element14 Community
element14 Community
    Register Log In
  • Site
  • Search
  • Log In Register
  • Community Hub
    Community Hub
    • What's New on element14
    • Feedback and Support
    • Benefits of Membership
    • Personal Blogs
    • Members Area
    • Achievement Levels
  • Learn
    Learn
    • Ask an Expert
    • eBooks
    • element14 presents
    • Learning Center
    • Tech Spotlight
    • STEM Academy
    • Webinars, Training and Events
    • Learning Groups
  • Technologies
    Technologies
    • 3D Printing
    • FPGA
    • Industrial Automation
    • Internet of Things
    • Power & Energy
    • Sensors
    • Technology Groups
  • Challenges & Projects
    Challenges & Projects
    • Design Challenges
    • element14 presents Projects
    • Project14
    • Arduino Projects
    • Raspberry Pi Projects
    • Project Groups
  • Products
    Products
    • Arduino
    • Avnet Boards Community
    • Dev Tools
    • Manufacturers
    • Multicomp Pro
    • Product Groups
    • Raspberry Pi
    • RoadTests & Reviews
  • About Us
  • Store
    Store
    • Visit Your Store
    • Choose another store...
      • Europe
      •  Austria (German)
      •  Belgium (Dutch, French)
      •  Bulgaria (Bulgarian)
      •  Czech Republic (Czech)
      •  Denmark (Danish)
      •  Estonia (Estonian)
      •  Finland (Finnish)
      •  France (French)
      •  Germany (German)
      •  Hungary (Hungarian)
      •  Ireland
      •  Israel
      •  Italy (Italian)
      •  Latvia (Latvian)
      •  
      •  Lithuania (Lithuanian)
      •  Netherlands (Dutch)
      •  Norway (Norwegian)
      •  Poland (Polish)
      •  Portugal (Portuguese)
      •  Romania (Romanian)
      •  Russia (Russian)
      •  Slovakia (Slovak)
      •  Slovenia (Slovenian)
      •  Spain (Spanish)
      •  Sweden (Swedish)
      •  Switzerland(German, French)
      •  Turkey (Turkish)
      •  United Kingdom
      • Asia Pacific
      •  Australia
      •  China
      •  Hong Kong
      •  India
      •  Korea (Korean)
      •  Malaysia
      •  New Zealand
      •  Philippines
      •  Singapore
      •  Taiwan
      •  Thailand (Thai)
      • Americas
      •  Brazil (Portuguese)
      •  Canada
      •  Mexico (Spanish)
      •  United States
      Can't find the country/region you're looking for? Visit our export site or find a local distributor.
  • Translate
  • Profile
  • Settings
Experimenting with Magnetic Components
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Design Challenges
  • Experimenting with Magnetic Components
  • More
  • Cancel
Experimenting with Magnetic Components
Blog Experimenting with Magnetic Components - LCR meter experiments
  • Blog
  • Forum
  • Documents
  • Files
  • Mentions
  • Sub-Groups
  • Tags
  • More
  • Cancel
  • New
  • Share
  • More
  • Cancel
Group Actions
  • Group RSS
  • More
  • Cancel
Engagement
  • Author Author: Jan Cumps
  • Date Created: 8 Oct 2021 7:03 PM Date Created
  • Views 1747 views
  • Likes 1 like
  • Comments 2 comments
  • experimenting_with_magnetic_components
  • magnetic_components
  • bourns
Related
Recommended

Experimenting with Magnetic Components - LCR meter experiments

Jan Cumps
Jan Cumps
8 Oct 2021

I'm reviewing a set of inductors for the Experimenting with Magnetic Components design challenge.

In this post: verifying the datasheet specifications with an LCR meter.

The inductor is #7 of the kit: Bourns RF Choke, Molded Choke, 9250A Series, 1.8 mH, 50 mA, 29.9 ohm, ± 10%, 1 MHzBourns RF Choke, Molded Choke, 9250A Series, 1.8 mH, 50 mA, 29.9 ohm, ± 10%, 1 MHz

 

 

image

 

An LCR meter is an instrument to measure impedance: how inductors, capacitors, resistors behave at a given frequency.

They are often able to show additional information, such as DC resistance, phase angle, Q factor.

The one that I'm using, a Voltcraft LCR-400, is identical to the GW-INSTEK LCR-916.

It can measure

  • L/C/R at 100 Hz, 120 Hz, 1 kHz, 10 kHz, 100 kHz.
  • the trio Phase angle (θ), Dissipation factor (D = tanθ) and Quality factor (Q = 1/D)
  • Equivalent series resistance
  • DCR: Resistance at 0 Hz

If you're interested in probing techniques for LCR meters: fmilburn's DIY 3-D Printed 4-Wire Kelvin LCR Adapter for SMD Components is the place to check.

 

The Inductor according to the datasheet

 

L: RF Choke, Molded Choke, 9250A Series, 1.8 mH, 50 mA, 29.9 ohm, ± 10%, 1 MHzRF Choke, Molded Choke, 9250A Series, 1.8 mH, 50 mA, 29.9 ohm, ± 10%, 1 MHz

 

image

source: Bourns datasheet

 

The component is measured at 250 kHz. Bold values are ones I measure later with the LCR meter.

L: 1.8 mH

Q: >= 45

Self resonance frequency >= 1 MHz

DCR: <= 29.9Ω

 

The Inductor as tested by an LCR meter

 

image

image source: the actual component in the kit

 

I'm measuring at 100 kHz, maximum frequency of my meter.

I'm using the 4-wire probe points on the meter, and have calibrated the instrument for that.

image

 

L: 1.7184 mH

Q: 47.7

DCR: 17.88 Ω

 

R (ACR, Z): 22.63 Ω

ESR: 22.5Ω

θ: 88.7°

D: 0.021

 

 

Related posts
1. Boost Converter part 1: Inductor and Calculations
2. Boost Converter part 2: Build
3. Boost Converter part 3: Measure the Inductor in action
4. LCR meter experiments
5. SMD transformers experiment gizmo part 1: Build
6. SMD transformers experiment gizmo part 2: Measure
7. Common Mode Choke
8. Make your own Inductor
9. Calculate your own Inductor
10. Boost Converter part 4: Efficiency
11. DIY Inductance Meter
Planar PCB Transformer: GaN Point of Load converter 48V to 1V 50A
Measure Unknown Inductor Value with Function Generator and Oscilloscope
Experimenting with Magnetic Components: About the Competition
  • Sign in to reply
  • Jan Cumps
    Jan Cumps over 4 years ago

    You don't need to have an LCR meter. There are different ways to measure inductance.

    Here's an experiment to measure an unknown inductor with a function generator and an oscilloscope.

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
  • fmilburn
    fmilburn over 4 years ago

    Hi Jan,

    Thank you for the kind mention :-)   I am reading posts from the Experimenting with Magnetic Components series with interest.

    Frank

    • Cancel
    • Vote Up 0 Vote Down
    • Sign in to reply
    • More
    • Cancel
element14 Community

element14 is the first online community specifically for engineers. Connect with your peers and get expert answers to your questions.

  • Members
  • Learn
  • Technologies
  • Challenges & Projects
  • Products
  • Store
  • About Us
  • Feedback & Support
  • FAQs
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Legal and Copyright Notices
  • Sitemap
  • Cookies

An Avnet Company © 2025 Premier Farnell Limited. All Rights Reserved.

Premier Farnell Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no 00876412), registered office: Farnell House, Forge Lane, Leeds LS12 2NE.

ICP 备案号 10220084.

Follow element14

  • X
  • Facebook
  • linkedin
  • YouTube