best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

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  • mattstolte
    Badcaps Veteran
    • Dec 2013
    • 612
    • usa

    #1

    best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

    I'm trying to find a easy way to read value and esr in Same meter in circuit is this possible and what's cheapest meter or anybody have any fast suggestions on getting this done. Like for example if you wanna check caps on a main board or power supply. I dont really wanna have to take out every one
  • budm
    Badcaps Legend
    • Feb 2010
    • 40746
    • USA

    #2
    Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

    "I'm trying to find a easy way to read value and ESR in Same meter in circuit is this possible' Not that I know of since you can have a bunch of caps connected in parallel, same thing is applied to parallel 3~4 0.1 Ohms resistors in parallel, will your Ohm meter tell you which one is bad when you measure them in the circuit. Try that with your Ohm meter.
    Never stop learning
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    Comment

    • tom66
      EVs Rule
      • Apr 2011
      • 32560
      • UK

      #3
      Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

      Generally in circuit readings are unreliable. Some meters can measure capacitance in circuit but I'm not aware of any reliable ways to measure ESR in circuit. ESR measurement relies on measuring small voltage drops caused by small impedances; resistors and inductors in the same circuit can cause false readings.
      Please do not PM me with questions! Questions via PM will not be answered. Post on the forums instead!
      For service manual, schematic, boardview (board view), datasheet, cad - use our search.

      Comment

      • Spork Schivago
        Badcaps Legend
        • Mar 2012
        • 4734
        • United States of America

        #4
        Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

        Originally posted by mattstolte
        I'm trying to find a easy way to read value and esr in Same meter in circuit is this possible and what's cheapest meter or anybody have any fast suggestions on getting this done. Like for example if you wanna check caps on a main board or power supply. I dont really wanna have to take out every one
        I like the Peak Atlas ESR Plus (ESR70) but for the reasons that other people have already stated, it's not very good at reading caps in circuit. It can give successful readings for certain ones (probably ones in series vs parallel) but just to be safe, I always remove them.

        Correct me if I'm wrong here, but you could always just remove one lead instead of pulling the whole cap, right? I know it isn't the best option, but perhaps it could cut your work time in half?

        Anyway, here's a link to their site's test instruments:
        http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/jz_instruments.html

        And here's a link to the ESR70:
        http://www.peakelec.co.uk/acatalog/jz_esr70.html
        -- Law of Expanding Memory: Applications Will Also Expand Until RAM Is Full

        Comment

        • stj
          Great Sage 齊天大聖
          • Dec 2009
          • 30964
          • Albion

          #5
          Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

          Originally posted by Spork Schivago
          Correct me if I'm wrong here, but you could always just remove one lead instead of pulling the whole cap, right?
          yes, that's the best way to test diodes too.

          Comment

          • CapLeaker
            Leaking Member
            • Dec 2014
            • 8061
            • Canada

            #6
            Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

            Look up LCR meter. Uni-T, Agilent, B&K and others make them too.

            Comment

            • Spork Schivago
              Badcaps Legend
              • Mar 2012
              • 4734
              • United States of America

              #7
              Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

              Originally posted by CapLeaker
              Look up LCR meter. Uni-T, Agilent, B&K and others make them too.
              Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but I've seen LCR meters for sale before. Peak Atlas sells one as well. What exactly are they for? I always thought for some reason, they where for measuring coil type stuff. Am I wrong about that? Thanks.
              -- Law of Expanding Memory: Applications Will Also Expand Until RAM Is Full

              Comment

              • tom66
                EVs Rule
                • Apr 2011
                • 32560
                • UK

                #8
                Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                They measure L, C, and R. L is Inductance (as "I" was taken for current), C for Capacitance and R for Resistance.

                The measurement can be taken in series (L+C+R) which is useful for measuring the ESR of a capacitor, or it can be taken in parallel (L || C || R) which is not particularly useful for capacitors but has uses in transformer analysis and test.
                Please do not PM me with questions! Questions via PM will not be answered. Post on the forums instead!
                For service manual, schematic, boardview (board view), datasheet, cad - use our search.

                Comment

                • SteveNielsen
                  Retired Tech
                  • Jun 2012
                  • 2327
                  • USA

                  #9
                  Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                  If a part tests weird in a circuit then disconnect it and measure it again to be sure. Or cut to the chase and just test it out of circuit to start with.

                  Comment

                  • CapLeaker
                    Leaking Member
                    • Dec 2014
                    • 8061
                    • Canada

                    #10
                    Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                    Tom66 explained it just nicely. I use an LCR meter for example. You are kind of right with the measuring inductors (L) but it does capacitance, DCR and ESR (C), and resistance (R) too. Depending on money, they have different ranges of frequencies, in which a broader size of caps can be measured.

                    Comment

                    • diif
                      Badcaps Legend
                      • Feb 2014
                      • 6978
                      • England

                      #11
                      Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                      Originally posted by Spork Schivago
                      Sorry to hijack the thread a little, but I've seen LCR meters for sale before. Peak Atlas sells one as well. What exactly are they for? I always thought for some reason, they where for measuring coil type stuff. Am I wrong about that? Thanks.
                      I use my LCR40 to measure low value capacitance that the ESR60 can't measure and to lazily measure resistance. I mainly got it as it came cheap with the DCA55.

                      Comment

                      • mattstolte
                        Badcaps Veteran
                        • Dec 2013
                        • 612
                        • usa

                        #12
                        Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                        so a lcr can measure cap value and esr in circuit?

                        Comment

                        • budm
                          Badcaps Legend
                          • Feb 2010
                          • 40746
                          • USA

                          #13
                          Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                          Originally posted by mattstolte
                          so a lcr can measure cap value and esr in circuit?
                          , No, the LCR can do more than just for testing caps, it can test inductor and resitstor. Component should be tested off the board or lift one leg off the board.
                          LCR meter:
                          Attached Files
                          Last edited by budm; 10-30-2015, 12:49 PM.
                          Never stop learning
                          Basic LCD TV and Monitor troubleshooting guides.
                          http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...956#post305956

                          Voltage Regulator (LDO) testing:
                          http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...999#post300999

                          Inverter testing using old CFL:
                          http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthr...er+testing+cfl

                          Tear down pictures : Hit the ">" Show Albums and stories" on the left side
                          http://s807.photobucket.com/user/budm/library/

                          TV Factory reset codes listing:
                          http://www.badcaps.net/forum/showthread.php?t=24809

                          Comment

                          • Spork Schivago
                            Badcaps Legend
                            • Mar 2012
                            • 4734
                            • United States of America

                            #14
                            Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                            Thanks for all the explanations for what an LCR meter does. I've read a little bit about inductance and I'm still not 100% certain what it means. So basically, if someone can already measure ESR and capacitance and resistance, the only reason to get an LCR meter would be for measuring inductance?
                            -- Law of Expanding Memory: Applications Will Also Expand Until RAM Is Full

                            Comment

                            • mattstolte
                              Badcaps Veteran
                              • Dec 2013
                              • 612
                              • usa

                              #15
                              Re: best meter to read esr and cap value in circuit

                              Well I guess what I'm looking for is a meter that reads value and esr then. Also what you guys think of them ones on ebay that automatically read npn also

                              Comment

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