cap tests capacitence vs ESR

[scampo77]

i need to buy a cap tester and so far mostly for tv repairs i am wondering if one tester supersedes the other i was planning on buying both but now im thinking i could jst get away with a ESR tester does this make sense?

also, i was told that caps in a tv need to be a "low esr" but the testers i have seen just seem to have blinking light for "good" "not good" or i have seen ones with a chart that have a list of capacitence on one side and a volt rating on the other and you have to line it up like using a flow chart

ie
100uF @ 16v = 0.9
or
220uF @ 160v = 0.25

these ratings seem to be pretty spot on. if i do buy a esr meter how will i be able to tell if the cap im testing is high or low esr in comparison to what they were new?

[Wizard]

Re: cap tests capacitence vs ESR

I have only used my capacitance meter in handful times, vs used my ESR meter all the time.

Go with ESR meter. Remember ESR and capacitance are not same thing.
And use a chart for rough estimate. Lower the better and go with experience.

Cheers, Wizard

[scampo77]

Re: cap tests capacitence vs ESR

i read that over time capacitance falls off from use. is the same true for ESR. i mean will i be able to tell that there is some use of a cap by measuring the esr instead of the capacitance?

[Wizard]

Re: cap tests capacitence vs ESR

False. ESR is the reason for failures of not able to source current as cap dry up aka rising ESR. Capacitance is amount of uF regardless.

That is why I said buy ESR meter is all you need.

Cheers, Wizard