transistor tester

[carrejans]

Hi, I can buy this second hand transistor tester for about 10 Euros. It looks like an old thing; does anyone know this machine? Is it good?

http://images.kapaza.be/photolarge/5225544.jpg

[petemoore]

   what do you want to test for and what does that unit test?
  I don't recognize it, but modern DMM's have Hfe checkers and you can build other transistor device testing rigs for other types of Q tests [Jfet Vgsoff or Ge leakage], inexpensively.

[R.G.]

I don't recognize the tester you have there, but this kind of old transistor tester in general has the ability to do exactly the testing needed to characterize devices for effects use. If you have or can get hold of the manual for it and make sure it's working correctly, it will measure hfe, leakages, Vbe, etc, and may well do the critical measurements for JFETs too, depending on when it was made. It will likely test diodes, triacs, and other semiconductors.

One of my prize ebay acquisitions is a "Super Cricket" transistor tester. I got this from an aging amateur radio operator who bought it when it was The Hot Thing back in the early 1970s. It's had little use, came with the manual, and is my own version of "secret weapon" for testing semiconductors.

Good find - if you can get it to work and figure out how to use it. Much more valuable than a datasheet, as it tells you what this specific device in your hand will do.

[GREEN FUZ]

Super cricket on ebay.

[R.G.]

At US$15, that is a steal.

I paid US$35 for mine and the guy who sold it complained that he had thought more people would be bidding on it and it would go for much more.

Before you all go bid against each other on this one, know that these are not super-simple modern instruments. You have to read the book and learn how to use it.

[Joe Kramer]

Not to hijack, but has anybody got an opinion on this one?

http://www.electronickits.com/kit/complete/meas/dt-100.pdf

Cheap and easy to build, tests dynamically.  Probably could be somewhat "calibrated" against a DMM's transistor testor.  Any good?

[zjokka]

all readings you'd ever want from a transistor, at the push of a button
at a serious price too

http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/jz_dca55.html

I got the older model, which doesn't measure leakage, but does a great job on real hFE, pinout, pnp or npn, diodes etc.

[carrejans]

So, I asked the owner for a detailed photo. Still couldn't read all the letters; blurry. 
He didn't own a manual, and didn't know the brand. 

So he told me what was on the seven buttons; I made something in paint. I will attach it.

Aperently it can't read any voltages???
I think the "B" stands for the Hfe.
Icbo is the collector-base leakage, right?
Id is the current through the diode, right?
What's the Ii for?

So what do you think; is it a good transistor tester; I'm still a beginner. But I want a decent tester for my germanium transistors.

Thank you.

[carrejans]

This is a multi-meter that I can buy for 10 euros to.
Is this better for testing germanium transistors?
Does anyone recognize this one? Which brand?

[birt]

haha, i was looking at the exact same tranistor tester auction :p

[carrejans]

haha, i was looking at the exact same tranistor tester auction :p

We're living in a small world.  So, you're from Belgium too? Wich city?
What do you think of the transistor tester?

[zjokka]

with all due respect to you fellow belgians, but almost any multimeter allows you to measure transistors. You will have to know the a lot about the transistor to test it in a multimeter though: pinout, type.

There are some dedicated transistor testers like the one I pointed to above by PEAK. They are quite expensive 70 EUR or so, but you can just connect the transistor any way around and it will give you pinout, type and gain. The more recent models, unlike my older PEAK DCA50e, will even give you the leakage.

the one you pointed to seems to me to be just an old analog multimeter with transistor testing function.

j

[carrejans]

Yes, I know. But I also want to be able to measure the leakage. I don't know any afordable multimeter that has that option.

[zjokka]

You did see RG's tester circuit?
But you are right, leakage, I believe, is a key parameter to GE transistor sound. My tester, I believe and hope, tests clean gain, because if I test the GE transistors afterwards in a DMM, I get an equal or greater gain reading. If I remember correctly, ... was a while ago.

[Easywider]

Jan , What about this tester , seems that this one would do everything & is affordable   :

// http://www.web-tronics.com/lilbittytester.html


Was thinking about buying one of these if it would test leakage easily & accurately !

[Fret Wire]

That's just a go/no go tester. It won't give any values, it will just indicate whether you have the following:

Test Capabilities
Continuity
Detect Transistor Leakage
Detect a DC Voltage*
Detect the Polarity of a DC Voltage*
Discrete Components

Build the tranny tester at GEO.

[Easywider]

I See , Glad i posted , was going to buy it , Thanks !

[carrejans]

Yes, I think I just gonna make the tester at geofex. Just two transistors and a switch.
http://www.geofex.com/Article_Folders/ffselect.htm