Measuring Capacitance - Agilent Technologies U1253B User's Manual And Service Manual

2 Making Measurements

Measuring Capacitance

C A U T I O N
N O T E
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Disconnect circuit power and discharge all high-voltage capacitors
before measuring capacitance to avoid damaging the multimeter or the
device under test. Use the DC voltage function in order to confirm that
a capacitor has fully discharged.
The U1253B true RMS OLED multimeter calculates
capacitance by charging a 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:
Measuring tips:
• For measuring capacitance values greater than 10,000 μF,
discharge the capacitor first, then select a suitable range
for measurement. This will speed up the measurement
time and also ensure that the correct capacitance value is
obtained.
• For measuring small capacitance values, press
the test leads open to subtract the residual capacitance of
the multimeter and leads.
means that the capacitor is charging.
discharging.
Set up the multimeter as shown in
test lead on the positive terminal of the capacitor and the
black test lead on the negative terminal and read the
display.
means that the capacitor is
Figure 2- 14. Use the red
U1253B User's and Service Guide
with