Recommend a capacitance tester?

[nevetslab]

Just in case.....I have a vintage General Radio 1650A Impedance Bridge available, tucked away in my storage locker. If you're willing to pay for shipping cost, it's free for the asking. Runs on D cell batteries (four of them). It doesn't offer Leakage Current measurements. 1100uF is max range. Here's the link to this instrument, which I posted back in spring 2020: General Radio 1650A Impedance Bridge up for grabs - Music Electronics Forum (music-electronics-forum.com)

[Mick Bailey]

If I was buying a DMM now I would choose a Brymen. They're properly independently tested to meet regulations and certification and have excellent protection for overload etc and the ranges will accommodate Musicman and Ampeg voltages. The capacitance range is usually limited with a DMM but plenty for tube amp work. The quality is excellent - see EEVblog for a teardown and review. In addition consider getting a microprocessor-based component analyzer. These will test pretty much everything and give capacitance value, ESR and dissipation readings. You can also test nearly every other discreet component and show correct pin orientation of unknown semiconductors, gate capacitance, leakage and a whole range of readings. They're really cheap - mine I think cost about £7 including a really nice acrylic case. The OLED -based ones are slightly more expensive but are really much better than the backlit LCD type mine has.

[nosaj]

Just in case.....I have a vintage General Radio 1650A Impedance Bridge available, tucked away in my storage locker. If you're willing to pay for shipping cost, it's free for the asking. Runs on D cell batteries (four of them). It doesn't offer Leakage Current measurements. 1100uF is max range. Here's the link to this instrument, which I posted back in spring 2020: General Radio 1650A Impedance Bridge up for grabs - Music Electronics Forum (music-electronics-forum.com)

I shipped one from Fl to Mi cost was about $35 USPS
Course All I did was put it in a cardboard box and seal it as it with the faceplate on it , it is fairly well protected like a tank.
nosaj

[Steve Blackdog]

If I was buying a DMM now I would choose a Brymen. They're properly independently tested to meet regulations and certification and have excellent protection for overload etc and the ranges will accommodate Musicman and Ampeg voltages. The capacitance range is usually limited with a DMM but plenty for tube amp work. The quality is excellent - see EEVblog for a teardown and review. In addition consider getting a microprocessor-based component analyzer. These will test pretty much everything and give capacitance value, ESR and dissipation readings. You can also test nearly every other discreet component and show correct pin orientation of unknown semiconductors, gate capacitance, leakage and a whole range of readings. They're really cheap - mine I think cost about £7 including a really nice acrylic case. The OLED -based ones are slightly more expensive but are really much better than the backlit LCD type mine has.

£7? Really?

[nosaj]

https://www.amazon.com/EEVblog-BM235...25255250&psc=1

[g1]

£7? Really?

I think he meant £70
https://eleshop.eu/brymen-bm235-multimeter.html

[Helmholtz]

I think he meant the (additional) component tester - not the DMM.

[Steve Blackdog]

I think the £7 must relate to Mick’s recommendation of microprocessor component analyser. Mick, do you mean this sort of gadget?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OLED-Powe....m46890.l49292

[Mick Bailey]

This is the one I have;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/All-in-1-...oAAOSwlkpcPsqs

This is the case;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/For-LCR-T.../254826132611?

This is the better one (cased in this example) - my apologies - this is TFT not OLED;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LCR-TC1-T.../224259146931?

[TomCarlos]

I have a small hand held Peak Atlas ESR70 Capacitance and ESR meter.

I also had to dig into my lab room to find my old Sprague TEL-OHMIKE TO-6 capacitor analyzer.

[Mick Bailey]

They make those Peak analyzers a few miles from where I live.