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What is your favorite small tester?

J

John Bachman

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am curious as to the favorite little testers that techs use today.
I know that the Dick Smith ESR meter (Bob Parker design) is very
popular and the Peak component testers are handy also.

Are there any other small, well designed testers that service techs
use and like?

TIA

John Bachman
The Electronic Repair Center at www.anatekcorp.com
Professional electronic service discussion at
www.anatekcorp.com/elrepair/elrepair.htm
 
J

Jerry G.

Jan 1, 1970
0
I like to use the ESR meter, and a portable scope. The portable scope can
also measure voltages. The Tektronix TDS-220 is a very good one to have for
general repairs.

--

Jerry G.
=====

I am curious as to the favorite little testers that techs use today.
I know that the Dick Smith ESR meter (Bob Parker design) is very
popular and the Peak component testers are handy also.

Are there any other small, well designed testers that service techs
use and like?

TIA

John Bachman
The Electronic Repair Center at www.anatekcorp.com
Professional electronic service discussion at
www.anatekcorp.com/elrepair/elrepair.htm
 
A

Art

Jan 1, 1970
0
Actually "Home Brew" IR Snooper, Basically an op amp with a visible led
connected to the output and a IR Photo Pickup connected to the inputs.
Basically used to check IR remotes for any activity. Easy Yes/No check for a
questionable remote or, of course, dead batteries.
 
M

Matt J. McCullar

Jan 1, 1970
0
I still use my trusty Fluke 77 digital multimeter every day. I'd be naked
without it.

On the bench, my homemade X/Y component tester (a voltage vs. current tester
hooked up to my oscilloscope, and sometimes known as "the octopus") REALLY
speeds up troubleshooting time. Very inexpensive but lets you find shorted
and leaky components in a heartbeat.
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Matt J. McCullar said:
I still use my trusty Fluke 77 digital multimeter every day. I'd be naked
without it.

On the bench, my homemade X/Y component tester (a voltage vs. current tester
hooked up to my oscilloscope, and sometimes known as "the octopus") REALLY
speeds up troubleshooting time. Very inexpensive but lets you find shorted
and leaky components in a heartbeat.

My 35+ year old Lafayette analog multimeter. Yes, it has some scars,
no duct tape though. :)

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive
traffic on Repairfaq.org.

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
G

Gary J. Tait

Jan 1, 1970
0
I am curious as to the favorite little testers that techs use today.
I know that the Dick Smith ESR meter (Bob Parker design) is very
popular and the Peak component testers are handy also.

Are there any other small, well designed testers that service techs
use and like?

TIA

John Bachman
The Electronic Repair Center at www.anatekcorp.com
Professional electronic service discussion at
www.anatekcorp.com/elrepair/elrepair.htm


For what I do (mostly reverse enginneering), I have one of those
continuity testers that are a couple AA batterie, a light bulb
(changed to LED), a probeand a wire with an alligator clip.
 
N

N Cook

Jan 1, 1970
0
Gary J. Tait said:
For what I do (mostly reverse enginneering), I have one of those
continuity testers that are a couple AA batterie, a light bulb
(changed to LED), a probeand a wire with an alligator clip.

I don't know what its called , pseudo-stethoscope ?
A crystal earpiece with the plug cut off and replaced by croc-clip for
ground connection and a probe for the other wire and splitting the wires
apart.


electronic hints and repair briefs , schematics/manuals list on
http://homepages.tcp.co.uk/~diverse
 
D

DaveM

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam Goldwasser said:
My 35+ year old Lafayette analog multimeter. Yes, it has some scars,
no duct tape though. :)


Yep!!! Analog is far from dead!!! My old Simpson 260 model 3 is still
alive and kicking. Have had very few problems with it... most notably
involving dirt/dust getting into the meter movement. I finally solved that
problem by buying a 260 series 6 movement/front panel and replacing my
movement with the series 6 taut-band movement. I finished the job by
sealing the meter faceplate with a thin bead of silicone sealant. not a
minute's trouble in almost 10 years since that time.
Most analog meters I've seen at flea markets and hamfests have been damaged
on the ohms range(s) by the user's carelessness. I've become adept at
winding new resistors for those, but alas, I'm running out of the resistance
wire. Anybody have a source for small quantities of the insulated
resistance wire used to make the ohms and current range resistors in Simpson
meters?
I bought about 25 feet of several gauges back in the 60's when electronics
suppliers had a decent variety of stuff to sell. Haven't seen it in stores
or in catalogs in years.

The Octopus is so darned useful in troubleshooting solid state equipment.
Of course, that's the basis for the Huntron component analyzers... they
just built it with its own scope and provided several voltage/current
ranges. But basically still the common Octopus!!!

Cheers!!!
--
Dave M
MasonDG44 at comcast dot net (Just subsitute the appropriate characters in
the address)

Never take a laxative and a sleeping pill at the same time!!
 
S

Sam Goldwasser

Jan 1, 1970
0
Sam is a man after my own heart. Lost without my trusty Simpson.

:)

Actually, the Lafayette has survived incidents that blew up my Simpson.
While the Lafeyette has required repair, the meter movement itself
is in perfect condition. It has the most amazingly effective overcurrent
meter protection I've seen on a basic multimeter.

--- sam | Sci.Electronics.Repair FAQ Mirror: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/
Repair | Main Table of Contents: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/
+Lasers | Sam's Laser FAQ: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/sam/lasersam.htm
| Mirror Sites: http://repairfaq.ece.drexel.edu/REPAIR/F_mirror.html

Note: These links are hopefully temporary until we can sort out the excessive
traffic on Repairfaq.org.

Important: Anything sent to the email address in the message header above is
ignored unless my full name is included in the subject line. Or, you can
contact me via the Feedback Form in the FAQs.
 
J

James Sweet

Jan 1, 1970
0
Actually, the Lafayette has survived incidents that blew up my Simpson.
While the Lafeyette has required repair, the meter movement itself
is in perfect condition. It has the most amazingly effective overcurrent
meter protection I've seen on a basic multimeter.

So how's this amazingly effective overcurrent protection work?

Those old Simpsons are good meters, never seen a Lafeyette so I can't
comment on that. I still prefer a good Fluke digital for most things though,
I know I'm showing my age but I never did get to the point of being able to
accurately read an analog multimeter at a glance, though I do prefer analog
clocks over 7 segment digital. Hard to beat a nixie tube for that though :)
 
M

Marvin Moss

Jan 1, 1970
0
I use a transistor tester that is first class. Does an amazing number of
tests.
It is only about $60 in kit form and runs rings around my Peak unit that I
bought for almost $200 from UK.

Check it out at

http://www.al7fs.us/AL7FS6M3Analyzer.html

Note:
I have no interest in M-cubed Electronix.
Just a satisfied customer.
 
You do NOT NEED to accurately read an analog meter to perform basic
troubleshooting. When checking diodes, transistors and general
voltages all you are looking for is approximate meter swing. No need
to actually read a digitally presented number and figure out if it is
in an acceptable range. Of course the digital is best for accurate
settings and voltage measurements but for most troubleshooting an old
analog is quick and fast.
electricitym
 
N

NSM

Jan 1, 1970
0
I don't know what its called , pseudo-stethoscope ?
A crystal earpiece with the plug cut off and replaced by croc-clip for
ground connection and a probe for the other wire and splitting the wires
apart.

My buddy liked a gadget he built from an article. Two transistor circuit in
a small probe (pocket flashlight case) with a Xtal earpiece you could use as
a signal tracer. When you pulled out the earpiece it became a signal
injector.

N
 
M

Michael Black

Jan 1, 1970
0
NSM" ([email protected]) said:
My buddy liked a gadget he built from an article. Two transistor circuit in
a small probe (pocket flashlight case) with a Xtal earpiece you could use as
a signal tracer. When you pulled out the earpiece it became a signal
injector.
"Elementary Electronics" for Jan-Feb 1971, page 60. "Sig-Prob" by
Rudolph Graf and George Whalen.

Of course, I've seen the circuit reprinted elsewhere, and for all
I know the concept originated earlier, but that's the first time I
saw it, and it was the third electronic magazine I bought, and the
first issue of that magazine.

Michael
 
On the subject of reverse engineering. I can photocopy the copper
side of a board and photograph the component side. What I wan't is
a program that lets me superimpose, suitably scaled, one on top
of the other. So the plated through holes are roughly superimposed.
This might facilitate producing a wiring list/table. Being able to
vary the percent show through would be needed. Any known s/w
for this.
 
J

John Bachman

Jan 1, 1970
0
On the subject of reverse engineering. I can photocopy the copper
side of a board and photograph the component side. What I wan't is
a program that lets me superimpose, suitably scaled, one on top
of the other. So the plated through holes are roughly superimposed.
This might facilitate producing a wiring list/table. Being able to
vary the percent show through would be needed. Any known s/w
for this.

You can do that with any graphics program that has "layers" capability
such as Paint Shop Pro. They tend to be a bit pricey though.

John
AnaTek Corporation
The Electronic Repair Center at www.anatekcorp.com
Professional electronic service discussions at
www.anatekcorp.com/elrepair/elrepair.htm
 
B

Bob Parker

Jan 1, 1970
0
You do NOT NEED to accurately read an analog meter to perform basic
troubleshooting. When checking diodes, transistors and general
voltages all you are looking for is approximate meter swing. No need
to actually read a digitally presented number and figure out if it is
in an acceptable range. Of course the digital is best for accurate
settings and voltage measurements but for most troubleshooting an old
analog is quick and fast.
electricitym


I entirely agree. I still go for my Jemco 20K ohm/volt analog meter
I bought in 1973, over my Fluke DMM unless I'm doing some critical
adjusting. :)

Bob
 
A

Asimov

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Bob Parker" bravely wrote to "All" (03 Feb 05 01:31:49)
--- on the heady topic of "Re: What is your favorite small tester?"

BP> From: Bob Parker <[email protected]>
BP> Xref: aeinews sci.electronics.repair:9164

BP> [email protected] said:
You do NOT NEED to accurately read an analog meter to perform basic
troubleshooting. When checking diodes, transistors and general
voltages all you are looking for is approximate meter swing. No need
to actually read a digitally presented number and figure out if it is
in an acceptable range. Of course the digital is best for accurate
settings and voltage measurements but for most troubleshooting an old
analog is quick and fast.
electricitym


BP> I entirely agree. I still go for my Jemco 20K ohm/volt analog meter
BP> I bought in 1973, over my Fluke DMM unless I'm doing some critical
BP> adjusting. :)


One can't really trust a dmm because all the specs say +/- 1 digit!
OTOH an analog meter always shows measurements with no uncertainty. It
may be wrong but it won't be different every time one takes a new
reading.

A*s*i*m*o*v

.... That was a fascinating period of time for electronics
 
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