Trying to test a capacitor

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Aschaffer

Member - Posts: 25

Joined: January 27, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: May 20, 2004 at 4:24 PM / IP Logged

I have a DMM and I do not know how to use it that good other than some basic skills with it. Is there a way to test and see if my capacitor in my car is working properly using my dmm, and how?

kgerry

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Joined: February 07, 2004

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted: May 20, 2004 at 4:53 PM / IP Logged

if the meter has a capacitance test scale you can... i know our Fluke meters here do.... you can also use a B&K cap tester

Kevin Gerry

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Classic Car Audio

since 1979

Aschaffer

Member - Posts: 25

Joined: January 27, 2004

Location: United States

Posted: May 20, 2004 at 5:50 PM / IP Logged

that doesnt help too much... Is there way to test it with my DMM though?

kgerry

Platinum - Posts: 3,455

Joined: February 07, 2004

Location: Saskatchewan, Canada

Posted: May 20, 2004 at 5:53 PM / IP Logged

as i said...if YOUR DMM has this feature yes you can....... i dont know what kind of meter you have, only you do... so look at it and see if it is capable of testing capacitance.........

i know the Fluke DMM's we use here can do this on a limited scale........

Kevin Gerry

Certified Electronics Technician

MECP First Class Installer

Owner/Installer

Classic Car Audio

since 1979

mikedawg

Copper - Posts: 142

Joined: August 12, 2003

Location: United States

Posted: June 06, 2004 at 11:24 AM / IP Logged

turn it to volts and put the black wire on the negative and the red one on the positive

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DYohn

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Joined: April 22, 2003

Location: Arizona, United States

Posted: June 06, 2004 at 11:32 AM / IP Logged

Aschaffer wrote:

I have a DMM and I do not know how to use it that good other than some basic skills with it. Is there a way to test and see if my capacitor in my car is working properly using my dmm, and how?

NO. As stated before, if your meter happens to have a capacitance scale (like a Fluke model 87) than you can test that the cap actually is built to the farad value it says it is. Or if you use the voltage scale, you can see if it is connected to the system. But to actually test the capacitor for proper function (meaning charge and discharge) NO, there is no safe way to do that with a DMM. Why do you think it needs to be tested?

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xetmes

Silver - Posts: 586

Joined: May 18, 2003

Posted: June 06, 2004 at 3:48 PM / IP Logged

you could get a large power resistor and use it to discharge the cap (after charging it), take voltage readings and compare them to the theoretical voltages...

Velocity Motors

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Joined: March 08, 2002

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Posted: June 08, 2004 at 1:39 AM / IP Logged

Hey guys, try to keep on track here with Aschaffer's question. I will take care of the remarks made from other member's.

Aschaffer wrote:

I have a DMM and I do not know how to use it that good other than some basic skills with it. Is there a way to test and see if my capacitor in my car is working properly using my dmm, and how?

Jeff

Velocity Custom Home Theater

Mobile Audio/Video Specialist

Morden, Manitoba CANADA

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Trying to test a capacitor

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