Component tester: Atlas vs cheap Aliexpress - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: RiRaRi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 07:13:24 pm
content: Hi. I was looking to buy one of those component testers. Is Atlas one really better and more accurate then aliexpress 15 EUR one. I am asking because as i can see aliexpress one can indentify more transistors then Atlas one. ESR and some other functions is not important to me since we have other test equipment for that.

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 07:18:40 pm
content: Can you post a link to the Aliexpress devices you are suggesting?

author: RiRaRi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 08:11:01 pm
content: Yes. As i have seen people really like them. They are all the same and some of them are sold without case.https://a.aliexpress.com/_mP6J4Ue

author: colorado.rob
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 08:24:57 pm
content: Dave did a video on this.

author: RiRaRi
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 08:43:21 pm
content: Yes i saw that. He likes it and says they are good. They are definitely worth the money but is it worth to invest in more expensive Atlas?

author: David_AVD
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 10:01:13 pm
content: I've found the BSIDE ESR02 tester to be quite useful.

author: egonotto
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 11:06:27 pm
content: Hello,Atlas can Darlington Transistor. I don't think the two shown can do that.DCA75 is far better but considerably more expensive.A German Youtuber has already shown twice that he would not have found the fault without a curve tracer during repairs.Best regardsegonotto

author: Wallace Gasiewicz
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 11:10:40 pm
content: I have use all three of the component testers listed.The Atlas is nicer in construction but does only transistors and diodes, at least the one I use has these functions. Very Nice.The Bside does more stuff like inductance and capacitance and resistance and is pretty good at this and at transistors. I am currently using this at home. The case is not as sturdy as the Atlas. For the price I am amazed at the performance, comparing readings to much more expensive equipment.The cheapo one you showed does work but broke after about a year. It did work OK though. You do need a case so that the components on the board and traces on the back do not touch anything if you are measuring something in place. Maybe just some plastic on the back.The Bside will read a Darlington as a BiPolar Transistor with a VERY high Beta, easy to notice.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 11:16:43 pm
content: You could at least link to what you are talking about:Peak atlas DCA55:https://www.farnell.com/datasheets/2052907.pdf$75DCA75 pro:https://www.peakelec.co.uk/downloads/dca75-user-guide-en.pdf$200and explain what you plan to use it for.Is it for basic repairs? Then the cheap one is probably fine.Is it for production level testing of a FET/BJT? Probably go with the name brand, maybe the pro if you need curve tracing.

author: ledtester
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 08, 2023, 11:25:10 pm
content: Note that the cheap testers are implementations of this project:https://www.mikrocontroller.net/articles/AVR_Transistortester#Introduction_(English)If you read these threads:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/tc1-lcr-meter-transistor-tester-fix/https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/%2420-lcr-esr-transistor-checker-project/you'll see that the latest offerings of this device do not use an Atmel MCU and seem not to be as accurate and are definitely not upgradable to newer versions of the firmware which is actively being developed.The non-Atmel processors used by the new offerings have been to this point SMD parts so you can increase your chances that you receive one with a genuine Atmel MCU by buying a kit with a PDIP processor such as:https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255801018910507.html

author: schmitt trigger
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2023, 12:26:51 am
content: FWIW, I have owned an Atlas device for 13+ years and has been very reliable and trustworthy all of these years. It required a software upgrade to detect germanium transistors.

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2023, 06:18:20 pm
content: Atlas do not make universal component tester, but specialized ones, i.e. one for RCL, one for semiconductors and one for triac/SCR. They are more precise than the Chinese ones (They are not originally Chinese) and can do more testing.But in most cases the cheap Chinese is sufficient, they can usually identify a component, say if it works and give an idea about value. They only issue is that they do not work for small inductors.

author: DaneLaw
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: August 09, 2023, 09:29:29 pm
content: Many of these cheaper CN-ones also comes packed with other features, outputs with dedicated sockets/screw terminals at the top & bottom...like freq counter, freq generator, 10bit PWM control, signal out & and all that jazz, though if it's to any use in practice, likely varies from person to person.Got this one from the UK a handfull of years back (Banggoods UK store)., was around 10 euro with an acrylic case delivered to DK.https://i.imgur.com/Hxdmnd9.mp4feature list.If its a good component tester, I dont know. havent compared it to others, - I do like the fact that it constantly updates values 0n the screen when adjusting pods etc, or checking components, but check Youtube for reviews to gain an overview of which model does what - and how well, as there are so many models of these "CN component testers" that you literally could feed pigs with them.a minor con on some of them is the lack of an inbuilt battery, though an easy fix.