[Heathkit] Begging Again

[K2CBY]

The first question I’d ask is “Whose capacitor analyzer?”

The common garden variety Heathkits and EICO’s certainly didn’t use 1%
capacitors in the bridge circuit – except perhaps the 200 pF standard 
used for the lowest capacitance range. (Even then I doubt it was 
closer than 5%.) The 2 uF standard was used to measure electrolytics. 
Since electrolytics of the era were rated at ± 20%, the standard didn’t 
have to be much closer than 10% -- or 5% max.

If, on the other hand, you are talking about a “real bridge” like a General 
Radio or ESI or a military URM-90 or one of the ZM-* series, that’s a 
different matter. There the standards did have to be 1% or even ½%.

If you really need quality standards the best bet is to check the “test 
equipment” listings on e-bay under the heading “calibrators.” You can 
often find General Radio standard capacitors at pretty reasonable prices 
-- you don’t need the big black ones – the ones in the smaller tan colored 
cases will be fine. The other alternative (except for the 2 uF value) is to 
cannibalize a Heathkit (or somebody else’s) capacitance decade box.

Miles, K2CBY

 

Miles B. Anderson, K2CBY
16 Round Pond Ln
Sag Harbor, NY 11963 USA
Tel.: (631) 725-4400
Fax: (631) 725-2223

E-mail: k2cby at optonline.net