There is something good about esr meter because besides electrolytic capacitor it can be use to measure other type of capacitors such as the non polarity capacitor. From esr meter specification, it is usually mentioned only checking the electrolytic type. When i began to experiment with the Dick Smith ESR Meter i found that it have the capabilities to check other type of capacitors as well.
However it is limited to checking capacitor in the higher value only such as .1uf(104), .22uf(224), 1uf(105) and etc. Lower capacitance value don't get any reading from the esr meter due to it can only read until 99 ohms. Perhaps other esr meter such as the B & K esr meter have the range to check it.
You will even be surprised to see that the dick smith esr meter can check the non-polarity capacitor in-circuit (without removing the cap).
True case example-Monitor came in with display jumping horizontally. You can see a bunch of horizontal black lines across the top display (picture). From experienced it will tell you that vertical section have problem. I begin to troubleshoot the vertical section. Supply voltage checked ok, vertical driver and oscillator IC replaced, all components connected or nearby vertical driver and oscillator ic have been checked ok. By the way I used digital capacitance meter to check the non-polarity cap and esr meter to check the electrolytic cap. The problem is still there and can't be solve!
When i use Dick Smith ESR Meter to compare the esr value of a non-polarity capacitor located near the vertical driver ic, i noticed that there is a big different in the esr value. The good esr value for a .22uf non-polarity cap is between 6.5 to 7 ohm but the spoilt one have a value of 14 ohm! Almost double the value, that's why the display jump. The good thing is i discovered the culprit while the capacitor still in the circuit which mean this esr meter can check non-polarity cap in-circuit. However my recommendation for you is to solder out one leg and check unless you already have the experienced in checking components on board. Replacing the cap solved the display problem.
Conclusion-In order to accurately test a non-polarity capacitor, besides checking the capacitance value and using analog meter to check the charge and discharge to see if it has develop any short circuit when under load, you are also required to check the esr value as well.
Jestine Yong is a electronic repairer and a writer. For more information about electronic repair please visit his website at http://www.noahtec.com/electronic-repai r-articles.htm






Moving the office network? How hard could it be? Anybody... Read More
You may ask, isn't tape an anachronism in the age... Read More
Today, small form factor computers demolish the myth that bigger... Read More
Just about everyone would I agree, I think, that wires... Read More
We all know what it is like when that message... Read More
Perhaps the biggest mistake people make when building their computer(s)... Read More
Junk faxes waste the resources of every business. It is... Read More
Laptop Notebook ? Your Portable OfficeIn much of today's business... Read More
Contrary to popular belief, tape drives are generally robust and... Read More
So you need to check your IP address, for whatever... Read More
When it comes to computer speaker systems, you have a... Read More
As the proud owner of a laptop computer, you'll want... Read More
Interestingly, ergonomics though sounds to be a modern and trendy... Read More
We all know that computers change more then any other... Read More
The average home computer user definitely does not need a... Read More
Thinking about a mini DVD camcorder? You're not alone, it's... Read More
Hard Drives: ATA versus SATAThe performance of computer systems has... Read More
Hewlett-Packard is, along with Brother and Samsung, one of the... Read More
Data loss is an expensive reality. It's a hard fact... Read More
Laser toner refills can be expensive. Over the life of... Read More
Forget about emptying your wallets every time you see the... Read More
It's most peoples worst computing nightmare. You wake up in... Read More
When you're studying for your CCNA exams, you're going to... Read More
Wow- if you do it first time and have some... Read More
This is the step takes the most time and consideration.... Read More
The other piece of vital equipment to accompany the rack... Read More
Nvidia has done it again, with it's newest video card,... Read More
Bluetooth BasicsBluetooth technology is nothing new, but in many respects... Read More
So many people have small USB drives today, but what... Read More
Flash your ATI video card BIOS.You will need the following:1.... Read More
It is extremely important not to make or write any... Read More
You just poured hours upon hours into a lengthy research... Read More
This article focuses on frequently asked questions by buyers of... Read More
Data loss is an expensive reality. It's a hard fact... Read More
Notebook computers are becoming very popular. They seem to be... Read More
Contrary to popular belief, tape drives are generally robust and... Read More
Offering secure public Internet access is not as easy as... Read More
If you've been looking to upgrade your computer video card... Read More
Laptops or Notebook computers are an expensive personal and business... Read More
A revolution in learning technology has taken place. Actually, it... Read More
Even with the popularity of digital technology, and the availability... Read More
This is the first step to servicing, upgrading or removing... Read More
TiVo will change your life... for the better. Plain and... Read More
Moving the office network? How hard could it be? Anybody... Read More
Think you got a great deal on a printer? Like... Read More
High density digital versatile disc is a digital optical media... Read More
Laser toner is the ink for laser printers. It is... Read More
Blu-ray is an optical disc format which is set to... Read More
Dell offers a full line of refurbished laptops on their... Read More
Compatible Laser Toner CartridgesRecently, there has been a huge legal... Read More
|
|