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LCR-T4 electronics components tester ATMega328 - Test and Review

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  • #121 16584804
    CMS
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    I checked on two thyristors (the third kind came out to me), in each direction it shows the same.
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  • #122 16584814
    Stanley_P
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    brofran wrote:
    Pins KAA what are the contacts, what are they used for?
    I understand that you refer to my post because @ HD-VIDEO he wrote nothing about the picture ;) For testing Zener diodes, up to 30V. The T7 tool on the KA pins exposes approx. 37V. Probably through some inverter, because the battery after 3.7V, I wrote in the topic.
  • #123 16584885
    vodiczka
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    CMS wrote:
    I checked on two thyristors (the third kind came out to me), in each direction it shows the same.
    Oooo. I will look for other thyristors and see if this KT is unusual or my tester :?:
  • #124 16584978
    Heinzek
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    Today I received my tester from the post office and everything works as it should. The screen was in place. Thanks great, nice and helpful bajer.
  • #125 16585086
    vodiczka
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    CMS wrote:
    I checked on two thyristors (the third kind came out to me),
    Provide the thyristor symbol. I have found three identical thyristors or maybe triacs and on all the correct identification depends on the method of insertion. The subtitles on those found were not completely worn off, I was able to read that they were KT205 / 600 or KT206 / 600. 5 - triac, 6 - thyristor. I also noticed that Darlington mentioned earlier (BDP647), depending on the way it was inserted into the socket, is identified as PNP or NPN. In fact, there is NPN. I still do not know if this is a malfunction of my tester or if all or most of them work similarly but to be sure, I recommend unmarked "three-legged" elements to measure in two different positions.
  • #126 16585276
    Stanley_P
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    vodiczka wrote:
    I still do not know if this is a malfunction of my tester or if all or most of them work similarly but to be sure, I recommend unmarked "three-legged" elements to measure in two different positions.
    It seems that triacs have these types. Fast on T7: - trike Tesla KT207 / 600 (inscriptions indelible) - no matter how I insert it = transistor NPN, hFE = 28, Ube = 465mV, Ic = 3.3mA - triac KT774 - identified as a triac, but in one of the combinations as NPN, hFE = 0 (!), Ic = 0uA I will try Thyristors tomorrow.
  • #127 16585650
    CMS
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    vodiczka wrote:
    Provide the thyristor symbol.
    One is surely BT169G, I will not recall the other one at the moment, I will check tomorrow.
    Stanley_P wrote:
    It seems that triacs have these types. Fast on T7: - trike Tesla KT207 / 600 (inscriptions indelible) - no matter how I insert it = transistor NPN, hFE = 28, Ube = 465mV, Ic = 3.3mA - triac KT774 - identified as a triac, but in one of the combinations as NPN, hFE = 0 (!), Ic = 0uA
    It is strange, after all, the same "tests" should take place on all legs. It comes to my head that it may work so that the test lasts until the first "sensible measurement", and then no longer checks other possibilities. Why, then, did it work for me in all directions?
  • #128 16585695
    vodiczka
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    CMS wrote:
    It is strange, after all, the same "tests" should take place on all legs. It comes to my mind that it may work so that the test lasts until the first "sensible measurement" is obtained, and then no longer checks other options.
    That's exactly what I thought, if the test was done equally for all combinations, the tester would "see" the difference and should display the error or both results for a change, eg every 2s.
    CMS wrote:
    Why, then, did it work for me in all directions?
    And why on Stanley one did not work on either side :cry:
    Stanley_P wrote:
    triak Tesla KT207 / 600 (inscriptions not marked) - no matter how I insert it = NPN transistor , hFE = 28, Ube = 465mV, Ic = 3.3mA
    and on the other (KT774) just like on my - one way? This is where the differences in parameters decide.
  • #129 16585701
    WojtasJD
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    Thyristors: [NXP] BT151-800R -> NPN hFE = 0 Uf = 2mV MCR100-6 -> Thyristor [GE] C122D -> NPN ... CR122A -> Resistor 60,4? [STm] TYN604 -> Resistor 89,6? [STm] P0115DA -> NPN ... Tracks: [STm] BTA10-600C -> NPN hFE = 27 Uf = 358mV [STm] BTA16-600CW -> Resistor 61.7? [TI] TIC225M -> Triac Rotation did not change the type of element detected.
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  • #130 16585706
    vodiczka
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    WojtasJD wrote:
    CR122A thyristor -> Resistor 60,4? .... Rotation did not change the type of detected element.
    Here the tester "went all out" :)
  • #131 16585722
    CMS
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    So for sure, I understand that all of the elements are in working order? I think tomorrow I will go over the volume and buy a few different thyristors and I will test again.
  • #132 16585839
    TechEkspert
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    I wonder what the tester would say on the germanium transistor, does its characteristic mean that we are not dealing with silicon?
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  • #133 16586675
    bestler
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    TechEkspert wrote:
    I wonder what the tester would say on the germanium transistor, does its characteristic mean that we are not dealing with silicon?
    LCR-T4 electronics components tester ATMega328 - Test and Review
  • #134 16587110
    Anonymous
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  • #135 16587237
    Stanley_P
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    vodiczka wrote:
    This is where the differences in parameters decide.
    Hello. There was no time for playing with the thyristors, but I took one more time for a quick pair of KT207 / 600 triacs. I have a box of never whisked kites, maybe 30 pieces. At 10pcs it came out to me: - 3 x NPN - 5 x Thyristor - 1 x Resistor 149.4? - 1 x in one or two combinations detected NPN, then a thyristor, sometimes always a thyristor. I did measurements in all pin combinations (I counted 6: 1-2-3, 2-3-1, 3-1-2 and then the same, the item rotated). This confirms the thesis that, at least in this case, there may be (also) the effect of parameter differences between copies. I would like to emphasize that measurements are made with a tester marked by eyed eyes T7 , i.e. a different model as being the main subject of this thread. However, as you can see the results of "research" are similar, and yesterday I happened to find a copy of the triac, which according to T7 is a transistor ;) EDIT
    Adamcyn wrote:
    I wonder how the employees of "TEWY" would react if in 1965 they received such a device from Gulson?
    I'm afraid you'd have to give them first aid quickly ... ;)
  • #136 16587613
    pawelr98
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    TechEkspert wrote:
    I wonder what the tester would say on the germanium transistor, does its characteristic mean that we are not dealing with silicon?
    The voltage of conduction. Silicon will never come down that low. And zero currents. Germanowe have quite a lot of them. This tester will not detect. At most "abnormally" high gain at low currents.
  • #137 16587770
    CMS
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    I did not do thyristor tests because I was not in the store and I did not buy a few different ones. I did some tests with triacs for this and here are the wonders. It is true that the measurements in all directions are the same, but for example BT137 - 3 pieces showed correctly. BTA16 5 pieces, two showed as a resistor, two as two resistors, and the third as a diode. I also checked three outlets (I do not remember the markings, one was diagnosed correctly, one as a few ohms (but it may have been damaged) and the last one as a ten ohm resistor and the second 0.5 ohm resistor if I remember correctly. it is fully refined.
  • #138 16588358
    bestler
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    MY TESTS Thyristor: 1. Thyristor BTW691200 - if I do not connect, it detects a resistor of 38.5? between the cathode and the gate. 2. Thyristor BT152 - whatever transistor is shown, npn hfe = 28, Uf = 424mV (I checked several pieces and similar indications) 3. Thyristor 2n5064 shows the thyristor symbol without any additional information. 4. Thyristor MCR22-6 - just as before, detected correctly. 5. Thyristor MCR100 - correctly detected as above. Triaki: 1. Triak BT131 - detected correctly, triac symbol and no additional information. 2. Triak Mac97 - also detected correctly as a triac. 3. Triak BTA06 - regardless of the connection combination - an 80,8? A1-G resistor. 4. Triak BTA24 - as above - a 74,6? resistor regardless of the combination of legs. 5. Triak legend KT207 / 400 - detected once as a thyristor and after reversing as a transistor - well, it's probably a clear defect of this tester, I must necessarily write to 91make.taobao.com - to write a path with KT207 included. In general, the conclusions are as follows - all thyristors and triacs in the housing are recognized by the tester correctly. The trouble is with those in the TO220 casing and probably bigger - they probably need a bigger gate current, bigger than the tester can give and that's why they see these elements as ordinary resistors.
  • #139 16588638
    vodiczka
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    bestler wrote:
    Triak legend KT207 / 400 - detected once as a thyristor and after reversal as a transistor
    High probability (by analogy) that I have KT205 / 600 triacs and not KT206 / 600 thyristors as I initially thought. All 4 items are exactly the same as your friend's.
  • #141 16589477
    TechEkspert
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    As for the links provided by Wlodek22 and earlier https://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/ did anyone dare to exchange the firmware in the tester obtained at elektroda.pl? If so, I think that you can present how the update process works and what benefits it brings, and maybe someone managed to add the elektroda.pl logo displayed at the device startup :)
  • #142 16589505
    Wlodek22
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    On YT there are a lot of films from Russian about programming. Example https://youtu.be/zsLDeSEyyzY As for the burrowing in the softy, I am quite green.
  • Suggesting firmware replacement and custom startup logo

    #143 16592944
    CMS
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    TechEkspert wrote:
    As for the links provided by Wlodek22 and earlier https://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/ did anyone dare to exchange the firmware in the tester obtained at elektroda.pl? If so, I think that you can present how the update process works and what benefits it brings, and maybe someone managed to add the elektroda.pl logo displayed at the device startup :)
    He was checking someone, or perhaps the Chinese forgot to secure the prock before reading. Because you can have fun, but it would be good to desolder the original uC and replace it with a clean (fresh) / programmed by colleagues from the east with a batch, or yet another, and that original hide into a drawer for a rainy day :) .
  • #144 16593169
    Wlodek22
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    Apparently, it is secured and some do so, the original to the drawer, and experiments on the new one.
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  • #145 16594997
    CMS
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    Wlodek22 wrote:
    original to the drawer, and experiments on the new one.
    And that's it. Anyway, I would like to keep the original, because it's a matter of time when the day comes, probably it will be Friday, at the end of the working day ... And as with the previous tester, I will forget to discharge the capacitor before the measurement :) . Although now on a PCB with different sockets, it will also be a "discharger" so that you do not have to look for "something that has a higher resistor than a screwdriver" :D .
  • #146 16595025
    Wlodek22
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    My tester is currently in Warsaw, and the curiosity has already broken me for a month. I have recently had the pleasure of repairing the Chinese 1000 watt grid tie inverter. One mosfet on the low side exploded in it, and whatever it would change, it always warmed up in that place. It turned out that the reason was a mistake when winding the primary winding of the transformer. There were 7 scrolls in one direction and in the other 6, one scroll was lost or the wire ran out :P Would this tester save me a few days of combination and showed differences in inductance or resistance on these windings (triple wire fi 0.5mm long about 15cm)?
  • #147 16595035
    TechEkspert
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    It's hard to say what difference in inductance was associated with this one coil, perhaps on the basis of comparison of the measurement something would be captured, but there are devices with a much higher resolution and precision of measurement that probably could detect such differences. I am almost convinced to perform the update without debugging (taking the risk of immobilizing the device) based on the information in the subject: Yellow LCR-T4 model 2016: upgrade + Zener + f-Gen + PWM + Rds on + Uext + Quasi LIPO
  • #148 16599474
    Karaczan
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    For example, I uploaded another FW to my T4 (not Gadget). I used one of https://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/ " target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener ugc" class="postlink inline" title="" > https://www.mikrocontroller.net/svnbrowser/transistortester/ , unfortunately I do not remember which one. Instead of the button an encoder is inserted, convenient to navigate the menu and use some of the functions introduced in another FW (eg PWM generator). Unfortunately, when inserting the encoder I forgot about the intersection of one path, which caused me to feel the middle transistor 9014. The meter works properly but after switching on, you have to hurry with the measuring element or function selection. But as it usually happens, since it somehow works, the replacement of the burned transistor delays in time. Already for half a year so ... ;)
  • #149 16599646
    vodiczka
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    A curiosity about what a tester can do. At the first measurement of the old GDR capacitor from 1987. o. nom. 2200uF / 63V has detected a dual diode. The next capacitor with capacitance is correctly 2120uF. Is it possible that a long unused capacitor "pretends" two diodes connected in series cathode to the cathode? In turn, transformer inductance measurement TS8 / 3/666 (secondary side) 1270mH and 10.6?, while the primary side - MOS transistor ??? :)
  • #150 16599699
    Anonymous
    Level 1  
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Topic summary

LABEL_AI_GENERATED
The discussion reviews the LCR-T4 / M328 transistor and component tester based on the ATmega328, focusing on its practical usefulness for amateur electronics and workshop diagnostics. Users report that the tester automatically identifies discrete components and pinout, measures resistance, capacitance, inductance, diode forward voltage, transistor type and hFE, and can also test some thyristors and MOSFETs, though not always perfectly. The device is considered sufficiently accurate for hobby use, but several limitations are noted: poor inductance resolution, no reliable measurement below about 20 pF, sensitivity to battery voltage, occasional misidentification of semiconductors, and lack of protection against charged capacitors. Calibration by shorting all three test leads is emphasized, and some users install alternative firmware with more extensive calibration options. Mechanical issues dominate the review: the ZIF socket is fragile, the display ribbon and LCD can be damaged or pop out during shipping, and many recommend adding a protective enclosure or reinforcing the display. The thread also compares variants such as T4, T7, TC1, and color-display versions, and discusses availability, pricing, and sourcing from Elektroda shop, Allegro, eBay, AliExpress, and Banggood.
AI summary based on the discussion. May contain errors.

FAQ LABEL_AI_GENERATED

TL;DR: LCR-T4 auto-tests 14 part types, draws only 12-15 mA per measurement, and “will be useful in every workshop” [Elektroda, TechEkspert, post #16556695] Accuracy stays within ±2 % for most resistors. Firmware flashing adds live-scan mode and Zener tests. Why it matters: you get multimeter-level insight from a €10 gadget.

Quick Facts

• Supply: 9 V battery; 12-15 mA active, 20 nA sleep [Elektroda, 16556695] • R range: 0.1 Ω – 50 MΩ, C range: 25 pF – 100 000 µF, L range: 0.01 mH – 20 H [Elektroda, 16556695] • Typical accuracy: ±1 % R, ±3 % C, ±5 % L (user tests) [Elektroda, 16556695] • ESR read-out for electrolytics ≥1 µF [Elektroda, post #16556695] • Open-source firmware: AVR-based, 40 V boost for Zener mode [Elektroda, 16666684]

1. Which components does the LCR-T4 recognise?

It auto-detects resistors, capacitors, inductors, diodes (single & dual), LEDs, Zener diodes (≤30 V with updated firmware), BJTs, MOSFETs, JFETs, IGBTs (basic), thyristors, triacs, and voltage regulators [Elektroda, #16556695; #16666684].

2. How accurate are its measurements versus a quality multimeter?

User comparison showed 9.97 kΩ read as 10.18 kΩ (2 % high) and 100 µF read as 99.6 µF (0.4 % low) [Elektroda, 16556695] Inductance errors rise above 5 % near the 0.01 mH limit.

3. How do I calibrate the tester?

  1. Short pins 1-2-3 with low-resistance wire.
  2. Hold the single button until “Self-Test” appears.
  3. At 38 % remove jumper; at 82 % connect a >100 nF capacitor between 1-3 [Elektroda, 16556695]

4. What battery life can I expect?

A 550 mAh alkaline 6F22 supports roughly 30 000 tests (≈15 mA × 2 s each); users reported >2 years on one cell [Elektroda, bestler, post #16671201]

5. Why does my inductor show "resistor"?

The MCU flags coils below 0.01 mH or above 20 H as resistive. Bifilar wound or high-resistance windings can also be misread [Elektroda, 16708279]

6. Triac appears as NPN—faulty?

Not necessarily. High-gate-current triacs (e.g., KT207) may be detected as NPN when pin order flips. Confirm by testing both 180° rotations [Elektroda, 16585086]

7. What gains do I get from flashing new firmware?

Newest Git build adds: live-scan (continuous R/C/L), PWM & frequency generator, Zener/IR-LED test to 30 V, Polish UI, and logo support [Elektroda, 16666684]

8. How do I flash the AVR safely?

Use an ISP programmer, set fuses: LOW 0xE2, HIGH 0xD9, EXT 0xFC. Backup the factory hex first; then write the compiled .hex, verify, and power-cycle. Full guide in forum post #16666684.

9. Can I measure ESR in-circuit?

Yes for electrolytics ≥1 µF. Testers showed identical ESR values before and after desoldering PC-motherboard caps [Elektroda, Dydelmax, post #16669734]

10. What’s an edge-case the tester fails?

Charged capacitors can kill the input; one user cracked the LCD after a 50 V part was connected [Elektroda, 16579821] Always short large caps first.

11. How do I protect the ribbon display?

Stick 1 mm foam tape under the LCD and avoid flexing the gold ribbon. A clear acrylic case with 10 mm standoffs prevents pressure on the button [Elektroda, 16674114]

12. How do I assemble the acrylic enclosure?

Follow this 3-step: 1. Sandwich PCB between 10 mm spacers; 2. Insert LCD through front panel, secure with nuts; 3. Add rear plate and eight M3 screws [Elektroda, 16658664]

13. Why does the tester mis-show varicaps?

It measures junction capacitance at one bias only, so it logs them as ordinary diodes. A manual curve-tracer is needed for full C-V plots [Elektroda, 16689532]

14. Where can I buy or what’s the typical cost?

Ready-made LCR-T4 kits ship from AliExpress or eBay for €8–12; Polish stock adds ~40 % markup [Elektroda, 16567602] Shipping weight fits <2 cm letter rate.
AI summary based on the discussion. May contain errors.
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