Chopstick style test probes?

[rhb]

Anyone know of any sharp pointed probes with the form factor of a Japanese chopstick?

This is for in-circuit probing of passive components with an LCR or ESR tester.

Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.

Thanks,
Reg

[JxR]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001015582230.html

The most chopstick looking probe set I've ever seen...

[jeroen79]

From Fluke:
TP2
TL40
TP88
Are fairly slim with a small or no fingerguard.

TP220
TP80
Can be used as well, just cut off the fingerguard.

Ali et al will offer suitable copies for less money.

For leaded through hole parts you can also use clips to grab or hook around the leads.


How about some DIY?

https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Variable-Spacing-Multimeter-Probe-From-Draftin/

[rhb]

I just bought this:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Quality-1-PAIR-Universal-Probe-Test-Leads-Pin-Digital-Multimeter-76cm-1000V/121655978139

We'll see.  No big loss if they don't.  I may be able to reduce the diameter near the tips.

The AliExpress ones look to be exactly what I want. I just wish they accepted PayPal.  Not real keen on giving multiple websites my CC data.

I learned to pick up a grain of rice with chopsticks almost 50 years ago.  So setting two probe tips the proper distance and pushing them into contact is a breeze.  And much faster than adjusting a divider whether screw or friction joint type.

I just tried 3 chopsticks and I think with a modest amount of practice  I can make that work for transistors.   With a good in-circuit tester that would greatly speed up repairs on stuff without service data.

Have Fun!
Reg

[thm_w]

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001015582230.html

The most chopstick looking probe set I've ever seen...

The probes they are using are amazing, ultra-mini banana plug, hand soldered (?) to some sort of step down adapter.

[rhb]

Those look really nice.  Thanks for sharing the picture.

The system they are selling looks to be about the only sane way to connect an LA to the crazy fine pitch parts short of a major company budget.

Have Fun!
Reg

[Elasia]

Anyone know of any sharp pointed probes with the form factor of a Japanese chopstick?

This is for in-circuit probing of passive components with an LCR or ESR tester.

Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.

Thanks,
Reg

This is what you want if you are doing LCR, this is a kelvin probe made by the smart tweezers company

https://smarttweezers.us/LCR-probe-connector.html

I have them.. it works

[tautech]

Anyone know of any sharp pointed probes with the form factor of a Japanese chopstick?

This is for in-circuit probing of passive components with an LCR or ESR tester.

Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.

Thanks,
Reg

This is what you want if you are doing LCR, this is a kelvin probe made by the smart tweezers company

https://smarttweezers.us/LCR-probe-connector.html

I have them.. it works

Hell yeah, if you're doing SMD then smart tweezers are the way to go however most are too shy to shell out the $ on a proper tool !

Reg is probably more interested in a set of these from the same company:
https://lcr-reader.com/SMDmultimetertesttweezers.html

[Elasia]

Anyone know of any sharp pointed probes with the form factor of a Japanese chopstick?

This is for in-circuit probing of passive components with an LCR or ESR tester.

Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.

Thanks,
Reg

This is what you want if you are doing LCR, this is a kelvin probe made by the smart tweezers company

https://smarttweezers.us/LCR-probe-connector.html

I have them.. it works

Hell yeah, if you're doing SMD then smart tweezers are the way to go however most are too shy to shell out the $ on a proper tool !

Reg is probably more interested in a set of these from the same company:
https://lcr-reader.com/SMDmultimetertesttweezers.html

Except..

"Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.:"



What i linked is at least a kelvin probe still, this is how i do anything not a typical smd part

Also I got one of those cheap Chinese LCR meters in the silver case XJ whatever.. uses these alligator clips but isnt good for smd

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32340597812.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.43252d8fnuHwMG&algo_pvid=ec79b669-9a79-42b2-9751-04ca6f6dd971&algo_expid=ec79b669-9a79-42b2-9751-04ca6f6dd971-36&btsid=0ab6d70515901938288026568e37af&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_,searchweb201603_

[tautech]

Anyone know of any sharp pointed probes with the form factor of a Japanese chopstick?

This is for in-circuit probing of passive components with an LCR or ESR tester.

Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.

Thanks,
Reg

This is what you want if you are doing LCR, this is a kelvin probe made by the smart tweezers company

https://smarttweezers.us/LCR-probe-connector.html

I have them.. it works

Hell yeah, if you're doing SMD then smart tweezers are the way to go however most are too shy to shell out the $ on a proper tool !

Reg is probably more interested in a set of these from the same company:
https://lcr-reader.com/SMDmultimetertesttweezers.html

Except..

"Having tried  tweezers I'm not enamored of those for testing thru hole parts.  My favorite DMM probes have guards which make getting the tips close together difficult.:"



What i linked is at least a kelvin probe still, this is how i do anything not a typical smd part

I hear ya and you should know SMD tweezers can be stretched to fit over the greater selection of TH parts with axial caps being the exception. My old ST3's can manage 1" no problem.
It's the first tool I reach for measure any component on a PCB and whip DMM probes for speed hands down.

Thing is with SMD tweezers, their cost is such that until you have a set you'd never know how versatile they are.
They've certainly excluded any requirement for a dedicated LCR meter on my bench.
YMMV

[Elasia]

I hear ya and you should know SMD tweezers can be stretched to fit over the greater selection of TH parts with axial caps being the exception. My old ST3's can manage 1" no problem.
It's the first tool I reach for measure any component on a PCB and whip DMM probes for speed hands down.

Thing is with SMD tweezers, their cost is such that until you have a set you'd never know how versatile they are.
They've certainly excluded any requirement for a dedicated LCR meter on my bench.
YMMV

Same reason i got mine

So... million dollar question.. when is siglent releasing a cheaper LCR meter? lol Surprised they dont have one on their list yet.. anything that can do 1mhz+ still costs a dick and a ball

[tautech]

I hear ya and you should know SMD tweezers can be stretched to fit over the greater selection of TH parts with axial caps being the exception. My old ST3's can manage 1" no problem.
It's the first tool I reach for measure any component on a PCB and whip DMM probes for speed hands down.

Thing is with SMD tweezers, their cost is such that until you have a set you'd never know how versatile they are.
They've certainly excluded any requirement for a dedicated LCR meter on my bench.
YMMV

Same reason i got mine

So... million dollar question.. when is siglent releasing a cheaper LCR meter? lol Surprised they dont have one on their list yet.. anything that can do 1mhz+ still costs a dick and a ball

Maybe an SVA should be on your want list. 
Smith charts and all that stuff.

TBH I get bothered regularly by Asian sellers wanting to push that stuff.....but no ! 

[Elasia]

Maybe an SVA should be on your want list. 
Smith charts and all that stuff.

TBH I get bothered regularly by Asian sellers wanting to push that stuff.....but no ! 

You're completely right... i forgot i got handed one on a silver platter... might as well use it lol

Just had a fixation on a bench lcr meter for a long time.. to much free wall space i suppose

[rhb]

I learned to use chopsticks a very long time ago.  I can easily take a pair of needle point chopsticks and poke the ends into the opposite ends of a grain of rice.   I doubt that it would take me long to be able to pick and place SMD parts with suitably shaped  chopsticks.  It's a very natural extension of your finger tips.

I might well buy a tweezer LCR meter at some point, but right now I'm concerned with easily probing boards which are either all thru hole or a mixture of thru hole and SMD parts.

The probes I ordered should work fine for LCR in circuit testing.  They might need to be shaved a bit by turning in a lathe and filing but I should be able to get the tips to touch with ease.

Fo' me i' be way mo' fast'.

Have Fun!
Reg

[ferdieCX]

From Fluke:

TP80

I regret to have bought the TP80. The IC insulated cap is not exactly "precision work", the probe tip remains inside the cap and it doesn't make contact with the IC pin. For the price of this probes, this is unacceptable.

[rhb]

These came today:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/High-Quality-1-PAIR-Universal-Probe-Test-Leads-Pin-Digital-Multimeter-76cm-1000V/121655978139

I can get the tips to within 1/8" as is, but removing a small amount of plastic at the shoulder near the tip will solve that.  The leads are PVC rather than silicone and are molded on, so no chance of changing them.

The tips are very sharp and a cap is included.  I'll probably buy a few more sets for some of my $3 HF DMMs which I got for free and make up a set with coax to replace the EDS-88A tweezers.

Not great, but not bad.  They'll do for now.

Have Fun!
Reg

[ebclr]

A lot of things like that ( even the one yourself much cheaper )

https://vterchina.taobao.com/?spm=2013.1.1000126.3.7285760cPBmn42

[rhb]

Sure, but I got mine in 2 days with free shipping.

I've read the "Tao te Ching" in English translation for 48 years, but I never learned Chinese :-(

Have Fun!
Reg

[rhb]

BTW If you are a Chinese entrepreneur reading this, a pair of probes that allowed single handed probing  from 0-40 mm  (a rough guess at what I can do) with nice, supple  silicone lead wires would be a fantastic product.  Especially if you offered 34401A compatible  banana plugs as an option. Obviously, in a world of 0.25 mm pitch parts, fat tips won't work.

I can actually make the tips touch with these, but it's not the way I would normally pick up chopsticks.  For low voltage tests it's far better than anything else.

Sell me some,
Reg

[serg-el]

Straight arms and a little patience.  Done!

[serg-el]

And for RLC  probes. The connectors can be replaced with any other.
Made for a multimeter. For measuring parts and connectors with low resistance on the boards.
A coaxial cable was used from the Tasker C139 cord. Soft and good shielding quality.