Simple Scope add-on component tester.

Here is a simple but very useful component tester you can build to use with your scope set to the X-Y mode. Some scopes even have this feature incorporated into it.

The transformer can be a small mains to 6.3v ~ 9v type. From my diagram you can see the different components I tested in the simulator for various combinations by closing switches. This tester may also be used to check components in-circuit (with the power off to the circuit under test) with the display showing the result of the components between the two nodes, touched with the test leads.

There are many more shapes from combination of components, and the user can easily log his own"signatures" of known combinations for later reference. This is very handy when faultfinding many of the same product or circuit.

looks a whole lot like this:

**broken link removed**

Units like the Huntron and others are much more sophisticated, but so are the prices.

TheOne said:

Units like the Huntron and others are much more sophisticated, but so are the prices.

Click to expand...

My God, TheOne, you have aged 30 years overnight!

The circuit posted above is very useful for checking components, I remember using something similar for checking inductors and torroids when you needed to get an idea of what the B-H curve looked like during development of a SMPS design.

On the topic of the Huntron gear:

One thing I never understood about the Huntron equipment, unless I am just missing the obvious? Would you not need a working circuit or atleast a set of known, good, waveforms to compare to, when testing a component in-circuit? I realize the device under test will exibit a typical trace, but wouldn't the surrounding circuit greatly alter the characteristics of the trace, possibly confusing wether or not the deveice is actually good?

I would think that if you had the knowledge to interpret the trace variations, you could probably figure out the problem in the circuit with basic test gear...?

If you needed to remove each part before testing, wouldn't it mean that you have already decided that a particular part is likely the problem? Now you are just confirming it with very expensive equipment?

I guess with known traces to compare to, production line testing would be faster, but for service work I don't know how much a Huntron would help.

It would be great for checking parts like a curve tracer would, but I must be missing something... I seem to remember they were alot of money back in the late 80's when they were all the rage?

Am I all wet here or what?