ESR Meter - simple tester electrolytes

ESR is the equivalent series resistance capacitor. You can imagine it as a resistor connected in series with an ideal capacitor. Now the value of this resistance
ESR.
One of the most common defects consumer electronics are just bad electrolytic capacitors. They are using a multimeter or meter capacity usually can not be
identified. ESR meter reliably find fault electrolyte, the electrolyte because the damage will be reflected first on increasing ESR. The great advantage is that
you do not expel capacitor because the measurement voltage is small and thus do not affect the measurement of ambient parts (unlike meter capacity, which
can not be measured in a plate capacitors). For electronics repairman ESR meter is an absolute necessity, used when troubleshooting even more than
multimeter!
The measurement principle is simple: The capacitor is connected alternating current high frequency (typically 50-100kHz) and measuring the voltage drop on
him. Greater loss means higher ESR.
On the Internet there are many structures ESR meter. But mostly very complicated and utilize a microprocessor. Others have just one indication LED, when
measuring various large electrolytes insufficient. I chose a simple and effective option. As a source of RF power at a frequency of about 50 kHz is used
known circuit 555. The drop measurement is used small moving coil gauge. You can use a small microammeter or millivolt be sufficient for an analog tuning
indicator of an old radio or light excitation (VU meter) of tape. The rectification diode D1 is used with low dropout voltage, it can be a germanium diode
(found in any older radio) or Schottky diode type. Include dial gauge D2 protects against excessive voltages at the time when no capacitor is connected. The
values of resistors R1 and R2 must be used to customize the gauge. R2 is selected so as to not go idle hand too "around the corner" and R1 determines the
sensitivity. Test leads should be short (max 30-40 cm) to its resistance and inductance did not affect the measurement. Connections is also advisable to do
double (shown in the diagram).
Larger electrolytes are obviously smaller ESR, so it is advisable to scale the typical brand new ESR values of capacitors. Suffice logarithmic scale example.
1uF, 10uF, 100uF, 1000uF. The meter is supplied platelet 9V battery. Idling takes about 6 mA, the measurement max. 16 mA.

Scheme bleating ESR - tester electrolytic capacitors.

"Guts" meter.

Meter in a box (a moving coil instrument is an indicator of the excitation of the Soviet tape)

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