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Title: Testing small axial caps
Post by: RC cola on August 20, 2011, 05:56:28 PM

I have some small caps that look like resistors but green in color. A couple of values I recall is 10 pf and 100 pf. The cap check on my meter works well with most caps I try with it but these small resistor looking ones dont check. Ive tried using the resistance range but Im not sure if these can be checked. Any insight on testing these type caps would be wonderful.

Title: Re: Testing small axial caps
Post by: J M Fahey on August 20, 2011, 06:03:41 PM

Very low values are beyond the resolving power of most multimeter capacitance meters or at least have a high "base" error.
You will need a dedicated capacitance meter.

Title: Re: Testing small axial caps
Post by: RC cola on August 20, 2011, 06:27:54 PM

A meter would show if they were shorted, right? If its a case of true open then the checker you spoke of is needed.

Title: Re: Testing small axial caps
Post by: J M Fahey on August 21, 2011, 02:35:23 AM

Yes, a short would be shown by the ohmmeter.
In fact it's unlikely that one of these caps fails; the problem is measuring their value with any accuracy, if in the low pF range.

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Solid State Amplifiers => The Newcomer's Forum => Topic started by: RC cola on August 20, 2011, 05:56:28 PM