B&K Precision 830C, 890C User manual

Model 830C, 890C

Dual Display
Capacitance Met er

INSTRUCTION MANUAL

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Safety Summary

The following safety precautions apply to both
operating and maintenance personnel and
must be observed during all phases of
operation, service, and repair of this
instrument.

DO NOT OPERATE IN AN EXPLOSIVE

ATMOSPHERE

Do not operate the instrument in the presence
of flammable gases or fumes. Operation of
any electrical instrument in such an
environment constitutes a definite safety
hazard.

KEEP AWAY FROM LIVE CIRCUITS

Instrument covers must not be removed by
operating personnel. Component
replacement and internal adjustments must be
made by qualified maintenance personnel.

DO NOT SUBSTITUTE PARTS OR MODIFY

THE INSTRUMENT

Do not install substitute parts or perform any
unauthorized modifications to this instrument.
Return the instrument to B&K Precision for

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service and repair to ensure that safety
features are maintained.

WARNINGS AND CAUTIONS

WARNING and CAUTION statements, such

as the following examples, denote a hazard
and appear throughout this manual. Follow all
instructions contained in these statements.

A WARNING statement calls attention to an

operating procedure, practice, or condition,
which, if not followed correctly, could result in
injury or death to personnel.

A CAUTION statement calls attention to an

operating procedure, practice, or condition,
which, if not followed correctly, could result in
damage to or destruction of part or all of the
product.

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SAFETY GUIDELINES

To ensure that you use this device safely,
follow the safety guidelines listed below:

This meter i s for i ndoor us e, al titude up to



2,000 m.

The w arnings and pr ecautions s hould be



read and w ell under stood be fore t he
instrument is used.

When m easuring i n-circuit components, first



de-energize the circuits before connecting to
the test leads.

Never attempt to measure v oltage with this



instrument.

Do not use the device if it appears damaged



in form.

Inspect t he l eads for da maged i nsulation or



exposed metal. Replace damaged leads if
necessary.

Disconnect pow er and d ischarge all



capacitors prior to testing.

The meter i s s afety-certified i n c ompliance



with E N61010 (IEC 1010-1) I nstallation

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Category II (CAT. II) 50 V, Pollution Degree
2 environment.

Use t he meter onl y as s pecified i n t his



manual. O therwise, t he p rotection p rovided
by the meter may be impaired.

The power for the meter is supplied w ith a



single s tandard 9V b attery. It c an also
operate from AC line using a 12V AC to DC
adaptor. I f a pow er a daptor i s selected,
please be sure to us e one with c orrect AC
line input voltage and fulfills the safety
requirements of a relevant IEC standard.

Use only battery specified by the meter. See



“

Installing Battery

” section for details.

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outside is negative (-)

Safety Symbols

This symbol is a warning and
indicates that the user should refer to
the operating instructions located in
the manual.

DC Current

Indicates inside pin is positive (+),

Compliance Statements

Disposal of Old Electrical & Electronic Equipment
(Applicable in the European
Union and other European countries with separate
collection systems)

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This product is subject

Council of the European
electrical and electronic

equipment (WEEE) , and

waste. Please

requirements.

to Directive 2002/96/EC
of the European
Parliament and the

Union on waste

in jurisdictions
adopting that Directive,
is marked as being put
on the market after
August 13, 2005, and
should not be disposed
of as unsorted
municipal
utilize your local WEEE
collection
facilities in the
disposition of this
product and otherwise
observe all applicable

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Operating Environment

Storage Humidity

0 – 80% R.H.

Storage Environment

-20 °C to +50 °C

Pollution degree

Pollution degree 2

Environmental Con diti ons

0 °C to 40 °C

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SAFETY GUIDELINES ............................................... 3

INTRODUCTION ....................................................... 11

PACKAGE CONTENTS ........................................... 13

FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW .................................... 14

Front Panel Display Descriptions .................................. 15

Front Panel Buttons ...................................................... 16

LCD DISPLAY OVERVIEW ...................................... 18

LCD Display Descriptions ............................................. 18

PUSH BUTTONS OVERVIEW ................................. 20

POWERING INSTRUMENT ..................................... 22

Installing Battery ........................................................... 22

Connecting External Power Source .............................. 24

Low Battery Indication .................................................. 27

Backlit Display .............................................................. 27

POWER ON OPTIONS ............................................. 29

Reset HI/LO Limits ........................................................ 29

View Firmware Version ................................................. 30

Setup Menu .................................................................. 30

SETUP OPTIONS ..................................................... 31

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Baud Rate (bAUd) ........................................................ 33

Parity (PArt) .................................................................. 35

Data Bits (Data) ............................................................ 36

Echo (ECHO) ................................................................ 37

Print Only (Prnt) ............................................................ 38

Key Beeper (bEEP) ...................................................... 39

Lock Buttons (LbUt) ...................................................... 40

Auto Power Off (AOFF)................................................. 41

Backlit Display Time (bLIt) ............................................ 44

Bright Level Off State (bOFF) ....................................... 44

Brightness Level On State (bON) ................................. 47

Reset to Default (dEFA) ................................................ 49

OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS ................................. 51

Data Hold/Trigger Hold ................................................. 51

Static Recording ........................................................... 53

Relative Mode ............................................................... 57

Tolerance ...................................................................... 60

Compare Mode ............................................................. 65

REMOTE COMMUNICATION .................................. 75

Connecting Instrument to PC ........................................ 75

USB (Virtual COM) Configuration ................................. 76

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Remote Mode ............................................................... 76

Command Protocols ..................................................... 77

MEASUREMENT TIPS ............................................. 97

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION .......................... 99

Guard Terminal ............................................................. 99

SPECIFICATIONS .................................................. 100

General specification .................................................. 101

Electrical specifications ............................................... 103

MAINTENANCE ...................................................... 105

Service ........................................................................ 105

Troubleshoot Tips ....................................................... 105

Cleaning...................................................................... 106

SERVICE INFORMATION ...................................... 108

LIMITED WARRANTY ............................................ 109

INDEX ..................................................................... 110

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INTRODUCTION

B&K P recision’s 8 30C and 890C 11,000-count hand­held capacitance meters measure capacitance and
include a capacitance sorting function. Simple to
operate, t he i nstruments can m ake qui ck
measurements and s implify the c apacitance s orting
process.

Capacitance is measured by using a small DC voltage
signal that slightly charges the connected capacitor for
a short time. Unlike other handheld instruments such
as LC R m eters, i t does no t us e an A C s ignal with a
specific test frequency to make measurements.

Front pan el push buttons m aximize t he c onvenience
of function and feature selection. The meters support
the following modes: Tolerance sorting mode,
relative m ode, data h old, manual an d au to r ange
mode, min/max/avg recording, and high/low limit
setting.

Test dat a c an be t ransferred t o a PC t hrough a Mi ni
USB c onnection, which is us eful f or d ata l ogging
applications.

A tilt stand provides position flexibility for viewing and
operating the meter. The over-molding rubber case

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protects the meter for better durability. Additionally,
the top rubber visor molding above the screen is
designed to prevent scratches on the display when
the meter is positioned upside down.

A single 9V battery or the included DC 12V power
adaptor (included with model 830C only) can be used
to power the meter. This gives user flexibility for
portable or bench-top use.

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PACKAGE CONTENTS

Each 830C and 890C capacitance meters are shipped
with the following contents.

• 830C or 890C capacitance meter

• Instruction Manual

• Mini USB Interface Cable

• Red & Black Banana to Alligator Test Leads

• 9V Battery

• *AC Adapter (model 830C only)

*This can be purchased as an optional accessory for
model 890C. There are two versions of this adapter
available. One version is for 110 V AC line voltage
input, and the other for 220 V AC line voltage input.

Please locate each item from the original packaging
and contact B&K Precision immediately if something
is missing.

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FRONT PANEL OVERVIEW

Figure 1 - Front Panel Display (model 830C shown)

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Front Panel Display Descriptions

1. Power ON/OFF Button

2. Relative mode / right arrow selection button

3. Input sleeve terminals for positive (+),
negative (-), and guard (see “Guard Terminal”
in “SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION” section
for details)

4. Input sockets (banana jack inputs)

5. LCD Display

6. Set HI/LO limit / Back light button

7. Manual and Auto range button

8. Set button for entering HI/LO limit set function
menu

9. Tolerance mode / up arrow selection button

10. Data Hold / Save HI/LO limit settings button

11. Record mode selection button

12. Compare mode button

13. Standard mini USB port (for remote
controllability)

14. 12V DC adapter input (use with an external
power adapter (rated 12VDC, 150mA, 4mm
power plug))

Note: Use with included power adapter only.
Use with improper power adapters may
damage instrument.

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WARNING: Before connecting an external
power adapter, please check the battery
compartment in the rear side of the uni t. If
a battery is installed, be sure that the
polarity matches the (+) and (-) labels as
indicated inside the battery compartment.
If it is not installed correctly, please
remove the battery and install i t with
correct matching polarity as indicated in
the compartment. See “Installing Battery
section for details. DO NOT, at any time,
connect an external power adapter when a
battery is installed incorrectly. Doing so
will damage the instrument and void its
warranty.

Front Panel Buttons

All front panel buttons have specific colored labels on
them. They are all marked in white, blue, or yellow
color. Each color has a specific representation, as
described below:

”

White – With the exception of the

button, all white colored labels
represent the primary function of that

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button; meaning that function will be
set or configured upon pressing it. To
escape out of the functions, hold and
press the corresponding button for
two seconds.

Blue – Some of the buttons have a blue label

underneath a white label. This means
the function indicated by the blue
label will be set if that button is

pressed and held for 2 seconds.

Yellow – There are total of 6 buttons with

yellow labels. They are

. These functions are

exclusively for use when entering the

SET menu for configuring setup menu

items as well as compare function.
See “Setup Menu” and “Compare
Mode” sections respectively for
details.

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LCD DISPLAY OVERVIEW

Figure 2 - LCD Indicator Display

LCD Display Descriptions

1. MAX AVG MIN – Static Recording mode,
indicates present reading

2. C – Reading indicator

3. AUTO – Auto range

4. REL – Relative mode indicator

5. DH – Data Hold

6. – Secondary display

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7. – Beep tone indicator for tolerance and
compare mode

8. % - Tolerance percentage indicator

9. kHz – Frequency units indicator

10. – Capacitance units (Farad) indicator
(Actual display will show pF, mF, or µF)

11. RMT – Remote mode indicator

12. – Primary display

13. – Low battery indicator

14. – Reading out of the LO limit

15. – Reading out of the HI limit

16. @OFF – Enable Auto Power off indicator

17. TOL 1%5%10%20% - Tolerance mode
percentage for sorting capacitance

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PUSH BUTTONS OVERVIEW

Figure 3 - Front Panel Buttons

1. Power ON or OFF

2. Tolerance Mode

3. HI/LO Limits for compare mode and to enable
backlight

4. Auto or Manual range

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5. Data hold and save setting for compare mode

6. Relative mode and right arrow key

7. Compare mode and down arrow key

8. Record mode and left arrow key

9. Set HI/LO limits for compare mode

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POWERING INSTRUMENT

Before operating the instrument, make sure to
connect it to a power source, which could be either a
battery or an external AC adapter.

Installing Battery

The 830C and 890C capacitance meters can be
powered by a battery, thus making it portable.

The meters use a standard 9V size battery (or
NEDA 1604, JIS006P, IEC6F22 carbon-zinc or
alkaline battery).

To install the battery:

1. Place the meter upside down. Open up the
back-flip stand, and locate the screw that
tightens the battery compartment cover as
indicated in Figure 4. Use a screwdriver to
unscrew and remove the cover.

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Figure 4 - Back Cover

2. Insert 9V battery into compartment. Note the
positive (+) and negative (-) terminals as
indicated inside the battery compartment (See
Figure 5). Be sure to insert the battery with
matching polarity.

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Figure 5 - Battery Compartment

3. Place the battery compartment cover piece by
sliding it into the top slid first. Place screw at
the bottom of the cover piece and tighten
down with a screw driver.

4. Push and hold down the button for 2
seconds to turn on the instrument.

Connecting External Power Source

The 830C and 890C can also be powered using an
external AC adapter. The model 830C comes with
this adapter included in the package, while it is
optional for model 890C. There are two types
available. One with 110 V AC line voltage input, and
one with 220 V AC line voltage input. Be sure to use

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one that has the correct AC line voltage input for use
in your country.

For external power, use AC adapter rated for
output 12VDC, 150mA, with a standard 4mm
connector only.

WARNING: Use of incorrect adapters may damage

the instrument. Please use B&K Precision’s adapter
only. Be sure to use one with the correct AC line input
voltage.

To connect the adapter, do the following:

1. If a battery is installed, please check the
battery compartment again that the polarity of
the battery matches the polarity as indicated
by the labels inside the compartment. If it is
not, please remove and insert the battery with
matching polarity. If a battery is not installed,
continue to the next step.

WARNING: DO NOT, at any time, connect
an external power adapter when a battery
is installed incorrectly (reverse polarity or
non-matching polarity to indicator of
battery compartment). Doing so will
damage the instrument and void its
warranty.

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12VDC Input

AC Adapter

Figure 6 - Connecting AC Adapter to Meter

2. Connect the AC adapter connector into the
right side panel of the instrument. See Figure
6 below.

3. Now, connect the AC Adapter socket into an
electrical outlet.

4. Push and hold down the button for 2
seconds to turn on the instrument.

Note: The meter can be operated with a battery
installed while an AC adapter is plugged in at the
same time (As long as the battery is inserted properly
with correct polarity). In this event, the meter will
automatically switch to consume power from the AC
adapter instead of the battery to preserve battery life.

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Low Bat tery Indication

The capacitance meter has a low battery indicator to
notify the user when to replace the battery. When the

display starts flashing the indicator, the battery
voltage is below normal working voltage. In this case,
accuracy of the meter will also decrease. It is
recommended that the battery be replaced as soon as
possible before continuing operation. See “Installing
Battery” for instructions.

Backlit Display

The capacitance meter has a backlit display that
allows you to see the LCD display in dark conditions.

To turn on the back light, press and hold the

button for 2 seconds. Back light will turn on and
brighten the LCD display.

To turn off the back light at any time, press and hold

the button for 2 seconds again. Back light will
turn off and return to normal display.

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When Using Battery Power

When the meter is powered using 9V battery, the back

light display will turn on upon holding the
button for 2 seconds. It will stay at maximum
brightness for 15 seconds if backlight settings are set
to default value.

When Using External Power

When the meter is powered using an external AC
adapter, the back light display will turn on upon

pressing and holding the button for 2 seconds.
It will stay at maximum brightness continuously until

the user presses and holds the button for 2
seconds again.

Note: If a battery is installed while using an AC
adapter simultaneously, un plu ggi ng the AC ada pter
will automatically start the back light timer configured
under “SETUP OPTIONS” and back light will turn off
once the time is up.

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PUSHBUTTON

DESCRIPTION

Reset the high and the low limits to
factory default values.

REL

To see firmware version

Setup menu for configuration
settings of the meter.

POWER ON OPTIONS

To select power on options, press and hold the
pushbutton as indicated in the table below while
turning on the meter. For example, press and hold

and press to enter setup menu.

SET

Reset HI/LO Limits

To reset the high and low limit values to factory

default values, press and hold the and press

button. Keep holding the button for
five or more seconds or until you hear two audible
beeps. Now, release and all HI and LO limit values
are reset back to factory default values.

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Note: If you released the button before

hearing the two beeps, the display will not show any
digits on the primary display for a few more seconds.
Please wait until it displays digits before operation.

View Firmware Version

To check the firmware version of the meter, press and

hold and press the button. Keep

holding the button for two seconds and
release. The screen will now show the version. At
this point, the power button is disabled. In order to
resume normal operation, press any other button
except the power button and it will go into normal
display.

Setup Menu

To enter the setup menu of the meter, press and hold

the and press the button. Keep

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Menu

item

Factory

Setting

Baud rate: 2400, 4800, 9600,
19200

PArt

NONE

Parity: odd, even, none

Data

8-b

Data bits: 8 bits or 7 bits (Stop bit

holding until “bAUd” is displayed on the
primary display. For details on configuring settings,
please see SETUP OPTIONS section. To exit setup

menu, press and hold for 2 seconds and the
meter will return to normal display.

SETUP OPTIONS

There are various system parameters that the meter
can be configured for when entering the setup menu
(see “Setup Menu” section for instructions on how to
access the menu). The below table lists these
parameters, as well as their factory default settings
and selectable parameters.

Table 1 - Setup Menu System Settings and Default

Selectable Parameters

bAUd 9600

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is always 1 bit)

ECHO

OFF

Echo: “ON” or “OFF”

Prnt

OFF

Print: “ON” or “OFF”

beep

ON

Beep: “ON” or “OFF”

Lock buttons , “OFF”: enable push
buttons “ON”: disable pushbuttons

1~99 minutes, “OFF” means to
disable auto power off.

1~99 seconds, “OFF” means to

automatically.

Bright level of backlit at OFF state:
OFF~03

Bright level of backlit at ON state:
OFF~03

Reset all above items to factory
default settings

LbUt OFF

AOFF 15

bLIt 15

bOFF 01

bON 03

dEFA rSt

NOTE: After changing any or all setting options

within the setup menu, press and hold
button for two seconds or until a b eep is sound to
save settings. The meter will NOT store the
changed settings if this is not done upon exiting
the setup menu.

disable turning off backlit

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Baud Rate (bAUd)

The baud rate is used for communication with a PC
over the USB interface. For PC communication, the

baudrate MUST match the settings on the PC side.

Selectable rates are (in units of bps):

2400, 4800, 9600, 19200
Note: The secondary display of the meter will show

the rates with units as “kHz”, but it’s actually a
reference for multiple of 1000 or “x 10

9.6 kHz means 9.6 x 10

3

= 9600.

3

”. For example,

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Figure 7 - Steps to Change Baud Rates

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Parity (PArt)

The parity setting is used for communication with the
PC over USB interface. For PC communication, parity

MUST match the settings on the PC side.

Selectable parameters are:

None, Even, Odd

Figure 8 - Steps to Change Parity

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Data Bits (Data)

The data bits setting is used for communication with a
PC over USB interface. For PC communication, data

bits MUST match settings on the PC side.

Selectable parameters are (in units of bits):

8, 7

Figure 9 - Steps to Change Data Bits

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Echo (ECHO)

The echo function will set the meter to “echo” or return
all characters that are received. For example, if
“*IDN?” is sent to the meter, it will return “*IDN?” as
well as the queried information.

Selectable parameters:

OFF, ON

Figure 10 - Steps to toggle Echo Settings

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Print Only (Prnt)

Under remote operation, when the meter is set with
print only mode to “ON”, it will print out measured data
when the measurement cycle is complete and
automatically send the newest data to the PC
continuously. In this mode, any commands sent from
the PC will not be accepted. The remote indicator on
the meter display will flash when this mode is enabled.

Selectable parameters:

OFF, ON

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Figure 11 - Steps to Change Print-Only Setting

Key Beeper (bEEP)

The key press beep sound can be enabled or
disabled.

Selectable parameters:

ON, OFF

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Figure 12 - Steps to Toggle Key Keep

Lock Buttons (LbUt)

The front push buttons can be locked by changing the
settings of this option. When “ON”, buttons will be
locked and cannot be pressed upon turning on the
meter. All buttons are disabled at this point except the

button, which can be used to turn off the
meter. The power-on option can still be operated
even if buttons are locked. This will provide users

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with a means to disable or unlock the buttons when
necessary.

Selectable parameters:

OFF, ON

Figure 13 - Steps to Change Lock Buttons Settings

Auto Power Off (AOFF)

This option will allow a timer to be set for auto power

off. When enabled, the display will have “@OFF”

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indicator. When disabled, the meter will run
indefinitely.

Note: The timer will not be in effect if any of the

below happens:

1. Push buttons are used.

2. Static recording is set.

3. Auto power off is disabled or “OFF”.
If any of the above conditions do not apply, the timer
will start counting based on the timer setting
configured.

Selectable parameters:

OFF, 1 – 99 minutes

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Figure 14 - Steps to Change Auto Power Off Settings

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Backlit Display Time (bLIt)

Back light of the meters can be turned off
automatically with a timer. Once set, back light will
remain on for the period of the timer setting upon
enabling the back light by pressing and holding

for two seconds. If it is set to “OFF”, the

back light will remain ON indefinitely.

Selectable parameters:

OFF, 1 – 99 seconds
Note: To conserve and extend battery life, select a

shorter timer setting.

Bright Level Off State (bOFF)

This option allows users to set the brightness level for
the “off state” of the back light. The “off state” refers
to the state after backlight is enabled and backlight
timer (bLit) ends. For example, this option is used
when users want backlight to be enabled for a period
of time (set by bLit) and then dim the brightness
indefinitely afterwards. When set to “OFF”, back light
will be off in the off state. If a level is set, the backlight
will be on with the selected brightness level after
backlight is enabled and backlight timer ends.

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Selectable parameters,

OFF, 01, 02, 03
Note: “03” is the brightest and “01” is the dimmest.

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Figure 15 - Steps to Change Back light Off State

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Brightness Level On State (bON)

This option allows user to set the brightness level for
the on state of the back light. When it is set to “OFF”,
back light will be in the lowest brightness level in the
on state. If a level is set, the backlight will be much
brighter when backlight is enabled by pressing the

button.

Selectable parameters,

OFF, 01, 02, 03
Note: “03” is the brightest and “01” is the dimmest

level. However, when set, “OFF” state will still be the

lowest brightness level.

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Figure 16 - Steps to Change Back light ON State

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Reset to Default (dEFA)

This option will reset all setup option parameters back
to default values as listed in Table 1 - Setup Menu
System Settings and Default. To reset, simply press

and hold the button for two seconds. The
meter will then be resetting all parameters
immediately. All push buttons will not respond
immediately, so wait for approximately 5 seconds until
the display changes and returns to “bAUd” option.
Once this is displayed, users can verify that all
settings under setup menu are set to factory default.

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Figure 17 - Reset to Factory Default

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OPERATION INSTRUCTIONS

Data Hold/Trigger Hold

The data hold/trigger hold function allows the user to freeze
the display when pressed, holding the measured value until
data hold is turned off.

Turn On Data Hold

To use data hold, press the button once. The “DH”

indicator will display on the screen when data hold is active.

Trigger Hold

Users can send a trigger hold once data hold has

been turned on. While “DH” indicator is displayed, all

subsequent key press of the

trigger to acquire a reading and hold immediately.

button will send a

Turn Off Data Hold

To disable the data hold, press and hold button for

two seconds. The “DH” indicator will disappear on the

screen, and meter will turn to normal operation mode.

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Figure 18 - Data/Trigger Hold Operation

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Static Recording

This mode is used for recording maximum, minimum, and
average capacitance values. It captures only stable values
and updates to memory. Values that result in displaying

“OL” or that are below 10 counts are not recorded. This

mode is useful for determining the range of values a
component falls into.

Enable Static Recording

Press the button to enter the static recording mode.

The display should indicate “MAX AVG MIN”

simultaneously. This indicates the meter is in static
recording mode and recording is performed immediately.

Note: In static recording mode, the auto power off function
will be disabled and the “@OFF” indicator will be turned off

automatically. It will be re-enabled with its previous settings
once meter exits static recording mode.

Using Static Recording

There are four different modes that can be selected in
static recording. These modes can be changed with

each button press. With each press of the

button, the modes will cycle through as

followed: :

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Recording Mode Maximum Mode Minimum
Mode Average Mode

Recording Mode

This is the default mode when first enabling static

recording. In this mode, the “MAX AVG MIN”

indicator will be displayed. At this point, the meter will
start recording measured values applied to the input
sockets or terminals. During the recording process,
maximum, minimum, and average values will be
stored. A beep will sound once a recording has been
stored.

Note: Subsequent beep tones may occur in this mode if
there are new values that are recorded. For example, if a
new maximum is detected, it will beep once again to indicate
that the new value has been stored. Any previously stored
values will be overwritten with the new recorded values.

Maximum Mode

In this mode, the “MAX” indicator will be shown on display.

This indicates that the value in the primary display
represents the recorded maximum value.

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Minimum Mode

In this mode, the “MIN” indicator will be displayed. This

indicates that the value in the primary display represents the
recorded minimum value.

Average Mode

In this mode, the “AVG” indicator will be displayed. This

indicates that the value in the primary display represents the
recorded average value. This average value is obtained by
taking the maximum and minimum recorded values and
taking the average of the two values.

Disable Static Recording

To exit this mode, press and hold the button for

two seconds. The “MAX AVG M IN”, “MAX”, “MIN”, or
“AVG” indicator will disappear on screen, and auto power off

will be re-enabled again if it was enabled prior to entering

static recording mode. “@OFF” indicator will come back on

when enabled.

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Figure 19 - Steps to Use Static Recording

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Relative Mode

Relative mode is used when the user wants to “zero”
the meter based on a reference value or wants to
obtain a reading that is relative to a reference value.
For example, if test leads are used in the
measurement, the user may want to set a reference
with the test leads inserted into the input terminals so
that any measurements taken will not take into
account the test leads.

Setup Relative Mode

To setup the relative mode, simply press the
button once. The value that is on the display will
immediately be stored as the “reference” value. This
reference value will be used for all measurements so
as long as the meter is in relative mode, which is

indicated by the “REL” indicator on the display.

A common use of relative mode is to “zero” out the
meter. With nothing connected to the input sockets

and terminals, simply press the button once
and the meter will “zero” out, meaning all display
readings will be set to 0.

To make measurements within a specific test setup or
with test leads, it is recommended that the user first

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have test leads or wires connected to the meter in the

fashion that they desire. Then, press the
button once to “zero” out the meter as reference. This
way, any measurements taken would not be affected
by the test leads or setup.

Note: Relative mode can be set in both auto and
manual range, but cannot be set when “OL”, or

overload is displayed on the meter.

Disable Relative mode

To disable relative mode, simply press and hold the

button for two seconds. The “REL” indicator

will disappear, which indicates the relative mode is
disabled.

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Figure 20 - Steps to Use Relative Mode

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Tolerance

The tolerance mode feature is specifically used for
component sorting purposes. Users who need to test
and sort through a large number of components will
find this function quite helpful.

Tolerance Range

The tolerance function is configured primarily by
percentage range, meaning a percentage is used to
define whether a measured value is within tolerance
or out of tolerance.

Selectable tolerance range is: 1%, 5%, 10%, and
20%.

Setup Tolerance

1. Insert the component to be used as the

“standard” reference value. In other words,
insert a known “good” component that will be
used for testing against all other components.

(See Figure 21 for illustration)

Note: The tolerance mode cannot be
activated unless the meter senses that a

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capacitance is connected to either the input
sockets or terminals.

WARNING: Be sure that the capacitor is fully

discharged BEFORE inserting it into the input
sockets or terminals. For large capacitors, it
may take longer periods of time for a full
discharge. Inserting a charged or partially
charged capacitor into the meter’s input
sockets or terminals may produce an electric
hazard and may also damage the instrument,
thus rendering it unusable.

Figure 21 - Inserting Capacitance to Inputs

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2. Once the desired measured reading is

displayed, press the button once to
store the reading as the “standard” value or

test reference value. At this point, the “TOL”

will be displayed on the screen, indicating that
the tolerance mode is activated.

3. To select the tolerance range, press the

button once more. For each button

press, the meter will cycle through the

tolerance range percentage in this order: 1%,
5%, 10%, 20%. These percentage ranges will

also be indicated on the LCD display by the

indicators “1%”, “5%”, “10%”, or “20%”

respectively. The component to be tested will
be verified within the selected tolerance % of
the “standard” value or test reference value
(as configured from step 2).

4. Within a few seconds, an audible tone will be

heard.

One single “beep” or tone means the

component is within tolerance.

Three “beeps” or tones means the component

is out of tolerance.

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Note: Under the following instances, the tolerance

mode cannot be set:

1. After setting recording mode

2. After setting HI/LO limit for compare mode

3. The display shows “OL” for overload.

Disable Tolerance Mode

To disable or exit out of tolerance mode, simply press

and hold down the button for two seconds.

The “TOL” and/or the percentage indicators “1%”,
“5%”, “10%”, or “20%” will disappear on the LCD

display.

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Figure 22 - Steps to Setup Tolerance Mode

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Comparison

Set

1

100

90 2 120

108 3 150

135 4 180

162 5 220

198 6 270

243 7 330

297 8 390

351 9 470

423

10

560

504

11

680

612

12

820

738

13

1000

900

14

1200

1080

15

1500

1350

16

1800

1620

Compare Mode

This function allows you to sort capacitors and to
configure 25 sets of limit ranges. The meter comes
with preconfigured stored values for high and low
limits. See table below:

Table 2 - High/Low Limit Default

High limit Low Limit

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17

2200

1980

18

2700

2430

19

3300

2970

20

3900

3510

21

4700

4230

22

5600

5040

23

6800

6120

24

8200

7380

25

10000

9000

Setting Compare Mode

The following procedure demonstrates how to set
compare mode.

1. Press button to enter HI/LO audible

alert compare mode. The range will be locked
in this mode. The meter will display the “

” indicator on the upper right. The
secondary display will indicate “C01” to “C25”
depending on which set was last saved during
previous operation. The last two digits
indicate the current comparison set of HI/LO
limits. The primary display indicates the
present measurement.

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2. Press the button to cycle through the
sets from “C01” to “C25”.

3. Press the button to see the HI and LO
values used for the comparison. As an
example, the display will cycle through set 5 in

this order: “C05”, “L05”, “H05”. The values

will briefly display for one second and will
return to normal compare display. In the

example, it would just return to display “C05”

on the secondary display.

18. If the reading is outside of the HI or LO limits,
three audio beeps will sound, and the

secondary display will show “nGO” for “no

go”. There will be an up or down arrow
indicator on the left next to the primary
display. arrow indicates the value is too
high and fails the test. arrow indicates the
value is too low and fails the test. If the
reading is within the HI or LO limits, one audio
beep will sound and the secondary display will

show “GO”. After three seconds, the meter

will return to ready state again.

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Exit Compare Mode

To exit compare mode, simply press and hold
for two seconds. The “ ” indicator will disappear
from the upper right corner of the display, indicating
that meter is no longer in compare mode.

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Figure 23 - Steps to Setup Compare Mode

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Figure 24 - Steps to Sort by Compare Mode

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Setting HI and LO Limits

The yellow keys from the front key buttons are used
for setting HI and LO limits for compare testing. The

button enters the HI/LO limit setup menu.

The arrow buttons , , , and

are used to adjust the HI/LO sets and HI/LO

limit values. The button is used to save the
adjusted limit values.

Follow the below procedure to configure HI/LO limits.

1. Press and hold for two seconds to
enter HI/LO limit setting mode.

2. The secondary display will flash “L01” and the

primary display will indicate the limit value.

Default is displayed as “0090”. This indicates
the limit value for the first set for the “LO” limit.

Use the or button to select the
digits of the limit value, going left or right
respectively. The digit that is blinking rapidly
indicates the current selection.

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3. Once the digit you want to adjust is blinking,

use the or to increase or
decrease the value of the blinking digit.

4. Once the desired limit value is set, press and

hold button for two seconds or until
all the digits on the primary display stops
blinking.

5. To set the “HI” limit value for the first set,

press the button once and the

secondary display will show “H01” blinking

slowly.

6. To adjust the next set of limit values, simply

press the button once. The

secondary display will now show either “H02”
or “L02” depending on whether the last set

limit was for HI or LO.

7. Repeat steps 2-5 for this second set of limits.
The meter can store up to 25 different limit
sets. Repeating the above steps will cycle
through “01”, “02”, “03”, … , “25”. After the

th

set, it will go back to the 1st set again.

25

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Exit HI/LO Limit Menu

Once all limit values are configured for all the sets to

be used, hold and press the button for two
seconds to exit.

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Figure 25 - Steps to Set HI/LO Limits

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REMOTE COMMUNICATION

The meter has the capability to communicate with a
PC over the mini USB interface. Upon installation of a
USB driver, the PC can control the instrument over
virtual COM. The mini USB communication interface
of the meter is fully duplex and has a 64-byte input
and output buffer, making it reliable and efficient for
data transmission.

Connecting Instrument to PC

Follow the below procedures for connection setup.

1. Download the USB drivers

ith the included mini USB cable, connect the

2. W
mini USB end to the capacitance meter and
the other end to an available USB port on the
PC.

3. When Windows recognizes the USB
connection, do not follow the default Windows
driver installation wizard. Simply run the
setup file from the downloaded USB drivers
and follow the prompt to install drivers.

4. When completed, the computer will recognize
the instrument as a USB (virtual COM) device,
meaning it will be detected as a serial COM

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port. Windows will automatically assign a
COM port to the instrument. Please verify
which COM port Windows has assigned by
going into “Device Manager”.

USB (Virtual COM) Configuration

The USB will be recognized as a virtual COM on the
PC, thus serial port settings must be configured
properly for remote communication to be successful.
Below are the default settings used by the 830C and
890C meters. They can be changed within the setup
menu. See SETUP OPTIONS section for details.

• Baudrate: 9600

• Data bits: 8

• Parity: None

• Stop bits: 1

• Flow Control: None

Remote Mode

Upon connecting to the instrument, sending any
commands listed in the “Command Protocols
will automatically set the meter into remote mode. In

remote mode, the LCD display will show the
indicator.

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Command Protocols

Overview of Command Type and Format

All commands are entered in either the upper case or
the lower case. There are two types of the meter
programming commands: IEEE 488 common
commands and Standard Commands for
Programmable Instruments (SCPI). Some commands
are device-specific to the meter. They are not included
in the version 1999.0 of the SCPI standard. However,
these commands are designed with the SCPI format
in mind and they follow the syntax rules of the
standard.

Common Command Format

The IEEE 488 standard defines the common
commands as commands that perform functions like
reset and system query. Common commands usually
come with the asterisk “*” character, and may include
parameters. Some examples of Common command
like: *IDN?, GTL, LLO.

SCPI Command Format and Query Format

The SCPI commands control instrument functions. A
subsystem command has a hierarchical structure that
usually consists of a top-level (or root) keyword, one
or more lower level keywords, and parameters. The

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following example shows a command and its
associated query:

CONFigure:CAPacitance 10u
Set the primary display to the capacitance

measurement, and select the 10 uF range.
CONFigure?
Return the function of the primary display
measurement.

CONFigure is a root level keyword with the second
level keyword, CAPacitance, and 10u is the command
parameter. The query command ends with a question
mark “?”.

Note: SCPI stems from IEEE488.1 and IEEE 488.2.
Although the IEEE 488.2 standard addressed some
instrument measurements , it princ ip al ly dealt wit h
common commands and syntax or data formats.
Please refer to the IEEE488.2 and SCPI reference
manual for more information.

Termination Character

A terminator is a character sent by a host, which
identifies the end of a command string. A valid
terminator consists of two-byte data:
<CR> (Carriage Return, ASC(&H0D)) or <LF> (Line
Feed, ASC(&H0A)) or <CR><LF>

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Data Type

Explanation

Example

<NR1>

An integer

+800,-200,100,-50

This numeric

point

This representation

exponent

A parameter for

Always return “0”

Responding Message

Returned result

After the meter executes a query command, the return
of the result will be in the following format:

<Result> + <CR> <LF>

Data Types

Returned message is an ASCII string from the meter
responding to a query. A query is a command
accompanied a “?” mark. Table 3 below explains the
different data types.

Table 3 - Data Type of Responded Message s

<NR2>

<NR3>

<Boolean>

representation has
an explicit radix

has an explicit
radix point and an

Boolean setting.

79

+1.56,-0.001,10.5

+2.345678E+04

-1.345678E-01

ON or OFF

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or “1” for Boolean
query command

A string is used as

short literal form

Text Symbol

Meaning

[ ]

Option; can be omitted

|

Exclusive OR

< >

Defined element

( )

Comment

?

Question mark

Separated two command
keywords

<Literal>

SCPI Commands

This section described all the SCPI commands
supported by the meter. The meter can accept both
upper case and lower case commands

command
parameters with

Table 4 - SCPI Symbol Conventions

:

HOLD

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Description: Queries the instrument ID.

version>, <serial number>

Description: Set capacitance range.

function and 100μF range.

*IDN?

Response: <instrument model>, <firmware

LLO

Local Lockout. This means that all front panel buttons

are disabled except for button.

GTL

Go to local.

clearing the remote state and front panel lockout.

CONFigure Subsystem

CONFigure:CAPacitance [<range>]

Parameter:
<range> : Measuring unit is Farad. Parameters
are 1000p, 10n, 100n, 1u, 10u, 100u, 1m, 10m
and 50m (will be 200m range for 830C). The
meter is set to auto range when the parameter is
omitted.

Example: CONF:CAP 100u ; Set to capacitance

Puts the meter into the local state,

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Description: Query the function of the primary

CAP

07,+1.000000E-1

Description: Enable or disable the function of

NONE – disable all calculation and select the

CONFigure?

display.
Response: Return <”function range, resolution”>

format string, the examples are as
following:

+1.000000E-

Capacitance 100nF 0.01nF

CALCulate Subsystem:

CALCulate:FUNCtion NULL
TOLerance
LIMit
AVERage
NONE

the calculation.

Parameter:
NULL – enable null (relative) function;
TOL – enable tolerance function;
LIM – enable limit function;
AVER – enable average (static recording)
function;

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internal trigger source.

combinations are void.

Description: Query the function of the

function being enabled.

Example: CALC:FUNC AVER

Note: The trigger source is changed to

immediate when the AVERage
function is enabled.

User can combine TOL/NULL,
LIM/NULL, AVER/NULL or
NULL/AVER functions, but the other

CALCulate:FUNCtion?

calculation.

Response: Return <Literal> format string:
AVER, TOL, LIM, NULL or NONE.
For combined modes, string can be:
TOL,NULL; LIM,NULL; AVER,NULL

Example: Returning AVER, NULL means the

record function and the relative

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Description: Query the offset value of the null

Response: Return <NR3> format string.

Description: Enable or disable the null

Example: CALC:NULL:STAT OFF

Description: Query the value of the static

CALCulate:NULL:OFFSet?

(relative) function.

Note: If relative function is disabled, querying the

offset of relative mode will return an error. Re-

enable in order to get a returned value. Use

CALCulate:NULL:STATe command shown below

to control the relative function.

CALCulate:NULL:STATe <Boolean>

(relative) function of the calculation.

CALCulate:AVERage
:MAXimun?
:MINimun?
:AVERage?
:PRESent?

dynamic recording function.
Response: Return <NR3> format string.

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Example:

recorded value.

Description: Enable or disable the static

Example: CALC:AVER:STAT OFF

CALC:AVER:MAX? ; Query the maximum
recorded value.
CALC:AVER:MIN? ; Query the minimum
recorded value.
CALC:AVER:AVER? ; Query the average
recorded value.
CALC:AVER:PRES? ; Query the present

Note: If static recording function is disabled, all

queries will return an error message on display

until the function is re-enabled again. Use

CALCulate:AVERage:STATe command shown

below to control static recording function.

CALCulate:AVERage:STATe <Boolean>

recording function of the calculation.

CALCulate:LIMit
:MODE <mode>
:LOWer <mode>, <value>
:UPPer <mode>, <value>

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Description: Set the mode or the value of the

value of the 7th set.

Description: Query the mode or the value of

CALC:LIM:MODE? ; Query the mode of the

Limit function.

Parameter:
<mode>: The value of mode is from 01 to 25.
<value>: The limit value is from 00000 to 11000.

Example:
CALC:LIM:MODE 01 ; Apply the settings of
the mode 1.
CALC:LIM:UPP 07,01000 ; Set the upper limit

CALCulate:LIMit
:MODE?
:LOWer? <mode>
:UPPer? <mode>

the Limit function.

Parameter: <mode>: The value of mode is
from 01 to 25.

Response: Return <NR1> format string.

Example:

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Limit function.

of the mode 7.

Description: Enable or disable the Limit

Example: CALC:LIM:STAT OFF

Description: Set the tolerance range of the

tolerance range.

CALC:LIM:UPP? 07 ; Query the upper value

Note: CALCulate:LIMit:MODE? Query will

respond with an error if meter is not in limit

function and if the state of limit function is

disabled. To set meter to limit function, use the

CALCulate:FUNCtion command.

CALCulate:LIMit:STATe <Boolean>

function of the calculation.

CALCulate:TOLerance:RANGe <1 | 5 | 10 | 20>

Tolerance function.

Example: CALC:TOL:RANG 5 ; Set 5%

Note: Tolerance range can only be set when

tolerance function mode is set. When this

function is not set as the current mode,

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Description: Query the base value of the

Response: Return <NR3> format string.

Description: Query the tolerance value of the

could be 3.535005e-03

Description: Enable or disable the tolerance

Example: CALC:TOL:STAT OFF

CALCulate:TOLerance:RANGe command will

return an error on display.

CALCulate:TOLerance:BASE?

tolerance function.

CALCulate:TOLerance:VALue?

tolerance function.

Response: Return <NR3> format string.
The returned value will not be in terms of %. For
example, if display shows 0.35%, return value

CALCulate:TOLerance:STATe <Boolean>

function of the calculation.

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Description: Select a source of the trigger

disabled when entering into trigger mode.

Description: Query the type of the trigger

Return <Literal> format string: BUS, IMM.

Description: Sets instrument to data hold and

TRIGger:Subsystem:
TRIGger:SOURce < BUS | IMMediate >

signal.

Parameter:
BUS – select a bus command source and enter
the trigger (hold) mode. In this mode, data hold
will be activated to hold each measured reading
after trigger (*TRG) is received from the bus.
IMM – select the internal trigger source.

Example: TRIG:SOUR BUS

Note: The AVERage function will be

TRIGger:SOURce?

source.

Response:

*TRG

return measured reading after trigger.

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Example: *TRG

Return display value, e.g +1.23450000E+00

Description: Return the primary display value

Response:

Measuring Subsystem:
FETCh?

of device’s output buffer. Retrieves
the measurements taken by the
INITiate command and places them
into the device’s output buffer. The
query can return data any time that
the last reading is valid. The meter
generates an error -230 and no
result is returned when the meter is
in the trigger idle state and the data
is invalid.

Response: Return <NR3> format string.

Example: FETC? ; Return a primary
display value, e.g. +1.23450000E+00.

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Description: Query the error message.

queue is one. Keep the last error.

Execution
error

Command
error

Parameter
error

SYSTem Subsystem
SYSTem:ERRor?

Response: Return <Number, “Error String”>

format string. Table 4 is a list of
SCPI error message that might
occur during operation.

Note: The buffer size of the system error

Table 4 SCPI Error Message

Number Error String Number Error String

+0 No error -200

-100

SYSTem:VERSion?

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-220

Description: Query the version of the SCPI.

Response: Return 1999.0 string.

Description: Enable or disable the key beep.

Parameter: <Boolean>: ON; OFF.

Description: Enable or disable the backlit.

isn’t zero and the time comes up.

Description: Set a backlit time.

Note: Stored in non-volatile memory.

SYSTem:BEEP <B oo lea n >

SYSTem:BLIT <Boolean>

Parameter: <Boolean>: ON; OFF.

Note: The backlit is turned off

automatically when the backlit time

SYSTem:BLIT:TIME <second>

Parameter: <second>: 0 ~ 99. Set “0” to
disable auto off backlit function.

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Description: Set an auto power off time.

Note: Stored in non-volatile memory.

Description: Setting default value to the non-

affect the other calibrated data.

Description: Query the status of the meter.

(21 characters).

SYSTem:AOFF:TIME <minute>

Parameter: <minute>: 0 ~ 99. Set “0” to
disable auto power off function.

SYSTem:DEFAult

volatile memory includes SETUP value but don’t

STATus Subsystem:
STATus?

Response: Returns a
<”ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU”> format string

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Each character represents the following:

Item

Explanation

Average
function

0:off, 1:on

B

Null function

0:off, 1:on

Limit
function

0:off, A:mode 1 ~
Y:mode 25

Limit result

0:none, 1:Go, 2:Lo
nGo, 3:Hi nGo

Tolerance

0:off, 1:1%, 2:5%,

range setting

Tolerance
Result

0:none, 1:pass,
2:fail

Trigger
source

I:IMM, B:BUS

H

Unused

always 0

I

Unused

always 0

J

Beep

0:off, 1:on

Auto Power
Off

0:off, 1:on

L

Back lit

0:off, 1:on

M

Meter mode

L:normal

N

Unused

always 0

O

Unused

always 0

P

Unused

always 0

Q

Unused

always 0

R

Rate

always 1

A

C

D

E

F

G

function

3:10%, 4:20%, F:no

K

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S

Battery

0:normal, 1:low

T

Unused

always 0

U

Auto range

0:off, 1:on

Command

Parameter

Explanation

CONFigure?

Query display
function

CONFigure

Configure the

measurement

CALCulate

:FUNCtion?

Query the

function.

:FUNCtion

<function>

Set a calculation
function.

:NULL

:OFFSet?

Query the offset

function

:STATe

<Boolean>

Enable/disable the
relative function

:AVERage

:MAXimum?

Query the value of

:MINimum?

:AVERage?

:PRESent?

:STATe

<Boolean>

Enable/disable the

function

Summary of SCPI Commands

:CAPacitance [<range>]

95

meter perform
specified

calculation

value of the relative

the static recording
function

static recording

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:LIMit

:MODE

<mode>

Set the value of the

:UPPer

<mode>,<value>

:LOWer

<mode>,<value>

:MODE?

Query the value of

:UPPer?

<mode>

:LOWer?

:STATe

<Boolean>

Enable/disable the
limit function

:TOLerance

:RANGe

<1 | 5 | 10 | 20>

Set the value of the
Tolerance function

:BASE?

Query the value of
the Tolerance base

:VALue?

Query the
tolerance value

:STATe

<Boolean>

Enable/disable the
tolerance function

TRIGger

:SOURce?

Query the trigger
source type

:SOURce

<BUS | IMM>

Select a trigger
source

FETCh?

Returns a data any

reading is valid.

SYSTem

:AOFF:TIME

<minute>:0~99

Set an auto power
off time

:BLIT

<Boolean>

Enable or disable
the backlit

:TIME

<second>:0~99

Set a backlit time

:BEEP

<Boolean>

Enable or disable
the buzzer.

limit function

the limit function

time that the last

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:DEFAult

Set default value to

memory

:ERRor?

Query error
message

:VERSion?

Query version of
the SCPI

STATus?

Query the status

the non-volatile

Error Codes

In certain situations, errors may occur, and an error
code will be displayed on the meter. Below defines
the error description based on the error code.

Err0r 1: Unknown command
Err0r 2: Parameter Error
Err0r 3: Syntax Error

MEASUREMENT TIPS

To avoid possible damage to the meter or the
equipment under test, disconnect c ircuit power
and discharge the capacitor before measuring
capacitance.

Capacitance is the ability of a component to store
an electrical charge. The unit of capacitance is the
farad (F). Most capacitors are within the range of
nanofarad (nF) to microfarad (μF). The meter

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measures capacitance by charging the capacitor with
a known current, measuring the resulting time of the
charging period, and then calculating the capacitance.
The larger capacitors will take longer time to charge.
Some large capacitors can take over a minute to
measure due to the long charge time required. A
flashing “C” indicates charging capacitor. To improve
the measurement accuracy of a small value
capacitance, press REL with the alligator clip leads
open, to subtract the residual capacitance of the
meter and leads.

Measuring tip: For measuring capacitance greater

than 1000μF, you must discharge the capacitor first,
then select a suitable measurement range. This will
speed up the time to measure the correct value.

1. Turn on the meter.

2. If you are using alligator clip leads or SMD
tweezer to test capacitance, connect them to
the “+” and “-“ input sockets. Then press REL
to subtract the residual capacitance of the
meter and leads or tweezer.

3. Insert the leads of capacitor into “+” and “-”
input sockets, respectively. If you are using
alligator clip leads or SMD tweezer, connect
the “+” and “-“ ends to the capacitor
respectively.

4. Be sure the polarity of the capacitor to the
leads or tweezer or to the input socket of the
meter is correct.

5. Remove your hands from capacitor.

6. Read the display.

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Measuring large capacitors: Measuring very large

capacitors, for example a 100 mF value, requires a
long time. . In this case, after inserting the capacitor
into the meter’s terminals, the meter display may
seem unresponsive and not respond to key presses.
This is normal, and indicates that the meter is
currently charging the capacitor. Depending on the
size of the capacitor, this charging period can take up
to 2 minutes until the meter becomes responsive and
display the result. If manual range is to be used,
please set to the correct range first before inserting
the capacitor. Otherwise, it will take much longer to
make the measurement.

When using tolerance and compare mode, it will also
take longer time for the meter to respond with
readings if large capacitors are being tested.

SUPPLEMENTAL INFORMATION

Guard Terminal

One of the input sockets and terminals is labeled as

“GUARD”. This terminal does not have to be used in

all instances for the meter to make measurements.
But in some instances, it is very useful.

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