[Hallicrafters] Re: [Boatanchors] BBOD's are really reliable (sic)

[Roy Morgan]

At 11:57 AM 6/5/2005, jeff wrote:
>I bought a Craftsman DMM with capacitance range.  WHen I attach a cap to
>it, it gives consistent readings, in that they're always nowhere close
>to the marked value.
>...
>Could someone suggest a way to check capacitance that doesn't involve
>purchasing a $1000 HP tester or capacitance standard?  Perhaps I'm just
>not meant to check caps :)

Jeff,

I have two suggestions:

1) For those tube-based cap checkers you might have, replace the caps in 
them!  The caps in most old cap checkers are worse than most caps you might 
want to check.. especially the tubular paper ones.

2) If you want a REAL capacitance checker, and you have a few tens of 
dollars to spend, let me know. I have two General Radio model 1611 cap 
checkers here that are "excess to my needs". In a while, I can get them 
checked out and available for sale.  This thing measures capacitors to 
about 2 percent from very small to many micro farads, and also the 
dissipation factor (loss) of the thing. You can apply DC bias from an 
external supply.  It has an eye tube indicator.  A classic General radio 
instrument.

Roy


- Roy Morgan, K1LKY since 1959 - Keep 'em Glowing!
7130 Panorama Drive, Derwood MD 20855
Home: 301-330-8828 Cell 301-928-7794
Work: Voice: 301-975-3254,  Fax: 301-948-6213
roy.morgan at nist.gov --