User manual

The measuring setup in capacitator measurement corresponds to the impedance
measurement. You only need to hold the red and black strings to the two
capacitator connections. To keep both hands free for the multimeter, use the
self-made test prods as well that you can use to connect the two measuring lines
firmly to the experimenting board.
When connecting the measuring lines, observe correct polarity in particular for
electrolyte capacitators. Connect the red line to the plus pole and the black
one to the minus pole of the capacitator.
After switching on the multimeter, set the impedance measuring range with the
large dial switch. It is multifunctional. Then push the function switch until
the display at the right edge reads "nF". This means "Nanofarad". Farad is the
unit for electrical capacity. Most capacitators have capacities between some
picofarad (pF) and some microfarad (mF).
Measuring a capacitator takes some time. Several seconds pass before the final
measured value can be read at the display.
Figure 34: Capacitators must only be measured outside of circuits or circuit
parts. The capacitator to be measured must be plugged onto the experimenting
board. Both measuring lines must be connected to it in the correct polarity.
Figure 35: Set the capacity measuring range at the multimeter. It will take some
seconds before the measured value can be read.
Capacitators switched in series
In the exercise "How do Resistors Switched in Series Behave?", you found that
the overall impedance is the total of the resistors switched in series.
Switch two capacitators in series on the experimenting board (e.g. with a
capacity of 10 µF each. Check that the two capacitators are installed in the
correct polarity. For electrolyte capacitators, the minus connection wire of the
first must be connected to the plus connection wire of the second. Since
capacitators are measured alone (without consumer and power source), you may
already connect the red string of the multimeter to the plus connection of the
first capacitator and the black string to the minus connection of the second one.
Now switch the multimeter to capacity measurement and wait for a few seconds
until the measured value no longer changes. You will now measure about 5.7 µF,
i.e. half of the two 10 µF capacitators.
If follows:
The overall capacity drops the more capacitators are switched in series.
The overall capacity of capacitator switched in series can be calculated
according to the following formula:
1 / C
ges
= 1 / C1 + 1 / C2 + … 1 / Cn
To get to the overall capacity, push the button 1/x on the calculator.
Figure 36: Two capacitators switched in series