[Amps] Sencore vs hp, etc. TSPA

[Will Matney]

John,

Your correct. Sencore does have a few added gadgets but most can be done either by ones self like reforming caps with a power sipply, etc. I have an older Simpson capacitor checker I use and does well. Only cost about $20 if I recall. Sencore designed their equipment around the TV service industry to start with, then VCRs came out, then PC's. I think that's what's keeping them afloat is the PC monitor test equipment. The prices they have are well over what the equipment is worth. I serviced TV's starting in 1983. That was when the TV repair business was still able to make some money, but shortly thereafter the bottom dropped out. I used to get sencore ads in the mail at least twice a month wanting me to lease to buy, or buy straight out. I always bought B&K because it was cheaper, and really better in my opinion for service.

Right now on ebay, you can look under the LCR meters in Test Equipment and see what I mean. I seen one HP LCR meter with a strating price of about $49. The cheapest Sencore was like $200 and one $600. They'll sell too as they always do (Sencore). For me, I'd rather take my chances bidding and put $200 in the HP. The main reason I mentioned the LCR meters on here is some use them for winding coils on here. I hate to see folks waste their money when they can get something 10X the quality for less.

Best,

Will

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 2/8/06 at 8:35 AM John T. M. Lyles wrote:

>I just got my first Sencore meter, given to me last weekend at a 
>hamfest, a CA55 capacitor analyzer, vintage 1982. It is 1/2 of their 
>LCR analyzer. Ordered the manual from South Dakota. Even that was 
>pricy. I noted that we have a few of the LCR boxes at work, and that 
>they use a short piece of RG62 for the test cable, 93 ohm coax. So I 
>cut a piece and made a probe (lower Cshunt). The funnest part was the 
>leakage tester button pusher device. They don't have a locking button 
>for that mode, instead having a plastic rod that wedges between the 
>handle on front and the button. A warning is given in the manual 
>about shock hazard when using that attachement. I don't think the 
>other test equipment companies of reputable quality would offer such 
>a trick, but hey, it works fine.
>
>Reason I got the meter is that it does have that leakage mode and 
>ability to reform electrolytics. The laboratory quality units do not 
>apply HV and reform caps like that, to my knowledge. Its one of the 
>most used devices for refurbishing boat anchor radios these days. 
>Until now, i had been using my trusty bench HV supply and a 
>milliameter. The Sencore does it and reads down into the uA directly. 
>Nice feature. Also, i have an Almost All Digital II LCR meter, which 
>is fantastic for pF and nF, but doesn't do big capacitors well. When 
>I question my readings, out comes an old Genrad bridge, the one with 
>batteries and 1 kc oscillator and the Orthonull dial features. That 
>thing reads D, Q, L, C, R very well. I have used it on a few 
>modulation transformers recently.
>
>My opinion on Sencore versus the others is, that if you need to know 
>D, Q and maybe ESR of components, you are probably in designing mode. 
>Hence you need the lab equipment, even something that can have 
>different excitation frequencies, to try and derive the equivalent 
>model of an inductor or find the self resonant frequency, where pure 
>L falls apart. Also if you are manufacturing electronics, automatic 
>reading and pass/fail features are great.
>
>But if you are checking caps or L in a shop, repairing sets as 
>quickly as you can, then Sencore and their like fill the bill. With 
>the fall off in repair shops and the era of throw-away electronics I 
>am surprised Sencore is still surviving. However, I have no idea why 
>Sencore demands a strong price on EBAY compared to others. Seems to 
>me that Hp also gets top dollar on a lot of boxes there. I don't know 
>about ESI or Genrad (or Boonton) as haven't bid on them.
>
>73
>John
>K5PRO
>
>>Are you saying Sencore compares with HP, ESI, or General Radio in 
>>impedance or LCR meters? I have all four brands here, and there's a 
>>big difference in precision and quality of manufacture to me. The 
>>only thing I know that Sencore has on their LCR meter is a ringing 
>>test for flybacks which can be done using a scope or a flyback 
>>tester, and capacitor leakage. If I recall, even the LC102 cant 
>>measure D and Q of a cap or a coil. The Sencore stuff is more suited 
>>to the consumer repair industry, IE: TV and radio. When you get into 
>>manufacturing passive components like caps, chokes, or resistors, a 
>>good top of the line LCR meter like the brands I mentioned win hands 
>>down. Heck, even the small Leader LCR-740 can measure D and Q. 
>>That's my point, why's these guys rushing to buy these Sencore LCR 
>>meters for upwards of $600 used when there's good HP, ESI, and 
>>GenRad equipment available for much less on ebay and other places? 
>>All I can figure is the folks buying them have been mis-infor
>>  med, or don't know what is available out there for real 
>>professional use. To me, for what Sencore is charging for a new LCR 
>>meter, and for no more than it does, one of those hand held LCR 
>>meters for about $69 new will do the same thing. I don't want to see 
>>any friends on here be taken and waste a huge amount of cash for no 
>>more than their getting in the end.
>>
>>Best,
>>
>>Will
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