Sencore LC102 User Manual

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Maintenance Manua l

Operation

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TABL E OF CO NTE NTS

SAFETY PRECAUTIONS

SIMPLIFIED OPERATIONS ........................................4

DESCRIPTION

Introduction ......................................................... 6

Features.....................................................................

Specifications ..............................................................6

Controls ........................ .....................-......................8

Rear Panei Features

Supplied Accessories........................................ 10a

Optional Accessories

OPERATION

Introduction

AC Power Operation ..........................................

Battery Operation.....................................................12

Battery Test .........................................................

Recharging the Battery............................ 14

Auto O ff

STOP TESTING Indication .......................................14

Test Leads................................................... 14

Test Lead Mounting C lip

Test Lead Adapter..............................................

Test Lead Fuse...................................................15

Lead Zeroing.......................................................16

Entering Component Data .......................................16

Error C odes....................................... ................ 18

Capacitor Testing ................................

Capacitance Measurement Accuracy ......... 19

Measuring Small Capacitance Values in

Noisy Environments ...

Capacitor Parameter Testing..................................20

Measuring Capacitor Value

Measuring Capacitor Dielectric Absorption .... 20

Measuring Capacitor Leakage (Microamps) ... 21

Leakage Charts ..................................

Measuring Capacitor Leakage (ohms) .............24

Measuring Capacitor ES R..................................25

Capacitor Automatic GOOD/BAD Testing

Inductor Testing......................................................29

Balancing Out Lead Inductance

Inductor Value Testing .............................

Inductor Automatic GOOD/BAD Testing

Checking Inductors with the Ringer Test

GOOD/BAD Inductor Value Testing

............................................................

............................................................ - 14

Paper, Mica and Film Capacitor
Ceramic Capacitors
Aluminum Electrolytics ...
Tantalum Electrolytics ...
Non-polarized Electrolytics

Aluminum Electrolytics ..................................23

Tantalum Electrolytics -. ..................................

.............Inside Front Cover

........... ...................................10

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......... .................. .....

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.......... 30

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10b

12

20

.............26

.........

........

12

13

15

19

20

22

29
30

30

6

22
22
22

24

IEEE 488 BUSS OPERATION

Connecting the LC102 for IEEE Operation.............31

Sending Data to the LC102

Component Type Commands............................33

Value Multipliers

Test Function Commands ............ ......................

General Commands ...........................................35

Reading Data from the LC102

Data Format............... ......

Separating Data Fields

Advanced Programming Ideas ..............................37

Error Testing ......................................................

GOOD/BAD Results

Shorted Capacitors .............................................38

Open Inductors ...................................................38

Making Leakage Tests with IE EE

Making ESR Tests with IEEE ............................38

Programming Examples

Sending Listener Codes ....................................39

Sending Talker Codes

Sample Programs

APPLICATIONS

Introduction ..
Indentifying Capacitor Types

Aluminum Electrolytics

Tantalum Electrolytics

Double Layer Electrolytics..................................46

Ceramic Capacitors............................................46

AH Other Capacitors ................... 47

Identifying Inductor Types .....................................47

Yokes and Flybacks
Switching Transformers
Coils ...

Identify Unknown Components..............................48

Capacitor Testing Applications ..............................49

Interpreting Capacitor Value Readings

Dielectric Stress................... ......... ... ................. .

Checking Leakage in Multi-Section Lytics .... 49

Intermittent Capacitors

Checking Ceramic Temperature

Checking Capacitance of Silicon Diodes

Testing High Voltage Diodes..............................51

Reforming Electrolytics

Inductor Testing Applications..................................52

Testing Inductors In-Circuit............. ...................52

Mutual Inductance ...............................................52

Ringing Peaking C oils

Ringing Metal Shielded Coils

Ringing Flyback Transformers ..........................53

Ringing Deflection Yokes ..................................54

Note on Solid State Yokes & Flybacks.............55

...................................................................48

Characteristics...................................................5 0

and Transistors ................................................

................................. 33

...........................................................44

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..... .......

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32

34

35

36
37

37

38
39
39

40

45

47

49
49

50

52

53

2

Cable Testing Applications

Testing Coaxial Cabie

Determining the Distance to O pe n

Locating a Short in Coaxial Cable ...............56

Determining Capacitance & Inductance

per foot .........................................................57

Using the LC102 to Find Aging Cable .........57

Hi Potential Testing.................................................57

Measuring Resistor to 1 Gigohm ...
Applications of the Leakage Power Supply

MAINTENANCE

Introduction

Recalibration and Service .......................................59

Circuit Description an d Calibration Procedures ... 59

Replacement Leads.............................................. ...59

“Spare” Button

Test Lead Fuse ........................................... ...........

Fuse Replacement

Display Te st.................... ............................. ...........

APPENDIX

Capacitor Theory and the AUTO-Z
Capacitor Types

Ceramics

Aluminum Electrolytics ......................................

Tantalum Electrolytics ..................... ...................62

A Capacitor is more than a Capacitor............. 63

Leakage

Dielectric Absorption

Effective Series Resistance

Value Change

............................................................. 59

........ ............... ..........

..................................................59

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............................................................. 61

...................................................... 63

................................... .................

....................................55

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55

58

59

59

, 60

61

62

63
64
64

3

SIMPLIF IED OPERAT IONS

Capacitor Parameter Tests

7. Read VALUE of capacitor 9 . Rea d % of 13. Re a d LEAKAGE in
in pF, uF, or F on display D/A on display / uA or mA on display

15. Rea d ESR in
ohms on display

•6. Pus h button

-12. Pu s h button

* 8. Pus h button

14. Push button

1. Open test leads

3. Short test leads
2 . Momentarily h oi

5 . Connect capacitor to test leads switch to OPE N

positio n 4. Momentarily hold switch

Inductor Parameter Tests

5. Rea d VALUE of induc to r in
uH, m H or H on display

8. Read Inducto r Rin g er test on display

10. Enter rated voltage
of capacitor

11. Select CURRENT position

to SHORT position

Re a d i n g of 10 or mo re indicat es good co m p o n e n t

4 . Pus h button

6. Select Inductor type

1. Sh5rt test leads

3 . Connect inductor

7 . Pus h butto n

! . Momentarily h o l d switch to

SHORT pos i ti o n

4

DESCRIPTION

Introduction

Γ -msritnr and indu ct or usage is extensive, encompas

sing aT L T ts of industrial and consumer electronics.
Very f L c ?rcu. ts lack either of these comp o nents. As

the tnnsistor gave way to the IC, and the IC gave way

tn t ho I STC so capacitor and inductor usage continues

o in c re a s e rapidly since neither of these components
can be physically in corporated into ICs on a broad bas i s .
ThmiiA thev have changed some m physical size ,

canac ft or s still perform the same basic functions. But

• ? A * .vniits more than ever before, the tolerances

andparameters of capacitors and inductors are critical

to proper circuit operatio n .

Automatic lead zeroing balances out test lead capaci
tance, resistance, and inductance for accurate readings
on small capacitors and ind u c tors . The LC102 is pro

tected from external voltages applied to the test leads
by a fuse in the TEST LEAD JACK and a special stop
testing circuitry which locks out all test buttons when

voltage is sensed on the test leads.

ing from industrial equipment to avionics to cable fault

uu-ιυι;ation troubleshooting in all types of servic

locating. An optional SCR250 SCR & TRIAC TEST

ACCESSORY extends the LC102 test capabilities to

provide a fast, accurate test of these co mponents. The
LC1G2 may be interfaced into any computer interface
system for fully automatic, computer controlled testing

in a laboratory or incoming inspection area.

__ r.vw.y pU l'L a-

SPECIFICATIONS

The Sencore LC102 AUTO-Z takes the guesswork out

r induct o r testing. It provides automatic

e,ts ο _ p , - Inductors are automatically

anafy ed fbrv a T u e a*d quality with patented tests. The

T Pino io o PomOlet e, automatic, mieroprocessor-con-

, n j c -+n r and inductor analyzer. Its features

" , Γ ΰ ‘suited for both single component
analyzing in service or maintenance work or for large
volume, batch testing in a lab or incoming inspection.

S k valne, leakage, ESE, and a patented

Features

Qc,„rr,yp LC102 AUTO-Z is a dynamic, portable,

automatic capacitor and inductor tester. It is designed

to auicklv identify defective components by simply con-

+· X „sm»ritor or inductor to the test leads and

pushi^ a tesf butt o n. The test result is readily dis -

β T fn readout in common terms. All
S a ectornand inductor test results may also be dis-
Dlaved as GOOD/BAD compared to standards adopted

bv the Electronic Industr i e s · Association (EIA). User

defined Hmit s may also be programmed into the LC1 02
for the GOOD/BAD co mpar ison.

In addition to

DIGITAL READOUT

TYPE: ,45”, 6 digit, 7 segment LCD
READINGS: Fully autoranged with auto decimal

placement. One or two place holding zero s added as
needed to provide standard value readouts of pF , u F ,

F, uH or mH.

ANNUNCIATORS: pF, uF, F, uH, mH, H, uA, mA, %,

V, kft, Mft, a, RINGS, SHORT, OPEN, WAIT,
GOOD, BAD

CAPACITORS (Out of circuit)

CAPACITOR VALUE

Dynamic test of capacity value is determined by

measuring one RC time constant as capacitor is charged

to +5 V through:

1,5 Megohms for 0 - .002 uF
1 5 K iloh m s for .002 uF - 2 uF

Values above 2 uF are charged with a consta n t current

of :

60 mA for 2uF - 2000u F
416 mA for 2000 uF - 19.99 F

Maximum voltage ac r o ss capacitors larger than 2 uF
limited to 1. 75 V.

Ά & Μ " upt t0 T TOlts;ESR

U 1 J a natented test, and an automatic,

checked wi , capacitor dielectric absorption. A

patented _ e vaj; Ue test provides a fast, accurate

patented inductance v g

t est of tr ue >f duc‘^witchmg power Lpply t rans fe r

ees, def lec t on yo ke ^ fes

mers, and other non
reliable GOOD/BAD quahtv test.

ACCURACY: +/— 1% +/ —lpF 47-1 digit for values

to 1990 uF. + / — 5% +/-.1% of range full scale for

values 2000uF to 19. 99 F.

RESOLUTION AND RANGES: 1.0 pF to 19 . 99 F, fully

autoranged

.1 pF 1.0 pF to 199.9 pF

lpF 20 0 pF to 1 999 pF

.000 01 uF 0.00 200 uF to 0.01999 uF

.0001 uF 0.02 00 uF to 0.1999 u F

.001 uF

.01 u F

.luF

lu F

1 0 uF

100 uF

.001F 0. 200 F to

.01F

0. 200 u F to 1. 999 uF

2.00 uFto 19.99 uF

20.0 uF to 19 9.9 uF
200 uF t o 1, 999 uF

2, 000 uF t o

20 ,00 0 uF to 199,90 0 uF

2.00 F to

19,990 uF

1.999 F

19.99 F

CAPACITOR LEAKAGE

READOUT.: User selectable between leakage current

and resistance
ACCURACY: +/-5% +/-1- digit
APPLIED VOLTAGE: Keyboard entry; 1.0 to 999 . 9

volts in .1 volt s teps; acc u racy + 0 - 5 %. Short circuit

current limited to 900mA, power limited to 6 watts.
RESOLUTION AND RANGES: .OluA to 20 mA, fully

autoranged

.OluA 0.01 uA to 19.99 uA

.luA 20.0 uA to 199.9 uA

1 uA 200uAto 1999 uA

.01mA 2 . 00 mA to 19.99 mA

CAPACITOR ESR
(Test patented)

ACCURACY: +/-5% +/-1 digit
CAPACITOR RANGE: 1 uF to 1 9.99 F
RESOLUTION AND RANGES: .10 ohm to 2000

ohm s , fully autoranged

.01 ohm O.lOohmsto 1.99-ohms

.lohm 2.0 ohms to 19.9 ohm s

1 ohm 20 o hms to 1999 oh ms

CAPACITOR D/A
(U.S. Patent #4,267,503)

ACCURACY: +/- 5% of reading + / — 1 count

RANGE: 1 to 100%
CAPACITOR RANGE: . 01 uF to 19. 99 F

INDUCTORS (In or out of circuit)

0 1 mH

.1 mH

ImH

.001H

.01H

2. 00 mH to 19.99 mH

20.0 mH t o
200 mH to 99 9 mH

1.0 00 Hto

2.0 0 Hto 19.99 H

199.9 mH

1.9 99 H

RINGING TEST
(U.S. Patent #3,990,002)

A dynamic test of inductor quality determined by apply
ing an exciting pulse to the inductor and counting the
number of cycles the inductor rings before reaching a
preset damping point.
INDUCTOR RANGE: 10 uH and larger, non -i ron core
ACCURACY: -f / — 1 count on readings between 8 and
1 3 Rings
RESOLUTION: +/- 1 co unt
EXCITING PULSE: 5 volts peak; 60 Hz rate

GENERAL

TEMPERATURE: operating range: 3 2° to 104CF (0°

to 4G°C) range for specified accuracy (after 10
minute warmup): 5 0° to 86°F (10° to 30°C)

POWER: 105-13 0 V AC, 60H z , 2 4 watts with supplied

PA251 power adapter. Battery operation with op
tional BY234 rechargeable battery. 210 - 230V AC op 
eration with optional PA252 Power Adapter.

AUTO OFF: Removes power during battery operation

if unit sits idle longer than 15-20 minutes.

BATTERY LIFE: 8 hours typical inductor testing; 7

hou r s typical capacitor testing.
SIZE: 6” x 9" x 11.5” (15. 2cm x 22.9 x 29.1cm) HWD
WEIGHT: 6 lb s . (2.7kg) without battery, 7.6 lbs (3.4kg)

with battery
GOOD/BAD INDICATION: Functions on all tests. Re

quires user input of compo n e nt type an d value, or

input of desired limits.
IEEE: Requires the use of Senco r e IB72 Bus Interface

Accessory.

The following interface codes app ly: SHI, AH1, T8,

L4, SRO, RLO, PPO, DCO, DTC, CO. All readings

are test accuracy +/— 1 count.
Specifications su b je ct to change without no t ice

INDUCTANCE VALUE
(U.S. Patent #4,258,315)

A dynamic test of value determined by measuring the
EMF pr od u ce d when a changing current is applied to
the coil under te s t .
CURRENT RATES: automatically selected

50 mA/uSec

5 mA/uSec

.5 mA/uSec

50 mA/mSec

5 mA/mSe c

.5 mA/mSec

0 5 mA/mSec

ACCURACY: +/-2% +/ - 1 digit
RESOLUTION AND RANGES: .10 uH to 20 H, fully

autoranged

.01 uH 0.10 u H to

.1 uH

luH

.00 1 mH 1 . 00 0 mH t o

OuH to

18 uH t o 180 uH
180 uH t o
1 .8 mH to 18 mH

1 8 mH to

180mHto

1 .8 Hto

20.0 uH t o
200 uH to

18 uH

1.8 mH

180 mH

1.8 H

19.99 H

19 . 99 uH
19 9.9 uH

999 uH

1. 999 mH

ACCESSORIES

SUPPLIED:

39G219 Test Leads
39G144 Test Lead Adapter
39 G201 Test Button Hold Down Rod
64G37 Test Lead Mounting Clip
PA251 AC Power Adapter/Recharger

OPTIONAL:

39G85 Touch Test Probe
FC221 Field Calibrator
BY234 Rechargeable Lead Acid Battery
SCR2 50 SCR/Triac Test Accessory
CC25 4 Carrying Case
CH255 Component Holder
CH256 Chip Component Test Lead
IB72 Bus Interface Accessory
PA252 220V AC Power Adapter/Recharger

7

C on trols

1. COMPONENT TYPE select buttons. Use with
TEST butto ns (4), and COMPONENT PARAMETERS
butto n s (6) for component limit testing.

a. - e. capacitor type button s - Use with other beige

color cod ed capacitor button s (4a - d) and (6m - o) .

f. SPARE - Provides a spare button to allow for

future comp o n e n t types and internal memory up

dates.

g. - i. Induct or type buttons - Use with other blue

color co ded inductor buttons (4e - f) and (6s - u).

2. LCD DISPLAY
2a. SHORT - Indicates that test leads, or component

connec ted to test lea d s , are shorted when LEAD
ZERO OPEN button (9a) or CAPACITOR VALUE
TEST button (4a) is pushed.

2b. OPEN - Indicates that test leads, or compon e nt

con nected to test leads, are open when LEAD
ZERO SHORT bu tt on (9b) or INDUCTOR VALUE
TEST button (4e) is p ushed.

2c. W AIT - Indicates internal circuits are discharg

ing after CAPACITOR LEAKAGE TEST button
(4c) is released. Also indicates external voltage on
test le ads . All tests are locked out while WAIT
indicator is on.

2d. DIGITAL READOUT - Indicates value of test

result. Last two digits are place holder s an d indi
cate 0 on large readings. Displays error message
if er ro r condition exists.

2e. READING ANNUNCIATO RS - Automatically

light to qualify the reading displayed in the DIGI

TAL READOUT (2d) .

2f. GOOD - Indicates that component meets pr e-de-

flned tolerance s for the test selected by TEST but 
ton (4).

2g. BAD - Indicates that the component does not

meet the pre-defmed tolerances for the test
selected by TEST button (4).

3 . APPLIE D VOLTAGE LCD DIS PLAY - Displays

the amou n t of leakage voltage to be applied to the TEST

LEAD (10) when the CAPACITOR LEAKAGE bu t t o n
(4b) is pr esse d. Voltage is selected using COMPONENT
PARAMETERS keypad (6a-l & 6r).

4. TEST buttons

a. CAPACITO R VALUE - Depress to test capacitor

value.

b. DIELECTRIC ABSORP - Depress to read per

centage of dielectric absorption.

c. CAPACITOR LEAKAGE - Depress to test

capacito r leakage after the capacitor working vol
tage is entered with the COMPONENT
PARAMETERS keypad (6).

d. CAPACITOR ESR - Depress to test capacitor

ESR.

e. INDUCTOR VALUE - Depress to test ind u c t o r

value.

f. INDUCTOR RINGER - Depress for ringing (qual

ity) test on coils, yokes/fly backs and switching
transformers after selecting inductor type with
COMPONENT TYPE switches (lg-i).

5A. CAU TIO N IND ICATOR LED - Blinks as a warn
ing when leakage voltage is set to 25 volts or higher,
as indicated on APPLIED VOLTAGE LCD DISPLAY
(3). Voltage is only present at test leads wh e n
CAPACITOR LEAKAGE test button (4c) is depressed.

5B. PROTECTION CIRCUIT OR FUSE OPEN
AL AR M - A flashing LED along with an audible ala rm
will activate when either the test lead input fuse o pens
or the protection circuit senses 10 volts or greater.

6. COM PONENT PARAMETERS keypad - Use to

enter parameters for limit testing..

a~k. NUMERIC IN PUT - Use to enter numerical

value portion of parameters. Use with COMPO
NENT PARAMETERS buttons (m-u).

1. CLR - Push once to clear NUMERIC INPUT entry.
Push twice to clear all parameters and COMPO
NENT TYPE switches (1).

m-o. CAPACITOR VALUE MULTIPLIER - Use

after NUMERIC INPUT entry (6a-k) to enter
capacitor value. Push to recall entered value.

p-q. PERCENTAGE buttons - Use after

NUMERIC INPUT entry (6a-k) to enter co mpo
nent tolerance. Push to recall entered value.

r. VOLTS - Use with NUMERIC INPUT (6a-k) to

select desired test voltage for capacitor leakage
tests.

s-u. INDUCTOR VALUE M ULTIP LIER - Use

after NUMERIC INPUT entry (6a-k) to enter in
ductor value. Pus h to recall entered value.

7. P U LL CHART - Provides simplified operating in
structions and quick reference table s .

S. LE AKAGE Switch

a. CURRENT - Selects readout of leakage current

in uA or mA when CAPACITOR LEAKAGE but

ton (4c) is depr essed.

fo. OHMS - Select s readout of leakage in ohms when

CAPACITOR LEAKAGE butt o n (4c) is d epres sed.

9. LEAD ZERO Switch
a. OPEN - Use with CAPACITOR VALUE button

(4a) and ope n test leads to balance out test lead
capacita nce.

b. SHORT - Use with INDUCTOR VALUE button

(4e) and shorted test leads to balance out test lead

induct a n ce .

10. TEST LEAD INPUT JACK - Provides a connec

tion for attaching supplied test leads (17) or optiona l
CHIP COMPONENT TEST LEADS (30). Unscrew jack
for acce s s to protection fuse .

11. POW ER Switch

a. OFF - Removes power from all circuits.
b. AUTO OFF - Provides power for approximately

1 5 minutes after auto off circuitry is reset. Auto
off is bypassed when LC 1 0 2 is powered from the
AC Power Adapter.

c. ON & BATT TEST - Turn unit on and reset auto

off circuitry. Remaining battery life is displayed
in LCD DISPLAY (2d).

8

CO MPONENT TYPE

CO MPONENT PA RAM ETER S

NUM Efi iC INP UT gNT SR ! RE CA L L

TEST

p SINGE

POWER

O N S A

BA TT TE ST

AUT O O f f· B
OFF C

! 1S V AC Q fl B A ?1

2c\

2b— OPEN

2a -

TEST LEAD

LEAD ZE R O LE A KAGE

/^ W A R N IN G : Flashing tight i ndicates 25-1000V

applie d to tes t lead s wh en leakage bu tt o n is pressed.

TOP TE S T I N G : P r o t ectio n c i rcuit or fuse is

Capacit o r be ing tested may be cha rg ed.

Nos.· 3S9« 00 2. . ' « s e a ts . « 6 7 M 3 . Ori w n Pffndiny

Fig. 1— Locat ion of fr ont panel· controls and features.

2d 2e 2f

'WAIT

•OPEN 4 ' O Q O Ο Ο O SprnHmA K ftG O O D -

SHORT LI . O. LI . LI . U. U. RINGS V% Ω BA D

------

29

Fig. 2 — LCD annunciators.

3

Rear Fane! Features

12. BATTERY COM PARTM ENT COVER - Provides
acces s to the (optional) BY242 rechargeable battery.

13. INTERFACE ACCESSORY JACK - Allows the
(optional) IB72 IEEE 488 Bus Interface Accessory (26)
to b e connec t ed to feed LC102 readings t o an automated
measuring system.

14. TEST BUTTON HOLD DOWN ROD HOLDER

- Ho lds TEST BUTTON HOLD DOWN ROD (19) when
not in use.

15. 39G144 TEST LEAD ADAPTER MOUNTING
CLIP.

16. POWER INPU T - Connects to supplied PA251

POWER ADAPTER (21) for 110V AC operation, or to

PA252 for 220V AC operation (not pictured).

Fig. 3 — Location of rear panel features.

Supplied Accessories

17. TEST LEADS (39G219) - Special low capacity
cable with E-Z Hook® clips. Connect to TEST LEAD
INPUT (10) .

18. 39G144 TEST LEAD ADA PTER (39G144) - Use
to ada pt TEST LEADS (17) to large, screw terminal
capacitors.

19. TEST BUTTON HOLD DOWN ROD (3 9G201) -

Use to ho ld CAPACITOR LEAKAGE b utton (4a) depre

ssed when reforming capacitors.

20. TEST LEAD MOUNTING CLIP (64G37) - Use
to hold Test Lead when not in use.

21. POWER ADAPTER (PA251) - Plugs into POWER
INPUT (16) to power unit from 105-130 VAC line . Also

recha rges the (optional) BY234 Battery when installed

inside the LC102.

Fig. 4 — Supplied Accessories.

Optional Accessories

22. 39 G85 TOUCH TEST PROBE - Use for in-circ uit 27. CARRYING CASE (CC254)- Provides protection
testing of coils and inductors from P.C. board. and easy carrying for the LC102 and its accessorie s.

23. FIELD CALIBRATOR (FC2 2 1 ) - Use to periodi
cally check calibration of the LC1 0 2 .

24. RECHARGEABLE B ATTERY (BY234) - Pro
vides portable operati on for the LC10 2. One battery

required.

25. SCR/TRI AC TEST ACCESSORY (SCR250) - Use

for testing SCRs and Triacs.

26. IEEE 488 BUS INTERFACE ACCESSORY -

Connects between the INTERFACE ACCESSORY
JACK (13) and the IEEE 488 port of a Bus controller

to allow the LC77 to be used in automated test setups.

E-Z Hook® i s a registered trademark of Tele Tek Inc.

28. COMPONENT HOLDER (CH255)-Use to hold
components for fast tests when doing, volume testing.

29. CHIP COMPONENT TEST LEAD (CC256)-

Special shielded test leads for testing small surface
mount (Chip) components.

Fig. 5 — Optional Accessories.

O PE RA TION

Introduction

Before you begin to u se your LC102 AUTO-Z, take a
few minutes to read through the Operations and Appli
cations sections of this manual and acquaint yourself
with the features and capabilities of your instrument.
After you have familiarized yourself with the general
operation of the LC 102, most tests can be performed

with the information on the front panel.

AC Power Operation

For continuous bench operation the LC1 0 2 is powered
from any st andard 1 05-130V (50-60 Hz) AC line usi ng
the PA251 Power Adapter. When 220V AC operation
is required, power the LC102 with the optional PA252
220 VAC Power Adapter. Connect the Power Adapter
to the POWER IN JACK located on the rear of the
LC102 , as shown in Figure 6 .

--------------------

WARNING

--------------------

Using an AC adapter other than the PA251

or PA252 may cause damage to the LC102,
may cause the optional battery (if installed)
to improperly charge, or may cause measure
ment errors on low value of components. Only

use a Sencore PA251 or PA252 Power Adap
ter for AC operation.

To operate the LC102 from an AC line:

1 . Connect the AC line cord of the power adapter to an

adequate s ource of AC power.

2. Connect the power adapter lead to the POWER
INPUT JACK on the back of the LC102, as shown in
figure 6 .

The power adap ter serves as a battery charger to re
charge the (optional) BY234 battery when it is installed
in the unit. The BY234 may be left installed in the
LC102 at all times without danger of over charging.
Connecting the Power Adapter bypass es the auto-off
circuitry in the LC1 0 2 and allows continuous, uninter

rupted oper ation .

Fig. 6 — Connect the PA251 to the 12 V DC input for
AC bench operation and to recharge the optional bat
tery.

3. Push the POWER switch on the LC102 up t o the ON
& BATT TEST positio n and release . The WARNING

LED will momentarily blink to in dicate it is operational

and the displays will reset and rea d zeros.

4. The LC102 is immediately ready for use. If prec ise
measurements are required, allow the unit to operate
for 1 0 minutes to reach specified accu racy.

-----------------------WARNING

----------------------

The CAUTION INDICATOR LED must

momentarily flash when the POWER switch
is first turned on and moved from the OFF to

the ON & BATT TEST position. Failure of the

light to flash indicates a problem with the

LED or safety circuits. DO NOT operate the
LC102 in this condition, since it exposes the

operator to dangerous voltages without

adequate warning.

Battery Opera tion

The LC102 is designed to operate as a completely port
able unit with the optional BY234 rechargeable battery
installed. The operat ion of the LC1 0 2 when it is battery
powered is the same as when it is AC powered. The
length of time the AUTO-Z will operate before the bat
tery needs recharging dep ends on several factors: 1 . the
test functions used; 2. tem perature; 3. battery age.

Leakage tests place the heaviest current drain on the

battery — greater current s result in shorter battery life
between charging. Value tests plac e the least drain on
the battery. For typical operation, the LC102 provides
approximately 7 hou rs of complete capacitor testing
(value, ESR, D/A and leakage), and 8 hours of complete

12

ind uctor testing (value and ringing). These times, of
course, will vary with temperature and battery age.

As the temperature of the battery decreases, its cap ac
ity also decreases. The operating time between recharg
ings decreases at the rate of approximately 1 hour for
every 20 degrees F drop in temperature below 70°F.
The BY234 battery is a sea led, lead-acid type which
requires no maintenance other than recharging. As a
battery ages, it will require more frequent rech argings.
If used properly, the BY234 will provide several years
of service before needing replacement.

You can maximize the lifetime of the BY234 several
ways: 1. Never allow the battery to deeply discharge.
The LC102 has a built-in battery test and low battery
shut off circuitry. Check the remaining charge per iod
ically and recharge the battery before the low battery
circu it shut s the unit off. 2 . Keep the battery fully
charged. The BY234 will not be harmed if it is left
installed in the LC1 02 during AC operation. Instead,
this will keep the battery fresh an d ready for use and
will actually lengthen its useful lifetime. 3. Rec harge
the battery before using it if it has sat idle for more
than a couple of weeks. Lead-acid batteries normally
loose some of their charge if they sit idle for a per iod
of time.

Fig. 7 - The optional BY234 is installed in the LC102
for portable operation.

-------------------

WARNING---------------------

Observe these precautions when using lead-
acid batteries:

1. Do not dispose of old lead-acid batteries in

fire. This may cause them to burs t, spraying acid

through the a ir.

2. Do not short the “ + ” and terminals
together. This will bum open internal connec

tio ns, making the battery useless.

3. Do not charge 12 volt lead-acid batteries
with a voltage greater than 13.8 VDC. High

charging voltage may damage the battery or cause
it to explode.

4. Do not drop the battery. While lead-aci d bat

teries are well sealed, they may break if drop ped
or subjected to a strong mechanical shock. If the
battery does break and the jelled electrolyte leak s
out, neutralize the acid with baking soda and
water.

5. Do not charge the battery below 0° C or
above +40° C. (32° to 104° F).

To install the optional BY234 Battery:

1 . Open the BATTERY COMPARTMENT COVER lo

cated on the rear of the unit by unscrewing the
thumbscrew. Fold the cover down on its hing e.

2. Slide the battery end that does not have the connector
attached into- the battery compartmen t. (The wire
should be facing out after the battery is in place.)

3. Connect the plug from the battery to the jack inside

the battery compartment.

4. Close t he battery co mpartmen t cover and tighten the
thumbscrew to hold the door and battery in place.

Note: Recharge the B Y 2 3 4 overnight b ef ore using it for

the f i rst time.

Battery Test

The LCX0 2 has a built-in battery test feature which
shows the remaining battery charge. A reading of 100%

indicates that the battery is fully charged. As the bat
tery charge is used up, the reading will drop. The low
battery circuits will turn the unit off shortly after the
battery test reading drops to 0 %, and before the batt ery,
level drops too low for reliable operation. The LC102
never fully discharges the battery which helps extend
the life of t he BY234.

13

To perform the battery test:

Au to Off

1. With a BY234 installed, move th e POWER switch

to the ON & BATT TEST position.

2. Read the percentage of remaining battery charge in
the LCD DISPLAY.

3. If th e reading shows 0%, the unit may not operate,
or operate for just a short time since the low battery
circuit turns the LC102 off at this battery level.

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P O W E R r g

To co nserve battery charg e, the LC102 contains an auto
off circuit . This circuit keeps the batterie s from running
down if you sh ould forget to turn the unit off, but keeps
the AUTO-Z powered up during use. The auto off circuit
will shut the LC102 off after approximately 15 minutes
if none of the front panel buttons have been pushed.
Pushing any COMPONENT TYPE button, COMPO
NENT PARAMETERS butt on, TEST bu tton, or
momentarily moving the POWER button to the ON &
BATT TEST position will reset the auto off circuits.
The auto off circuits are bypassed when the LC1 0 2 is
operate d from the AC Power Adapter.

To operate the LC102 using the optional BY234
battery:

1. Install the BY234 battery into the LC1 02 battery

compartment.

NOTE: If you are using the BY234 for the first time,
be sure to charge the battery before using the LC1 0 2 .
Though factory te sted, the BY234 may not be charged
when you receive it.

2. Push the POWER switch to the ON & BATT TEST
position and release. The WARNING LED will momen
tarily blink to indicate it is operational and the display s
will reset and read zeros.

Fig. 8 — Push the Pow er sw itch to “On & Batt Te st

to read the remaining battery charge.

Recharging the Battery

The BY234 battery should never be allowed to remain
discharged for more than a few hours, since this will
shorten its lifetime. The battery mus t be recharged
whenever the battery test reads 0%. However, you
should recharge the battery more often than this to
lengthen the battery’s lifetime an d keep the LC1 0 2

ready for portable use at all times.
To recharge the battery, simply leave it installed inside

the LC102 while the unit is connected to the AC Power
Adapter and the Power Adapter is conn ected to a source
of AC power. The charging time required to return the
battery to 10 0% depends on how far it is dischar ged.
The battery will trickle charge while the LC1 02 is in
use and powered from the AC adap ter, but it will re
charge the quickest if the POWER switch is in the
“OFF” position. Normally, a battery will completely
recharge in about 8 hours with the POWER switch
“OFF”.

4. The LC102 is immediately ready for use. If precise
measur ements are required, allow the unit to operate
for 1 0 minutes to reach specified accuracy.

------------------- WARNING

-------------------

The CAUTION INDICATOR LED must

momentarily flash when the POWER switch

is moved from the OFF to the ON & BATT
TEST position. Failure of the light to flash
indicates a problem with the LED or safety
circuits. DO NOT operate the LC102 in this
condition, since it exposes the operator to
dangerous voltages without adequate warn
ing.

STOP TEST ING Indication

The LC102 is de signed to provide you with the safest
possible method of testing capac itors and inductors. The
STOP TESTING indicators of the LC102 are a flashing
LED indicator on the front panel and an internal audi
ble alarm. This important feature alerts you when a
shock potential exists due to either the test lead fuse
having blown, preventing the capaci tor from discharg
ing, or that you have connect ed to a charged circuit
(1 0 V or mo re).

You should, at this time, familiarize yourself with this
feature by removing the test lead fuse. Refer to the
maintenance section, located at the back of this manua l
for information on replacing the test lead fuse (page 59).

14

If the STOP TESTING indicators activate:

1. Stop all testing with the LC 102.

N O T E : D o not mou n t the T E S T L E A D M O U N T I N G
CL I P t o th e sides of the A U T O - Z . as this w i l l in ter f e re

with the handle movement.

2 . Carefully discharge the capacitor you are testing by

connecting a 1 0 k ohm 1 watt resistor across the termi
nals.

3. Replace the test lead fuse if blown, or remove the
voltage from the point the test lea ds are connected to.

4. Resume testing.

Test Leads

The test leads supplied with the LC102 (39G219) are
made of special, low capacity coaxial cable. Using any
other cable will add extra capaci ty to the meter circuits,
which may not be within the range of the lead zeroing
circuits. Attempting to zero the leads with another,
higher capacitance cable conn ected will cause the LCD
DISPLAY to show the messag e error. This indicates

that the value is beyond the zeroing limits of the LC1 0 2 .
If the test leads ever require replaceme nt, new leads

(part #39G219) may be ord ered directly from the: SEN
CORE SERVICE DEPARTMENT at 3 200 Sencore

Drive, Sioux Falls, SD 57107.

Test Lead Mounting Clip

Test Lead Adapter

Some larger value electrolytic capacitors have screw
terminals rather than the conventional wire leads or
sold er terminals. To connect the LC102 to these
cap acitors you will need to use the suppl ied 39G144
TEST LEAD ADAPTER. The TEST LEAD ADAPTER
conv erts the E-Z Hook ® clips of the test leads to al
ligator clips which will clamp onto the large screw ter
minals. A mounting clip on the back of the LC 102 stores
the TEST LEAD ADAPTER when it is not in use.

A TEST LEAD MOUNTING CLIP (64G37) is supplied
with the LC102. This clip is useful to hold the test leads
out of the way when not in us e, but keeps them ready
and within reach at any time. The mounting clip may
be attached on the top of the LC102, on the side of the
handl e, or wherever it is most convenie nt. To mount
the clip, peel off the backing, place the clip in the desired
location and press it firmly in place.

Fig. 10 - The 39G144 Test Lead Adapter allows large,
screw-terminal capacitors to be connected to the
LC102.

To use the TEST LEAD ADAPTER:

1. Connect the red E-Z Hook® of the LC102 test lead

to the red TEST LEAD ADAPTER terminal.

2. Connect the black E-Z Hook® to the black adapter
terminal.

3. Connect the red TEST LEAD ADAPTER lead to th e
“ 4-” capacitor terminal, and the black lead to the “ — ”
terminal.

4. Test the capacitor in the usual manner.

Fig. 9 — The test lead mounting clip holds the test
leads out o f the way, yet ready for use at anytime.

Test Lead Fuse

A 1 amp, Slo Bio (3AG) fuse is located in th e TEST
LEAD input jack on the front of the AUTO-Z. This fuse
protects the unit from accidental external voltage or
current over loads.

15

Lead Zeroing

The test leads c onn ected to the LC1 02 have a certain
amount of capacitance, resista nce, an d inductance
which must be balanced out before measuring small
value capacitors and ind uctors or before measuring
capacitor ESR. The test lead impedence should be
zeroed when the LC102 i s first turned on. It will re main
zeroed as long a s the unit is powered on. If the LC102
is battery operated and is turned off by the Auto Off
circuits, however, the lead s mu st be rezeroed.

To zero the test leads:

1. Turn the LC102 o n by momentarily pushing the

POWER switch to the ON & BATT TEST position.

2. Connect the test le ads to the TEST LEAD INPUT

jack on the front of the AUTO-Z.

3. Place the open test le ads (with nothing connected)
on the work area with the red and black test clip s next
to each other, but not touchin g.

4. Move the LEAD ZERO switch to the “OPEN” posi
tion. Release whe n a “ — ” begins to move through the
display.

5. Connect the red and black test clips together.

6 . Move the LEAD ZERO switch to the “SHORT” pos

ition, a nd release when a “ —” begins to move through
the display.

Fig. 11 — The impedence o f the test leads is balanced

out with the LEAD ZERO button.

Entering Component Da ta

Fig. 12— Controls used for entering component data.

To use the LC102 to perform th e automatic GOOD/BAD

tests explained on page 26, you must enter data about
the component under test into th e LC102 AUTO-Z. (All
component tes ts can be performed without entering

component data if au tomatic GOOD /BAD test indica
tions are not desired). The component data tells the
LC102 the “ideal” parameters necessary to make the
GOOD/BAD determination.

16

The component data which can be entered into the
LC102 includes : component type, value, tolerance and
rated working voltage for capa citors, and component
type, value, and tolerance for inductors and coils. These
parameters are usually marked on the component, or
can be determined by looking the component up in a
parts list or replacement guide. The APPLICATIONS
sect ion of this manual contains information on how to
identify capacitor an d inducto r types.

N O T E : All component data can be cleared by p ushing

the “C L R ” button on the gra y C O M P O N E N T

P A R A M E T E R S keypad twice.

To Enter Component Type:

N O T E : The C O M P O N E N T T Y P E switches t ell the

L C 1 0 2 what kind of component is being te s ted.

1 . Press the desired COMPONENT TYPE button. Use

the beige color coded buttons when checking capacitors

and the blue buttons when checking inductors.

2. A red LED indicator in the comer of the COMPO
NENT TYPE button lights w hen that button is selected.

To Enter Component Value:

1. Enter a numb er, up to 3 significant digits, equal to
the value of the cap acitor or inductor. (Example: “123”.
or “123000.”). Each digit will appear in the display as
a key is pus hed.

a . T h e LC1 0 2 rounds the entry do w n if y ou enter a
nu m be r having more than 3 significant digits ( E x a m 

ple: “1239” becomes “123 0”).

b. T h e LC 1 0 2 accepts nu m b e rs up to 6 places befo re
the decimal. (Example: “1000 0 0 ”). Entries larger
than th i s re s e t to 0.
c. The LC1 02 accepts numbers up to 5 places a f t e r
the decimal for numbe r s les s than 1. (Example:
“0.00001” ) . Entries smaller than t hi s resul t in “Error

2”.

d. All unnecessary place holder dig it s are dropped.

(Example: “.06700” becomes “.067”).

e. Pu s h the “C L R ” button once t o clear the value entry
an d s t a rt ov e r .

To Enter Compone nt Tolerance :

1 . Enter a 1, or 2 or 3 digit number up to 100 which

equa ls to the “ + ” value tolerance of the capacitor or
inductor. Do not use a decima l.

2. Press the white “ + %” COMPONENT PARAMET
ERS button.

3. Enter a 1 or 2 digit number up t o 99 which equals

to the “ - ” value tolerance of the ca pacitor or inductor.

Do not use a decima l.

4. Press the white
ERS bu tton.

5. To check the entered percentage, press the white
“ + %” or “ — %” button at any time.

SEN1CORE LC102 AUTO-Z CAPACiTCm-IMQUCTOR ANALYZER

0 u 0 u ‘

■%” COMPONENT PARAMET-

COMPQNFf*? PARA(*Ft£i

□ □ □ □ 0

0000

0000

SENCORE

LC 1Q2 A UTO*Z

π η η n

u.u.u.u.

CAPACITOR.IXOUCTOft ANALYZER

. COMPONENT PABAWfTfiflS

2. Enter the desired capacitor value multiplier or induc

tor value multiplier.

a . Th e capacitor value range i s 1 p F to 19.9 F . The

inductor value range i s .1 u H to 19.9 H. Entering
values beyond th i s range causes an “Error 2 ”.
b . T h e L C 1 0 2 accepts non-conventional value nota
ti o ns, such as “.00001 F ”, “.00002 u F ” or “100 0 0 0 p F ”

3. After entering the multiplier, the display momentar

ily shows the entered value and multiplier before re
turning to a “0000” read ing. The LC102 is now ready
for the next parameter entry.

4. To check the entered capacitor value at any time,

pu sh any beige colored capacitor value multiplier but
ton. To check the ente red induct or value push any blue
colored ind uctor value multiplier button.

5. To change φΐ entered value parameter, repeat step s

1 & 2 .

□00 000 0
00000

SE NC C3RE LC 102 AUTO-Z CAPACITOR· INDUCT OH ANALYZER

u u

0000

0000

0000

d

Fig. 13 — To enter component data select the COMPO
NENT TYPE switch which corresponds to the com po
nent being tested (a). Next, enter the com ponent value
(b) and value tolerance (c). Finally, if testing a
capacitor, enter the rated working voltage (d).

17

To Enter Leaka ge Volta ge:

1 . Enter the desired voltage from 1 to 999.9 using the

gray keys on the NUMERIC INPUT keypad. A decimal,
followed by one digit may be entered, but is not neces
sary.

2. Push the white “V ” key to enter the voltage. The
voltage will appear in the applied voltage LCD display.
For values greater than 25 volts the red WARNING

indicator LED will blink.

N O T E : The voltage is applied to the component Test

Leads whe n the C A P A C I T O R L E A K A G E t est button is

pushed.

3. To enter a different voltage, repeat steps 1 & 2 .

Error Codes

Error 3 - Entered Value Beyond Range Of Test

The component parameter entered via the keypad c

IEEE is beyond t he limits of the automatic GOOD/BA
test. The co mponent may still be able to be te sted, bi
not for a GOO D/BAD indication.

Possible causes:

1. Performing an ESR test with a capac i tor value of less than 1 u
enter ed.

2. Performing a D/A t est with a capac itor value of less than .01 u
enter ed.

3. Per f orming a INDUCTOR RINGER tes t wi t h a ind uctor value

less than 10 uH en tered.

Error 4 - Value Beyond Zeroing Limit - The amour

of inductan ce or capacitance at the TEST LEAD INPU
is beyond the range of th e zeroing circuits. An ope
(greater than 2 0 koh ms) or shorted (less than 1 ohir

test lead will cause the "OPEN” or “SHORT” an nur
ciator to come on, rather than produce a n “Error 4”.

Several error condition s may occur while using the
LC102 which c au se an error message to appear in the
LCD display. These are usually caused by sm all errors
in the operatio n of the LC102, although severely defec
tive components may also cause certain error co ndi
tions. The error co nditions are explained below.

Error I - Component Type Selection Error - This
error occurs when a component test is attempted, and
either an incorrect COMPONENT TYPE switch is
selected for the test, or no COMPONENT TYPE switch
is sele cted when required.

Possible caus es:

1. Performing a capacitor test with an inductor COMPONEN T TYPE
switch selected.

2. Performing an inductor t est with a capacito r COMPONEN T TYPE
switch selected.

3. Performing the INDUCTOR RINGE R test with out a n inductor
COMPONENT TYPE switch selected.

4. Perfo r ming an y com ponent t est with the “Spare” capacitor COM
PONENT TYPE button selected.

Error 2 - Entered Value Beyond Range of Unit -
The component parameter entered via the keypa d or
IEEE is beyond the measuring range of the L C102.

Possible causes:

1. Entering a capac itance v alue g reater than 19.9 Far ads, or less
tha n 1 picofarad.

2. Entering an induc tance value grea ter tha n 19.9 Henrys, or less
tha n .1 microhenry s.

3. Enterin g a leakage volt a ge greater than 999.9 volts.

4. Enteri ng a t o lerance perce ntage greater tha n +100%, or less t han

- 99%.

5. Enterin g a tole rance percentage that includes a decimal.

Possible causes:

1. The capac itance at the TEST LEAD Input is greate r than 1800 pF.

2. The inductan ce at the TEST LEAD Input is gre ater th ah 18 ut

3. The resistan ce at the TEST LEAD Inpu t is greater t han 1 ohm

Error 5 - No Voltage Entered - This error occur

when the CAPACITOR LEAKAGE button is push e
and no test voltage has been entered.

Error 6 - Invalid Computer Interface Command

An improper command was sent to the LC10 2 via th
computer interface.

Possible causes:

1. Sendi ng a command that is not recogniz ed by the LC102.

2. W rong comma nd syntax.

N O T E : Refer to the C O M P U T E R I N T E R F A C E sectio,
of thi s ma n u a l for information on using the A U T O -4
with computer co n t r o l .

Error 7 - Component Out Of Test Range - The com

ponent under test exc eeds the limits of the test whici
was attempted.

Possible causes:

1. Measuring ESR of a capacitor having a value less than 1 uF.

2. Measuring capacit ance v alue on an extremely leaky capacitor.

3. At t empting a capacitor val u e test with 1 ohm to 2 Megohms <
resistan ce connected across test leads.

N O T E : Entering a leakage voltage l es s than 1 volt wil l

se t the leakage supply to 0 vo lts.

18

Capacitor Testi ng

Fig. 14— Controls used for capacitor parameter tests.

The LC102 AUTO-Z ch ecks capacitors for value from

1 .0 pF to 20 Farads in 1 2 automatically selected ranges .
The autom atic features of the LC102 AUTO-Z allow
you to perform two levels of automated capaci tor test
ing: basic parameter testing, and automatic GOOD/
BAD testing. For basic parameter testing, you simply
connect the compon ent to the test leads and p ush the
test butto n. The LC1 0 2 measures the capacitor and
displays the test result. You must look up the values
of leakage, ESR and dielectric absorption in a table to
determine if the capacitor is good or bad.

For automatic GOOD /BAD testing, you first enter the
parameters of the capacitor before performing the test.
Then the LC102 will display the test results along with
a GOOD /BAD indication of the capacitor. Only selected
parameters need to be entered into the LC102, de pend
ing upon which tests you desire a GOOD/BAD readou t
for.

Capacitance M easurement Accuracy

The LC102 measures the RC charge time as the
capacitor is charged through a precision resistor. This
gives the most accurate measurement of true capacity
available. Capacity values measured with the AUTO-Z
may or may not exactly matc h readings on other instru
me nts which use a different measuring technique.
Bridges, for example, measure capacitive reactance

using an AC signal. Capacitive reactance changes with
frequency. Therefore, two bridges operating at different
frequencies will give different capacity readings.

Electrolytic capacitors may normally read up to 50%
higher than their marked value when measured with
the LC102. This is because electrolytics are marked
according to their value as measured on an AC-type
impedance bridge. The value of an electrolytic changes
greatly with the meas urement frequency. This should
cause no problem in determining if an electrolytic
capacitor is good or bad, since most electrolytic
capacitors have up to 80% value tolerance. The
capacitor should read clos e to its marked value, or
within tolerance when chec ked with the LC102. In ad
dition, electrolytics most commonly fail due to leakage,
dielectric absor ption, or ESR. When an electrolytic do es
change value, the value drops far below the mar ked
value.

The LC102 AUTO-Z is designed to measure capacitors
out of circuit. Impedances found in the circuit will upset
the AUTO-Z readings. Capacitors can not be checked
in circuit accurately or reliably with any test method.
Capacitors in circuit, however, may be tested by unso l

dering one lead from the circuit. When doing this, be
sure to remove power from the circuit. If the unit is AC
powered, unplug the AC line cord. Whenever possible,
remove the capacitor completely from the circuit to test
it.

19

■WARNING

Measuring Capacitor Value

When checking capacitors, remove the
capacitor from circuit if possible. Otherwise,
make sure the power is removed from the cir
cuit and the AC line cord to the unit contain
ing the capacitor is unplugged. Always con
nect the capacitor to the LC102 test leads be
fore depressing the CAPACITANCE VALUE
test button, to prevent discharge into test cir
cuitry.

Measuring Small Capacitance
Values In Noisy Environments

The sensitive AUTO-Z measuring circuits may be af

fected by large, outsid e signals (such as the AC fields
radiated by some lights and power transformers) when

small capacitance values are being measure d. Special

circuits in the LC102 help minimize noise pickup and
stablize the readings.

Measurements of small value capacit ors in noisy envi
ronments may be further improved by grounding the
LC 102 case to earth ground. When possible, power the

LC102 with the PA251 AC Power Adapter connected
to a properly ground ed AC outlet. The PA251 Power
Adapter maintains the third wire ground shield and
keeps the noise away from the measuringcircuits inside
the AUTO-Z.

Capacitor Parameter Testing

To Measure Capacitor Value:

1. Zero the test leads , as explained on page 16.

2. Connect the capacitor to the test le ads. If t
capacito r is polarized, be sure to connect the black t<
clip to the “ — ” terminal of the capacitor and the i
test clip to the “ + ” capa citor terminal.

3. Depress the CAPACITOR VALUE button.

4. Read the value of the capacitor in the LCD display.

N O T E : T h e “S H O R T ” annunciator appearing in \
L C D display wh e n the C A P A C I T O R V A L U E but tor ,
depressed indicates a resistance of 1 o h m or l es s at \
t es t lea ds . Check the tes t l e ad s. If they are not short
the capacitor i s bad.

Some capacitors will cause the display to read “Er:
7”. These capacitors have too much leakage current
allow the LC102 to make a value check and should
considered bad.

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The LC102 check s capacitors for capacitance value,
leakage, dielectric absorption and equivalent series re

sistance (ESR), These tests are made directly using the
beige colored TEST buttons. Simply connect the compo 
nent to the test leads, push the desired TEST bu tton,
and read the test result in the LCD display . You can
determine if the component is good or bad by comparing
the measured ESR an d leakage values to the standard
values listed in the tables in this manual and on the
PULL CHART underneath the LC102.

N O T E : Except for the capacitor leakage test, no com p o

nent parameters need t o be entered to perform any

capacitor par amet er te st , if any blue Inductor C o m p o 
nent Ty p e button i s s el ect ed, error code “ Error 1” w i ll
appear in the L C D readout wh e n you attempt t o mak e
a capacitor test. Pu s h the “C L R ” key o n the gray
N U M E R I C ke ypad twice to clear any parameters.

The following procedures provide all the necessary in
formation required to perform the capacitor parameter
tests. A more detailed description of each of the

capacitor tests and failure modes can be found in the

APPLICATIONS section of this manual.

3Ετ · φ 0 1 n r ;

Fig. 15 — To m easure capacitance, connect
capacitor to the test leads and push the CAPACH

VALUE button. The amount o f capacity appears in

LCD display,

Measuring Capacitor
Dielectric Absorption

Dielectric Absorption is often called “battery action

“capacitor memory” an d is the inability of the capac
to completely discharge. While all capacitors have s<
minute amounts of dielectric absorption, electroly
may often develop excessive amo unts which affect
operation of the circuit they are used in .

20

To check a capacitor for dielectric absorption, press the
DIELECTRIC ABSORP button and compare the value
to the cha rt. A fully automatic GO OD/BAD test may
also be u sed to test for dielectric absorp tion. This test
is explained on page 26.

To measure capacitor dielectric absorption:

1 . Connect the capacitor to the test leads. If the

capacitor is polarized, connect the red test clip to the
“ + ” capacitor terminal and the black test clip to the
“ — ” terminal.

2 . Depre ss the DIELECTRIC ABSORP button. A “ - ”

will appear and slowly mov e through the display indi
cating that the test is in progress.

3. Read the percentage of dielectric absorption on the

display.

4. Compare the measured D/A to the amount listed in
Table 1 for the capacitor type you are testing to deter
mine if the capacitor is good or bad.

N O T E : D e pending on the capacitor’s value, type a n d

actual D/A, the LC 1 0 2 may, in a few cas es , take u p to
10 seconds to display a reading.

Maximum Allowable Percent Of D/A

ch arts. The capacitor is good if the measured leakage

is below the amount shown in the chart. A fully automa
tic GOOD/BAD test may also be used to check
capacitors for leakage. This test is explained on page 26.

Ι Π Γ Ι Π V0LTS

I U U.U

o m p q n e n t p a r a m e t e r s

l e a k a g e

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Fig. 16— To test capacitor leakage, enter the working

voltage o f the capacitor.

To measure capacitor leakage:

Capacitor type Maximum % of D/A

Double Layer Lytic Meaningless. D/A may normally

be very high.
Aiuminum Lytic 15%
Tantalum Lytic
Ceramic 10%
All others

Refer to the APPLICATIONS section of this manual for

capacitor type identification.

Table 1— Maximum amounts o f Dielectric A bsorption.

15%

1%

Measuring Capacitor

Leakage (In microamps)

Capacitor leakage occur s when some of the voltage from
one plate flows (leaks) through the dielectric to the
other plate. The amount of leakage current through
the dielectric depends on the voltage applied acr oss the
plates . For this reason, always check a capacitor for
leakage at (or as close as possible to) its rated voltage.
Voltages up to 999.9 volts may by applied with the
LC102 .

1 . Connect the capacitor to the test leads. If the

capacitor is polarized, connect the red test clip to the
“ + ” capacitor terminal and the black test clip to the

terminal.

2. Set the LEAKAGE switch to the “CURRENT” posi

tion to read the leakage of the capaci tor in uA or mA.

3. Enter the normal working voltage of the capac itor
as explained earlier in the section “Entering Compo
nent Parameters” on page 16.

------------

^-------WARNING-------------------

The LC102 is designed to be operated by a

technically trained person who understands

the shock hazard of up to 1000 volts applied
to the test leads during the capacitor leakage
test. DO NOT hold the capacitor in your hand,

or touch the test leads or capacitor leads

when making the leakage test.

4. Depres s the CAPACITOR LEAKAGE button and
read the amount of leakage in the LCD display .

5. Compare the measur ed leakage to the maximum
allowable amou nt listed in the Leakage Charts on pages
2 3 and 24 for the type, value, and voltage rating of the
capacito r you are testing.

To check capacitors for leakage, enter the working vol
tage of the capacitor and p ress the CAPACITOR LEAK
AGE button. Compare the measured leakage current
to the maximum allowable amounts in the leakage

N O T E : B y entering the Comp o n e n t Type a nd Value

parameters for the cap aci tor, the L C 10 2 wi ll automati

cally display the measured leakage along with the same

G O O D IB A D indication as the Leakage Charts.

21