Reading capacitors

[braddo]

How do you guys get a reading from a capacitor using a multimeter? My brother is a techy but not with pins and he needs to get some readings. Cheers.

[Homepin]

How do you guys get a reading from a capacitor using a multimeter? My brother is a techy but not with pins and he needs to get some readings. Cheers.

All you can check for with a standard multimeter is a shorted capacitor (which is pretty rare). You cannot measure "capacitance" with a standard multimeter.

[beaky]

you need a multimeter that is able to measure capacitors. Or you can buy a meter specificly made for capicitors.
the multimeter needs to have a range high enough, i.e. if you want to check a cap that has a value of 20uf then you need a multimeter that has a range higher than 20uf.
you need to have the cap out of circuit and make sure you have discharged it. I use a globe to discharge the ones i test if they are a high value but the lower value ones can be discharged with a screwdriver.
when you hook it up to the multimeter make sure you are not touching the pins or leads on the cap or meter as this will give you a false reading.
make sure you polarise it properly, I.E. red lead to + and black to -
then before putting the cap back in circuit discharge it again.

[Homepin]

The  best way to check a cap is simply to replace it.....................they are so cheap it's not worth the bother

[Retropin]

The  best way to check a cap is simply to replace it.....................they are so cheap it's not worth the bother

True, but if fault finding then the last thing you want to do is replace all the caps if its not necesary, especially if its a little ceramic causing grief