Hand held LCR meter

[N2GHX Ken]

Need recommendations for a reasonably priced good quality hand held LCR Meter?
Thanx

[W1EUJ]

Almost All Digital Electronics L/C meter IIB. Kit $100. Built $125.
Reasonable price for a new device, works well, leaves room for a VTVM and more radios on the bench.

[Carl WA1KPD]

Agree with Dave
I have had mine for4 years or so and have been very happy with it
http://www.aade.com/lcmeter.htm

Carl
/KPD

[kc2ifr]

Yep......great meter although it wont read big iron such as big 50 henry chokes.

[K1DEU]

Around 1995 four of us who worked 75 & 160 Meter AM each purchased a expensive ($209) Tenma 960 hand held meter. We do get some nice ranges. Its still for sale and allows Q (merit ) readings between 120 Cycles and 1 KHz. If measuring an audio reactor there is very little inductance difference between 1 KHz and 120 hertz  with the nice thin laminations. When its a 120 cycle power supply choke with thick laminations there is a large drop in inductance when toggling to 1 KHz, as expected !  It was a pleasure to have a common language on the air. 
The ranging is automatic !
Ranges
•Inductance: 1mH, 10mH, 100mH, 1H, 10H, 100H 1000H, 10,000H
•Capacitance: 1000pF 0.1pF, 10nF, 100nF, 1000nF, 10µF, 100µF, 1,000µF
•Resistance: 10Ω, 100Ω, 1KΩ, 10KΩ, 100KΩ, 1MΩ, 10MΩ

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/72-960

Its not funny how many silver mica caps after shelf aging show low Q and work poorly in VFO's!

Often we would go to a flea market with many clip leads and identify unmarked transformers and chokes. It doesn't require much time to measure transformer leakage inductance (coupling efficiency) with a small calculator. 73 John

[flintstone mop]

Hi
I would tend to lean toward the suggestions of the other replies.
I went to the link below and bought a low price kit. I would not recommend this but check out the specs any way. It's not your friendly Heathkit and the plastic case they send does not fit the meter you bought. It was a complimentary 'free' case. The meter is impressive, but the range might be questionable

link:     http://electronics-diy.com/

Fred

[Ed-VA3ES]

I own something similar to the Tenma 960  digital meter. It is  a "Circuit-Test" model DLM-240.  Very similar specs to the Tenma. It is an LCR meter, but I only use the L section, as I already have excellent digi and analog VOM's.    I also have a couple of good digital capacitance meters that cover from pf's to 100's of  uF.

The "Circuit-Test" model DLM-240 covers  200uH, 2mH, 20mH, 200mH, 2H, 20H, 200H
It automatically switches frequencies: 1000Hz from 200uH to 2H  and 100Hz from 20H through 200H.
It cost me $170. at a local electronics parts emporium.

Around 1995 four of us who worked 75 & 160 Meter AM each purchased a expensive ($209) Tenma 960 hand held meter. We do get some nice ranges. Its still for sale and allows Q (merit ) readings between 120 Cycles and 1 KHz. If measuring an audio reactor there is very little inductance difference between 1 KHz and 120 hertz  with the nice thin laminations. When its a 120 cycle power supply choke with thick laminations there is a large drop in inductance when toggling to 1 KHz, as expected !  It was a pleasure to have a common language on the air. 

Ranges
•Inductance: 1mH, 10mH, 100mH, 1H, 10H, 100H 1000H, 10,000H
•Capacitance: 1000pF 0.1pF, 10nF, 100nF, 1000nF, 10µF, 100µF, 1,000µF
•Resistance: 10Ω, 100Ω, 1KΩ, 10KΩ, 100KΩ, 1MΩ, 10MΩ

http://www.mcmelectronics.com/product/72-960

Its not funny how many silver mica caps after shelf aging show low Q and work poorly in VFO's!

Often we would go to a flea market with many clip leads and identify unmarked transformers and chokes. It doesn't require much time to measure transformer leakage inductance (coupling efficiency) with a small calculator. 73 John

[WBear2GCR]

There's a standard DVM that covers both C & L, usually up to 20hy or 40hy depending on who you get it from. Usually about $60, and it also does frequency and the usual transistor tests. Alpha supplies one version of it, and there is an east coast asian supplier also, and maybe the same meter is available from either MCM or Parts Express, iirc. It works well.

Of course none of these hand held devices permit you to insert a high frequency signal with which to do the tests, meaning that you get a nominal result, not a result WRT actual reactance vs. frequency.

There is an old military bridge that does this job very nicely, and has an electric eye tube. Saw one at NEARFEAST last fall, but I was short the $50 asking price by the time I spotted it. I had a friend who had one, and it worked super. Permitted external sig gen source.

All depends on what sort of measurement you want or need.

                _-_-bear

[w3jn]

Many of these meters are not bridges and are thus subject to inaccuracies due to component Q.

If you scour enough at hamfest you can score a good professional quality bridge.  I got this HP 4261A for $50 - some solvent goobered the display lens a bit but works FB and I've used it very often.  Not handheld, but fairly small footprint on the bench.

[steve_qix]

I use a B & K 875B.  I have been *very* pleased with the accuracy of the meter (have checked it against lab-standard items), and it seems to measure anything.

This one is a few years old... so there may be a new replacement, but maybe not!

Here is a pic:

[flintstone mop]

That's nice Steve
Maybe a look to E-Pay is in order.

Fred

[flintstone mop]

The B&K is still around. Not on E-bay but still around for $195.00
I'll keep looking

Fred

[KE7NL - Jack]

Almost All Digital Electronics L/C meter IIB.  http://www.aade.com/
Can't beat the value.

[atulbhagwat]

Pl checkin this instrument at 270 USD + Shipping.
This is a professional instrument at cost of handheld instrument;
Pl Check at
http://sites.google.com/site/knohowlcrmeter/

[w3jn]

spammer^^