View Full Version : esr meter


Chad Hauris
11-06-2004, 09:53 PM
We have just got an ESR meter at the shop and I am looking for some tips on how best to use it. Have been working on a JVC tv w/switching power supply and have found caps with the ESR higher than recommended on the chart, replaced them, but apparently haven't gotten to the really bad ones yet.
Could anyone with experience w/the ESR meter offer me some pointers...ours is the Australian model from Dick Smith electronics.
Here is a picture of the esr meter we are using:
www.retroaudiolab.com/pictures/chadesr.jpg

andy
11-06-2004, 11:59 PM
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captainmoody
11-07-2004, 12:29 PM
I have the same unit and love it. Andy is right on the readings, They generally have to be pretty bad before replacing the cap. I always used the Sencore LC-102 before when I was training techs and prefer that one but cannot afford now on my own.

Edd Whatley
11-08-2004, 04:42 PM
The most info/familiarity will be acquired by just digging into your stock of new electrolytic capacitors and testing them, thus familiarizing yourself with the ranges to be expected. You will particularly notice the variance in the high voltage caps (100VDC-450VDC) and their inherently higher readings versus their low voltage counterparts yet being an in acceptable tolerance range..
73's de Edd
Mesquite

rca2000
11-08-2004, 11:14 PM
then, you are probably looking for one of the caps on the 12 volt line, IIRC c621 or something. it is on the SECONDARY side, and is a 1000 uf at 16 or 25 volts, i think. If bad it will cause a DEAD set.

Chad Hauris
11-09-2004, 07:46 AM
Thanks so much for your help. I have done some more testing with the ESR meter on an arcade game monitor and found some caps that had 10 times or more the recommended ESR.
RCA2000 thanks for JVC tip. the set is from 1996. Measuring ESR on caps on the primary side of the smps did not yield any with super-high ESR. Also checking caps around the micro did not come up with any obviously bad. I will check out the cap you recommended as a likely trouble source.