Inductors are ubiquitous, being indispensable in circuits such
as loudspeaker crossover networks, switchmode power supplies and RF amplifiers.
Unlike other components, inductors are often hand-made, particularly when
prototyping or assembling a do-it-yourself project. At a minimum, this suggests
the need for a meter to check inductance values prior to use in circuit.
But that is not the end of the story. Of all the passive
components, inductors typically show the greatest deviation from ideal
behaviour. This is due primarily to coil resistance and the hysteresis of the
core material.
The picture is further complicated by the fact that the losses
are frequency dependent. The skin effect in copper wire and the complicated
frequency characteristics of magnetic materials both come into play and are
apparent even at audio frequencies.
To provide a more informative picture of inductor performance
then, this new meter allows you to measure the Q factor of a prospective
resonant circuit at the operating frequency. If you’ve never heard of Q factor,
then read on...
|
Specifications
Range
Inductance: 200nH - 10mH
Q-Factor: 1-120 (approx.)
Power Supply
9V DC 200mA plugpack
Features
(1) Internal or external tank capacitance facility for accurate Q
measurements
(2) Measurement frequency autoranging up to 20MHz
|
