Measuring Capacitance - Agilent Technologies U1252B User's Manual And Service Manual

Measuring Capacitance

C A U T I O N
N O T E
Agilent U1251B/U1252B User's and Service Guide
Disconnect the circuit power and discharge all the high-voltage capacitors
before measuring the capacitance to prevent any possible damage to the
meter or the device under test. To confirm that the capacitors have
discharged, use the DC voltage function.
The meter measures capacitance by charging the capacitor
with a known current for a period of time, measuring the
voltage and then calculating the capacitance. The larger the
capacitor, the longer the charge time. Below are some tips
for measuring capacitance:
• For measuring capacitance values greater than
10,000 µF, discharge the capacitor first, then select a
suitable range for the measurement. This will speed up
measuring time in order to obtain the correct
capacitance value.
• For measuring smaller capacitance values, press
with the test leads open to subtract any residual
capacitance from the meter or the leads.
means the capacitor is charging.
discharging.
Set up the multimeter as shown in
probe lead on the positive terminal of the capacitor and the
black probe lead on the negative terminal and read the
display.
Making Measurements 2
means the capacitor is
Figure 2- 12. Use the red
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