Good lesson for people who are getting into electronics. I do lots of repairs and I can say about 90% of repairs I do to stuff is capacitors problems. So this video show you well in details how to find a fault. You do need to get yourself special meters for different components testing. I see a lot of people get multimeters and think they do everything and they don’t. Very good video and good easy details. Like your work and would be nice to see more of this showing how to test other components. A good 10 out 10 here.
As a newby to radio repairs in retirement I am finding it a fascinating pass time I rely appreciate your videos in a no bullshit easy to follow format keep them coming. Best regards Ron H Lancashire UK>
Just get a cheap (~$10) chinese M328 meter. Doesn't matter which one....they all test the same and will give you accurate ESR no problem. This one is just an example smile.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Multifunctional-Capacitor-component-Backlight/dp/B01MYU0QI3/ref=pd_sbs_328_3/136-1972966-9684162?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MYU0QI3&pd_rd_r=a80f9dda-291e-44e4-b8d3-3b6a44c6e35e&pd_rd_w=J8byH&pd_rd_wg=Mbki6&pf_rd_p=12b8d3e2-e203-4b23-a8bc-68a7d2806477&pf_rd_r=2AXJP1WMRQGQJDMSMMGB&psc=1&refRID=2AXJP1WMRQGQJDMSMMGB They all use the same chip (STM328), no matter how cheap or expensive the meter is. They are cheaper than this on Ebay but you just need to wait for the slow boat from China.
Get familiar with a good meter you trust an you can do more than just a capacitance test to get an indication of if it's leaking DC. ESR meters are good an all but your not checking EPR anyway. 👍
You are absolutely right.measuring a capacitor with a multimeter is a passive way,but testing it in a regular regime is something completely different.
really good info, but you really could go the extra mile to show the variation in readings between a good and a bad (identical) cap, under under similar conditions. It would really make your video complete. keep up the good work and thanks again.
Always wondered what an ESR meter did. Great video with great info. Please make more videos about test equipment. If you have any knowledge about the traditional analog test equipment like the classic triplet ohm meters and insulation testers please share. There are not many videos that demonstrate how to use them efficiently. Thanks!
You are absolutely right my friend. I tested bad electrolytic capacitor with capacitance meter and it showed good capacitance value, but when I tested it with my esr-meter it was crap and when I toasted it with hair dryer esr value changed dramatically with temperature.
I had a 450vdc 2,000mf elevator drive cap that was cracked open and still read good with my fluke. I wish I had kept it but I have a photo I plan to post to my website in near future. I tell people the dmm can only tell you if its bad, not if its good.
Excellent info thank you! Was trying to decode on either a new meter (more versatile) or esr and i guess i know the answer now.. have to get the esr. - Thx !
5:41 Sometimes power filter caps in guitar amps blow up. Had it happen to me once. Then the amp was dead until I fixed it. That's a nasty smell and it leaves a mess inside too.
Thank you for the video. Wasn't sure about the temp test. Is raising and lowering the temp going to produce the same effect on the capacitor you tested in the video; i.e. increased resistance? Will be adding a 50V 50KuF capacitor and full bridge rectifier to my MIG welder to reduce splatter, but don't trust the cheap Chinesium capacitor without testing it and don't know how to test it. Also, don't want to spend a lot of money to test one capacitor.
Thanks man, Im sitting here trying to trouble shoot a guitar amp. With a regular multi-meter and im just losing my mind,Guess im gonna have to get the real thing. You may be the only one that covers this So thanks Again.
It's worth noting here that he's testing electrolytic capacitors. The capacitor (aka condenser) in an engine's ignition system is (hooray) not an electrolytic type and can be tested with a multimeter. Electrolytics consist roughly of two pieces (called plates) of aluminum foil separated by tissue paper soaked in a mild but important liquid solution akin to lye. When a voltage is applied across the two plates a very thin insulating layer forms on one plate. It's the thin-ness of this layer that gives the electrolytic capacitor lots of capacitance for a small package. But they're not very durable: a breakdown of any sort will boil the liquid into vapor and cause the device to vent gas, swell up, crack open, and on rare occasions explode. More often, however, the liquid just dries out, increasing the ESR of the capacitor and ultimately rendering it useless. The easiest way to check if a dried-out electrolytic is causing an electronic device to malfunction is to bridge a new capacitor across the terminals of the suspicious one.
Only suggestion would be to avoid the common pitfall of saying that others can explain something better than you can. Cross out "can explain" and insert "understand," that's how it's interpreted. But this is a great video and I'm sure it saved me scratching my head in the future.
The VALUE of the capacitor was 100uF. The RATING of the capacitor refers to the conditions it's designed to operate within, such as temperature or voltage.
Hello. Great video. Thank you for this information. My electronics knowledge is limited so please pardon my ignorance. One thing confuses me though. From what I gathered from this video is that both the multimeter and your ESR tester regarded the test capacitor as good. It wasn't until the freeze test that a weakness in the capacitor became evident. Is my understanding correct, or am I missing something? Also, I don't see many videos where in-circuit testing is done for various components like resistors, capacitors, and inductance. Do you have any videos of this type?
In circut testing can get to a point where ultimately a lead or more would need to lifted to eliminate reading parallel components. Keep in mind a two lead device only needs one lead free to isolate and evaluate. Both to replace, obviously
Great video. Thanks. One question, why. If you are suspicious that the cap has possible problems, would you go to the trouble of all this testing it. Why not just change it since it's already removed from the board
Those new capacitor checkers are ok for modern low voltage caps, but I"d never use one to test older capacitors that have a higher working voltage. Many capacitors will check fine at half their WV, but problems become evident when voltage starts to rise, especially with paper capacitors. I have a Heathkit that will test at 600v.
For testing leakage, you are right. Nevertheless ESR meters are still better, because your leakage test might be good but still much of the capacitance might be lost due to the dried electrolyte. And this can be detected by ESR meters!
Wish you had mentioned the temp range rating of that cap. The can of freezing spray that you were using can make a brand new certified capacitor esr change. That stuff has always been danger in the wrong hands even cracking smd's and breaking internal chip bonds. I don't recommend new techs or hobby types do it on real circuits that is what controlled temp chambers are for.
This was just a demonstration to show that ESR can change with temperature and even worse with a bad capacitor. The freeze spray can have its purpose when trying to find a hard to find pesky leaky capacitors that is nested in with many other capacitors. using the a heating cooling method. Check out my dell ethernet switch repair. It maybe saved me hours from removing all the caps from the power supply and testing them individually. The unit would only fail when it was in a fairly chilly environment. I have rarely if ever seen it cause catastrophic failures from using it gingerly.
Kev31779 I understood your purpose but there were no cautions or warnings in your demo and there were a couple of unanswered "huh" type comments. Several others in my class ran across and asked me about it so I posted the caution. Not stepping on your toes just eliminating " I saw it on TH-cam so it must be ok always"
No problems here. I admit , sometimes I can leave out some details unintentionally on some of my demonstrations. Its is tough sometimes with a low budget production as is mine. I do my best to help educate the people that comment in my videos to fill in the gaps. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. I do like that people ask questions and or even point out things I may have missed. Thanks
Saying you have a low budget production is not a correct reason for leaving out important information. Doesn't cost much to write down what you intend to say and check you have covered everything in a logical manner. Maybe go so far as writing a writing a script..
What important information did I leave out that you are you looking for and didn't find? There Is no way to explain everything in this "Capacitor testing basics, Don't use a multimeter here is why" video. If you were looking for a more advanced video in capacitors than maybe you should have skipped this "basic" video and watched a more advanced one. It's not my fault you came to a video that clearly stated capacitor testing basics. This video is more or less showing people like the title says, don't use a multimeter and explains very clearly why. I think was covered in very logical manner.
There is "stuff" that comes out when it does burst and depending on the capacitor it can be brown. Don't confuse it with glue that they uses to sometimes hold the capacitor down from vibrating on the board.
So getting capacitor's ESR and capacitance is not enough? We need to freeze it or maybe heatup? Capacitors now a days got temperature specs. You should test a modern capacitor in this video to see how good modern capacitors are.
Why do I have bleed over from the cap. case to ground?I checked with fluke 87 and the cap acted as it should. It' puzzling why I have a constant slight arc to god. Thanks
Can I test if a capacitor is good or not using a multimeter set to µA in series with a variable DC power supply? (Leakage?) I tested some with this method. One cap (250V, 100µF) was so broken it showed 1.1mA at 30V forever. (No resistor inside) Others seem to be ok: some 25V, 22µF caps showed almost 0µA while another one from the same manufacturer - same batch maybe - showed about 100µA The reading usually drops from a high point (Whatever I put into it when increasing Voltage until equilibrium) to about
Great video explaining how to test capacitors. So I'm trying to fix a TV that's acting bonkers and I'm pretty sure it's a bad capacitor but there are tons of capacitors both smd and large buggers. A detailed visual inspection does not show any damage to any of them. So I am certain one of them is busted. Any idea how to test each one. There are hundreds of them and I can't exactly de-solder them and do this spray can freeze test and I don't have an ESLR tester too. Is there an easier way to test for bad caps on a board?
I would use a smd heat gun and go over the caps with it one just spending a couple seconds on each cap. You may notice a area might make it work momentarily. Then use the freeze spray can with a straw on each cap in the area to reproduce the problem. It the cap is not exploded or completely dead this could work.
@@The_Active_Region Thanks for the tip. It's gonna be a major project as there's so many to test. I'll try to follow your example and see if it works. Thanks for sharing.
Hi I have a multimeter with Capacitance testing function. I would like to test a 1000uf Cap however the meter only has the following ranges 100uF, 2uF, 200nF, 20nF, 2nF....am I right in thinking I need a different meter? Many thanks.
I'm glad you make it basic and easy to understand. Don't leave anything out. Cause things you think we would know most likely don't. My question: Towards the end you mentioned Caps leaking. I read somewhere that leaking doesn't actually mean somethings leaking from it. It just means that the cap is no good. But then Ive seen some caps do have something leaking. Can you explain ?
Some failed capacitors can literally leak electrolytes. That means the capacitor has failed both electrically and physically. The term leaky capacitors can also mean that it can leak DC voltage through the capacitor that it is supposed to block. This can cause major problems to the circuits that are DC voltage sensitive. Capacitors are supposed to block DC and pass AC In theory. As capacitors start to become leaky they get high ESR. They become more of a resistor than a capacitor in which currents that it is supposed to block it passes. Without getting to technical I Hope this helps out.
Kev31779 Yeah, I didn't know Caps were supposed to block DC and pass AC. ok got it Thanks I like Electronics, but it's hard to find classes that teach it in So Cal. What could you suggest to help ?
TH-cam is a great place to learn . The only thing is that you will have to piece together the information you find that is on here. Search for things like - electronics basics, getting started in electronics, what is ohms law, what is AD DC.how to use a multi meter. Stuff like that.
Is there any way to get a copy of your ESR value chart I tried pausing and writing it down but unable to get all of it. Thanks for your videos they are always helpful.
This specific instrument can measure ESR of any type of capacitor, starting from 0,1μF upwards. Normally we are interested for detecting problems related to electrolytic capacitors (of any type). The instrument of this video is the “blue ESR meter”.
Just started playing with electronics as a hobby, but he just mentioned making money, so what route would I take to do that, it looks like an interesting living?
I think that the time of making an interesting living by electronics repairs belongs to the past. Cheap Chinese products of our time are not worth it to repairs...
You could use the ohms test function of the multimeter to test the capacitor's esr also... especially if it has the resolution of 100ths of an ohm... some multimeters do, some don't... my Fluke meter does test that low, but it is the top of the line 289 model, so IDK about the one in this video.
JoeJ8282 ESR is not the resistance through the capacitor. Equivalent Series Resistance is a measure of the capacitor’s reluctance to charge and discharge, which will cause self heating in a large ripple current situations. It cannot be measured with a multimeter on Ohms, inspite of what several unqualified people regularly say on their amp repair channels.
Charles Shaw; That is good to know. I wasn't sure but I kind of thought so. (I really DO need to buy me a good capacitance meter with ESR test!) However, even though a simple multimeter ohms reading may not be a totally accurate measure of a capacitor's series resistance, (because of more complicated interacting factors), that ohms reading can sometimes give you a rough indication of whether or not an electrolytic capacitor is horribly bad or out of spec or if it's probably OK, because I've had to utilize that test before myself when trying to troubleshoot a power supply circuit or two... Unfortunately I cannot afford a true, good quality Capacitance Meter with a real and accurate ESR testing function at this time due to $$, so I have to utilize whatever I can wherever I can, so a multimeter test of "ESR" of a cap is the best I can do, even though I couldn't count on those readings to be accurate in any *specific* way, but only just in a *generalization* of overall condition.
@@user-pz6cx8zf2y OK. (Also measuring their actual capacitance value, if your meter has that function, like mine does.) And so how exactly do you do that leakage test? What is the exact procedure, step by step? (I didn't know you could do that and I'd like to know how to do it.) Thanks.
@@JoeJ-8282 you use the Oms ranges of the meter. I prefer to do this test with an analog multimeter (because it shows better the "capacitor effect") but a digital one will do the job as well, especially if the instrument has bar graph facility. If you can lock the meter to a low range, is better for the test of high capacitance caps (because the test current of the instrument is higher in the low ranges). Anyway the procedure is: 1) You have the cap out of the circuit (discharged. If not, for small caps only, short their terminals momentarily before testing). For big caps, especially of high voltage, use a 10 Ohm / 5W wire resistor to discharge them rapidly. Avoid shorting them anyway. Shorting them reduces their life expectancy. 2) You connect the probes of the multimeter: red to positive of the cap, black to the negative watching what happens. 3) In the beginning, the (healthy) cap acts as a short circuit. The indication is close to zero Ohms. But rapidly, as the cap charges normally, the Ohms indication increases until the cap is fully charged through and up to the level of the test voltage of the instrument. The final indication on the display is I or OL (infinite), as it was before connecting the cap. Now, some people reverse the polarity of the probes repeating this step. The reaction should be the same as before. I don't use polarity reversal, but new shorting of the cap's terminals before repeating (for confirmation reasons) the test. 4) The healthy behavior of the cap, is to reach infinity when charging. If charging slows down (watch the speed of the process in the bar graph of the multimeter's display) and stops somewhere, with the instrument showing a fixed resistance, this is the leakage indication. 5) If you were, say, in the 2 kOhm range and the test was successful, then you need to increase the ranges up to 200KOhm. The result should always be infinity. You can also use auto range function, but this will take much time when the instrument enters the MOhm ranges. This is useless, because above 1MOhm the cap is considered healthy. With an analog multimeter, this test is very fast and clear using the Rx1KOhm range. If you ever use it, keep in mind that the polarity of the test voltage coming out of the instrument is reversed. This means, for proper connection of the cap under test, red probe to minus pole and black to the plus pole of the cap. The needle pointer should initially peg and then slowly sit on the infinity mark. If it stays anywhere else, your cap is leaky. I hope all is clear to you now!
I have a cap with a 220uf rating on my capacitor checker its at 240ish is that good or bad. I know volts is OK but on the uf its not good to go over or below. Thanks
i was in repair most of my adult life till retirement a fews ago do not recall ever clearing a tbl by measuring current --if you have voltage and resistance fixed the current will take care of itsself --- plain ole ohms law I=E/R
What about HVAC multimeters that include temperature readings? Aren't they made to field test caps? Do HVAC techs carry ESR meters as well as an HVAC multimetet?
It's not simply new vs. old. There are specifications for temperature coefficient for electronic components, and they're different. The tempco specification is used when choosing parts for a design depending on how critical it is to meet operating temperature ranges; low tempco parts will generally cost more, so it's a tradeoff.
All electrolytic caps have the same reaction to low temperatures. This is the main factor that telecom equipment works unhappily in North or South poles of the earth. On the other hand no capacitor manufacturer recommends such thermal stress for their (commercial) capacitors evaluation. As for the cap shown in the video, characterized as faulty, I would say that nothing is wrong with it because a) the ESR value of this table refers to brand new caps and b) even at minus 45 Celsius of this spray effect this cap was still measuring 95μF, that is, much higher than the minus 20% of its (down) tolerance - rejection limit. This specific cap has not the proper specs to respond to the demands of a modern switching power supply, but is perfect for any other (analogue) circuit (where low ESR is not needed, like audio circuits or linear power supplies). Capacitor manufacturers recommend replacements when their caps reach either the double of their nominal ESR given in their data sheets or when their leakage current reaches (or exceeds) the value usually calculated by the formula: L.C (in μΑ) = 0.03 x C(μF) x W.V (= working voltage in Volts).
I have a Top Speed.Positive Charging System from my car boom box that I no longer used. I believe all it is a compacitor. Allow speaker to drain high voltage from CAP instead drain the battery. I place it on multi meter CAP 1.5v(4.0mA) 9va(25mA) Multi meter show 00.0. Is this mean this Top Speed Positive Charging System is dead? Or I need to charge it before I test it?
If it is a big electrolytic capacitor there, try to see if it can get charged. For that purpose, use a small 12 volt power supply (or a battery with the same nominal voltage) and apply power to the capacitor by connecting a small incandescent lamp in series with it, say 0.5 Watt. Then watch if the lamp stops glowing after some time. The best is to connect a volt meter across the terminals of the capacitor. If the voltage rises, the cap is O.K. If not, the small lamp will glow permanently. In order to discharge the cap, after testing it, just connect the small lamp across its terminals. It will glow for some time, until the cap discharges.
But ESR drops with rising temperature as a matter of course so you've somewhat missed the point, should not have frozen it and that device is fine. If you'd stuck to saying ESR is important or just heated instead that would have been fine. In my experience 80s components are really good and replacing them with modern ones must not be taken lightly. I have had to replace modern replacement capacitors
You are right! There is no temperature testing for caps, supported theoretically, for their evaluation. On the other hand, electrolytic caps cannot work in deeply low temperatures. This is long ago known. The same is true for lead acid batteries. The available capacity to be exploited in feeding temperatures is much less than their nominal and below -50 degrees their use is impossible. The same phenomenon happens with electrolytic caps. It is a matter of electrochemistry.
You're right and you're wrong at the same time. Your old capacitor is not really "junk" - it is just no LOW-ESR capacitor and may not be adequate for some jobs! So, you of course would not use it in a switching power supply where your capacitor sees extreme ripple currents and so on. If you're having a low current circuit that just has to be buffered for some time with a capacitor - why not use the 1.7 Ohm cap? I've even seen brand new SMD capacitors 100 uF/10V that had more than 2.5 Ohms out of the package! Are these "El Cheapos"? Yes. But it always depends on what you intend to do with it. So, it is not a problem using Low ESR caps in any circuit (besides the pricing), but it is also not bringing a real advantage in any case. So, think of what is the task of the cap. Is it for a switching power supply? Are there heavy ripple currents? Or high current pulses? ==> low ESR. Otherwise the much cheaper ones may be also OK as well.
Could you just test for functionality? I mean if the caps purpose is ripple suppression test it on a oscilloscope and if works it works no need to pull out meters.
How do you figure out SMD components when you don't have a schematic? Say a SMD capacitor shorts and I need to replace it. How do I figure out the value?
Well, without a schematic you can't get the exact value unless it is a SMD electrolytic which would be marked. Sometimes in your last resort you can experiment with different values or find a similar circuit in the device that may be the same and measure the value from that. In some cases if you call the manufacture if you give them the part location the may be able to tell you what the value is. But that is always a gamble that they will have that information and or be willing to give it to you.
really.…..that's why surface mount technology is garbage throw away crap. Through hole rules and always will when its circuit boards....but the real electronics are point to point pre-printed circuit era......its serviceable
you need both... esr can be good but capacitance can be bad.... esr only test the equivalence series resistance.... here is a reason why capacitors and resistors have a tolerance...
Not the in service resistance, an ESR meter sends a 100khz signal through the cap as it measures it's "working" resistance. Instead of just the resting resistance like a simple multimeter would do.
Both tests are correct. Nevertheless, using an insulation tester for testing high voltage capacitors is better, because it tests the capacitors near to their working voltage. This means that there are cases where testing with low voltage (I.e by using multimeter) the capacitor might have a problem not revealed, while it becomes evident when the test voltage is high (using a “megger”.
I think you got the part about spraying caps with freeze spray to bring them back. you use heat to bring them back and identify the bad cap, you use freeze spray to bring back IC's temporarily. You literally prove this yourself by pushing up the esr when frozen. th-cam.com/video/o6kPLx2AmFo/w-d-xo.html You meant to say you can temporaraly replicate the issue and make the cap worse when frozen. a hair dryer can sometimes bring it back temporarily if already showing faulty
I'm confused by this video. The cap range on a multimeter is not intended for performance testing. It's there to, assuming a good capacitor, give you a capacitance value. Invaluable when working with basically all modern electronics where unmarked surface mount caps need to be identified
Old video I know but why try and revive a capacitor if its a monster of one it's usually a customer's and you replace it . If it's in a tube amp there not that much money just replace them
Good lesson for people who are getting into electronics. I do lots of repairs and I can say about 90% of repairs I do to stuff is capacitors problems. So this video show you well in details how to find a fault. You do need to get yourself special meters for different components testing. I see a lot of people get multimeters and think they do everything and they don’t. Very good video and good easy details. Like your work and would be nice to see more of this showing how to test other components. A good 10 out 10 here.
As a newby to radio repairs in retirement I am finding it a fascinating pass time I rely appreciate your videos in a no bullshit easy to follow format keep them coming. Best regards Ron H Lancashire UK>
Anyone here to see how to measure a capacitor with a mulitmeter because that's all we have?
Just get a cheap (~$10) chinese M328 meter. Doesn't matter which one....they all test the same and will give you accurate ESR no problem. This one is just an example smile.amazon.com/HiLetgo-Multifunctional-Capacitor-component-Backlight/dp/B01MYU0QI3/ref=pd_sbs_328_3/136-1972966-9684162?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B01MYU0QI3&pd_rd_r=a80f9dda-291e-44e4-b8d3-3b6a44c6e35e&pd_rd_w=J8byH&pd_rd_wg=Mbki6&pf_rd_p=12b8d3e2-e203-4b23-a8bc-68a7d2806477&pf_rd_r=2AXJP1WMRQGQJDMSMMGB&psc=1&refRID=2AXJP1WMRQGQJDMSMMGB They all use the same chip (STM328), no matter how cheap or expensive the meter is. They are cheaper than this on Ebay but you just need to wait for the slow boat from China.
Ever heard of a LCR Meter?
Get familiar with a good meter you trust an you can do more than just a capacitance test to get an indication of if it's leaking DC. ESR meters are good an all but your not checking EPR anyway. 👍
Thanks for the time and effort you have taken to make this video. I learned a lot. Keep making these great videos.
2015, I'm watch your video August 18, 2017. I rate it A+. Keep is simple for those people just starting out on understanding how capacitors work.
You are absolutely right.measuring a capacitor with a multimeter is a passive way,but testing it in a regular regime is something completely different.
Excellent! Simple to the point direction. Great for those with A-D-D.
Thank you very much very informative straightforward easy to understand and it helped me out a lot hats off to you sir
really good info, but you really could go the extra mile to show the variation in readings between a good and a bad (identical) cap, under under similar conditions. It would really make your video complete. keep up the good work and thanks again.
Always wondered what an ESR meter did. Great video with great info. Please make more videos about test equipment. If you have any knowledge about the traditional analog test equipment like the classic triplet ohm meters and insulation testers please share. There are not many videos that demonstrate how to use them efficiently. Thanks!
You are absolutely right my friend. I tested bad electrolytic capacitor with capacitance meter and it showed good capacitance value, but when I tested it with my esr-meter it was crap and when I toasted it with hair dryer esr value changed dramatically with temperature.
Good info, thanks a lot... that probably explains why my computer wacks out after a couple minutes... once the capacitors heat up!
thanks-very-informative-i-learned...a-lots-here-and-please-continue-the-great-work...
I had a 450vdc 2,000mf elevator drive cap that was cracked open and still read good with my fluke.
I wish I had kept it but I have a photo I plan to post to my website in near future.
I tell people the dmm can only tell you if its bad, not if its good.
That was really a great video of very straight to the point keep that information coming out thank you..
Nice. learned something on the heating and cooling for troubleshooting.
Excellent info thank you! Was trying to decode on either a new meter (more versatile) or esr and i guess i know the answer now.. have to get the esr. - Thx !
5:41 Sometimes power filter caps in guitar amps blow up. Had it happen to me once. Then the amp was dead until I fixed it. That's a nasty smell and it leaves a mess inside too.
thank you for your videos.
Great video. Thanks.
Great stuff, thanks!
Thank you for the video. Wasn't sure about the temp test. Is raising and lowering the temp going to produce the same effect on the capacitor you tested in the video; i.e. increased resistance? Will be adding a 50V 50KuF capacitor and full bridge rectifier to my MIG welder to reduce splatter, but don't trust the cheap Chinesium capacitor without testing it and don't know how to test it. Also, don't want to spend a lot of money to test one capacitor.
thanks for the video need to fix my 20 year Roland HP2600G keyboard and this may be the problem.
Thanks man, Im sitting here trying to trouble shoot a guitar amp. With a regular multi-meter and im just losing my mind,Guess im gonna have to get the real thing. You may be the only one that covers this So thanks Again.
Jerry D get an oscilloscope , not an esr
Does your esr-meter test under 25V-condition?
And what about leakage (under the same condition)?
Ok man... you are one of the bests... 👍👍👍
I appreciate your explanation
Great info! How about a video on removing glued in Electrolytic Capacitors?
Helpful. Thanks.
It's worth noting here that he's testing electrolytic capacitors. The capacitor (aka condenser) in an engine's ignition system is (hooray) not an electrolytic type and can be tested with a multimeter.
Electrolytics consist roughly of two pieces (called plates) of aluminum foil separated by tissue paper soaked in a mild but important liquid solution akin to lye. When a voltage is applied across the two plates a very thin insulating layer forms on one plate. It's the thin-ness of this layer that gives the electrolytic capacitor lots of capacitance for a small package. But they're not very durable: a breakdown of any sort will boil the liquid into vapor and cause the device to vent gas, swell up, crack open, and on rare occasions explode. More often, however, the liquid just dries out, increasing the ESR of the capacitor and ultimately rendering it useless.
The easiest way to check if a dried-out electrolytic is causing an electronic device to malfunction is to bridge a new capacitor across the terminals of the suspicious one.
Only suggestion would be to avoid the common pitfall of saying that others can explain something better than you can. Cross out "can explain" and insert "understand," that's how it's interpreted. But this is a great video and I'm sure it saved me scratching my head in the future.
Thanks man, this video was very helpfull
The VALUE of the capacitor was 100uF. The RATING of the capacitor refers to the conditions it's designed to operate within, such as temperature or voltage.
Hello. Great video. Thank you for this information. My electronics knowledge is limited so please pardon my ignorance. One thing confuses me though. From what I gathered from this video is that both the multimeter and your ESR tester regarded the test capacitor as good. It wasn't until the freeze test that a weakness in the capacitor became evident. Is my understanding correct, or am I missing something? Also, I don't see many videos where in-circuit testing is done for various components like resistors, capacitors, and inductance. Do you have any videos of this type?
In circut testing can get to a point where ultimately a lead or more would need to lifted to eliminate reading parallel components. Keep in mind a two lead device only needs one lead free to isolate and evaluate. Both to replace, obviously
I just found your video blog. The cap looks like a wet slug tantalum oxide type. Do you have an LCZ meter?
Excellent educational videos
When I recap my tube amps, just a quick check with my VM is good enough for me. Any electrolytics from the 80s+ MUST be changed no matter what.
Great video! Where can I get your chart?
Thank you for that sharing sir.
Great video. Thanks. One question, why. If you are suspicious that the cap has possible problems, would you go to the trouble of all this testing it. Why not just change it since it's already removed from the board
You can absolutely do that if you like but it is not always necessary.
Those new capacitor checkers are ok for modern low voltage caps, but I"d never use one to test older capacitors that have a higher working voltage. Many capacitors will check fine at half their WV, but problems become evident when voltage starts to rise, especially with paper capacitors. I have a Heathkit that will test at 600v.
For testing leakage, you are right. Nevertheless ESR meters are still better, because your leakage test might be good but still much of the capacitance might be lost due to the dried electrolyte. And this can be detected by ESR meters!
Wish you had mentioned the temp range rating of that cap. The can of freezing spray that you were using can make a brand new certified capacitor esr change. That stuff has always been danger in the wrong hands even cracking smd's and breaking internal chip bonds. I don't recommend new techs or hobby types do it on real circuits that is what controlled temp chambers are for.
This was just a demonstration to show that ESR can change with temperature and even worse with a bad capacitor. The freeze spray can have its purpose when trying to find a hard to find pesky leaky capacitors that is nested in with many other capacitors. using the a heating cooling method. Check out my dell ethernet switch repair. It maybe saved me hours from removing all the caps from the power supply and testing them individually. The unit would only fail when it was in a fairly chilly environment. I have rarely if ever seen it cause catastrophic failures from using it gingerly.
Kev31779 I understood your purpose but there were no cautions or warnings in your demo and there were a couple of unanswered "huh" type comments. Several others in my class ran across and asked me about it so I posted the caution. Not stepping on your toes just eliminating " I saw it on TH-cam so it must be ok always"
No problems here. I admit , sometimes I can leave out some details unintentionally on some of my demonstrations. Its is tough sometimes with a low budget production as is mine. I do my best to help educate the people that comment in my videos to fill in the gaps. Sorry for any confusion I may have caused. I do like that people ask questions and or even point out things I may have missed. Thanks
Saying you have a low budget production is not a correct reason for leaving out important information.
Doesn't cost much to write down what you intend to say and check you have covered everything in a logical manner. Maybe go so far as writing a writing a script..
What important information did I leave out that you are you looking for and didn't find? There Is no way to explain everything in this "Capacitor testing basics, Don't use a multimeter here is why" video. If you were looking for a more advanced video in capacitors than maybe you should have skipped this "basic" video and watched a more advanced one. It's not my fault you came to a video that clearly stated capacitor testing basics. This video is more or less showing people like the title says, don't use a multimeter and explains very clearly why. I think was covered in very logical manner.
great vid . is there some brown stuff that comes out when a capacitor burst?
There is "stuff" that comes out when it does burst and depending on the capacitor it can be brown. Don't confuse it with glue that they uses to sometimes hold the capacitor down from vibrating on the board.
what is the best esr on amazon so i can match it say on uk site please recommend a good one no matter what site it's on
So getting capacitor's ESR and capacitance is not enough? We need to freeze it or maybe heatup? Capacitors now a days got temperature specs. You should test a modern capacitor in this video to see how good modern capacitors are.
Thanks bro can you do a video on how to test a viper 22A
The capacitor
meter of the past week to work better for caps testing and finding leaks
Why do I have bleed over from the cap. case to ground?I checked with fluke 87 and the cap acted as it should. It' puzzling why I have a constant slight arc to god.
Thanks
exellent vid !!
Can I test capacitors with Ohm scale and then check them in the chart?
This tells me trying to repair circuit boards in old radios etc. is difficult and far more work than it's worth.
Old radios costs 100 of units, TVs etc...
An ESR meter is a “must have”, no matter if one works on vintage radio or switching power supplies...It makes your life easy!
Can I test if a capacitor is good or not using a multimeter set to µA in series with a variable DC power supply? (Leakage?)
I tested some with this method. One cap (250V, 100µF) was so broken it showed 1.1mA at 30V forever. (No resistor inside) Others seem to be ok: some 25V, 22µF caps showed almost 0µA while another one from the same manufacturer - same batch maybe - showed about 100µA
The reading usually drops from a high point (Whatever I put into it when increasing Voltage until equilibrium) to about
How about SMD capacitors, can I use this method?
Where did you get the copy of the chart for checking?
Great video explaining how to test capacitors. So I'm trying to fix a TV that's acting bonkers and I'm pretty sure it's a bad capacitor but there are tons of capacitors both smd and large buggers. A detailed visual inspection does not show any damage to any of them. So I am certain one of them is busted. Any idea how to test each one. There are hundreds of them and I can't exactly de-solder them and do this spray can freeze test and I don't have an ESLR tester too. Is there an easier way to test for bad caps on a board?
I would use a smd heat gun and go over the caps with it one just spending a couple seconds on each cap. You may notice a area might make it work momentarily. Then use the freeze spray can with a straw on each cap in the area to reproduce the problem. It the cap is not exploded or completely dead this could work.
@@The_Active_Region Thanks for the tip. It's gonna be a major project as there's so many to test. I'll try to follow your example and see if it works. Thanks for sharing.
@@jonfreeman9682 did it work?
@@tbprofile1295 No luck for me but that doesn't mean it won't work for you. You should give it a try.
Hi I have a multimeter with Capacitance testing function. I would like to test a 1000uf Cap however the meter only has the following ranges 100uF, 2uF, 200nF, 20nF, 2nF....am I right in thinking I need a different meter?
Many thanks.
Yes!
thank you
Why did not you make the same tests with a good capacitor to see the difference...? Thanks.
I'm glad you make it basic and easy to understand. Don't leave anything out. Cause things you think we would know most likely don't. My question: Towards the end you mentioned Caps leaking. I read somewhere that leaking doesn't actually mean somethings leaking from it. It just means that the cap is no good. But then Ive seen some caps do have something leaking. Can you explain ?
Some failed capacitors can literally leak electrolytes. That means the capacitor has failed both electrically and physically. The term leaky capacitors can also mean that it can leak DC voltage through the capacitor that it is supposed to block. This can cause major problems to the circuits that are DC voltage sensitive. Capacitors are supposed to block DC and pass AC In theory. As capacitors start to become leaky they get high ESR. They become more of a resistor than a capacitor in which currents that it is supposed to block it passes. Without getting to technical I Hope this helps out.
Kev31779
Yeah, I didn't know Caps were supposed to block DC and pass AC. ok got it Thanks I like Electronics, but it's hard to find classes that teach it in So Cal. What could you suggest to help ?
TH-cam is a great place to learn . The only thing is that you will have to piece together the information you find that is on here. Search for things like - electronics basics, getting started in electronics, what is ohms law, what is AD DC.how to use a multi meter. Stuff like that.
Is there any way to get a copy of your ESR value chart I tried pausing and writing it down but unable to get all of it. Thanks for your videos they are always helpful.
2st3r1x.files.wordpress.com/2008/12/2003esrchart.jpg
Thanks , Hope that helps out.
Do you use the ESR meter for ceramic and molded tantalum caps as well?
This specific instrument can measure ESR of any type of capacitor, starting from 0,1μF upwards. Normally we are interested for detecting problems related to electrolytic capacitors (of any type). The instrument of this video is the “blue ESR meter”.
do the same test but use the smd heat gun then what happens ??
Just started playing with electronics as a hobby, but he just mentioned making money, so what route would I take to do that, it looks like an interesting living?
I think that the time of making an interesting living by electronics repairs belongs to the past. Cheap Chinese products of our time are not worth it to repairs...
@@user-pz6cx8zf2y sad fact, your probably correct mate.
Does means, if i use a good capacitor and then i freezed it the ESR is not going to change ? Thanks for the explanation, is a good video
It will change a bit but within the specs in the data sheet if stated. When a cap has bad esr the temperature can effect it a lot more.
thanks a lot
Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a regular multimeter set to resistance measuring do the job just as well?
Nope. A regular ohm meter does not test it at different frequencys.
Were is a good place to print ele charts from
You could use the ohms test function of the multimeter to test the capacitor's esr also... especially if it has the resolution of 100ths of an ohm... some multimeters do, some don't... my Fluke meter does test that low, but it is the top of the line 289 model, so IDK about the one in this video.
JoeJ8282 ESR is not the resistance through the capacitor. Equivalent Series Resistance is a measure of the capacitor’s reluctance to charge and discharge, which will cause self heating in a large ripple current situations. It cannot be measured with a multimeter on Ohms, inspite of what several unqualified people regularly say on their amp repair channels.
Charles Shaw; That is good to know. I wasn't sure but I kind of thought so. (I really DO need to buy me a good capacitance meter with ESR test!) However, even though a simple multimeter ohms reading may not be a totally accurate measure of a capacitor's series resistance, (because of more complicated interacting factors), that ohms reading can sometimes give you a rough indication of whether or not an electrolytic capacitor is horribly bad or out of spec or if it's probably OK, because I've had to utilize that test before myself when trying to troubleshoot a power supply circuit or two... Unfortunately I cannot afford a true, good quality Capacitance Meter with a real and accurate ESR testing function at this time due to $$, so I have to utilize whatever I can wherever I can, so a multimeter test of "ESR" of a cap is the best I can do, even though I couldn't count on those readings to be accurate in any *specific* way, but only just in a *generalization* of overall condition.
@@JoeJ-8282 With a multimeter, the only test you can do on caps in general is the leakage test...
@@user-pz6cx8zf2y OK. (Also measuring their actual capacitance value, if your meter has that function, like mine does.) And so how exactly do you do that leakage test? What is the exact procedure, step by step? (I didn't know you could do that and I'd like to know how to do it.) Thanks.
@@JoeJ-8282 you use the Oms ranges of the meter. I prefer to do this test with an analog multimeter (because it shows better the "capacitor effect") but a digital one will do the job as well, especially if the instrument has bar graph facility.
If you can lock the meter to a low range, is better for the test of high capacitance caps (because the test current of the instrument is higher in the low ranges).
Anyway the procedure is:
1) You have the cap out of the circuit (discharged. If not, for small caps only, short their terminals momentarily before testing). For big caps, especially of high voltage, use a 10 Ohm / 5W wire resistor to discharge them rapidly. Avoid shorting them anyway. Shorting them reduces their life expectancy.
2) You connect the probes of the multimeter: red to positive of the cap, black to the negative watching what happens.
3) In the beginning, the (healthy) cap acts as a short circuit. The indication is close to zero Ohms. But rapidly, as the cap charges normally, the Ohms indication increases until the cap is fully charged through and up to the level of the test voltage of the instrument. The final indication on the display is I or OL (infinite), as it was before connecting the cap.
Now, some people reverse the polarity of the probes repeating this step. The reaction should be the same as before. I don't use polarity reversal, but new shorting of the cap's terminals before repeating (for confirmation reasons) the test.
4) The healthy behavior of the cap, is to reach infinity when charging. If charging slows down (watch the speed of the process in the bar graph of the multimeter's display) and stops somewhere, with the instrument showing a fixed resistance, this is the leakage indication.
5) If you were, say, in the 2 kOhm range and the test was successful, then you need to increase the ranges up to 200KOhm. The result should always be infinity.
You can also use auto range function, but this will take much time when the instrument enters the MOhm ranges. This is useless, because above 1MOhm the cap is considered healthy.
With an analog multimeter, this test is very fast and clear using the Rx1KOhm range.
If you ever use it, keep in mind that the polarity of the test voltage coming out of the instrument is reversed. This means, for proper connection of the cap under test, red probe to minus pole and black to the plus pole of the cap.
The needle pointer should initially peg and then slowly sit on the infinity mark.
If it stays anywhere else, your cap is leaky.
I hope all is clear to you now!
I have a cap with a 220uf rating on my capacitor checker its at 240ish is that good or bad. I know volts is OK but on the uf its not good to go over or below. Thanks
The usual tolerance for caps is plus or minus 20% in reference to their nominal capacitance. Yours seems to be OK.
i was in repair most of my adult life till retirement a fews ago do not recall ever clearing a tbl by measuring current --if you have voltage and resistance fixed the current will take care of itsself --- plain ole ohms law I=E/R
Why didn’t you use the multimeter to measure resistance instead of the esr tool?
What about HVAC multimeters that include temperature readings? Aren't they made to field test caps? Do HVAC techs carry ESR meters as well as an HVAC multimetet?
They usually don't check esr They use a regular multimeter . It's works but it's the quick and dirty way..
Can you test a 500v cacacitor?
Vintage capacitor tester work.much better,they will show leaks shorts etc.you can check them.at voltages..
AND how does a brand new capacitor react to the same treatment?
Peter Riis seriously right? not very controlled "science" not showing the difference between the new vs old resistance rise when froze and or heated.
It's not simply new vs. old. There are specifications for temperature coefficient for electronic components, and they're different. The tempco specification is used when choosing parts for a design depending on how critical it is to meet operating temperature ranges; low tempco parts will generally cost more, so it's a tradeoff.
All electrolytic caps have the same reaction to low temperatures. This is the main factor that telecom equipment works unhappily in North or South poles of the earth.
On the other hand no capacitor manufacturer recommends such thermal stress for their (commercial) capacitors evaluation.
As for the cap shown in the video, characterized as faulty, I would say that nothing is wrong with it because a) the ESR value of this table refers to brand new caps and b) even at minus 45 Celsius of this spray effect this cap was still measuring 95μF, that is, much higher than the minus 20% of its (down) tolerance - rejection limit.
This specific cap has not the proper specs to respond to the demands of a modern switching power supply, but is perfect for any other (analogue) circuit (where low ESR is not needed, like audio circuits or linear power supplies).
Capacitor manufacturers recommend replacements when their caps reach either the double of their nominal ESR given in their data sheets or when their leakage current reaches (or exceeds) the value usually calculated by the formula: L.C (in μΑ) = 0.03 x C(μF) x W.V (= working voltage in Volts).
@@skydanison991 👍
I have a Top Speed.Positive Charging System from my car boom box that I no longer used.
I believe all it is a compacitor. Allow speaker to drain high voltage from CAP instead drain the battery.
I place it on multi meter CAP 1.5v(4.0mA) 9va(25mA)
Multi meter show 00.0. Is this mean this Top Speed Positive Charging System is dead?
Or I need to charge it before I test it?
If it is a big electrolytic capacitor there, try to see if it can get charged. For that purpose, use a small 12 volt power supply (or a battery with the same nominal voltage) and apply power to the capacitor by connecting a small incandescent lamp in series with it, say 0.5 Watt. Then watch if the lamp stops glowing after some time. The best is to connect a volt meter across the terminals of the capacitor. If the voltage rises, the cap is O.K. If not, the small lamp will glow permanently. In order to discharge the cap, after testing it, just connect the small lamp across its terminals. It will glow for some time, until the cap discharges.
But ESR drops with rising temperature as a matter of course so you've somewhat missed the point, should not have frozen it and that device is fine. If you'd stuck to saying ESR is important or just heated instead that would have been fine. In my experience 80s components are really good and replacing them with modern ones must not be taken lightly. I have had to replace modern replacement capacitors
You are right! There is no temperature testing for caps, supported theoretically, for their evaluation. On the other hand, electrolytic caps cannot work in deeply low temperatures. This is long ago known. The same is true for lead acid batteries. The available capacity to be exploited in feeding temperatures is much less than their nominal and below -50 degrees their use is impossible. The same phenomenon happens with electrolytic caps. It is a matter of electrochemistry.
You're right and you're wrong at the same time. Your old capacitor is not really "junk" - it is just no LOW-ESR capacitor and may not be adequate for some jobs!
So, you of course would not use it in a switching power supply where your capacitor sees extreme ripple currents and so on. If you're having a low current circuit that just has to be buffered for some time with a capacitor - why not use the 1.7 Ohm cap? I've even seen brand new SMD capacitors 100 uF/10V that had more than 2.5 Ohms out of the package! Are these "El Cheapos"? Yes. But it always depends on what you intend to do with it. So, it is not a problem using Low ESR caps in any circuit (besides the pricing), but it is also not bringing a real advantage in any case.
So, think of what is the task of the cap. Is it for a switching power supply? Are there heavy ripple currents? Or high current pulses? ==> low ESR. Otherwise the much cheaper ones may be also OK as well.
Correct in every word!
while i measure 300 volt capacitor when it is in load, multimeter tip touched one of its leg and booom.. i dont know why it blown..
why did you not try it after heating it up , as all electronics create heat not cold
Could you just test for functionality? I mean if the caps purpose is ripple suppression test it on a oscilloscope and if works it works no need to pull out meters.
Aren't there multimeters that have the ability to check for temp that are on the market already?
Yes, there are plenty of them.
how to know if the capacitor is not good with voltmeter ( which option I use )
+ANKABOUT THE BEST An esr meter would be better.
+Kev31779 OK thx for fast reply
How do you figure out SMD components when you don't have a schematic?
Say a SMD capacitor shorts and I need to replace it. How do I figure out the value?
Well, without a schematic you can't get the exact value unless it is a SMD electrolytic which would be marked. Sometimes in your last resort you can experiment with different values or find a similar circuit in the device that may be the same and measure the value from that. In some cases if you call the manufacture if you give them the part location the may be able to tell you what the value is. But that is always a gamble that they will have that information and or be willing to give it to you.
really.…..that's why surface mount technology is garbage throw away crap. Through hole rules and always will when its circuit boards....but the real electronics are point to point pre-printed circuit era......its serviceable
is this traversy?
I am not sure freezing the cap showed anything. As a guess I would say it is fine.
Exactly!
you need both... esr can be good but capacitance can be bad.... esr only test the equivalence series resistance.... here is a reason why capacitors and resistors have a tolerance...
you could use the meter to test resistance as well....
Not the in service resistance, an ESR meter sends a 100khz signal through the cap as it measures it's "working" resistance. Instead of just the resting resistance like a simple multimeter would do.
This instrument can measure real resistors up to 100Ohms.
why dont we use a multimeter for insulation resistance test instead of megger?
Both tests are correct. Nevertheless, using an insulation tester for testing high voltage capacitors is better, because it tests the capacitors near to their working voltage. This means that there are cases where testing with low voltage (I.e by using multimeter) the capacitor might have a problem not revealed, while it becomes evident when the test voltage is high (using a “megger”.
I think you got the part about spraying caps with freeze spray to bring them back. you use heat to bring them back and identify the bad cap, you use freeze spray to bring back IC's temporarily. You literally prove this yourself by pushing up the esr when frozen.
th-cam.com/video/o6kPLx2AmFo/w-d-xo.html
You meant to say you can temporaraly replicate the issue and make the cap worse when frozen. a hair dryer can sometimes bring it back temporarily if already showing faulty
Identifying a problem without delivering a solution isn't what I was expecting.
The solution was to use an ESR meter and to check the capacitor after freezing it.
Do some SMD caps
I'm confused by this video. The cap range on a multimeter is not intended for performance testing. It's there to, assuming a good capacitor, give you a capacitance value. Invaluable when working with basically all modern electronics where unmarked surface mount caps need to be identified
Since the multimeter can test resistance why can't you just change the setting on the multi meter
OMG i just bought a multimeter to test specifically capacitors to hopefully repair my 4 broken expensive monitors😂
Kwasje Titty
hey what abaut the resistance in a ac capasitor ?
The principal of internal resistance applies to all capacitors (and batteries as well).
1:11
You could have purchased 10 camera tripods for the price of that Fluke.
An analog meter will test open(bad) or shorted(bad) , but will no values. . A good cap will peg and bleed off.
good day sir can you help me how to instal battery 72volts to capacitor to controller to hub motor
Old video I know but why try and revive a capacitor if its a monster of one it's usually a customer's and you replace it . If it's in a tube amp there not that much money just replace them
My old radios, just replace them what's the big deal... It's like 45 acp Vs 45 long colt