[AMRadio] Test equipment - Heathkit capacitor tester

[Donald Chester]

> From: amradio-bounces at mailman.qth.net [mailto:amradio-
> bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Hill

> 
> My Heath capacitor tester has a leakage tester.  The capacitance range
> selector is frozen, but the the leakage tester is very useful for
reforming
> electrolytics.  I like to not replace electrolytics until I get the
equipment
> running and see where I stand.  If you work on yours, check the resistors
in
> the voltage range switch.
> Jim

I use mine (pulled from a dumpster) primarily for the leakage test, which
works very well for checking leakage as well as reforming electrolytics.
The capacitance measurement is all but useless: very inaccurate, lucky to
get within 50% so I never use that; I have my NEC digital capacitance meter
which is accurate and with ranges down to a few pf.  

I sometimes use the leakage test as a low-current voltage source for up to
450 volts or so.  Once a capacitor shows low leakage with the magic eye, I
sometimes connect my DVM in the micro amp range, or a 50 micro amp panel
meter, in series with the capacitor to measure the actual leakage current at
the test voltage (risky if you are not careful).

Don k4kyv


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus