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| Is this a valid method for checking capacitor leakage? |
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| watchmaker:
Leaving aside the obvious safety issues (if this is valid I will make a safe enclosure), is this a valid approach to leakage testing? After looking at several designs/kits, I realized I had this transistor withstand tester that does in fact put out over 1000 volts DC. The display voltage agrees with my DMMs. The cap shown is a 10uF 200 volt electrolytic. I started with lower voltage caps of course. If this is deemed valid, then it avoids a host of construction issues and the tester itself cost about $20 on Ali. Just need a box some jacks, discharge and test switches. |
| IanB:
You put an ammeter in series with the capacitor, and then charge it up on DC to the working voltage, and when it stops charging, measure the residual current? I think that is a valid method for the DC leakage current. |
| watchmaker:
Yes, that is exactly what I did. THANKS!! I will take some shots as I put the thing into an enclosure. |
| IanB:
You might have to be a little careful about the inrush current if the capacitor starts out empty. Might be appropriate to put a 100 ohm resistor or so in series with the capacitor? It depends on the DC supply and what it is expecting as a load. |
| edpalmer42:
If you're using high voltage (and 200V is high voltage) you need to have some way to discharge the capacitor to a safe voltage before you touch it. It could be a SPDT switch that goes between 'charge' and 'discharge' with a voltmeter to measure the voltage on the capacitor. |
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