Best Cheap Capacitance Meter?

It doesn't meet you Best Cheap Capacitance Meter?

The sound port of your PC:

A hobby license for the software is $29. I have the pro license because I use the software for consulting work but I believe the phase meter and capacitance measurement is the same as the hobby edition. I also use a USB sound interface from Behringer in order to have a clean "on-the-bench" port without cables that could pick up noise. That interface was another $25-30.

The AADE meter is good but you'd have to get one used since Neil Hecht passed away :-(

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

I was rather amazed at how well this works. There are a couple of issues tho. It requires a FULL sound card interface. Many laptops/tablets/etc don't have stereo inputs. You need some sound POWER to drive the thing. That means a speaker output. Simple line audio out wasn't enough when I tried it. I use an old USB soundblaster adapter.

The Behringer UCA202 has a headphone output for that. What I haven't figured out yet is how to log capacitance as a running graph over time with this LCR routine, for sensor applications. So far I have to use the phase meter and chart recorder for it which is a bit clumsy because it will not correctly correlate to capacitance if there is any resistance involved (and there always is).

Other than that Daqarta is an amazing tool set. Once I sat in a Boeing

737 and had nothing more to read. So I turned on the laptop (in aircraft mode sans WLAN) and graphed the FFT of what the mike picked up. Rough flight. You could clearly see the engine RPMs spool up and down as the pilots tried various altitudes to seek a less shaky ride. "We are going to a lower altitude again soon" ... "How do you know?" ... "From the waterfall diagram here" ... "HUH?". [...]

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

The Amprobe AM-220 does all the usual multimeter things, plus backlit display, autoranging capacitance meter and frequency/duty cycle measurement for $39.99 on da 'Bay. I have one, is nice...

Jim - I've got a couple of Harbor Freight's $20 3.5 digit multimeters & they've served well, complete with capacitence measurement. They aren't autoranging, which I prefer.

Hul

Jim Thomps> Best Cheap Capacitance Meter?

Joerg, you are a total hoot!

I've always wanted to look at the spectrum of natural sources, gurgling streams, waterfalls, rain drops on tarps/tents.

George H.

I could have wrinkled my forehead and said "Ahm, wait .. oh-oh .. that doesn't look good!". But I refrained, I did that once after the rumble of the flaps being pulled in and the person next to me turned totally pale.

If you need a waterfall FFT display I found this is sometimes even better,and free for hobby use:

AFAIK not ok to be used commercially which is why I bought a Daqarta license.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

Is $7.79 too much?

If it's too expensive, maybe cheaper on AliExpress. Nope... $10.65

Bangood is about the same at $9.38

Of course, the cost of ownership is important. I suggest you consider a LiIon rechargeable 9V battery which uses a cell phone charger:

--
Jeff Liebermann     jeffl@cruzio.com 
150 Felker St #D    http://www.LearnByDestroying.com 
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com 
Skype: JeffLiebermann     AE6KS    831-336-2558

I got a BK precision 815 a while back and though its good for Battery/Diode-Transistor Testing/Resistance, but I'm really unsure of it's accuracy on small capacitors. Small Variable Capacitors show no change at all. There are these caseless meters out of China on EBay(just search L/C Meter) but I am high suspicious of any of the cheap crap out of the orient. Anyone have experience with these?

And most people think the engines control (air)speed. They don't of course, they control altitude. Speed is changed via the elevators :)

What happened to the LCR one I sent you?

They do have their uses at times and you can't beat that price! I certainly wouldn't be without mine now, having finally got used to its various quirks.

I've tried those. They work mostly, but are readily confused by complications in the DUT.

NT

Yup. They only indirectly control airspeed because you have to pull the stick if that gets too high.

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Regards, Joerg 

http://www.analogconsultants.com/

It's not so simple: If you're flying in the faster branch of the lift/drag curve (cruise speeds), thrust has a greater effect to airspeed and elevators have a greater effect to climb. On the slower branch of the lift/drag curve (like at landing) the effects are the other way round.

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-TV

I just ordered one of these (eBay# 291813638743) a few days ago. The specs look pretty good at first glance, has manual and autorange capabilities, large capacitance range, backlit display, free shipping, etc. No experience with this unit, but price was right and has better specs than most of the cheap Chinese meters. Time will tell. The seller accepts offers... they accepted my offer of $22.00 US. YMMV

Cheers, Dave M