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ESR meter - project

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whiz115

Member
Hi!

I want to build an ESR meter ...first of all i would like to know if you think
it's a useful tool and better than capacitometer on checking defected
capacitors?

second thing... i need heeelp! i know the basic principles of the way it
works, but my knowledge aren't enough to design one!

i prefer to use a wheatstone bridge, i have seen many schematics
and i think it's more easy to build it that way...i also prefer to use
the tl084 op-amps which i already have and i can buy a galvanometer
or use my analog multimeter to read my results! although i would like to listen
any other opinions on my design as long as it has nothing to do with microcontrolers! i don't have knowledge on such things...i'd like my design to be simple and cost effective and above all to do its job! :D

ready "examples" are acceptable... ;) :D

Thanks in advance everyone willing to help me.
 
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Yes please do!
if it fits my needs i would like the PCB too! :)
it will be the first time i'm going to etch a PCB.....
 
whiz115 said:
Hi!

I want to build an ESR meter ...first of all i would like to know if you think
it's a useful tool and better than capacitometer on checking defected
capacitors?

It's almost essential these days, the major cause of faults is low ESR capacitors - with an ESR meter you can easily, and quickly, identify these while still in circuit (mostly!).

second thing... i need heeelp! i know the basic principles of the way it
works, but my knowledge aren't enough to design one!

i prefer to use a wheatstone bridge, i have seen many schematics
and i think it's more easy to build it that way

The designs I've seen (and the one I built) don't use a wheatstone bridge, just a simple potential divider. It's also pretty essential that you do the measurements at 100KHz - which is the standard frequency for ESR testing.
 
Nigel Goodwin said:
The designs I've seen (and the one I built) don't use a wheatstone bridge, just a simple potential divider. It's also pretty essential that you do the measurements at 100KHz - which is the standard frequency for ESR testing.

that is interesting... if it works good and makes my design more simple
i would like something like that! :)
 
you got pm...

i'm still interested on any advices if someone has to add something
i'm all ears and eyes! :)
 
hi again... :)

i have ended up with 2 esr schematics... i'll choose the one which
i can more easily source components and costs less for me...
but before that i don't know how to make them PCB...

probably i'll use PCBexpress does anyone has time to correct
my try on the design i'm going to build?!
 
Perhaps you should design it yourself?

This is your project remember.
 
whiz115 said:
i have ended up with 2 esr schematics... i'll choose the one which
i can more easily source components and costs less for me...
but before that i don't know how to make them PCB...

Can you post the designs? I'd be interested in taking a look at them.
 
I would assume it's copyrighted.

Although I would think it's all right as one diagram probably qualifies as fair dealing.
 
I have found many but some of the designs probably are copyrighted and i don't know which one i can post and which i can't.


recently i tried to convert one of them into PCB... it's a improvement some guy did...based on a design which belongs to Nuova Elettronica.

**broken link removed**


(This is the improvement and not the original which exists on an other forum. The original can also be found online)


**broken link removed**


and this is my unfinished try on Eagle to convert the above into schematic and then PCB. :( :(

it's my first time on Eagle it's total mess right? can someone give me instructions what to do?
 

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ljcox said:
I designed a simple ESR meter.

I'll post the circuit if you wish.
Sorry, I forgot to post my circuit. Here it is. The .pdf includes a circuit description.

I made it on a prototyping PCB that I purchased from JayCar.
 

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  • ESR Meter.pdf
    12.5 KB · Views: 3,771
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as i said to a previous post... my try is unfinished...
i didn't knew if i'm doing it correctly and i got disappointed from the outcome! so i need some advices what to do and how to continue so a can make the PCB layout.
 
Build it as specified, then try to simplify it. Your version does not even appear close. Why would you not build it like its original design? It's only one IC afterall.
 
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