Is the PEAK Atlas DCA Pro a good first choice if I'm wanting to add circuit diagnostic tools to my war chest?

Or is there another device that I should get first?

 

Noone knows ?

 

 

I have been using one for the last few years and found it to be extremely useful, especially as you can connect it to a computer and trace various parameter curves.
All of their devices are exceptionally good, the LCR tester too is very handy.
Depends a lot on what you want to do. If you have lots of unknown value parts, or want to accurately match some, or if you are servicing things, then yes I think you will find them very useful.
Also look around for a good second hand analogue oscilloscope. Don't be tempted to by a cheapo lcd digital one, most are crap in comparison to an analogue 'scope that was only a few years ago near top of the range that can be bought for the same cost.

 

I have been using one for the last few years and found it to be extremely useful, especially as you can connect it to a computer and trace various parameter curves.
All of their devices are exceptionally good, the LCR tester too is very handy.
Depends a lot on what you want to do. If you have lots of unknown value parts, or want to accurately match some, or if you are servicing things, then yes I think you will find them very useful.
Also look around for a good second hand analogue oscilloscope. Don't be tempted to by a cheapo lcd digital one, most are crap in comparison to an analogue 'scope that was only a few years ago near top of the range that can be bought for the same cost.

Thanks!
I do happen to have a Hitachi V-1050F, 100MHz analog oscilloscope but I have very limited knowledge on how to use it.

Mostly I want to learn to repair electronic devices that fail around the house. Right now I have several battery backups and a few other devices which it would thrill me to repair.

I think I'll go ahead and get the DCA PRO and just learn how to use it.
I have a feeling my oscilloscope would be massively useful....if I learned how to use it.

 

Is the PEAK Atlas DCA Pro a good first choice if I'm wanting to add circuit diagnostic tools to my war chest?

Or is there another device that I should get first?

As an experienced engineer, I find the 3 types I have not that useful as front line diagnostics tools - generally I use my skills to unearth faulty components. The Peak Atlas instruments are extremely useful to confirm my theory.

The ESR meter is a good example, its supposed to be able to test capacitors in situ, but I find this a little cumbersome. Mostly I tackle ATX PSUs and there are ways to detect failing electrolytics that take a lot less effort. The ESR meter is a life saver when I use it to verify the replacement parts are better than the ones I took out.

They are good tools and I would recommend them, but they are not a substitute for knowledge and experience if you want to repair faulty electronics.

 

I agree with Ian field's post above, (*6) Experience Is the first essential, but to gain it can be a roller coaster ride to start off.
Certainly the 'scope and a good multimeter will be two of the most useful and often used pieces of hardware, the other equipment are supplements
that as Ian said confirm diagnosis. An ESR meter would definitely be my next on the list if repairing lots of equipment.
As an example, just recently I revived a 25 year old top of the line oscilloscope that had become slow to start, and generally unstable. I made a list of ALL the electrolytic capacitors and ordered a complete set of high quality high temp (105 deg) from a major component supplier. Not from E.Bay!!
Cost was under £50.00. I then spent a few hours and replaced them all, the 'scope is now as good as new! They still sell for over £400.00 so well worth the cost, time and effort.
I measured with my ESR meter all the new capacitors before fitting them to make sure I did not have a dud (it happens) and then measured all the old ones. Only half a dozen showed slightly high, and two about double that of the new ones, yet every single one of them appeared physically to be fine.
Now it is perfectly likely that I could have just replaced the "high" ones and that would have been enough to cure the faults, but I believe in the saying "If in doubt, chuck it out" because if some have started to fail, others would soon follow suit.
In this instance, I drilled a few holes in the case above the vertical amplifier board to allow some heat to escape. We used to assume that for every 10 deg.C over ambient, it halves the life of electrolytic capacitors!

Regarding the use of the oscilloscope, The one you have should be fine for most purposes, they were great for general workshop duties.
Google "using an oscilloscope" and you should find plenty of tutorials.
Also look on Amazon for a book by M.C. Sharma called "Fast servicing with oscilloscopes" BPB publications isbn 81-7029-409-6

Have fun

P.S I found this on this site which although not exactly the same model it should help you a lot. And this from Tektronics.

 

I agree with Ian field's post above, (*6) Experience Is the first essential, but to gain it can be a roller coaster ride to start off.
Certainly the 'scope and a good multimeter will be two of the most useful and often used pieces of hardware, the other equipment are supplements
that as Ian said confirm diagnosis. An ESR meter would definitely be my next on the list if repairing lots of equipment.
As an example, just recently I revived a 25 year old top of the line oscilloscope that had become slow to start, and generally unstable. I made a list of ALL the electrolytic capacitors and ordered a complete set of high quality high temp (105 deg) from a major component supplier. Not from E.Bay!!
Cost was under £50.00. I then spent a few hours and replaced them all, the 'scope is now as good as new! They still sell for over £400.00 so well worth the cost, time and effort.
I measured with my ESR meter all the new capacitors before fitting them to make sure I did not have a dud (it happens) and then measured all the old ones. Only half a dozen showed slightly high, and two about double that of the new ones, yet every single one of them appeared physically to be fine.
Now it is perfectly likely that I could have just replaced the "high" ones and that would have been enough to cure the faults, but I believe in the saying "If in doubt, chuck it out" because if some have started to fail, others would soon follow suit.
In this instance, I drilled a few holes in the case above the vertical amplifier board to allow some heat to escape. We used to assume that for every 10 deg.C over ambient, it halves the life of electrolytic capacitors!

Regarding the use of the oscilloscope, The one you have should be fine for most purposes, they were great for general workshop duties.
Google "using an oscilloscope" and you should find plenty of tutorials.
Also look on Amazon for a book by M.C. Sharma called "Fast servicing with oscilloscopes" BPB publications isbn 81-7029-409-6

Have fun

P.S I found this on this site which although not exactly the same model it should help you a lot. And this from Tektronics.

An oscilloscope was my "holy grail" when I first started out and couldn't afford one - now I have 3 of them, and only find need to use one every once in a while.

The frequency counter was such a "must have" that I actually rolled my sleeves up and built one. It was cobbled together with at least 2 different types of 7 segment digits, I eventually tired of fixing loose connections. The local tip donated a commercially produced counter - maybe used it about half dozen times.

A couple of generations before mine; Scopes were extremely rare, and frequency calibration was done by the beat method.

 

Ok...if an ESR meter is essential....which one?

I see them ranging from $8.00 to several hundred

 

Ok...if an ESR meter is essential....which one?

I see them ranging from $8.00 to several hundred

The Peak esr 70 appears to be a good choice, They use the previous esr 60 at my old business but that model is discontinued.

This is the one I have used for a good few years.
With any ESR meter, make sure you discharge the capacitor before testing. Remember that due to dielectric absorption, a capacitor can regain a significant charge within about 10-20 mins of being discharged. Something that is easily overlooked and especially if you use a dead short (screwdriver etc) to discharge the capacitor. Far better to use a 2 or 5k W/W resistor held onto the pins for 30 secs or so. Longer for high value, high voltage electrolytics.

 

Ok...if an ESR meter is essential....which one?

I see them ranging from $8.00 to several hundred

It isn't essential - I was weeding out dodgy electrolytics for a couple of decades before I got an ESR meter.

The meter tells you the ESR reading - but that only serves any useful purpose if you know the limit for that particular circuit function.

As I stated in an earlier post; it really scores points verifying that replacement parts are better than the ones I took out.

 

The Peak esr 70 appears to be a good choice, They use the previous esr 60 at my old business but that model is discontinued.
View attachment 135320
This is the one I have used for a good few years.
With any ESR meter, make sure you discharge the capacitor before testing. Remember that due to dielectric absorption, a capacitor can regain a significant charge within about 10-20 mins of being discharged. Something that is easily overlooked and especially if you use a dead short (screwdriver etc) to discharge the capacitor. Far better to use a 2 or 5k W/W resistor held onto the pins for 30 secs or so. Longer for high value, high voltage electrolytics.

I have one of those too - they're prone to MPU destruction if you try to read a big charged electrolytic. I ordered a couple of spare MPUs, and also fitted the suggested pair of inverse parallel chunky rectifiers across the sockets.

the other preferred modification is a LDO 3-terminal regulator.