Testing Inductors and Capacitors 2

[c22sail]

Whatis a good way to test large inductors and capacitors?

 

[jbartos]

Suggestion: Adhere to industry standards. E.g. visit

http://www.ec-central.org/engineering/Committees/P21/P-21_Minutes_100200.htm

http://www.cooperpower.com/Products/Specifications/Word/72.doc

for: ix) Compliant to ANSI/IEEE std, 18 latest revision,

http://www.ieee.org,

and
and NEMA CP-1 latest revision.

http://www.nema.org

Similarly for inductors

 

[c22sail]

Thank you. Gives me a place to look.

 

[Baldor]

What do you want to test for?
I worked for a manuf. that made large inductors. We built a test fixture with caps, variac, transformer, a CT, and motor starter. We'd connect the inductor, charge the caps to twice the inductor voltage rating, and close the starter. This put the inductor in a "tank" circuit. We used the CT to capture the resulting waveform on a scope. From the frequency we could determine the inductance (since the capacitance was already known). The waveform shape would tell us if there were any other problems. For current handling, we'd hook the inductor to an SCR bridge and run it at rated current until the temp stabilized.

 

[c22sail]

You ask a good question. What I had in mind may be to simple. Ohm meter readings of an inductor in a circuit provide inadequate results as to the integrity of the device. I did not know if there is a relatively simple test.

 

[DanDel]

There are handheld meters available that can test capacitors and inductors and give the results in pico, micro, or milliFarads or Henries.
BK Precision makes one, the model 878 LCR meter.
Obviously, insulation resistance tests to ground are always applicable for both capacitors and inductors.

 

[c22sail]

Thanks! I will check out BK Precisions site.