New version: 07e (Download at 1st post)
Changelog:
- SetDeafult function
- Some fix
- selFreq optimized
- TestKey improvements
- Client Software updated
Version 0.7f - Download at 1st post
Changelog:
- ReadU function revisited (By PaoloP)
- Some fix (By PaoloP & PighiXXX)
The next version will be ready in the next few days will solve the last remaining questions.
I am preparing about one hundred shields that will send free for beta testers (You will only pay shipping); The shield will mount 0.1% tolerance resistors and aluminum capacitors for maximum accuracy. Stay tuned.
sounds great !!!
Sounds great to me too. I have been looking for a compact component tester for ages that actually works as well as this does.
I'd like to signup to test it!
pighixxx:
Version 0.7f - Download at 1st post
Changelog:
- ReadU function revisited (By PaoloP)
- Some fix (By PaoloP & PighiXXX)
The next version will be ready in the next few days will solve the last remaining questions.
I am preparing about one hundred shields that will send free for beta testers (You will only pay shipping); The shield will mount 0.1% tolerance resistors and aluminum capacitors for maximum accuracy. Stay tuned.
Great News!
Thanks again for the great work Pighi!
I was starting to think you had abandoned the project .
Having said that I know how long it takes to R&D.
I would be happy to test one of the shields if possible ?
Best Regards
Rupert
I currently have one on a breadboard for testing and was planning to make it more durable on PCB.
If I can sign in to test your board I will be very proud to own one of yours.
Platform Arduino 1.0.5 on HP V6000, Windows Vista SP2 (AMD dual core TL50 CPU with 2G RAM)
Arduino UNO R3
Testing latest build Sketch v0.7f (27/07/2013)
Test component, small signal glass diode
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Test results OK testing 1-2, 2-3 either direction, anode/cathode
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Test results OK testing 1-3 with cathode on 3 and anode on 1
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Weird behavior with cathode on 1 and anode on 3 ...
Produces a correct diode connection, jumps into capactance measurement, C=, then jumps to Menu and into PWM 100 Hz and cycles until 0% is displayed. Double-press does not return to Menu.
Edit: After a minute or so, double-press will return to Menu!
R
Updated: sourced from China eBay dealer as 1N914. Several tried, same results. Show good on DMM diode test setting.
mrburnette:
Produces a correct diode connection, jumps into capactance measurement, C=, then jumps to Menu and into PWM 100 Hz and cycles until 0% is displayed. Double-press does not return to Menu.
Edit: After a minute or so, double-press will return to Menu!
I have no small signal diode but made the test with the emitter-base jonction of a transistor
I have not that behavior with a duemilanove. But sometime the capacitance measurement returns a very high value 76µF for example. But as my assembly is made on a testboard and the contacts are not very reliable I can't make any assumption concerning the software. I really must do a good board for a usable tool.
Version: 0.7f downloaded from post #1
Arduino: UNO Official
Shield: mini-solderless breadboard
Resistors all 5% verified with Fluke Multimeter individually and back from combined connection on breadboard to UNO pinout
Issue: Diodes
Test diodes, 1N4002 and 1N914 each tested with Fluke (diode test) forward & reverse
The 1N4002 showed 527mV forward drop and no reverse drop
The 1N914 showed 718mV forward drop and no reverse drop
Specifics:
I compiled the code to comment the button to allow for faster testing on LCD 2x16
//#define BUTTON_INST //Button Installed
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With no component, expected message "No component found"
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With 1N4002 diode (C=1, A=2) LCD shows 2->|-1 correctly first probing then Vf=181mV (83) then C=0pF
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When the LCD recycles and starts Probing ... again, it displays "No component found" repeatedly
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Resetting
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With 1N4002 (C=2, A=3) LCD shows "No component found"
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With 1N4002 (C=3, A=2) LCD shows 2->|-3, Vf=183mV (86) and C=0pF
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When LCD recycles and starts Probing... again, the display is consistently correct as above
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Resetting
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With 1N4002 (C=1, A=3) LCD shows 2-||-3 and 2nd line 12pF repeatedly
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With 1N4002 (C=3, A=1) LCD shows 1->|-3 Vf=206mV (87) the LCD clear
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....... After clearing.. . ...LCD shows 1->|-3 and 2nd line 0pF
But here is the really, really weird one -
Resetting
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With 1N914 (C=1, A=2) LCD shows 2-|<-1->|-2 on 1st line
and on the 2nd line the LCD shows Vf=2855mV 225mV
Why does the 1N914 throw the unit off and the software thinks the diode is reversed? Remember, the Fluke multimeter diode test was not fooled. Weird. However, the software does appear to identify correctly a variety of NPN, PNP transistors.
Edit... replaced "}" with "|" to account for fat-fingers
Shield: mini-solderless breadboard
solderless breadboards have not reliable contact. You can not make any assumption on the software with such an assembly. The jumpers on the breadboard can make very poor contact and so voltage drop can be high.
I have a similar assembly and from time to time I have crazy results. I shake a connection and the result is good. I shake another connection and the arduino hangs.
To qualify the software and the hardware you need a good printed board. Even with a good board the probes (or test socket) should have reliable contacts to guaranty a good measure.
It is rare that I take exception to statements made in good intentions, but in this case, I must mention that every Arduino shield uses "spring loaded" contacts. This and the knowledge that solderless breadboards, in general, may be prone to connection issues is why I made multiple test with my Fluke multimeter. I also used more than one row for testing diodes.
Still, your statements ring true, but cannot account why every transistor tested was correctly analyzed properly as NPN or PNP and the gain was within 20% of published in spec. Sheet. Yet multiple diodes always presented strange results, using same contact positions as the transistors (or even with alternate contacts.)
I've been a hardware engineer for 41 years and I admit to making silly mistakes from time-to-time, but I'm betting on the strange behavior i observed being software related.
Ray
Hi,
Thank you for an AWESOME contribution to the community! As a beginner to electronics I find this incredibly useful.
The only measurements which I found to be VASTLY off were resistance (and capacitance for 1 particular capacitor). For resistors 100 to 100k it was fairly consistently reporting a 60% (approx.) lower value. For 10R it was closer, but still about 30% off, but for 1M it was spot on.
Also, I wanted to use my I2C LCD display so I changed the #ifdef LCD_PRINT from what i currently contains in the latest release to:
#include <Wire.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27, 2, 1, 0, 4, 5, 6, 7, 3, POSITIVE); // Addr, En, Rw, Rs, d4, d5, d6, d7, backlighpin, polarity
This works for me when used with the HelloWorld_i2c example, but does not seem to work with Ardutester. May I ask, why was support for I2C LCD's dropped?
Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Michal
P.S. I am using he NewLiquidCrystal library.
P.P.S I'm a little concerned about diode measurements too as my multimeter gave 500mV while Ardutester gave 200mV. I'll need to get more diodes to test as one diode is far from definitive.
Hi All!
Within a few days a new version. At this time I'm very busy but do a test (especially for resistor probing)
Put to ground pin A3 (And change the button pin - ex A4 or A5 Let me know 
Ciao,
Alberto
pighixxx:
Hi All!
Within a few days a new version. At this time I'm very busy but do a test (especially for resistor probing)
Put to ground pin A3 (And change the button pin - ex A4 or A5 Let me knowCiao,
Alberto
Hi Alberto,
Thank you for your prompt response. I'm glad to hear a new version is coming soon 
I tried changing the button to both A$ and A5 (with grounding A3 and without), but either way it gets stuck in the menu and I can't probe at all. I can keep trying to exit the menu but it goes right back in. I have no idea why it does this for A4 and A5 but not A3.
Any suggestions on what might be happening and how I might debug it?
Regards,
Michal
Put to ground pin A3 (And change the button pin - ex A4 or A5 Let me know
I tried A4 and A5.
The change does not work, as it appears to the S/W that the button is "always" pressed; that is, upon reset, the menu immediately starts to execute and eventually 'hangs'.
I extended A4 and A5 both with an external 10K to +5V (even though I noticed the code activates the weak internal pullup) but this did not change results.
Understand "very busy". As time permits. It is obvious that you spent much time on this project and I am sure many tested. No problem with caps or transistors. Resistors are 'off' but I do not see this function as important as correct diode detection.
Regards,
Ray
Edited: simplified response
Just wondering if there has been any progress? No rush.
mmmh... there is something strange that happens here, I made the following measurement:
- resistor 100k 1-3 KO
Probing...
Found: FET
MOSFET N-ch enh.
GDS=231
Vth=2656mV
Cgs=0pF
- resistor 100k 1-2 KO
Probing...
Wait a moment...
Found: Resistor
1-[]-2
37.98kO
- resistor 100k 2-3 KO
Probing...
Found: FET
MOSFET N-ch enh.
GDS=132
Vth=2588mV
Cgs=0pF
- condenser 33nF 1-2 GOOD
Probing...
Wait a moment...
Found: Capacitor
1-||-2
32.39nF
- condenser 33nF 1-3 KO
Probing...
Wait a moment...
Found: Capacitor
1-||-3
20.12µF
- condenser 33nF 2-3 KO
Probing...
Wait a moment...
Found: Capacitor
2-||-3
20.14µF
Can you help me?
Thanks
Dino.
Are you sending the shield soon so I can try it?
Hi! I have a problm with ardutester. Built one on bread board but when there is nothing connected, device shows me capacitor in 1-3 testpoints, when i press test again shows me capacitor in 2-3.
I built another ardutester on different arduino but this time every wire is soldered to arduino, and i have the same problem. first one was on nano v3 and 2nd one on mini pro.
self test is asking me for short circuit and when I do it after few seconds there is error on the screen.
checked connections and everything is as should be.
btw it's v0.7f sketch
