What do you think to this ESR / cap meter

[olly_k]

Hey folks want to make an ESR meter been studying various designs and came across this PIC based version...

**broken link removed**

Looks ok but doesn't use a conventional 100khz test signal, but instead pulses the capacitor and uses PIC dac to measure voltage drop and then work out ESR - so is this going to be a problem where accuracy is concerned?

BTW I really like the idea of capacitance measurement on top of ESR as my multimeter and pic based LC meter is limited in upper range to about 15uF!

There is also a similar Russian version below but seems a little over complicated whilst using a similar approach!

Google Translate

Any opinions appreciated!

 

[bryan]

Here is another one, not pic basedn and strictly ESR, but looks simple to build and supposedly works quite well.

Capacitor ESR Tester

 

[olly_k]

Here is another one, not pic basedn and strictly ESR, but looks simple to build and supposedly works quite well.

Capacitor ESR Tester

Yes I had seen that, and a few others - but as I have most of the parts for the above, and the desire (more than the need maybe) to measure capacitance in one unit I was specifically interested in one of the digital versions presented above.

I guess I will have to build this and an analogue meter then compare the results.

I am sure there is someone here with an opinion though?

 

[ericgibbs]

Yes I had seen that, and a few others - but as I have most of the parts for the above, and the desire (more than the need maybe) to measure capacitance in one unit I was specifically interested in one of the digital versions presented above.

I guess I will have to build this and an analogue meter then compare the results.

I am sure there is someone here with an opinion though?

hi olly,
Your posted circuit was shown in the Forums last year, IIRC it was considered to be a 'concept' circuit designed only for a students assignment.

 

[olly_k]

Are you referring to the pic based esr meter? I have searched the forums and couldn't find anything related to the this project!

 

[olly_k]

ok well decided to go with the elektor version which you can download for free when you register for the first time