Recently I found on E-BAY several kinds of component testers labeled as GM328.
Having assembled several of these and using them, I am quite impressed with
the performance of such an inexpensive tool(a $10.00 kit). They will test for ESR,
identify transistors with pinouts, resistors, capacitors, diodes, inductors and more.
It also has a PWM output which could prove to be handy at times. I'm wondering if others
are using these testers and if there are more elaborate and better quality units available
for general component testing.

For the money, these testers are truly amazing!


I have no affiliation with the above but found this unit a fun assembly project as well as a very useful tool.

 

Most times those type of things are available fully assembled and tested for a few dollars more. If your time is worth anything the assembled version is a better deal, just my opinion.

 

is there a version for testing SMD? That could be amazingly handy... ideas for modificaton?

 

is there a version for testing SMD? That could be amazingly handy... ideas for modificaton?

On the right is an SMD test pad.

 

 

It depends a whole lot on one's soldering abilities and assembling abilities. A kit like that could be an interesting project, and an assembled thing at twice the money would probably be junk. So if one is able to read and able to solder, and has some use for it, I would say get it. But for those whose attention span is way to short to even read the instructions, or they can't solder. they should avoid it.

 

These kits come with no instructions but not too hard to assemble. The resistors do not conform to the
standard color code so require a VOM to identify at times. The other difficult part is the surface mount
parts but even that can be accomplished with a little care and a jeweler's loupe. Occasionally I have
the need for external wires to test larger parts so I made one specifically for that purpose. A Makita
charging base sawed in half was used for the case along with a piece of plexiglass for the top.

 

With all of the part values screen printed on the circuit board it should assemble fairly easily and rapidly. And those resistors look like 1% devices, which are more complicated to read. Interesting indeed. And less than an hour to assemble and solder. Thanks for the pointer.

 

I powered it up with a 9V AC power adapter on accident and cooked it somewhere. Im hoping its an easy fix as it was only a week old, SMD version. I bought to replace the through hole model I built and had for over 3 years which only shows a blank screen now. I found another Atmel 328 but have no way to program it.

 

Many of the power adapters are not voltage regulated at all, and quite a few of them have the polarity reversed fr0om how it should be. Reversed polarity is almost instant serious damage.