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Electronics Repair (sci.electronics.repair) Discussion of repairing electronic equipment. Topics include requests for assistance, where to obtain servicing information and parts, techniques for diagnosis and repair, and annecdotes about success, failures and problems. |
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Problems using ESR Meter testing Motherboard Electrolytic Capacitors
The one I picked up (BK Precision 881) claims to output @ 15mV and
came out June 30, 2003, so it's fairly new. I'm wondering if it's a bad tester because it can't seem to read ESR correctly in-circuit. Jeremy On Tue, 2 Sep 2003 07:57:04 -0400, "Jerry G." wrote: Many of the older ESR meters used too high a voltage with too high a source resistance, and are triggering or reading other components that are connected to the one under test. This is why you have to remove the part to properly test it. The new meters use typically about 50 to 100 mV with a very low source resistance. At about 250 to 300 mV, they can start to trigger other devices (especially some semiconductors), and these would be included in the measurements. If you have a shorted or very leaky cap, the ESR meter can be fooled, and thus give a low reading. ESR meters are good for when caps go opened, which is the most common type of failure with them. In the case of the older types of ESR meters used on modern circuit boards, the meter will read the other components wired in. A descent ESR meter is very low in cost these days, in relation to the savings you will get. I would suggest in investing in one if you plan on testing a lot of caps. There are a number of good ones on the market today. The Bob Parker one is one of the best rated ones I have been reading and hearing about. You can visit Bob Parker's web page: http://www.ozemail.com.au/~bobpar/ |
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Problems using ESR Meter testing Motherboard Electrolytic Capacitors
Jeremy wrote:
The one I picked up (BK Precision 881) claims to output @ 15mV and came out June 30, 2003, so it's fairly new. I'm wondering if it's a bad tester because it can't seem to read ESR correctly in-circuit. Jeremy Typically, ESR is not a problem in a high impedance circuit. ESR is often a problem in a low impedance circuit...like a power supply. If you have a bunch of caps in parallel, the ESR meter can't tell which if any are bad. Other stuff in the circuit makes it worse. I've had zero success with ESR measurements in circuit. The only place it works is where there's only one cap that could be removed easily for testing. And that's happened...well...never. mike -- Bunch of stuff For Sale and Wanted at the link below. laptops and parts Test Equipment 4in/400Wout ham linear amp. Honda CB-125S 400cc Dirt Bike 2003 miles $450 Police Scanner, Color LCD overhead projector Tek 2465 $800, ham radio, 30pS pulser Tektronix Concept Books, spot welding head... http://www.geocities.com/SiliconValley/Monitor/4710/ |
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