#1
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Digital multimeter with capacitor tester
Is there an affordable digital multimeter with the ability to test capacitors? Something under a $100? Or, maybe a stand alone capacitor tester under a hundred bucks?
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"I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV"—John Fogerty |
#2
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Capacitance test ranges are common on cheap multimeters nowadays. You shouldn't have a problem finding one in the sub-$100 price range.
The problem is that DMM capacitance testers (even on better grade multimeters) are fairly worthless for testing the capacitors found in vintage gear. They only apply a few volts to the cap, which may not identify leakage in capacitors that normally see hundreds or thousands of volts. Typical DMMs wont find high ESR, either, a common failure mode in electrolytic caps. If you are working on vintage gear, you would be better served with a vintage capacitor tester, like a Sprague Tel-O-Mike or similar. |
#3
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Quote:
Cheers,
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Brian USN RET (Avionics / Cal) CET- Consumer Repair and Avionics ('88) "Capacitor Cosmetologist since '79" When fuses go to work, they quit! |
#4
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Yeah, all my projects seem to be vintage/older equipment. I'll see what kind of old school cap testers are available. I already have digital and analog multimeters, so no need for one of them anyway. Thanks N2 and FK.
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"I know it's true, oh so true, 'cause I saw it on TV"—John Fogerty Last edited by ISawItOnTV; 09-12-2013 at 08:49 PM. |
#5
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I use my DMM to test for leakage all the time. Sometimes I use the power supply of the set I'm working on, sometimes my own DC power supply. The capacitance test function is mostly useful for confirming the value of a new capacitor that I pulled out of the capacitor stock. Sometimes they are hard to read the numbers.
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Audiokarma |
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