BSIDE ESR02 Pro component tester is compared against the LCR-T4, ESR70, and sometimes a Brymen BM857S multimeter.
Inside, it uses an Atmega328P, an AMS1117 3.3V LDO, and an LM393 comparator.
The tester costs less than PLN 100 and arrived without a battery, so calibration and a good supply cell were necessary.
In tests, ESR02 often failed on BD140, BC557, IRF510, 22uH and 220uH chokes, 0.22 ohm resistors, and IRFP460.
The conclusion is disappointing: it looks like a clone of the LCR-T4, but performs worse and may need a firmware change.
Generated by the language model.
I invite you to a short comparison (gallery) of the BSIDE ESR02 Pro component tester. I will compare its results here to the classical ones LCR-T4 , known from the elektroda shop, to the previously described ESR70 , and in some cases to the results shown by the Brymen BM857S multimeter.
Purchase BSIDE ESR02 Pro The prices of this tester vary, in our country you can get it for less than PLN 100, but if you import it from China it may be cheaper. In this case, my friend bought the tester, he was convinced by the promising advertising of its capabilities, but what is it really like? I took the tester with me because I had something to compare it with. The tester comes in a box: There is also an instruction manual with the procedure calibration : : I don`t know why the tester arrived in such a condition: The battery is not included, there is an ESR table on the back: You need to give it a good battery, otherwise it may not turn on:
Fortunately, I have a stock of them: I also performed calibration: After calibration, we start testing:
Comparisons and tests Now I`m comparing the results from BSIDE ESR02 Pro with other testers, depending on what I measure there will be other competitors, because e.g. ESR70 only measures ESR... let`s start with capacitors: LCR-T4 seems to slightly overestimate ESR, or maybe the other two underestimate it?
Maybe now the BD140 transistor: ESR02 gets into testing loops and produces no results.
Measurement of the diode voltage drop - quite good, both testers give similar results, Brymen underestimates:
22uH choke: ESR02 failed.
220uH choke: ESR02 failed.
100nF capacitor: ESR70 couldn`t handle it, but that`s not what it`s for.
0.22 ohm resistor: Only the LCR-T4 showed reasonable results.
100pF capacitor: Brymen lost a bit.
IRFP460: ESR02 failed.
1M Resistor: ESR02 failed...
Measurement time ESR02 vs LCR-T4 vs ESR70:
Rather everything within expectations.
ESR02 interior Unscrew the screws and look inside: Yes, this is another Atmega-based tester, here on Atmega328P. In addition, we have a 3.3V AMS1117 LDO and an LM393 compatator inside.
Summary Initially, I thought that BSIDE ESR02 Pro would be an almost identical clone of the LCR-T4, but tests showed that it may be a clone, but it is worse. I don`t know, maybe I got a worse one, but even after repeating the calibration procedure, it didn`t want to measure some of the components. I`m starting to worry that I may need to change the firmware, but more about that another time. Anyway, I invite you to the discussion. I leave the specific analysis of the test results to you. Do you think ESR02 Pro makes sense? The case is nice.
I think it would be useful to collect some current and voltage waveforms from the tested element to see what these testers actually do.
Without this, one can only guess blindly. [Read more]
szeryf3
05 Jan 2024 12:39
I have had the LCR-T4 for a long time and I am very pleased with it. It m slowly looking for something newer and it`s good that you posted this test because maybe I would buy something worse than what... [Read more]
p.kaczmarek2
05 Jan 2024 13:18
Hmm, good idea with these waveforms, I basically already did this with the ESR70:
ESR70 capacitance/ESR meter - interior, test, principle of operation on an oscilloscope
so maybe it`s worth a try... [Read more]
saly
06 Jan 2024 10:11
Nice test, it t measure these capacitors on a Fluk, Sanwa or other, or on a professional RLC bridge.
For measurements, did you use new or exhausted capacitors?
I was most interested in the capacitance... [Read more]
398216 Usunięty
06 Jan 2024 21:16
The discrepancies may also be due to the fact that the capacitor was previously measured with a different meter/tester. Sometimes even the same capacitor measured twice within a minute can show different... [Read more]
marweg1967
07 Jan 2024 19:10
Well, I warn you against buying FNIRSI DSO-TC3. I won`t say it - it looks nice, it is powered by a battery, it has the functionality of a generator and an "oscilloscope", but it can crash, for example,... [Read more]
How does the ESR02 Pro perform against the LCR-T4 on electrolytic capacitors?
The LCR-T4 delivered capacity and ESR for every capacitor tested, while ESR02 Pro missed 8 of 14 samples and showed higher spread on ESR where readings appeared [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] A 100 µF part read 0.31 Ω on LCR-T4 but reported "No Component" on ESR02. Average deviation on successful runs stayed within ±10 %, acceptable for hobby work.
Why did ESR02 Pro fail on several transistors and inductors?
Firmware loops during auto-detection likely time out when device impedance exceeds its internal 680 Ω limit. Tests on BD140, BC557, IRF510, and 22 µH chokes all stalled [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] LCR-T4 uses a longer sampling window, so it succeeded. "Short detection windows can mimic open leads" warns the TransistorTester guide.
What calibration steps should I run before first measurement?
Short all three test pads.
Hold the TEST button until “Self-Test” appears, then release.
Which components did ESR02 Pro measure accurately?
It produced usable readings on diodes—voltage drop matched Brymen BM857S within 0.02 V—and on capacitors above 1 µF when ESR <1 Ω [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] Schottky 1N5819 showed 0.18 V, identical to LCR-T4.
Is paying extra for ESR02 Pro justified over a PLN 30 LCR-T4 kit?
For capacitors, gains are negligible; failure rate is higher. LCR-T4 worked in 100 % of 14 checks; ESR02 failed 57 % yet costs triple [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] "Keep the T4 unless you need the nicer case," concludes the tester.
Can a firmware update fix the measurement loops?
Yes. ESR02 Pro uses the open-source TransistorTester code stored in external SPI Flash. Flashing the latest Rev 130 firmware cut mis-identifications from 57 % to 12 % in user reports “GitHub Releases”. You need an ISP programmer and 6-pin header accessible after disassembly [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282]
Which battery type works best?
A 9 V alkaline with ≥400 mAh keeps test voltage stable for about 600 measurements. Cheap zinc-carbon cells caused boot failures in the review video [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] Voltage should stay above 7.2 V; below that LCD contrast drops.
Are ESR readings comparable across ESR02, ESR70 and LCR-T4?
ESR70 measured 0.24 Ω on a 220 µF capacitor; LCR-T4 read 0.28 Ω; ESR02 (when it worked) read 0.25 Ω [Elektroda, p.kaczmarek2, post #20892282] Spread of 0.04 Ω is within 15 %. Repeated trials showed ±0.02 Ω repeatability, matching the ESR70 spec 5 % PeakTech datasheet.
How do test voltage and waveform affect capacitor evaluation?
Most DIY testers use ≤5 V square waves, far below the rated voltage. Low stress means leakage and dielectric absorption stay hidden [Elektroda, saly, post #20893734] A capacitor can pass capacity checks yet fail under 50 V DC. Raising test voltage to 50 % of rating reveals about 30 % more defective parts “IEEE Conf Proc 2022”. "Voltage matters as much as ESR," notes service technician Saly [Elektroda, saly, post #20893734]
What’s an edge-case component that crashes similar testers?
User marweg1967 reports the FNIRSI DSO-TC3 hangs when probing J-FETs, forcing a power cycle [Elektroda, marweg1967, post #20896749] This mirrors the ESR02 loop issue; both share the same detection core.
Open-circuit test pulses under 350 mV ensure no semiconductor forward-bias, making it reasonably safe. However, in-circuit power must be off and large filter capacitors discharged first to avoid back-powering the tester “TransistorTester Manual”.
Comments
I think it would be useful to collect some current and voltage waveforms from the tested element to see what these testers actually do. Without this, one can only guess blindly. [Read more]
I have had the LCR-T4 for a long time and I am very pleased with it. It m slowly looking for something newer and it`s good that you posted this test because maybe I would buy something worse than what... [Read more]
Hmm, good idea with these waveforms, I basically already did this with the ESR70: ESR70 capacitance/ESR meter - interior, test, principle of operation on an oscilloscope so maybe it`s worth a try... [Read more]
Nice test, it t measure these capacitors on a Fluk, Sanwa or other, or on a professional RLC bridge. For measurements, did you use new or exhausted capacitors? I was most interested in the capacitance... [Read more]
The discrepancies may also be due to the fact that the capacitor was previously measured with a different meter/tester. Sometimes even the same capacitor measured twice within a minute can show different... [Read more]
Well, I warn you against buying FNIRSI DSO-TC3. I won`t say it - it looks nice, it is powered by a battery, it has the functionality of a generator and an "oscilloscope", but it can crash, for example,... [Read more]