and cutting costs. I'm surprised they have lasted all this time
stocking components, as they are as everyone knows, shocking at it.

Do you have any more details?

Dave

 

It was probably > 20 years ago that I was waiting in line at the
cash register at the local DSE store. The bloke in front of me put a
handful of components on the counter, and a 1/4W resistor rolled off the
edge.
The helpful salesgirl said, "One of your diodes just fell on the
floor!".
Things haven't improved since then. That's why I'm also very curious
as to why DSE would discontinue kits which have the catalog numbers on
the cartons to make it easy for the salespersons, but increase their
range of components which are a total mystery to them.
Maybe they'll start selling resistors and everything else at even
higher prices in little plastic bubble packs like Tandy used to?

 

When are they going to start training the current crop of 16 year-old
still_wet_behind_the_ears sales staff as to what a resistor, transistor etc
actually are? Because until that happens, component buyers will stay away in
droves to avoid the pain.

 

Thanks for elaborating, Mike. I expect that the average person on
the steet assumes that Dick Smith not only runs the stores with his face
on them, but also makes peanut butter and produces a nature magazine.

Cheers
Bob

 

"rebel"

** What pain ???

Long as YOU know what you are after and have the common sense to make sure
it is listed in the DSE catalogue - all the staff have to do it take your
money.

If a particular store is out of stock - then any staffer can check the DSE
on line database as to stock levels held at other stores. Even the female
staffers seem very adept and obliging at this.

BTW:

Ill mannered geeks have always been a right pain in the arse to electronics
store staffers.

OTOH - polite geeks with cat numbers on hand generally get royal
treatment.




........ Phil

 

any staffer can check the DSE online database as to

Gosh, who'd have thought that females could manage that?

Peter