I wish I had found your video to check my A/C capacitor a couple years ago. I have the regular Multimeter and just needed to know uf the capacitor was bad or not. The part was $20 on ebay. I ironically got a call from the company that installed my A/C to service it that very day. They sent a repair guy over and he used his cap tester and it was dead, so I asked for a quote to replace it. He went to his truck, came back and quoted me $535.00. I kicked him out of my property and told them to lose my number. I purchased the new part and installed it myself for $20 it took all of a few minutes. Your video was what I was looking for, it would have saved me a lot of grief dealing with them and being given such an outrageous estimate. I was insulted and angry.
I appreciated that you demonstrated HOW to use the multimeter Ohm function. 1. you told me the actual setting. 2. You told what to look for on the meter. 3. You told me to DISCHARGE the capacitor! Thanks. Thumbs-up!
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Great video, and a great job of explaining things. The only thing I haven't yet seen unless I've missed it on other video's is, an explanation of the term "Herm" that newcomers might want to know about. "Herm" is nothing more than a short way of saying, "Hermetically Sealed Compressor", and I suspect that manufacturers decided on using that term to eliminate the possibility of confusion had they used "Comp" for compressor. In poor light conditions Comp could easily be confused with Com, or C for common. "Herm" eliminates that possibility. Well done sir.
You are most welcome. Thank you for watching, commenting, the valuable feedback and the kind words. I appreciate it greatly. I am happy to know I could help. All the best.👍😀
Probably the tenth video/web page I saw trying to figure out how to use my cheap multimeter to test a run capacitor. The ONLY one that showed me how in ENGLISH. All the others used more expensive multimeters or if they used one like mine never zoomed in to the actual meter when moving the controls.
Very helpful video. Not being a professional HVAC expert, and only having a simple meter, this at least gave me a pretty good idea our capacitor was shot. Although the top side with the connector prongs was slightly convex (a possible physical indication), the test really stood out once we had a new one in our hands. $5.60 solution. Thanks for making the video.
You're most welcome. Unfortunately for them there are alternative ways of getting it fixed. Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Thanks for your video. AC fan was not working. Sure enough checked the run capacitor using your instructions and the fan terminal side was dead. Picked new one up at local Hvac supply store for $12. Switched out the old capacitor with the new one and bingo, AC fan working once again. Easy and cheap diy fix. thank you sir. Ernest in Lexington, KY
Brilliant job Richard. I can't thank you enough for your easy to understand video. It is productions like yours that make you tube a great learning forum. Thank you, and blessings to you and family. Bruce the swimmer New Rochelle N.Y.
Thank you for your help with testing my capacitor. I have that exact same meter, the inexpensive one, 7 dollars. The correct way to place the red and black wires was exactly what I needed. I followed your directions and now know I have a good capacitor. Great video You saved the day, and saved me some worry and cash. Thanks again.
Excellent, well-organized video. Especially good was the warning at the beginning of the video about capacitor discharging-- you would be surprised at how many want to work with fully-charged or partially-charged capacitors. The closeup shots make the video much clearer, with good ambient lighting. Sound is exactly at the correct level. For me, however, the best benefit is I am now able to check a capacitor with a simple, inexpensive meter. (For viewers who want a better meter, you have found a good option.) As a bonus, you demonstrate how to detect a short-to-ground. If I were to choose the best capacitor-check video, this is the one. (Of course, I subscribed)
You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
To be honest I don't even recall if we had any videos on PCs at that time, nor on BBS's !!! We were on DOS with 640K of RAM. The prettiest graphics at that time were ANSI graphics !!! That was the period of Apple Lisa too, wasn't it ? That Apple machine was causing so much electrical interference, it was nuts !!! Just think how long it would have taken at that time to listen to a 100MB video using a 300bps dialup access, roughly 40 days !!!! Today it will take less than 2 minutes to download the same amount of data and we'll have the balls to say "My internet connection is slow !!!" Go figure !!!!
Thank you Richard! We needed instructions on this particular digital multimeter to test resistance. We searched and searched and finally came across yours! Thanks so much!
An excellent training class...taught well. THANK YOU. I'm old-school. I used to take a resistor wire with test prods on it's ends and short out the capacitor, and drain the case to terminal & then take a Tripplet 310 VOM Analog and and stick it across the terminals and watch the needle swing up and peak, and then slowly fall off. If it did that I checked terminal to ground casing. If that was ok and there wasn't any signs of puffing up, it was a good one and I would put the wires back on it and go to the next one.
You're most welcome. Awesome on your part. I have found a few lately that were still "working" but were degrading and were at least 30% out of specification so I will check mine more often as that kind of degredation is a sure sign of impending failure. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
An excellent organized session teachings when ever i get to any chapter. You are worth credit, give yourself more and more to bring up more and more technicians. Great lecturer
You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. I made this video to help people just like you. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad to know I could help you. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Best video that explains everything! Loved it. I had a cheap multimeter and thought I had the capacity setting. Nope! Your video explained it well. Might get a companion multimeter now, but this one will do for now.
Great to hear! Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I am glad to know I could help you save some $$$$. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Glad it helped. You're most welcome and thank you so much for commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
Thank you so much you made a video with my multimeter that I'm familiar with and explained it extremely well and did not leave out important details like every video I watch before yours! Thank you for being a human and a great instructor! Now I can fix my damn air conditioner LMAO thanks again!!!!
You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. I made this video to help people just like you. Thank you for watching, commenting,the very kind words and your generous contribution. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
Guys, I've worked on home radios, in broadcast electronics; and power generation (wind turbines) where capacitors normal part of power filters. No need to test the capacitor IF the is swelling (domed) or leaking. A multimeter is good for a shorted cap, nothing else. If you do buy a spare HVAC capacitor, store it inside your garage, not in extreme temps where the A/C compressor unit sits. Like 1.5VDC batteries, capacitors have a shelf life (5-15 years) in that there's a dielectric paste insulating the layers of foil inside the capacitor and they dry out.
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Great video. Thanks! Pulled the original 25/5 GE capacitor on a 30 year old Comfortmaker AC hoping the capacitor was bad. No physical distortion. Bad news was, the capacitor is still good according to my cheap exactly the same as your red mm (ohms-only). Counts ohms exactly like this video: C to Fan pops up and back down to 1 quickly and C to Herms takes a while to get to 1. Oh well.. was hoping the capacitor was bad.
At 30 years it still works!?!? Wow, I would still replace it and keep the original as an emergency spare. Thank you so much for commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks Rich for the rapid reply. The AC died at the end of last summer and I finally had a chance to pull the capacitor today hoping to find it distorted, but... and according to the ohm test, it seems OK. Fan on the AC is running but no cold air. Chances are, I need a new AC probably because the compressor is bad. I got my money's worth, I guess.... 30 years
I know this is going to sound crazy but I would have it looked at by a "reputable" tech. Sometimes you can recharge the system and it will work again and before you buy a new system or call a tech try a new capacitor as they are not very expensive. All the best and good luck 👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks so much. Do you mean recharge as in putting refrigerant in? I'm gonna call a trusted AC guy tomorrow. See what he says. Thanks so much, Richard.
Good clear instructions, thank you. Big 👍‼ Looks like I came late to the party the TP8268 is now $32.98 .😥. I have a couple of the cheap meters, time to upgrade. Stay safe, Joe Z
Thanks for the video. I went to test our capacitor but found black goo oozing out of it. No test needed. Local electrical and plumbing supply store had one in stock for $20. Problem solved. Thanks again!
You are most welcome. Black goo is NEVER a good thing. Good thing that you checked it before it completely failed. I will probably do a video on at least annually checking (preventive maintenance) on your AC unit. As you saw it's a good idea. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned that this capacitor was in the control box of our well. It had started intermittently failing to pump water, and we were trying to troubleshoot it when it quit completely. We first replaced the pressure switch, to no avail. But I remembered seeing a big capacitor in that control box, which led me to find your video - and the rest is history. :-)
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You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You are most welcome. I am glad to know I could help you. Thank you for watching, commenting and the kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Great video. I have been looking at a couple of videos about start capicators. I have a Craftsman 2 hp 120 volt air compressor that will only start when there is no air in the tank . If there is air in the tank it will blow the circuit breaker. Before I opened up the unit I wanted to get some ideas about testing the unit out. After watchtng your videos I think I have enough info. Thanks again for taking your time to explain how cap works.
I doubt there would be a start capacitor in your compressor but more likely a run capacitor which in fact improves the overall power factor. The fact that the circuit breaker trips when there is air in the compressor leads me to believe the motor has a harder time to start and potentially increases the inrush current at the starting time. A 2HP motor would draw about 1400W of power, so in the 12A area. If there is something else on the circuit controlled by the same breaker, that might not leave enough margin to get the motor started. On my end, I had to change the circuit breaker for my central vacuum with one that was conceived to handle higher inrush current. Since then, I'm a happy camper !
You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
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@@richardlloydusa Rich i have a question for you when i did the method you showed on a capacitor i have it only worked in reverse when i put the negative on the fan prong or herm prong. Does that indicate that the capacitor is bad? Thanks.
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Excellent explanation Sir, thank You very much, It was really help me today. And really appreciate if you can do a video, how to connect wires to the AC compressor. Thank You
You're most welcome. Here's an explanation on how to figure it out: ruclips.net/video/GhBTVn5CHBE/видео.html Thank you so much for commenting, watching and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Your reviews always worth many fold of time spent on. Great as always. A question: Can you test smaller capacitors, such as amplifier or other boards, as they are attached to the board, in the same fashion or you need to de solder it out of circuit first? I am pretty sure my dead amplifier has a problem with one of the capacitors but not sure which. Thanks again.
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
I like this video because it will make people more likely to call me when they can’t figure out what their problem is. Tongue firmly planted in cheek. When they use your method and the capacitor looks good but it’s actually week, they will be frustrated and finally called a pro. I don’t think a pro would ever use this method, I know I wouldn’t.This is one of those repairs that homeowners should not attempt, in my opinion.
I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You are very welcome. Thank you so much for commenting, watching and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
You can get those meters at Harbor freight for Free with a coupon. Someone is getting them for free and selling them for $7 a pop lol Thanks for the vid! My old Capacitor was dead as a door knob, new one did exactly what you said it would.
You're most welcome. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Great video. Thank you. I have the same cheap meter you used on this video I purchased for 5 dollars at harbor freight tools for a spare. Since I was working out of town I left my fluke true rms meter 1100 miles away and only have my cheap backup. Now I can at least get an idea if my capacitor is good.
Hi there, I have an EverStart multimeter. I have it on Ohms side with different symbols i.e dot, arrow with a plus and a WiFi looking symbol. When I first tested the Herm out the meter was jumping up and then down. Then I tested it again and it says OL on the meter and nothing happened. Also, when I tested the fan the meter just stayed on OL. I had the setting on AC if that makes a difference. Is the readings telling me the capacitor is bad? Thanks and great video!
Thank you very much for the upload you just saved me $56😀 I was checking a washing machine start up capacitor and I found the wire to the motor end was broke.
I like the way you go through the process, some was redundant for me but that's OK. My only criticism was you should have shown the symbol for microfarads. Small miss but the comprehensive descriptions you provide are great.
On my air-con system Indoor fan runs, compressor tries to kick in on cooling cycle can hear humming after 5 seconds circuit breaker trips, checked the compressor windings closed circuit on start and run and nothing down to earth, pulled out the capacitor used your method to test it same multi meter as yours cheap but reliable no response from my multimeter staying on 1 no continuity at all so I think it's safe to say the capacitor is bung thanks for the video
Sounds like you have a stuck compressor. When the compressor hums it is not starting therefore pulling lock rotor amps. It should open internally, but is tripping before that happens. I'll bet compressor becomes very hot as well.
I get it too but in a case where you are only going to test a capacitor once in a blue moon, the cheap meter is better than no meter. My preference is to use a good one to give me an accurate value as capacitors do also degrade in performance over time and it's good to know if they are beyond the acceptable % of error on the cap. My new home's capacitor was was degraded by 35%! Yes it still worked but you could hear that the fan was straining to start or would not start at times so being able to get an accurate value on it was valuable. Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
I a test like that because the blower fan stops intermittently every 5 minutes.I will unplug the system and .plug it back run again 5 min. then stop.I removed the motor and replaced the capacitor.Oiled the bearing of the motor and it is working like a dream.
I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You're most welcome. I'm glad to know I could help you. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Thank you for the video also I have a question if you reverse the polarity it's supposed to go down what if it takes a charge going both ways wouldn't the capacitor be bad? Or would it be because it is a 2 prong capacitor?
The polarity will not really affect the test. The capacitor will behave the same way regardless of the polarity. It stores a charge either way. Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa basically I have a washing machine that uses a 50uf capacitor it seems ok, but the machine won't operate correctly, I got butt sore and said screw it because it was used when I got it and got a new GE side load w/warranty, but these new washers & dryers have tons of problems why it is allowed for companies to make such garbage is beyond me, no matter where you go they only come with 1 yr warranty unless you buy into an extended, that 10 yr warranty you see is only for the parts of the engine only no labor covered, if we the people don't start standing up to this our kids will be screwed Sideways as well. Per the capacitor video yours got to the point all these other vids are people dragging it on, I know the safety and all that I want to get to the point of how to do something not do the safety dance repetitively on every video lol that's why I ce to you tube to get around the lecture, a little rough I know but these other makers drag it out kinda likely response today ugg lol
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This is great. Simple explanation for the novice. Very useful information to save some money when you can. Grateful for your time and experience. Subscribed :) Jesus bless.
You're most welcome. Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Question: Does the capacitor have to be removed from the outside a/c unit, before discharging? If so, how do you safely disconnect the wires, then remove the capacitor?
You can discharge it while it is in the unit. Use a pair of insulated pliers and rubber insulated gloves to remove the wires before discharging the capacitor. You don't want to arc weld the wire terminals. Thanks.
The only thing that I know is that the capacitor is "usually" on the outside unit "usually" behind a protective cover. Most systems have online manuals that explain where all the components are. Check for that. Thank you so much for commenting, watching and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Yes you can but all it's going to tell you about the coil is whether it's functional or not. Here's a video on that ruclips.net/video/m9Ed13nvNRg/видео.html. To get measurement you need a tool like this one at Amazon(paid): amzn.to/3q2bJUC it will measure Inductors : 0.01mh-20H and at $14.98 I may buy myself one too. LOL Thank you so much for commenting and watching. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Thanks so much, bought a cheap multi-meter and you helped me figure out how to use it to test my dual capacitor on my home A/C. It works! Now I have to see what the heck else it could be. Hopefully not the compressor!
I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
The number of prongs is not important they are all tested the same way using the same procedure. Thank you so much for commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
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I wish I had found your video to check my A/C capacitor a couple years ago. I have the regular Multimeter and just needed to know uf the capacitor was bad or not. The part was $20 on ebay. I ironically got a call from the company that installed my A/C to service it that very day. They sent a repair guy over and he used his cap tester and it was dead, so I asked for a quote to replace it. He went to his truck, came back and quoted me $535.00. I kicked him out of my property and told them to lose my number. I purchased the new part and installed it myself for $20 it took all of a few minutes. Your video was what I was looking for, it would have saved me a lot of grief dealing with them and being given such an outrageous estimate. I was insulted and angry.
I appreciated that you demonstrated HOW to use the multimeter Ohm function.
1. you told me the actual setting.
2. You told what to look for on the meter.
3. You told me to DISCHARGE the capacitor!
Thanks. Thumbs-up!
You're most welcome. I'm glad and very happy to know that I could help you. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
You are the one guy on RUclips that knows what you are talking about and explains it clearly.
Great video, and a great job of explaining things. The only thing I haven't yet seen unless I've missed it on other video's is, an explanation of the term "Herm" that newcomers might want to know about. "Herm" is nothing more than a short way of saying, "Hermetically Sealed Compressor", and I suspect that manufacturers decided on using that term to eliminate the possibility of confusion had they used "Comp" for compressor. In poor light conditions Comp could easily be confused with Com, or C for common. "Herm" eliminates that possibility. Well done sir.
You are most welcome. Thank you for watching, commenting, the valuable feedback and the kind words. I appreciate it greatly. I am happy to know I could help. All the best.👍😀
Probably the tenth video/web page I saw trying to figure out how to use my cheap multimeter to test a run capacitor. The ONLY one that showed me how in ENGLISH. All the others used more expensive multimeters or if they used one like mine never zoomed in to the actual meter when moving the controls.
I am glad to know I could help you. Thank you for watching, commenting and the kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Same here. I wish someone would show how to use this plan and simple
Very helpful video. Not being a professional HVAC expert, and only having a simple meter, this at least gave me a pretty good idea our capacitor was shot. Although the top side with the connector prongs was slightly convex (a possible physical indication), the test really stood out once we had a new one in our hands. $5.60 solution. Thanks for making the video.
Thanks! Was able to verify a bad cap! Saved me min $50-$150 to have some kid come check it & then try to overcharge me to replace it.
You're most welcome. Unfortunately for them there are alternative ways of getting it fixed. Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Thanks for making an easy to understand video. Harbor Freight runs the exact Centech meter you have as a freebie from time to time.
Thanks for your video. AC fan was not working. Sure enough checked the run capacitor using your instructions and the fan terminal side
was dead. Picked new one up at local Hvac supply store for $12. Switched out the old capacitor with the new one and bingo, AC fan working once again. Easy and cheap diy fix. thank you sir. Ernest in Lexington, KY
Brilliant job Richard. I can't thank you enough for your easy to understand video. It is productions like yours that make you tube a great learning forum. Thank you, and blessings to you and family.
Bruce the swimmer New Rochelle N.Y.
Thank you for your help with testing my capacitor. I have that exact same meter, the inexpensive one, 7 dollars. The correct way to place the red and black wires was exactly what I needed. I followed your directions and now know I have a good capacitor. Great video You saved the day, and saved me some worry and cash. Thanks again.
Helped me out a lot. Didn’t realize I had to reverse polarity back and forth to get a reading. Thank you.
Richard. This was one of the most thorough and informative videos I've seen on not only this topic but others. Thank you!
This was the best tutorial on checking capacitors with a cheap multi meter that I found on RUclips. Thank you for sharing !
You are most welcome. Thank you for watching, commenting and the kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.
Danny H.
It’s a great video. Most of the other videos assume you have a capacitor test or or you are an electrician. He did a great job.
Excellent, well-organized video. Especially good was the warning at the beginning of the video about capacitor discharging-- you would be surprised at how many want to work with fully-charged or partially-charged capacitors. The closeup shots make the video much clearer, with good ambient lighting. Sound is exactly at the correct level.
For me, however, the best benefit is I am now able to check a capacitor with a simple, inexpensive meter. (For viewers who want a better meter, you have found a good option.) As a bonus, you demonstrate how to detect a short-to-ground. If I were to choose the best capacitor-check video, this is the one. (Of course, I subscribed)
5 + stars : searched subject so long before finding , explained everything , slept easy =]
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Were was RUclips in 1981. I could have pass hi school top of my class..
LOL! Thanks.
smps
To be honest I don't even recall if we had any videos on PCs at that time, nor on BBS's !!! We were on DOS with 640K of RAM. The prettiest graphics at that time were ANSI graphics !!! That was the period of Apple Lisa too, wasn't it ? That Apple machine was causing so much electrical interference, it was nuts !!! Just think how long it would have taken at that time to listen to a 100MB video using a 300bps dialup access, roughly 40 days !!!! Today it will take less than 2 minutes to download the same amount of data and we'll have the balls to say "My internet connection is slow !!!" Go figure !!!!
Thank you Richard! We needed instructions on this particular digital multimeter to test resistance. We searched and searched and finally came across yours! Thanks so much!
You are most welcome. Thank you for commenting and the kind words. All the best.
An excellent training class...taught well. THANK YOU.
I'm old-school. I used to take a resistor wire with test prods on it's ends and short out the capacitor, and drain the case to terminal & then take a Tripplet 310 VOM Analog and and stick it across the terminals and watch the needle swing up and peak, and then slowly fall off. If it did that I checked terminal to ground casing. If that was ok and there wasn't any signs of puffing up, it was a good one and I would put the wires back on it and go to the next one.
You're most welcome. Awesome on your part. I have found a few lately that were still "working" but were degrading and were at least 30% out of specification so I will check mine more often as that kind of degredation is a sure sign of impending failure. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
An excellent organized session teachings when ever i get to any chapter. You are worth credit, give yourself more and more to bring up more and more technicians. Great lecturer
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Very good presentation and the speech during the physical viewing of the test was way great.
THX
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I wish all tuts were this easy to follow of youtube, thank you very much.
Wow! You are most welcome. Thank you very much for watching and the kind comments. All the best.
Very informative and simple instructions. After this video even a non electronic person like myself was able to safely check my capacitor.
Thanks for this, reversing the polarity helped me with using my cheap multimeter.
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I'm a laymen,,, couldn't I just discharge it by shorting it with long screwdriver with an insolated handle?
Best video on testing capacitors with multimeter. Nice job.
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Thanks for guidance . I have a problem with my GE not heating. I have to check capacitor and also Megerron. Your video will be great help
Jaidev
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Best video that explains everything! Loved it. I had a cheap multimeter and thought I had the capacity setting. Nope! Your video explained it well. Might get a companion multimeter now, but this one will do for now.
Great to hear! Glad to hear about your positive results. Comments like this make my DAY! 😁️ I'm glad to know I could help you and that you got value from my work here. Thank you for watching, commenting, subscribing and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
Very good. Watched several videos but finally got this one that answered all my questions.
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Thank you for this video. New capacitor cost $38, saved us a $100 service plus the part if they even had it on their truck.
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Up at 3am 😂 he taught me way more than electronic in high school.....
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Thanks for this. This video was immensely helpful to me; as was your video on safely discharging your capacitor. 👍👍
Glad it helped. You're most welcome and thank you so much for commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. Subscribe, Click The Bell and stay tuned! All the best.👍😀
Thank you so much you made a video with my multimeter that I'm familiar with and explained it extremely well and did not leave out important details like every video I watch before yours! Thank you for being a human and a great instructor! Now I can fix my damn air conditioner LMAO thanks again!!!!
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Do like to share this video for safety. Thank you.
Guys, I've worked on home radios, in broadcast electronics; and power generation (wind turbines) where capacitors normal part of power filters. No need to test the capacitor IF the is swelling (domed) or leaking. A multimeter is good for a shorted cap, nothing else. If you do buy a spare HVAC capacitor, store it inside your garage, not in extreme temps where the A/C compressor unit sits. Like 1.5VDC batteries, capacitors have a shelf life (5-15 years) in that there's a dielectric paste insulating the layers of foil inside the capacitor and they dry out.
I like this video because it gets straight to the point..good job!
Thanks! Great video. Ruled out a bad capacitor on a furnace fan with my cheapo meter.
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Great video. Thanks! Pulled the original 25/5 GE capacitor on a 30 year old Comfortmaker AC hoping the capacitor was bad. No physical distortion. Bad news was, the capacitor is still good according to my cheap exactly the same as your red mm (ohms-only). Counts ohms exactly like this video: C to Fan pops up and back down to 1 quickly and C to Herms takes a while to get to 1. Oh well.. was hoping the capacitor was bad.
At 30 years it still works!?!? Wow, I would still replace it and keep the original as an emergency spare. Thank you so much for commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks Rich for the rapid reply. The AC died at the end of last summer and I finally had a chance to pull the capacitor today hoping to find it distorted, but... and according to the ohm test, it seems OK. Fan on the AC is running but no cold air. Chances are, I need a new AC probably because the compressor is bad. I got my money's worth, I guess.... 30 years
I know this is going to sound crazy but I would have it looked at by a "reputable" tech. Sometimes you can recharge the system and it will work again and before you buy a new system or call a tech try a new capacitor as they are not very expensive. All the best and good luck 👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks so much. Do you mean recharge as in putting refrigerant in? I'm gonna call a trusted AC guy tomorrow. See what he says. Thanks so much, Richard.
Yes, the gas refrigerant but I let the techs do their and just ask questions like, "Do I need recharge?" They will check it and tell you. Thanks.
Good clear instructions, thank you. Big 👍‼
Looks like I came late to the party the TP8268 is now $32.98 .😥. I have a couple of the cheap meters, time to upgrade.
Stay safe, Joe Z
Thanks for the video. I went to test our capacitor but found black goo oozing out of it. No test needed. Local electrical and plumbing supply store had one in stock for $20. Problem solved. Thanks again!
You are most welcome. Black goo is NEVER a good thing. Good thing that you checked it before it completely failed. I will probably do a video on at least annually checking (preventive maintenance) on your AC unit. As you saw it's a good idea. Thank you so much for watching, commenting and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa Thanks for the reply. I should have mentioned that this capacitor was in the control box of our well. It had started intermittently failing to pump water, and we were trying to troubleshoot it when it quit completely. We first replaced the pressure switch, to no avail. But I remembered seeing a big capacitor in that control box, which led me to find your video - and the rest is history. :-)
Good article/video, thanks.
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This video was super helpful! Thanks for taking the time to make it!
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After searching everywhere, I finally get a video that explained what I needed to know. Thanks
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Richard Lloyd thanks! It helped me too.
Great video. I have been looking at a couple of videos about start capicators.
I have a Craftsman 2 hp 120 volt air compressor that will only start when there is no air in the tank . If there is air in the tank it will blow the circuit breaker.
Before I opened up the unit I wanted to get some ideas about testing the unit out.
After watchtng your videos I think I have enough info.
Thanks again for taking your time to explain how cap works.
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I doubt there would be a start capacitor in your compressor but more likely a run capacitor which in fact improves the overall power factor. The fact that the circuit breaker trips when there is air in the compressor leads me to believe the motor has a harder time to start and potentially increases the inrush current at the starting time. A 2HP motor would draw about 1400W of power, so in the 12A area. If there is something else on the circuit controlled by the same breaker, that might not leave enough margin to get the motor started. On my end, I had to change the circuit breaker for my central vacuum with one that was conceived to handle higher inrush current. Since then, I'm a happy camper !
Thanks for posting this! Really helped confirm my diagnosis.
Thank you. This was very simple to understand and made my job easier.
just found your video, great video, thanks.
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Thanks buddy for a brilliant video, easy peasy for me to follow , well explained, thanks
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Used your guide to test my refrigerator run capacitor which apparently works. Great video thank you.
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@@richardlloydusa Rich i have a question for you when i did the method you showed on a capacitor i have it only worked in reverse when i put the negative on the fan prong or herm prong. Does that indicate that the capacitor is bad? Thanks.
Great video you explained it excellent, Thanks Dale
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Thanks for the great info. I enjoy repairing things on my own and saving money at the same time!
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Excellent explanation Sir, thank You very much, It was really help me today.
And really appreciate if you can do a video, how to connect wires to the AC compressor.
Thank You
You're most welcome. Here's an explanation on how to figure it out: ruclips.net/video/GhBTVn5CHBE/видео.html Thank you so much for commenting, watching and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Your reviews always worth many fold of time spent on. Great as always. A question: Can you test smaller capacitors, such as amplifier or other boards, as they are attached to the board, in the same fashion or you need to de solder it out of circuit first? I am pretty sure my dead amplifier has a problem with one of the capacitors but not sure which. Thanks again.
thanks God we have this technology God Bless smat person whu did...
Great help thanks. Graham Bundaberg, Australia.
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Very informational and nice explanation. Good video, thank you.
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I like this video because it will make people more likely to call me when they can’t figure out what their problem is. Tongue firmly planted in cheek. When they use your method and the capacitor looks good but it’s actually week, they will be frustrated and finally called a pro. I don’t think a pro would ever use this method, I know I wouldn’t.This is one of those repairs that homeowners should not attempt, in my opinion.
Great lesson. Came in handy. I don't understand the alligator clip concept though. Will it not read zero anyway if you clip the casing with leads? 🤔
Once again, I learned something timely that I can put to good use.
Thanks & have a great day Sir.🙋
🌟👍'd 🌟
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Excellent presentation for novice like me.
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Very helful video, thank you Mr. Richerd
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Thanks the video really helped me diagnose my bad capacitor
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Thank you for sharing your knowledge brother. 👣🦘👍
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You can get those meters at Harbor freight for Free with a coupon. Someone is getting them for free and selling them for $7 a pop lol
Thanks for the vid! My old Capacitor was dead as a door knob, new one did exactly what you said it would.
Very nice video ,thanks!!!
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@@richardlloydusa thanks ,for sharing your videos
My pleasure. All the best.👍😀
Thanks, the video was very useful to me coz I got the small meter
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Another great how to video Richard. Thank you......
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Great video. Thank you. I have the same cheap meter you used on this video I purchased for 5 dollars at harbor freight tools for a spare. Since I was working out of town I left my fluke true rms meter 1100 miles away and only have my cheap backup. Now I can at least get an idea if my capacitor is good.
Hi there, I have an EverStart multimeter. I have it on Ohms side with different symbols i.e dot, arrow with a plus and a WiFi looking symbol. When I first tested the Herm out the meter was jumping up and then down. Then I tested it again and it says OL on the meter and nothing happened. Also, when I tested the fan the meter just stayed on OL. I had the setting on AC if that makes a difference. Is the readings telling me the capacitor is bad? Thanks and great video!
Thank you very much for the upload you just saved me $56😀 I was checking a washing machine start up capacitor and I found the wire to the motor end was broke.
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really good compare
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I like the way you go through the process, some was redundant for me but that's OK. My only criticism was you should have shown the symbol for microfarads. Small miss but the comprehensive descriptions you provide are great.
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On my air-con system Indoor fan runs, compressor tries to kick in on cooling cycle can hear humming after 5 seconds circuit breaker trips, checked the compressor windings closed circuit on start and run and nothing down to earth, pulled out the capacitor used your method to test it same multi meter as yours cheap but reliable no response from my multimeter staying on 1 no continuity at all so I think it's safe to say the capacitor is bung thanks for the video
Buy it and see, it will either fix the problem or rule out the capacitor and you will have spare capacitor. Thanks.
Sounds like you have a stuck compressor. When the compressor hums it is not starting therefore pulling lock rotor amps. It should open internally, but is tripping before that happens. I'll bet compressor becomes very hot as well.
Thank you Richard. You did a great job...again.
Thank you for this video I learned a lot.
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Now I see the difference between an expensive meter and cheap meter. My Fieldpiece and Fluke instantly show capacitance with no delay.
I get it too but in a case where you are only going to test a capacitor once in a blue moon, the cheap meter is better than no meter. My preference is to use a good one to give me an accurate value as capacitors do also degrade in performance over time and it's good to know if they are beyond the acceptable % of error on the cap. My new home's capacitor was was degraded by 35%! Yes it still worked but you could hear that the fan was straining to start or would not start at times so being able to get an accurate value on it was valuable. Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Extremely though video. Thank you so much for this! Helped out so much!
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I a test like that because the blower fan stops intermittently every 5 minutes.I will unplug the system and .plug it back run again 5 min. then stop.I removed the motor and replaced the capacitor.Oiled the bearing of the motor and it is working like a dream.
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Fantastic video. Thank you very much for the awesome explanation!
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Best video ever. Thank you this is the info i needed.
Thank you for the video also I have a question if you reverse the polarity it's supposed to go down what if it takes a charge going both ways wouldn't the capacitor be bad? Or would it be because it is a 2 prong capacitor?
The polarity will not really affect the test. The capacitor will behave the same way regardless of the polarity. It stores a charge either way. Thank you for watching and commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
@@richardlloydusa basically I have a washing machine that uses a 50uf capacitor it seems ok, but the machine won't operate correctly, I got butt sore and said screw it because it was used when I got it and got a new GE side load w/warranty, but these new washers & dryers have tons of problems why it is allowed for companies to make such garbage is beyond me, no matter where you go they only come with 1 yr warranty unless you buy into an extended, that 10 yr warranty you see is only for the parts of the engine only no labor covered, if we the people don't start standing up to this our kids will be screwed Sideways as well. Per the capacitor video yours got to the point all these other vids are people dragging it on, I know the safety and all that I want to get to the point of how to do something not do the safety dance repetitively on every video lol that's why I ce to you tube to get around the lecture, a little rough I know but these other makers drag it out kinda likely response today ugg lol
Richard Thanks for the great video. Question: Does discharging the new capacitor before putting it in the unit harm it any way?
Awsome job very clear and easily understood
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This is great. Simple explanation for the novice. Very useful information to save some money when you can. Grateful for your time and experience. Subscribed :) Jesus bless.
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Question: Does the capacitor have to be removed from the outside a/c unit, before discharging? If so, how do you safely disconnect the wires, then remove the capacitor?
You can discharge it while it is in the unit. Use a pair of insulated pliers and rubber insulated gloves to remove the wires before discharging the capacitor. You don't want to arc weld the wire terminals. Thanks.
The best capacitor test using a cheep meter. I also learned from this video that you need to wait for a few seconds for the charging to go steady.
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Tanks for very simple
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thank you richard that was a big help you helped me in a pinch
Thank you Richard. Everyday is a schoolday!
nice job,im just lost cause i cant find my newer heat pump capacitor,its not even visible where all the wirings,can u give advise?thank you
The only thing that I know is that the capacitor is "usually" on the outside unit "usually" behind a protective cover. Most systems have online manuals that explain where all the components are. Check for that. Thank you so much for commenting, watching and the very kind words. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Excellent tutorial with very good video !
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Great video, can you measure a loudspeaker air core inductor on the $20 multimeter?
Yes you can but all it's going to tell you about the coil is whether it's functional or not. Here's a video on that ruclips.net/video/m9Ed13nvNRg/видео.html. To get measurement you need a tool like this one at Amazon(paid): amzn.to/3q2bJUC it will measure Inductors : 0.01mh-20H and at $14.98 I may buy myself one too. LOL Thank you so much for commenting and watching. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Thanks so much, bought a cheap multi-meter and you helped me figure out how to use it to test my dual capacitor on my home A/C. It works! Now I have to see what the heck else it could be. Hopefully not the compressor!
Great help 👍🏼
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nice video and great info for us.thanks.
Thank you for the video it was very informative I really enjoyed it hope to see more I'm now a happy subscriber.
Very informative. Thank you.
How do you check a capacitor with 2 4 prong connectors on top, and what should readings be on that cheap multi tester?
The number of prongs is not important they are all tested the same way using the same procedure. Thank you so much for commenting. I appreciate it greatly. All the best.👍😀
Well done how to testing with normal multimeters, perfect for high voltage capacitors check.
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Great video dude! Very well done and easy to understand.