EMRFD Message Archive 13758

Message Date From Subject
13758 2017-04-05 08:59:22 iq_rx Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter

Hi Group, I use my AADE inductance meter all the time, with repeatable results from a few nH up into the low millinery range.  Now that it is no longer available, I'm looking for something in the same price range ($100) to recommend for my students.  Specifically, I'd like to hear from someone who has a similar product, and has routinely built, measured, and used inductors between about 20nH and 200uH, with repeatable, trusted results.


In particular, I'd be interested in someone making a virtual copy of the AADE circuit.  I trust this EMRFD group to have looked inside and compared operation and schematics.


My students have already discovered that many inexpensive (and some expensive) inductance meters are less than useful below a few uH.


Best Regards,

Rick KK7B

13759 2017-04-05 09:28:12 Alberto I2PHD Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
13760 2017-04-05 11:12:08 Clint Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
The unit from G4HUP (http://huprf.com/huprf/) is almost identical to the AADE unit.  I have the HUP unit and it works very good.  With the change in valuation of the American dollar, the UK units are very attractive in pricing.
 
73
Clint
W7KEC
 
13761 2017-04-05 11:12:41 Steve Ratzlaff Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter

I have a number of LC/LCR meters. Currently I think the Chinese LC200A (LC100A without enclosure or battery holder like Alberto showed) works quite well--it's mostly a clone of the AADE LC meter. Last year I heard about a Japanese LCR meter and got one--this is a near-lab grade instrument and can be bought for under $100 with shipping. I don't use any of the options, just the meter itself--the DER DE-5000. This has selectable test frequencies up to 100 kHz--very few inexpensive LCR meters offer this. All the following tests were done at 100 kHz. (The aade meter and the Chinese clones all vary the frequency depending on the component, you don't get a choice.)

Here are some measurements I took right now. I have two aade LC meters, an old one and a new one that I got when I heard he was closing shop, plus the DE-5000 and the LC200A. (Hopefully my pasted-in chart will go through.)

73,

Steve AA7U


 DER DE-5000 aade #1 aade #2 LC200A
'T50-3, 50 t. #28 45.29 uH 44.57 uH 45.26 uH 44.96 uH
40 t. 30.60 uH 28.87 uH 30.48 uH 30.29 uH
30 t. 18.698 uH 18.32 uH 18.51 uH 18.46 uH
20 t. 9.039 uH 8.791 uH 8.929 uH 8.884 uH
15 t. 5.285 uH 5.090 uH 5.124 uH 5.136 uH
T50-3, 10 t. #26 1.957 uH 1.874 uH 1.879 uH 1.877 uH
T37-2, 10 t. #26 0.553 uH 0.478 uH 0.479 uH 0.322 uH
T37-6, 10 t. #26 0.476 uH 0.387 uH 0.382 uH 0.223 uH
3 t. #18, OD 0.6" 0.171 uH 0.111 uH 0.117 uH 0.063 uH

13762 2017-04-05 11:30:53 John Lawson Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
Hi Rick, my retired electronic engineer friend here bought a Signstek M4070 off of eBay. It is in its own case ready to use. I took my AADE Meter over to his house put them side by side and we compared measurement results of some inductors and capacitors. His results were virtually identical to mine......since it comes from China you might want to get one and verify it with your own AADE Meter before recommending it to your students if you decide to go this route .....All the best, John K5IRK

Sent from my iPad

13763 2017-04-05 11:37:34 Dana Myers Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
13764 2017-04-05 11:47:46 Ashhar Farhan Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
our friend thyagu, VU2PTR makes some meters based on the IK3OIL's designs:

You can contact him here:

There is also a device called the smart tweezers that is being advertised on the internet.
here it is:


- f


13765 2017-04-05 11:49:05 Ashhar Farhan Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
i have used a simple, but pretty effective device : a JFET colpitts oscillator with large precision capacitors (470pf) in the divider between the gate-source and source-ground, the 10uh inductor goes to the ground via a low value capacitor (like 47 pf). it is more of a vacker than a colpitts oscillator.
this is build on a pcb with largish pads where i can add a capacitor in parallel to the 47pf, or add another inductor in series with the 10uh or add a capacitor in parallel to the two 470pfs.
this is connected through two buffers to a frequency counter (actually, just the oscilloscope that has the frequency counter built-in)
I can measure capacitance down to 0.1 pf (as much as 1 khz variation in the frequency read out) and inductance down to 10nh. 
sure, it doesn't do the math. but, i really don't need a pencil and paper past the first few measurements. after that i do it mentally. if the frequency shifts up by x percentage, the incremental inductance/capacitance change is 2x, that is differential of x^2. just note down the effective capacitance and the effective inductance of the oscillator somewhere.
this test oscillator also doubles up to characterize crystals (take out the coil, solder in the the crystal), measure temperature stability and at a pinch it is also the signal generator.

- f
  
ps who were messers colpitts, hartley and vacker?

13766 2017-04-05 12:04:56 Nick Kennedy Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter

13767 2017-04-05 12:14:38 Mark Schoonover Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
He's a silent key now... :(


13768 2017-04-05 12:43:23 Lee Hiers Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
You may want to look at the CLARA:  http://www.shortwaveradio.co.uk/LC_meterr.htm

I've built one, but not used it much...I think it is similar to the AADE meter.

73 de Lee
--
Lee Hiers, AA4GA

Submit your QRP DXCC totals to www.qrpdx.com!


13771 2017-04-05 20:46:09 K5ESS Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
Not advocating this as a replacement for the AADE inductance meter but here is what I have put together to measure inductance and believe it is pretty accurate. I went this route after trying a couple of oscillator circuits to determine inductance which I found to be inaccurate due to the inability to accurately determine the parasitic capacitance.



Mike

K5ESS



13773 2017-04-05 21:06:07 K5ESS Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
13775 2017-04-05 22:54:26 Raj Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
I agree with Steve on Der DE-5000. Works very well but only needs more power from battery than AADE.

At 05/04/2017, you wrote:
>
>
>I have a number of LC/LCR meters. Currently I think the Chinese LC200A (LC100A without enclosure or battery holder like Alberto showed) works quite well--it's mostly a clone of the AADE LC meter. Last year I heard about a Japanese LCR meter and got one--this is a near-lab grade instrument and can be bought for under $100 with shipping. I don't use any of the options, just the meter itself--the DER DE-5000. This has selectable test frequencies up to 100 kHz--very few inexpensive LCR meters offer this. All the following tests were done at 100 kHz. (The aade meter and the Chinese clones all vary the frequency depending on the component, you don't get a choice.)
>
>Here are some measurements I took right now. I have two aade LC meters, an old one and a new one that I got when I heard he was closing shop, plus the DE-5000 and the LC200A. (Hopefully my pasted-in chart will go through.)
>
>73,
>
>Steve AA7U
13776 2017-04-06 03:54:57 Alan Melia Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
Hi all I noticed someone refered to the kit version provided by G4HUP. I am
sad to say, much to our shock, Dave died suddenly last month and anyway I
believe he had "retired" that kit. His business operation is still being
sorted out by his family and friends.

Alan
G3NYK
13778 2017-04-06 11:58:02 Philippe Creis Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter

Hello all,

since many year I use the Chinese LC200A, and It is accurate. Sometimes I check it with a capacitor (29.482nF) & inductor 183µH reference. It match very well!


--
73... Philippe - F4GRT

________________
Thunderbird 45.8.0


Le 05/04/2017 à 17:59, kk7b@hotmail.com [emrfd] a écrit :
 

Hi Group, I use my AADE inductance meter all the time, with repeatable results from a few nH up into the low millinery range.  Now that it is no longer available, I'm looking for something in the same price range ($100) to recommend for my students.  Specifically, I'd like to hear from someone who has a similar product, and has routinely built, measured, and used inductors between about 20nH and 200uH, with repeatable, trusted results.


In particular, I'd be interested in someone making a virtual copy of the AADE circuit.  I trust this EMRFD group to have looked inside and compared operation and schematics.


My students have already discovered that many inexpensive (and some expensive) inductance meters are less than useful below a few uH.


Best Regards,

Rick KK7B


13783 2017-04-09 17:08:25 John Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
Circa 2009'ish, before I had heard of the AADE Meter I bought a Chinese
one. A Tonghui Electronics TH2821A, through eBay. I cost more than
I wanted to spend; a bit of tooth sucking was involved, but hey ho :)

As well as L,C,R, it measures Z,Q & D(dissipation).

Test freq is selectable upto 10 KHz and it has Kelvin leads with fine
point clips.

It has, and continues, to serve me well. Of note is that it will only
charge when the meter switched on...

http://tinyurl.com/lnbsus2

Now there are more choices and cheaper types. Bottom Line, I would
have gone AADE had I known; but I am glad I have got what I have got :)

John
GWØOAJ
13785 2017-04-09 17:44:32 Mvs Sarma Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
ACCURATE LC METER2 IS A DESIGN BY vk3bhr OF AUSTRALIA (PHIL RICE) AND IT IS SIMPLIFIED AND GOOD ENOUGH.
The same was published in silicon chip and EPE magazine both.
sarma
 vu3zmv


13787 2017-04-10 03:04:53 Ravi Miranda Re: Replacement for AADE Inductance Meter
Hi Farhan

Could you post a schematic of your design, including the buffer amp please?

Kind regards

Ravi/M0RVI