KilgoreCemetery
- Apr 12, 2017
- 258
- Joined
- Apr 12, 2017
- Messages
- 258
I have a complete rookie question about this Digital Multimeter I just bought. It's a Southwire 10040N and it has a CAP function that reads in microfarads, nanofarads, etc. The confusing thing is, most of the time when I check capacitors I get wildly different readings than what is listed on the capacitor itself. I have been checking them out of circuit, but I can't believe that all the ones I've checked so far have been bad. I'll give some examples in the hopes that someone can either tell me what I'm doing wrong or explain whether or not I'm getting the correct readings.
Cap A: 400v 180uF 105c -> .02nF before going to 0L
Cap B: 400v 180uF 105c -> .02nF before going to 0L
Cap C: 35v 1000uF 85c -> .03nF before going to 0L
Cap D: 10v 22uF 85c -> 41.75uF
Cap E: 15v 150uF 85c -> .03nF before going to 0L
This all makes me think that maybe there is something wrong with the multimeter itself, until I tested an old AC capacitor with it.
Cap F: GE Z25L4403 240v 10/25uf. Going from "HERM" to "C" -> 24.48uF, "C" to "FAN" -> 10.15uF
I don't know anything about AC capacitors, but it seems like more than a coincidence that the readings match the label. Are all the rest of the caps I've checked really bad or am I doing something wrong?
Cap A: 400v 180uF 105c -> .02nF before going to 0L
Cap B: 400v 180uF 105c -> .02nF before going to 0L
Cap C: 35v 1000uF 85c -> .03nF before going to 0L
Cap D: 10v 22uF 85c -> 41.75uF
Cap E: 15v 150uF 85c -> .03nF before going to 0L
This all makes me think that maybe there is something wrong with the multimeter itself, until I tested an old AC capacitor with it.
Cap F: GE Z25L4403 240v 10/25uf. Going from "HERM" to "C" -> 24.48uF, "C" to "FAN" -> 10.15uF
I don't know anything about AC capacitors, but it seems like more than a coincidence that the readings match the label. Are all the rest of the caps I've checked really bad or am I doing something wrong?