BK Precision 880 LCR ESR Meter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: fitch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 03:58:02 pm
content: Hello all,I am in need of an ESR meter and found the new BK 880. It appears to operate up to 100KHz and comes with good set of accessories (leads, etc). Price is in my budget.Anyone have one yet? Would love to get feedback, good or bad.I realize this meter will do other things, but for ESR alone, how would it compare to say a Peak ESR70 or Blue ESR?Thanks.

author: Vgkid
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 05:05:54 pm
content: Unless you can get it for less than $150, or you need the warranty. Look into the Deere de-5000. They are on ebay/amazon for a reasonable amount.

author: David Hess
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 21, 2016, 08:15:31 pm
content: Quote from: Vgkid on July 21, 2016, 05:05:54 pmI agree. The DE-5000 is an incredible value.

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 12:21:26 am
content: This 880 one? It looks like it was inspired by some old Escort design with many and many ICs inside...https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tonghui-lcr-meter-teardown-is-bk879b-just-a-rebranded-meter/I prefer the LCR meters with two Cyrustek ICs inside, like DER EE DE-5000, APPA or CEM DT-9935.https://picasaweb.google.com/106264218831814439783/CEMDT9935LCRMeter#They seem to be more reliable.

author: fitch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 12:48:29 am
content: I feel like I must have been under a rock, as I just learned about the DE-5000. But, I can save enough money buying the DE-5000 instead of the BK 880 that I can buy a Peak ESR70 as well. Should be nice additions to the bench.Thanks!

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 02:26:52 am
content: I am not sure ifPeak ESR70is better than that AVR testers sold on ebay and built by many hobbyists.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/$20-lcr-esr-transistor-checker-project/

author: MosherIV
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 10:06:22 am
content: One thing to bear in mind, how trust worthy is the calibration of any of the one listed here?I would tend to go back to the BK Precision, since they are a well known brand. OK not the best brand but they should have some line of tractability for their calibration.No idea what level of tractability for the DER, APA or CEM. All look like Chinese brands.The Peak I would trust as well, a small UK based specialist company that have found a niche with their little meters. I would expect them to have some line of tractability for their calibration as well.As for the $20 LCR transistor checker.....well I have one of these - would not trust it what so ever.I have a precision 10K resistor, verified with a 5.5 digit Thurbly 1905a and my Keysight U1232a is new (less than 6 months old) so is in calibration, both show this to be exactly 10K. FYI I was lucky enough to get hold of a bucket full of precision resistors and I measure each one (with the 1905a) till I got on measuring exactly 10KThe $20 LCR showed this to be 10.7K - what do you think this means for it's accuracyThe fact that the open source documentation says that the cheap versions use a zener diode instead of a precision reference means that the Chinese ones will be way out

author: Wirehead
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 12:40:11 pm
content: The 879 is quite different from previous Escort designs, Dave did a teardown, have a look. All I can say is: it's well worth it's money, and I suspect the 880 will be so too. In terms of reliability: I use mine everyday, no problems whatsoever.

author: fitch
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 01:15:39 pm
content: Well folks, thanks for all the feedback. I just pulled the trigger on a DE-5000 from EBay. Price is not as good as a couple years ago, but managed to keep things under $150.Bill

author: TurboTom
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 22, 2016, 01:24:16 pm
content: Fitch -if you considered the BK 880 price-wise, you may as well have a look at the Applent AT826 which features "real" four-wire measurements, is quite accurate and especially useful in the really low R, L and C ranges. And it comes with a nice set of four-wire clips as well as a pair of four-wire SMD tweezers. This instrument isn't as common as the BK's or those that base their design on the Cyrustek chipset but after I got one of those privately, my collegue engineers at work decided they also need one of those so we purchased an AT826 at work as well and all are quite impressed with its performance. Of course, your decision also depends on what you actually need it for. But at least in my own humble opinion, the Applent is a way better choice than any of the Cyrustek-based instruments.Cheers,ThomasOh well - just noticed I'm a minute or two late with my response

author: Hydrawerk
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 23, 2016, 01:16:35 am
content: QuoteProbably not a bad brand but they just sell rebadges instruments.

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2016, 04:41:28 pm
content: Quote from: TurboTom on July 22, 2016, 01:24:16 pmCan you expand on this? The 880 does have proper 4-wire connections (the 879B does not, which is perhaps what you're thinking of).

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: July 31, 2016, 04:43:23 pm
content: Quote from: Hydrawerk on July 23, 2016, 01:16:35 amI suspect this model may be a departure from the 879B/clones and is an in-house design. Purely speculation, but I'll post some pictures once I take delivery in the coming week.

author: bitbanger
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 16, 2016, 02:11:29 am
content: I stand (slightly) corrected. You may want to see the link I posted to photos of the 880's board, here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/great-deal-on-bk-880-lcresr-meter/msg1005236/#msg1005236https://goo.gl/photos/HCYynuVUbPs5reUw9