Hi, firstly thank you for all the info and guidance you share. Just needed to know if I join up is there a more in depth step by step video on how to assemble this project ?
I really enjoyed learning about this tool and all the work you put into this. I am just starting my electronics journey. Thank you kindly for your generosity and all that you share with the community - it's a blessing to have a man of your skill and hospitable nature amongst us.
Hi, I've just updated my membership to understand electronics for $2 per month. Is it now possible get the schematic diagram and instructions on how to build the capacitors leakage tester? Thank you.
Mr. Carlson, This channel has been one of my best finds on UA-cam. Where were you when I was in 5th grade (1965) & getting bald out by my teacher for drawing schematic diagrams from memory of tube power supply & amplifier circuits in class. I asked Santa & was given a Weller 8200 gun for Christmas 2 years before that. I got my ham novice ticket by freshman year. I should have gone to electronics college, But couldn't afford it. Since I couldn't find any one like you to help me learn what I didn't understand by the stacks of books I was reading, I turned my attention to motorcycle mechanics instead. I just retired after 47 years at the same Yamaha dealership last month. I now have the time to sit up until sun up learning on UA-cam what I wish I would have learned if only the time. I can't seem to stop watching your channel. You are an EXCELLENT teacher ! You're never boring. You don't over or under explain. You vary your classes to all subjects of electronics. I even wound my on power transformer for a ham transmitter that never got built. I just kept building Heathkits & I have them all today, Even the color TV console that I never could fix because I didn't understand the high voltage power supply & couldn't get Heath parts anymore. My ham kits are still packed away & I always thought I would get them running again, But the old timers of ham are gone & I wouldn't know where to start for advice. Maybe I'll learn what I missed watching your shows. But this note is to tell you how much I appreciate you & the knowledge you have given me so far, And I have only scratched the surface. THANK YOU & I hope this gets back to you. Robert
You make me feel glad I have retired from Electronics after 50 years so that I can really enjoy your excellent video creations/ come lecture! May you carry on forever!!! Thank you !
Dude - this could have made you a fortune with a patent license. Patent trolls have destroyed it for us all - releasing it this way ensures we all win!
Mr. Carlson must be an electrical engineer. As he has such vast knowledge in all kinds of electronics , plus , he can design circuits as well . Congrats Mr. Carlson !!
I'm new to electronics. my dad was always wanting me to learn. He was a technician. i bought a few books and have made my first project. I've been watching your channel. very informative. I've been learning alot. my first project was a LED with a pot. with resister. next was a color organ like from the 70's. using LEDs. i put a SPST switch on it. with audio jack. I'm really enjoying learning. thank you for your channel. i was always told to discharge caps before working on equipment.
I like watching and learning how you do things. I have been working on electronics for almost 8 years, and I am self taught with a multimeter and an old scope. You teach me new things. Thank you for showing and sharing how and what you do.
Excellent! I've passed up so many old leakage testers at ham-fests and conventions over the years. Then, it turned out that was a mistake because the price skyrocketed for no apparent reason. Now, it turns out I did the right thing, and I have you to thank for that. So, thank you Mr. C.
From one of your earliest patrons, I can attest to the benefits of joining your patreon as I have learnt so much and love the invention projects you have built for us, Awesome work.
Outstanding.... I must say, I have never seen capacitors have a personality before, which your designed tested clearly shows... a whole spectrum of emotions... Fine job Sir, I want one of those now...
every video you put out is so very informative ,I do not have a problem at all supporting your patreon ,being instructed properly on this craft in my home is a god send ,i plan on using your schematics on this tester ,how can you go wrong ,people may complain because its on patreon but they dont realize how much time it takes to even produce just 1 of these videos ,thank you so much for all of your videos ,you make it effortlessly fun to watch and learn god bless
The really shocking part( no pun intended) is the fact that ,for all the years previous to this ,faulty capacitors were and are being used in all sorts of equipment. This unit will save so much time and effort in repairs. And...as a bonus....all those suddenly expensive old testers....will be back down to reasonable prices....?...or back to shelf queen museum pieces. Thanks Paul. Really appreciate the astounding time and effort you put into things.... with no thought to personal gain....other then saving people from possible injury or death. Wish there were more like you.
Very very good!!!! I spent 25 years @Sony, 9 of which I was in Service for Medical, Broadcast & Professional video, display & other products. I've learned a lot there but learning even more with Paul.
To me, your sharing attitude is unbelieveable! Thank you for a valuable lesson on capacitor checking. I design too but, I am not as prolific as you. Thank you for your kindness, patience and unselfishness. You truly are a rare bird in this day. How do you make a living when you give away so much? I subscribed and give you a THUMBS UP!.
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Selling the schematic or parts list is wayyyyyyyy different than selling a finished product. He could make a huge profit from the mark-up on selling a finished device; he's making much less selling diagrams. The cost of joining Patreon to get the schematics likely compensates him in the long run for only the time it took him to sit and design the thing and draw up the blueprints and schematics. 🤷 He may not be giving it away, but considering he COULD put that designed product into large scale production and sell them to us for a lot more, he is doing us a big favor.
@@mannys9130 "Selling the schematic or parts list is way different" - who said it wasn't different? - I'm saying that it's not "sharing" as there is a price tag on it. "but considering he COULD put that designed product into large scale production" - he couldn't, there isn't demand for large scale production of something like this, barely anyone wants something like this when the purists demand high voltage testers and the normal people would simply replace all the capacitors without bothering to waste the time testing for leakage. this is something that people build as a hobby and nothing more. as for your comment about designing this thing - based on the specs listed in this video, I designed my own and aside from the fact that I designed in a boost converter instead of lazily sticking 3 9volt batteries in it, my design was almost exactly the same because it wasn't a very taxing endeavor
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Dr Carlson is very kind and giving and you are correct technically. Those who attack you are not being fair. For this is a common malady in life. IE: There is an old adage that says, “If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all.”. Pretty words but totally foolish. For the adage SHOULD have said, "If you say something nice about someone, there is NOTHING wrong to say something that is not nice about somebody, IF, it is true". Because... NO one is all righteous Or unrighteous. We are a composite of both. Sadly! Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none all righteous, no, not one:
I’ve been watching your videos for about a year now, slacked due to the virus but amping back up, and I can’t say enough to thank you! If your not a professor... you should be! I would definitely take your class! I’ve repaired some of my fathers old radios and stereo equipment and have found new hobbies that keep me close to those I’ve lost and for that... THANK YOU! You are amazing!
Shut up and take my money! I was scouting for a cap tester, then you popped out with this little wonder. Please, continue your fine work. I'll get to sourcing parts. Thank you infinitely much, Mr Carlson.
This is the video that made me a patreon subscriber to Mr. Carlson's Lab. I love the atmosphere and the content of the videos. Keep up the good work. We appreciate them! For those of you that aren't aware of his Patreon go give it a browse. I promise it does not disappoint.
You are my 1st patreon I support :-) (And well deserved I might add :-) Looking forward to building and experimenting with your latest creation, and I was really surprised to see just how much you have released over there!!! Thank you :-) I remember watching my father build a Heathkit TV back in the late 70's and him telling me of the extremely high voltages present in the flyback!!! Lost him last month, wish he could have lived long enough to see this tester... Amazing :-) Well done sir!!!
Same here, best electronics channel. I went to patreon after the signature tracer that was awesome. I've just ordered a vintage oscope to start working on that tracer.
I have watched quite a few of your videos Paul, And I must congratulate you on your presentation and consistent quality content on your UA-cam channel. I enjoy watching your videos, even tho i would never repair, or make most of the things on your videos, as I live in Scotland, and don't have access to the things you repair. I have just recently become a Patron, and would like to thank you for the access to all the files needed to make the equipment you make, and for the knowledge you share. Thank you, and please keep producing your awesome videos......Stevie
As I understand, to know for shure if a capacitor has any kind of leakage you have to test it at its rated voltage. The reason is that there is a gap between the two rolled electrodes with a dielectric that if becomes affected may arc, moment in which conductivity would appear abruptly. A very good device to do that is a megaohmeter that generates DC for test, which is very common in the unexpensive ones. The tool is widely known as Megger because of one of the brands that builds them. Other alternatives are the BM500A. These tools will not meter capacitance, but will test and measure accurately high leakage resistances up to 2000Mohm at 250,500 or 1000V.
@@practicalreview6400 A BM500 has a transformer inside. I think that it shifts the 9V into the tranformer and rectifies the high voltage output to high voltage dc with two fast diodes, not a very stable voltage, but the meter can compesate it. It does that like a regular SMPS .
@@cibodor Thank you very much for not only answering me, but so quickly. You have a great understanding in a different area than video makers, I would be interested in seeing some videos by you. Think about it, Mr Carlson is a genius in his field, but does not talk about these areas you mentioned.
I am very impressed by your presentations. I started in Electronics in '79 and did it for 30 years. Every once in a while I will buy a piece of equipment and fix it. I've been bit by the troubleshoot bug and he has to be fed. My comm and Satcom equipment in the Navy had many of those doomed capacitors. The original blueprints were from the '50's and '60's. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for the tech talk.
Thank you Mr.Carlson for the great videos you've published. I really. appreciate them. I just wanted to point out that if a capacitor is intended to be used in a high voltage circuit, it's better to use an up-to-the-spec voltage tester (because of the close to real condition testing) than much a lower voltage tester.
Very impressed with your ingenuity and electrical engineering skills. I would like to build this very useful project. Something else you should consider designing is an ULTRA capacitor tester. They are often in the voltage range of 2.5 to 3.0 volts and up to 3000 to 5000 F. The only way I have to test one is with a CC power supply and a stop watch. Many of the Chinese made capacitors are counterfeit or simply junk. Again thank you for another very well made video and sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
This is why we support you on Patreon, you are doing a very very great job. I'm always exiting when mr. Carlson post a new video :P Congrats for this one!
Thank you so much mr Paul for your precious time to teach people around the world, according to your knowledge and experience in electronics.. I am the one of your followers that really impressed of wha you are doing.. I hope in you next video you can teach us how you did that capacitor leaked tester in details so that build of our own.. God bless you and more power to you!
Thanks Mr. Carlson for sharing your low voltage capacitor leakage tester. I've used the old style HV capacitor leakage tester and would verify the HV was off and the capacitor was discharged with a meter because failures can occur.
Thank you so much for your hard work sir! There's so much crap on the internet these days so thank you for reminding me that the internet can also be a source of immense knowledge and positivity!
Mr. Carlson thank you for this very valuable video. I do intend to proceed over to your web page to “patron” and I do intend to construct this capacitor leakage tester and and hopefully more. Switch mode power supplies is a specialty of mine and I have found that one of the three frequent failures are the filter capacitors on the secondary side with the fast switching diodes being another but most of all the fast switching MOSFET’s on the primary side. I suggest that this capacitor leakage tester will prove invaluable for troubleshooting modern day flat screen TV’s power supplies as it has been my experience that most common failures are leaky capacitors due to the electrolyte in the electrolytic capacitors drying out over a period of time. Also I am in the market for a good “Blue Ring Tester” to enhance the testing of fast switching power transformer in fly back switch mode power supplies as well as the inductance in old school “CRT” type TV’s Deflection yokes and FlyBacks. Once again thanks for such an informative video.
Anatek makes the small blue ring tester that you're referring to, but if you want a more versatile ring tester, a Sencore LC75 or LC101 can do multiple ring tests including those for flybacks and yokes.
Paul, you have done it again, simple, elegant safe and great design. I must say I have learned sooo much from you. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into your videos. I have designed some simple gear (pales in comparison to your devices.). I see you as the N. Tesla of the day. Thanks again for the edification.
Thanks Paul for this demonstration of this very unique device you have created. I think this is a winner! Looks like it sure beats the old eye tube stuff. When you mentioned the price of what the older gear goes for now I had to chuckle a bit. Folks say it is the Carlson effect that cause the price to rise. :-) I just recently rebuilt my IT-28 and now works as intended. I was also sent a Solar solid state tester that uses a meter instead of a tube. I really need to join in your Patreon page plus get mine rolling. So little time here. I know what you mean about busy. A lot of work goes into creating videos. Thanks for sharing this wonderful instrument Paul.
I have recently decided to get back into electronics after a long break and after discovering your most excellent tutorials has got me even more excited and as a subscriber to you i look forward to more great videos, cheers.
You make very high quality videos that actually teach. I've learned alot from you and would rather you take your time and not feel rushed so your videos can stay quality. Awesome job my friend.
Ok, I've finally succumbed and become a Patreon. :) I've spent far more for far less value. Even as a long time EE myself, the value, and the cleverness, as well as the incredibly broad range of knowledge and experience you have impresses me. You, sir, are a REAL engineer---that is a compliment I reserve for very few people, including such people as Jim Williams, and Bob Pease. They are sadly no longer with us, but fortunately for today's generation, we have Paul Carlson to carry the torch. :)
When I watch one of your repair videos I'm always reminded of a line in the book "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!". The line is "He fixes things by thinking!". So there, you've just been compared with a Nobel laureate.
What a fantastic piece of gear you have invented, you could make a fortune! Like you said, it's a wonder no-one had already come up with it. But I don't suppose there are any REAL free thinking engineers (like yourself) left anymore! Congratulations on a job realy well done!
Awesome little invention, Paul, guess I am going to have to go check out your patron page, the more of your stuff I watch, the more impressed I am with your knowledge and skills, keep up the good work!
Your wisdom in this area is immense... thank you sir! I don't do anything myself within this area but I like watching your videos and expand my knowledge in life 🙂
Outstanding job Paul! The sensitivity is excellent. Might be nice to switch between charging rates for small vs larger caps. Congrats on hitting 100k Subscribers!
some caps will test fine at low voltage and then leak or break down at higher voltage heathkit knew what they were doing the old cap testers are fantastic thats why mr carlson has two of them (at least) and they are still fetching $500
Soakage (dielectric absorption) anyone who's discharged and removed the anode cap from a CRT and didn't clip on a shorting wire between the anode button and the ground braid afterward has experienced it when reconnecting the HV lead. Only had to happen to me once it was like a nasty static shock.
Yep, I was thrown to the floor when I started working on arcade monitors. I thought discharging CRTs was a pain in the ass. Turns out it's less of a pain in the ass than a near death experience.
Mr Carlson's Lab but I have no way of paying on patreon do you have to pay to get the schematics for this tester. I The only way I could pay is through gift cards do you accept gift cards for example Amazon.
Michael Lloyd You say it's sad as though getting information for "free" is somehow bad. Are you sad that you don't pay google for your access to youtube? I'm not talking about the money you pay to your ISP to get online, the cost of your landline, or even the portion of mark up applied by retailers to pay for their advertising; only what you pay directly to Google for this particular platform... If I needed a low voltage capacitor tester that was as sensitive as this excellent device, I'd happily pay the patreon money to Mr Carlson for a schematic. EDITED FOR SPELLING mistake.
This is a great alternative/addition to the Sencore LC103 in the electronics shop. Now, not only my lead tech, but my business partners and part help can test caps.
Always amazed on how much knowledge necessary to build up these test gears from scratch. Keep it coming. I'm always trying to follow your path on youtube. Thank you. Suggestion: how about using the same led bar to indicate the capacitor discharge? Maybe it's easier to see the whole discharging instead of trying to see if the one little led is completely off or still barely lit, especially on slower discharging capacitors. In any way it is still a very nice design.
10:40 The off position on the 3 position switch is at an end Comment: The issue with having an off position at a middle position is turning past it. Having the off position at an end allows the user to turn the switch to that end, the switch won't go further, and the device is off. Thanks Mr. Carlson.
Over the pond here in "Blighty" I've managed to get hold of a Post Office "Test Set " 18B. Among its clever functions, all revolving around resistence measurements, it has what they call over here a "megger" to measure condenser leakage in two ranges, 95 and 500 volts. It uses only a nine volt battery but, with a little circuit board, seems to work with AC. It's quite safe, but gives a tingle when touched, a bit like touching a low voltage Tesla coil output. It works a treat and pins down leakage very well. It must be used on isolated condensers.
Since I don't have that amazing home made tester of your ,I happy with my knight kg 670 vintage capacitor tester ,It seems to work better then my ers meter and digital multimeter ,maybe some day you will market and sell a version of the meter you invented,your knowledge of this stuff very Impressive I always learn something from you I thank you for shareing.
Nice build. I personally prefer to measure capacitor leakage with an andjustable power supply and a micro amp meter, I like to judge for myself whether I should keep the cap or not. It does however require some eperience.
This has got me so close to signing up through Patreon. 😄. Perhaps when I've got my 'lab' in order in a few months, I'll make this one of my first projects. But I would like to add... your heathkit and Jackson failed to identify the faulty capacity at approximately half it's rated voltage, sooooo, well, the tests on the 1000V caps are outside of these tools design parameters.
I've been watching your vids for a while now and just getting into repairing vintage radios. This is definitely something I'm going to build so I'm subscribing to your Patreon.
Hi Paul, I have a theory that your "forecast" mode might be the effects of DA dielectric absorption. There is a really good article that Bob Pease wrote on this and I believe that it is also covered in the Sencore "Z" meter manuals. I have not seen your circuit but I would imagine that you are using a low current measurement technique. Very good application.
Nice! A good add on to that would be a visual 2 or even 3 digit timer that counts the charging and leakage creep time. There's always another similar cap lying around for comparison if in doubt...or even a average time graph could be build over time to aid with the diagnostics. For the really fancy folks i would make the works with an micro with full blown LCD display with some text and so on...
Pretty AMAZING| I will certainly buid one as soon as the schematic and PCB layouts will be available. It look like a "must have" instrument in any electronic repair shop.
When I re-cap I change them all. The testing is performed after the fact just for my curiosity. I measure the capacitance and test the leakage current with a variable 500 volt D.C. Power supply with an ammeter. Then I toss them out. All the tests and measurements are fine but not really necessary. I do it for the experience and working experience. In the end you have to do something, change the caps! The three most valuable tools are a meter, scope and generator. That come from a guy whom a year ago did not believe in shot fun re-capping. I lost a good radio to a shorted cap in the Audio output transformer plate circuit. It was my attitude to test and replace, but good results yielded no replacement. Caps are cheap and fun to replace.
1OOK SUBSCRIBERS !!! Congradulations, Really appreciate you videos. Learning so much and love your Lower Cost yet High Quality Test Componets. This is perfect for all us the older retired electronic buffs! I am joining your Patreon Page asap! FYI, I like old tubed radios and would like to see your recommendations on how to design/building a high quality Low Power AM Broadcast Transmitter.
Thanks Dan! I have been approached many times about mini BCB transmitters, so people can listen to their favorite broadcast through their old radios. I'm contemplating this build.
I'm an electrician and I have an insulation resistance tester that pumps out 5,000 volts. I've been shocked a few times by it but there's not enough current available to do any serious damage. Except perhaps when you're at the top of a very high ladder!
Brilliant! Now I can test the capacitors on my Old Heathkit leakage tester and renovate it! Thanks Paul - really really useful piece of kit - I have learned so much from your videos - making the curve tracer now and this will be my next project! I hesitated to be a patreon last year but the best thing I did!
Hi just watched this video how useful for sure. I agree with how dangerous the high voltage of the older radios and the tester. I will become a patreon to build some of these devices. I'm getting into working on my vintage equipment Thank you Paul C. I appreciate your hard work on building a safe capacitor tester that works better with low voltage. Don
Geez, Paul, having pretty much reached the end of my 'useful career time', and having sworn an oath to purchase no more test equipment/capital expenditure tools (I'm a Motorola Two-way Comm dealer), this Low voltage Cap Leak Tester is the proverbial "carrot in front of the jackass".... The smoke seen to your south, is that which is coming from my ears - as I compute this out....
if you consider how large a dent the person will leave when they're body slams off the nearest wall/item , there is variance :) I've done it before and it's not the least bit fun
@@throttlebottle5906 Hand to hand shocks are dangerous because the current may go through your heart. If it does, and you don't have a defibrillator nearby and someone else to use it on you, you're dead. Nothing to do with pain or getting thrown around.
As always perfect. I think that high-voltage testers can better observe dielectric problems, and cheapest way to detect leakage, but not finest, is to use an "electric" screwdriver (with jfet transistor inside).
Paul, even If I know you are more than experienced with this high voltage devices, during the video I got several slight heart attacks while watching you explaining and operating the HV Leakage Tester in this small area ;) You're awesome and you are concerned about our health, This seems a main objective on every design you provide. You really take care of us! Very rare these days and I'm really proud to be a part of your Patreon course! I haven't finished my version yet, but I use your LV Tester on a breadboard in the meanwhile and it works great! Many thanks for all what you do on YT and Patreon.
To learn things about electronics that you won't learn anywhere else, check out my Patreon page here: www.patreon.com/MrCarlsonsLab
Hi, firstly thank you for all the info and guidance you share. Just needed to know if I join up is there a more in depth step by step video on how to assemble this project ?
Quick question if I join patreon at the $2 level will I find the plans for building your capacitor tester?
I really enjoyed learning about this tool and all the work you put into this. I am just starting my electronics journey. Thank you kindly for your generosity and all that you share with the community - it's a blessing to have a man of your skill and hospitable nature amongst us.
Hi, I've just updated my membership to understand electronics for $2 per month. Is it now possible get the schematic diagram and instructions on how to build the capacitors leakage tester? Thank you.
I signed up for patron, but it doesn't give me access. it says it will bill me on Jan 1,2024
Mr. Carlson, This channel has been one of my best finds on UA-cam. Where were you when I was in 5th grade (1965) & getting bald out by my teacher for drawing schematic diagrams from memory of tube power supply & amplifier circuits in class. I asked Santa & was given a Weller 8200 gun for Christmas 2 years before that. I got my ham novice ticket by freshman year. I should have gone to electronics college, But couldn't afford it. Since I couldn't find any one like you to help me learn what I didn't understand by the stacks of books I was reading, I turned my attention to motorcycle mechanics instead. I just retired after 47 years at the same Yamaha dealership last month. I now have the time to sit up until sun up learning on UA-cam what I wish I would have learned if only the time. I can't seem to stop watching your channel. You are an EXCELLENT teacher ! You're never boring. You don't over or under explain. You vary your classes to all subjects of electronics. I even wound my on power transformer for a ham transmitter that never got built. I just kept building Heathkits & I have them all today, Even the color TV console that I never could fix because I didn't understand the high voltage power supply & couldn't get Heath parts anymore. My ham kits are still packed away & I always thought I would get them running again, But the old timers of ham are gone & I wouldn't know where to start for advice. Maybe I'll learn what I missed watching your shows. But this note is to tell you how much I appreciate you & the knowledge you have given me so far, And I have only scratched the surface. THANK YOU & I hope this gets back to you.
Robert
Thanks for taking the time to write Robert, and your kind comments too!
As hobbyists we are so lucky to have you and your knowledge, thank you !
You make me feel glad I have retired from Electronics after 50 years so that I can really enjoy your excellent video creations/ come lecture! May you carry on forever!!! Thank you !
Dude - this could have made you a fortune with a patent license. Patent trolls have destroyed it for us all - releasing it this way ensures we all win!
Mr. Carlson must be an electrical engineer. As he has such vast knowledge in all kinds of electronics , plus , he can design circuits as well . Congrats Mr. Carlson !!
I just became a Patron. The value is undeniable. Thank you for your content!
Welcome aboard!
I'm new to electronics. my dad was always wanting me to learn. He was a technician. i bought a few books and have made my first project. I've been watching your channel. very informative. I've been learning alot. my first project was a LED with a pot. with resister. next was a color organ like from the 70's. using LEDs. i put a SPST switch on it. with audio jack. I'm really enjoying learning. thank you for your channel. i was always told to discharge caps before working on equipment.
I like watching and learning how you do things. I have been working on electronics for almost 8 years, and I am self taught with a multimeter and an old scope. You teach me new things. Thank you for showing and sharing how and what you do.
Excellent! I've passed up so many old leakage testers at ham-fests and conventions over the years. Then, it turned out that was a mistake because the price skyrocketed for no apparent reason. Now, it turns out I did the right thing, and I have you to thank for that. So, thank you Mr. C.
From one of your earliest patrons, I can attest to the benefits of joining your patreon as I have learnt so much and love the invention projects you have built for us, Awesome work.
Outstanding.... I must say, I have never seen capacitors have a personality before, which your designed tested clearly shows... a whole spectrum of emotions... Fine job Sir, I want one of those now...
Oh, dude, your cap can decide to stare at you and be like "I am Groot!"
every video you put out is so very informative ,I do not have a problem at all supporting your patreon ,being instructed properly on this craft in my home is a god send ,i plan on using your schematics on this tester ,how can you go wrong ,people may complain because its on patreon but they dont realize how much time it takes to even produce just 1 of these videos ,thank you so much for all of your videos ,you make it effortlessly fun to watch and learn god bless
The really shocking part( no pun intended) is the fact that ,for all the years previous to this ,faulty capacitors were and are being used in all sorts of equipment. This unit will save so much time and effort in repairs. And...as a bonus....all those suddenly expensive old testers....will be back down to reasonable prices....?...or back to shelf queen museum pieces. Thanks Paul. Really appreciate the astounding time and effort you put into things.... with no thought to personal gain....other then saving people from possible injury or death. Wish there were more like you.
Very very good!!!! I spent 25 years @Sony, 9 of which I was in Service for Medical, Broadcast & Professional video, display & other products. I've learned a lot there but learning even more with Paul.
Simply awesomely, fantastic. Thanks for your hard work. It's cool to think there are still real inventors out there!
To me, your sharing attitude is unbelieveable! Thank you for a valuable lesson on capacitor checking. I design too but, I am not as prolific as you. Thank you for your kindness, patience and unselfishness. You truly are a rare bird in this day. How do you make a living when you give away so much? I subscribed and give you a THUMBS UP!.
I agree with you, very rare on this days
he didn't share it though, he's effectively selling it and this video was the advert.
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Selling the schematic or parts list is wayyyyyyyy different than selling a finished product. He could make a huge profit from the mark-up on selling a finished device; he's making much less selling diagrams. The cost of joining Patreon to get the schematics likely compensates him in the long run for only the time it took him to sit and design the thing and draw up the blueprints and schematics. 🤷 He may not be giving it away, but considering he COULD put that designed product into large scale production and sell them to us for a lot more, he is doing us a big favor.
@@mannys9130 "Selling the schematic or parts list is way different" - who said it wasn't different? - I'm saying that it's not "sharing" as there is a price tag on it.
"but considering he COULD put that designed product into large scale production" - he couldn't, there isn't demand for large scale production of something like this, barely anyone wants something like this when the purists demand high voltage testers and the normal people would simply replace all the capacitors without bothering to waste the time testing for leakage. this is something that people build as a hobby and nothing more.
as for your comment about designing this thing - based on the specs listed in this video, I designed my own and aside from the fact that I designed in a boost converter instead of lazily sticking 3 9volt batteries in it, my design was almost exactly the same because it wasn't a very taxing endeavor
@@Zardox-The-Heretic-Slayer Dr Carlson is very kind and giving and you are correct technically. Those who attack you are not being fair.
For this is a common malady in life. IE: There is an old adage that says, “If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all.”.
Pretty words but totally foolish. For the adage SHOULD have said, "If you say something nice about someone, there is NOTHING wrong to say something that is not nice about somebody, IF, it is true". Because...
NO one is all righteous Or unrighteous. We are a composite of both. Sadly! Romans 3:10 As it is written, There is none all righteous, no, not one:
I’ve been watching your videos for about a year now, slacked due to the virus but amping back up, and I can’t say enough to thank you! If your not a professor... you should be! I would definitely take your class! I’ve repaired some of my fathers old radios and stereo equipment and have found new hobbies that keep me close to those I’ve lost and for that... THANK YOU! You are amazing!
Your videos bring back lots of memories. Own some of the old equipment. Retired 11years now.
Shut up and take my money!
I was scouting for a cap tester, then you popped out with this little wonder. Please, continue your fine work. I'll get to sourcing parts. Thank you infinitely much, Mr Carlson.
You're very welcome!
This is the video that made me a patreon subscriber to Mr. Carlson's Lab. I love the atmosphere and the content of the videos. Keep up the good work. We appreciate them! For those of you that aren't aware of his Patreon go give it a browse. I promise it does not disappoint.
Joined Patreon , Mr Carlson has the Gift of taking highly technical subject and breaking down to its simplistic form!
You are my 1st patreon I support :-) (And well deserved I might add :-) Looking forward to building and experimenting with your latest creation, and I was really surprised to see just how much you have released over there!!! Thank you :-) I remember watching my father build a Heathkit TV back in the late 70's and him telling me of the extremely high voltages present in the flyback!!! Lost him last month, wish he could have lived long enough to see this tester... Amazing :-) Well done sir!!!
Thank You Brian for the kind comment, and Welcome!
Same here, best electronics channel. I went to patreon after the signature tracer that was awesome. I've just ordered a vintage oscope to start working on that tracer.
Great, see you there!
I am happy the guys like you still exist!
Thanks for your work, you really do a lot for the youtube electronics community!
Thank You!
I have watched quite a few of your videos Paul, And I must congratulate you on your presentation and consistent quality content on your UA-cam channel.
I enjoy watching your videos, even tho i would never repair, or make most of the things on your videos, as I live in Scotland, and don't have access to the things you repair.
I have just recently become a Patron, and would like to thank you for the access to all the files needed to make the equipment you make, and for the knowledge you share.
Thank you, and please keep producing your awesome videos......Stevie
A very worthwhile device. I was surprised when you told me the price. You are a very highly skilled designer. Thank you.
As I understand, to know for shure if a capacitor has any kind of leakage you have to test it at its rated voltage. The reason is that there is a gap between the two rolled electrodes with a dielectric that if becomes affected may arc, moment in which conductivity would appear abruptly.
A very good device to do that is a megaohmeter that generates DC for test, which is very common in the unexpensive ones. The tool is widely known as Megger because of one of the brands that builds them. Other alternatives are the BM500A. These tools will not meter capacitance, but will test and measure accurately high leakage resistances up to 2000Mohm at 250,500 or 1000V.
Do you have any idea how this megaohmeter generates the voltage? Is it by voltage doubling or a step up transformer?
@@practicalreview6400 A BM500 has a transformer inside. I think that it shifts the 9V into the tranformer and rectifies the high voltage output to high voltage dc with two fast diodes, not a very stable voltage, but the meter can compesate it. It does that like a regular SMPS .
@@cibodor Thank you very much for not only answering me, but so quickly. You have a great understanding in a different area than video makers, I would be interested in seeing some videos by you. Think about it, Mr Carlson is a genius in his field, but does not talk about these areas you mentioned.
I am very impressed by your presentations. I started in Electronics in '79 and did it for 30 years. Every once in a while I will buy a piece of equipment and fix it.
I've been bit by the troubleshoot bug and he has to be fed. My comm and Satcom equipment in the Navy had many of those doomed capacitors. The original blueprints were from the '50's and '60's. Just wanted to say hi and thanks for the tech talk.
Thank you Mr.Carlson for the great videos you've published. I really. appreciate them. I just wanted to point out that if a capacitor is intended to be used in a high voltage circuit, it's better to use an up-to-the-spec voltage tester (because of the close to real condition testing) than much a lower voltage tester.
Excellent demo of a clever and necessary device for every test bench. Two thumbs up for the design, function, and simplicity factor. Well done, Paul!
Thank You!
Very impressed with your ingenuity and electrical engineering skills. I would like to build this very useful project. Something else you should consider designing is an ULTRA capacitor tester. They are often in the voltage range of 2.5 to 3.0 volts and up to 3000 to 5000 F. The only way I have to test one is with a CC power supply and a stop watch. Many of the Chinese made capacitors are counterfeit or simply junk. Again thank you for another very well made video and sharing your knowledge with the rest of us.
This is why we support you on Patreon, you are doing a very very great job. I'm always exiting when mr. Carlson post a new video :P Congrats for this one!
Your cap tester is aesthetically pleasing as well.
Thank you so much mr Paul for your precious time to teach people around the world, according to your knowledge and experience in electronics.. I am the one of your followers that really impressed of wha you are doing.. I hope in you next video you can teach us how you did that capacitor leaked tester in details so that build of our own.. God bless you and more power to you!
Thanks Mr. Carlson for sharing your low voltage capacitor leakage tester. I've used the old style HV capacitor leakage tester and would verify the HV was off and the capacitor was discharged with a meter because failures can occur.
Thank you so much for your hard work sir! There's so much crap on the internet these days so thank you for reminding me that the internet can also be a source of immense knowledge and positivity!
Mr. Carlson thank you for this very valuable video. I do intend to proceed over to your web page to “patron” and I do intend to construct this capacitor leakage tester and and hopefully more. Switch mode power supplies is a specialty of mine and I have found that one of the three frequent failures are the filter capacitors on the secondary side with the fast switching diodes being another but most of all the fast switching MOSFET’s on the primary side. I suggest that this capacitor leakage tester will prove invaluable for troubleshooting modern day flat screen TV’s power supplies as it has been my experience that most common failures are leaky capacitors due to the electrolyte in the electrolytic capacitors drying out over a period of time. Also I am in the market for a good “Blue Ring Tester” to enhance the testing of fast switching power transformer in fly back switch mode power supplies as well as the inductance in old school “CRT” type TV’s Deflection yokes and FlyBacks. Once again thanks for such an informative video.
Anatek makes the small blue ring tester that you're referring to, but if you want a more versatile ring tester, a Sencore LC75 or LC101 can do multiple ring tests including those for flybacks and yokes.
Paul, you have done it again, simple, elegant safe and great design. I must say I have learned sooo much from you. I appreciate all the time and effort you put into your videos. I have designed some simple gear (pales in comparison to your devices.). I see you as the N. Tesla of the day. Thanks again for the edification.
Mr. Carlson explained well in the video and I should have watched it before asking. The one he referred to is parallel while ESR is serial.
Thanks Paul for this demonstration of this very unique device you have created. I think this is a winner! Looks like it sure beats the old eye tube stuff. When you mentioned the price of what the older gear goes for now I had to chuckle a bit. Folks say it is the Carlson effect that cause the price to rise. :-) I just recently rebuilt my IT-28 and now works as intended. I was also sent a Solar solid state tester that uses a meter instead of a tube. I really need to join in your Patreon page plus get mine rolling. So little time here. I know what you mean about busy. A lot of work goes into creating videos. Thanks for sharing this wonderful instrument Paul.
I have recently decided to get back into electronics after a long break and after discovering your most excellent tutorials has got me even more excited and as a subscriber to you i look forward to more great videos, cheers.
Thanks Roger!
You make very high quality videos that actually teach. I've learned alot from you and would rather you take your time and not feel rushed so your videos can stay quality. Awesome job my friend.
Ok, I've finally succumbed and become a Patreon. :) I've spent far more for far less value.
Even as a long time EE myself, the value, and the cleverness, as well as the incredibly broad range of knowledge and experience you have impresses me. You, sir, are a REAL engineer---that is a compliment I reserve for very few people, including such people as Jim Williams, and Bob Pease. They are sadly no longer with us, but fortunately for today's generation, we have Paul Carlson to carry the torch. :)
Hi David. You are classifying me with two very great men. To be thought of in this way is an honor, and I thank you for that!
Perhaps you're confusing engineers with technicians - the two do have partially overlapping skill sets.
When I watch one of your repair videos I'm always reminded of a line in the book "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!". The line is "He fixes things by thinking!". So there, you've just been compared with a Nobel laureate.
I still have a Jim Williams pulse generator I built years ago 😍😎
What a fantastic piece of gear you have invented, you could make a fortune!
Like you said, it's a wonder no-one had already come up with it.
But I don't suppose there are any REAL free thinking engineers (like yourself) left anymore!
Congratulations on a job realy well done!
Awesome little invention, Paul, guess I am going to have to go check out your patron page, the more of your stuff I watch, the more impressed I am with your knowledge and skills, keep up the good work!
Your wisdom in this area is immense... thank you sir! I don't do anything myself within this area but I like watching your videos and expand my knowledge in life 🙂
You are very welcome!
Outstanding Mr Carlson! This device you made is pure genius :)
Thanks Paul! A proud patreon supporter.
Outstanding job Paul! The sensitivity is excellent.
Might be nice to switch between charging rates for small vs larger caps.
Congrats on hitting 100k Subscribers!
some caps will test fine at low voltage and then leak or break down at higher voltage heathkit knew what they were doing the old cap testers are fantastic thats why mr carlson has two of them (at least) and they are still fetching $500
Another excellent well explained article. He deserves an award and hope people are subscribing to patreon
Soakage (dielectric absorption) anyone who's discharged and removed the anode cap from a CRT and didn't clip on a shorting wire between the anode button and the ground braid afterward has experienced it when reconnecting the HV lead.
Only had to happen to me once it was like a nasty static shock.
landing across the room once and getting back up, tends to make you not err again ;)
Same thing happened to me too. It's what you call a steep learning curve!
You're not gonna do that again!
Yep, I was thrown to the floor when I started working on arcade monitors. I thought discharging CRTs was a pain in the ass. Turns out it's less of a pain in the ass than a near death experience.
Yes, the shock from one of those will not kill you but it can make you hurt yourself.
Always a pleasure to watch such a gifted teacher!
It would be an honor to be even half the electronics geek Mr. Carlson is. Of course I consider GEEK a compliment.
This is a great example of why it's good to support you on Patreon.
Thanks Michael!
Mr Carlson's Lab but I have no way of paying on patreon do you have to pay to get the schematics for this tester. I The only way I could pay is through gift cards do you accept gift cards for example Amazon.
That's certainly an option as well. Free college for all! Now that is what is sad...
It's 10 cents a day...
Michael Lloyd You say it's sad as though getting information for "free" is somehow bad. Are you sad that you don't pay google for your access to youtube? I'm not talking about the money you pay to your ISP to get online, the cost of your landline, or even the portion of mark up applied by retailers to pay for their advertising; only what you pay directly to Google for this particular platform...
If I needed a low voltage capacitor tester that was as sensitive as this excellent device, I'd happily pay the patreon money to Mr Carlson for a schematic.
EDITED FOR SPELLING mistake.
Always a delight to watch this video again 👍
I enjoy your Patreon vids and appreciate all your time effort! This is on my list of projects for the near future!
This is a great alternative/addition to the Sencore LC103 in the electronics shop. Now, not only my lead tech, but my business partners and part help can test caps.
Mr. Carlson is a GREAT teacher! Ver IMPRESSIVE! Thanks!
Always amazed on how much knowledge necessary to build up these test gears from scratch. Keep it coming. I'm always trying to follow your path on youtube. Thank you.
Suggestion: how about using the same led bar to indicate the capacitor discharge? Maybe it's easier to see the whole discharging instead of trying to see if the one little led is completely off or still barely lit, especially on slower discharging capacitors. In any way it is still a very nice design.
I discovered this awesome channel I really appreciate your effort to help and educate further the electronics community.
Welcome aboard!
Incredibly awesome kind Sir. Thanks Paul for what you have shared with us. As always, you are a "Cut-Above".
10:40 The off position on the 3 position switch is at an end
Comment: The issue with having an off position at a middle position is turning past it. Having the off position at an end allows the user to turn the switch to that end, the switch won't go further, and the device is off. Thanks Mr. Carlson.
Good engineering. Tempting to go Patreon for this alone.
You and that gentleman from EEVblog (Dave) are excellent instructors. Subscribed!!!
Over the pond here in "Blighty" I've managed to get hold of a Post Office "Test Set " 18B. Among its clever functions, all revolving around resistence measurements, it has what they call over here a "megger" to measure condenser leakage in two ranges, 95 and 500 volts. It uses only a nine volt battery but, with a little circuit board, seems to work with AC. It's quite safe, but gives a tingle when touched, a bit like touching a low voltage Tesla coil output. It works a treat and pins down leakage very well. It must be used on isolated condensers.
Mr. Carlson is a real good teacher. Thank you very much!
Since I don't have that amazing home made tester of your ,I happy with my knight kg 670 vintage capacitor tester ,It seems to work better then my ers meter and digital multimeter ,maybe some day you will market and sell a version of the meter you invented,your knowledge of this stuff very Impressive I always learn something from you I thank you for shareing.
Nice build. I personally prefer to measure capacitor leakage with an andjustable power supply and a micro amp meter, I like to judge for myself whether I should keep the cap or not. It does however require some eperience.
I am happy with the amount of time between your videos, gives me time to learn. I am new at this so it will take time.
Thanks for all the work you do, Doc. Cheers to you and the wife. :)
I make the basic Mr carlson's leakage tester and is just awesome! Thank you allot!
You're welcome!
This has got me so close to signing up through Patreon. 😄. Perhaps when I've got my 'lab' in order in a few months, I'll make this one of my first projects. But I would like to add... your heathkit and Jackson failed to identify the faulty capacity at approximately half it's rated voltage, sooooo, well, the tests on the 1000V caps are outside of these tools design parameters.
I've been watching your vids for a while now and just getting into repairing vintage radios. This is definitely something I'm going to build so I'm subscribing to your Patreon.
Thanks!
Hi Paul,
I have a theory that your "forecast" mode might be the effects of DA dielectric absorption. There is a really good article that Bob Pease wrote on this and I believe that it is also covered in the Sencore "Z" meter manuals. I have not seen your circuit but I would imagine that you are using a low current measurement technique. Very good application.
thanks so much for explaining so many different things on here. I search and use your videos a lot to help me with my job.
Nice! A good add on to that would be a visual 2 or even 3 digit timer that counts the charging and leakage creep time. There's always another similar cap lying around for comparison if in doubt...or even a average time graph could be build over time to aid with the diagnostics. For the really fancy folks i would make the works with an micro with full blown LCD display with some text and so on...
Pretty AMAZING| I will certainly buid one as soon as the schematic and PCB layouts will be available. It look like a "must have" instrument in any electronic repair shop.
When I re-cap I change them all. The testing is performed after the fact just for my curiosity. I measure the capacitance and test the leakage current with a variable 500 volt D.C. Power supply with an ammeter. Then I toss them out. All the tests and measurements are fine but not really necessary. I do it for the experience and working experience. In the end you have to do something, change the caps! The three most valuable tools are a meter, scope and generator. That come from a guy whom a year ago did not believe in shot fun re-capping. I lost a good radio to a shorted cap in the Audio output transformer plate circuit. It was my attitude to test and replace, but good results yielded no replacement. Caps are cheap and fun to replace.
I suppose you've done a smoke test or two in your day....nooo smokeee nooo workeee...lol
Very nice and brilliant device! The forecast feature is indeed handy. Thanks for sharing this great project!
1OOK SUBSCRIBERS !!!
Congradulations, Really appreciate you videos. Learning so much and love your Lower Cost yet High Quality Test Componets. This is perfect for all us the older retired electronic buffs! I am joining your Patreon Page asap! FYI, I like old tubed radios and would like to see your recommendations on how to design/building a high quality Low Power AM Broadcast Transmitter.
Thanks Dan! I have been approached many times about mini BCB transmitters, so people can listen to their favorite broadcast through their old radios. I'm contemplating this build.
Your 100,000 subs. Gratzzzz
Thanks Tango!
Imagine: Wembley stadium's capacity is 90,000.
Tangobaldy is
I'm an electrician and I have an insulation resistance tester that pumps out 5,000 volts. I've been shocked a few times by it but there's not enough current available to do any serious damage. Except perhaps when you're at the top of a very high ladder!
LOL, I think we have all been hit a time or two from a Megger.
Brilliant! Now I can test the capacitors on my Old Heathkit leakage tester and renovate it! Thanks Paul - really really useful piece of kit - I have learned so much from your videos - making the curve tracer now and this will be my next project! I hesitated to be a patreon last year but the best thing I did!
Hi just watched this video how useful for sure. I agree with how dangerous the high voltage of the older radios and the tester. I will become a patreon to build some of these devices. I'm getting into working on my vintage equipment Thank you Paul C. I appreciate your hard work on building a safe capacitor tester that works better with low voltage. Don
Incredible results! A bit slower than the old gear but what's speed if you don't get a correct result. Perfect for that oddball hard to sub capacitor
great device, the only thing i would add to it, is a timer to have a reference of the time it would take to charge a good cap vs a bad cap
Geez, Paul, having pretty much reached the end of my 'useful career time', and having sworn an oath to purchase no more test equipment/capital expenditure tools (I'm a Motorola Two-way Comm dealer), this Low voltage Cap Leak Tester is the proverbial
"carrot in front of the jackass".... The smoke seen to your south, is that which is coming from my ears - as I compute this out....
Mr. Carlson, many thanks. Your work is very creative.
You are very welcome
cheers and thx paul :-D love all ur vid's. wish you would had opened it up and shown the inside layout.
Congratulations on reaching 100k subscribers!
I have to chuckle at the phrase "a very fatal situation". It kind of implies that there may be degrees of fatality. Excellent content as usual!
if you consider how large a dent the person will leave when they're body slams off the nearest wall/item , there is variance :)
I've done it before and it's not the least bit fun
@@throttlebottle5906 Hand to hand shocks are dangerous because the current may go through your heart. If it does, and you don't have a defibrillator nearby and someone else to use it on you, you're dead. Nothing to do with pain or getting thrown around.
As always perfect. I think that high-voltage testers can better observe dielectric problems, and cheapest way to detect leakage, but not finest, is to use an "electric" screwdriver (with jfet transistor inside).
Damn... Now I'm gonna have to subscribe to your Patreon page.
Congrats Mr. Carlson, you've got a new student.
I see you signed up, Welcome!
Paul, you sir, are a genius! And you just got another Patreon contributor!
Thank You Paul. Brilliant. So much appreciate your efforts and generosity. A humble Genius.
Thank you for your kind words Dan!
Amazing how smart you are and God has Blessed you.
These videos are great. I just wish I knew what he was talking about .Its still interesting to watch.
Paul, even If I know you are more than experienced with this high voltage devices, during the video I got several slight heart attacks while watching you explaining and operating the HV Leakage Tester in this small area ;) You're awesome and you are concerned about our health, This seems a main objective on every design you provide. You really take care of us! Very rare these days and I'm really proud to be a part of your Patreon course! I haven't finished my version yet, but I use your LV Tester on a breadboard in the meanwhile and it works great! Many thanks for all what you do on YT and Patreon.
You're very welcome Ralf! I took a look at your project on Patreon and it looks fantastic! *Like really fantastic!* Keep up the great work!
Thank you Paul!