[Test-Equipment] ESR meter

[Ken Kaplan]

I use 3 devices to test capacitors, a digital capacitance tester that 
goes up to 20,000 uF, an Anatek Blue ESR tester (have built 3 of them) 
and a Sprague TO-6A. For caps larger than 20,000 uF, I simply place a 
known cap less than 20kuF in series with the unknown. The TO-6A goes up 
to 600v. I repair inverters used in medium to very large UPS systems (up 
to 750 KVA). For electrostatic caps, I skip the ESR test and just do the 
insulation resistance test. I wouldn't consider it sufficient to skip 
any of the 3 tests. I've found that when electrolytic caps go very high 
in ESR, they are often leakers. Matter of fact, they no longer behave 
like capacitors. Not sure what they are.

I also use the ESR tester to check the internal resistance of batteries. 
The ESR meter also comes in handy for locating shorts in etch. Hint: the 
closer you are to the short, the lower the measured resistance.

Kinda ironic but I had to replace some caps in the TO-6A to get it to 
work properly.

Finally, for those who may not know, I suggest Googling the string 
"capacitor plague" sometime. Not a problem on boatanchors but some of 
the newer stuff suffers from this. The monitor I'm using right now died 
from the plague. I popped in 4 replacements and all was well.

Ken

On 2/3/2012 1:50 PM, Tony Snider wrote:
> if you guys want a good ESR/cap/ringer inductor tester     get one of the
> sencore LC series have used one for yrs and they are the best thing I have
> ever laid my hands on. not gonna get one for 50.00 but about 125.00 on eBay
> is a reasonable expectation. have tried many types of cap testers and that
> one wins by a mile. seems to be a little known secret though. think there is
> an LC-90, LC-75 and an LC-100 models  does voltage breakdown testing as well
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "DaveC"<davec2468 at aim.com>
> To: "Discussion of Electronic Test Equipment"
> <test-equipment at mailman.qth.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 3:38 PM
> Subject: Re: [Test-Equipment] Should I Import this ESR Meter?
>
>
>> How about: because the Russian one tests capacitance as well as ESR?
>>
>> That makes it quite appealing.
>>
>> And cheaper than 2 separate meters, by a mile.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> -=-=-=-
>>
>>> I am not sure why would you want to import an
>>> ESR meter when there are at least two American
>>> made ESR meters for about 80 bucks (in kit form).
>>> [...]
>>> -- Ron