HANDS-ON TEST & MEASUREMENT

ESR/C Meter
A versatile meter
for
capacitors
Flemming Jensen

The two most important

properties of a capacitor are
its capacitance and its
internal resistance (ESR). You
need to know both values in
order to judge whether a
capacitor is suitable for a
particular application. The
meter described here
combines two popular
Elektor Electronics projects to
create a convenient new
instruments that rightly
belongs in every well-
equipped electronics lab.

D
igital capacitance meters have advanced) type of meter. series with the ‘ideal’ capacitance (see
become fairly inexpensive. Most There’s another important property of Figure 1). The resistance represents
commercial capacitance meters a capacitor that cannot be measured the losses inside the component, and
have a measurement range of a few using a normal capacitance meter: its it largely corresponds to the quality of
picofarads to 2,000 mF. Some can even equivalent series resistance (ESR). the capacitor.
go as far as 20 mF, but that’s where it Beside the capacitance, it is one of the Electrolytic capacitors tend to dry out
stops. Large capacitors with values of most important properties of a capaci- after a long time, which causes their
several hundred millifarads, which are tor. An ideal capacitor is a purely reac- ESR to increase. A pure reactance can-
often used in power supplies, printers tive component, with a 90-degree not generate any heat, due to the
and photocopiers, cannot be measured phase shift between voltage and cur- phase shift of exactly 90 degrees
using such meters. That means you rent. However, practical capacitors between voltage and current, but a
will need a different (and more also have a non-zero resistance in resistance can generate heat. The heat

30 elektor electronics - 9/2005

 dissipated in a capacitor due to its ESR greater than 10 Ω, since a capacitor
increases in a switch-mode circuit, with such a high ESR value probably
which causes its quality to deteriorate should be replaced. If no signal is emit-
even more. With an aged electrolytic ted, you should briefly check the dis-
capacitor, it is not uncommon to find play to see what’s wrong.
that although the capacitance has No new functions have been added to
decreased by only a few percent, the the capacitance meter. Here the major
ESR is more than 100 Ω. An ESR of this change consists of rewriting the code
magnitude makes a capacitor com- for the PIC16F877.
pletely unusable in switch-mode cir- the charging time. The results are dis-
cuits and hardly usable for any other played on a two-line alphanumeric
type of application.
Measurement principle LCD module.
of the capacitance meter
The complete schematic diagram is
Why a combined meter? shown in Figure 2. The circuit of the Hum interference
An ESR meter and a capacitance meter capacitance meter is based on a CMOS The input impedance is very high in
measure two different things. They version of the well-known 555 timer IC, the picofarad range. In that range, the
complement each other. That’s why it’s which is used here as a monostable capacitor is charged via a resistance of
convenient to combine the two meas- multivibrator. The PIC provides the 5–6 MΩ. As a result, the meter is quite
urements in a single instrument. For reset signal, controls the trigger input, sensitive to AC mains interference
this purpose, the author has merged and monitors the output of the 555. (hum) in the picofarad range. You
the especially popular ESR Tester pub- The larger the value of the capacitor to should keep the meter well away from
lished in the September 2002 issue be measured, the longer the output of transformers and similar components
with the Autoranging Capacitance the 555 remains high. A counter in the when making measurements in the
Meter published in February 2003 (and PIC counts up as long as the output picofarad range, since otherwise the
also designed by the author). The remains high. The count is read when displayed value may fluctuate.
result is a handy instrument with a the output goes low. In order to suppress the effects of pos-
dual function and outstanding charac- The PIC automatically switches sible hum, the measurement is made
teristics. between the various measurement twice in the picofarad range at an
The new instrument also has a consid- ranges. The meter has three ranges: interval of 10 ms. The average value of
erably more up-to-date design than the 1–9999 pF, 10–9999 nF, and >10 µF. To the two measurements is calculated
original versions. The design of the make the measurement easy to read, a and displayed. That makes the meas-
original ESR meter was based on a value of 1000 pF or 1000 nF is shown ured value more stable. The imped-
voltmeter IC, but new design is built as 1.00 nF or 1.00 µF, respectively. ance is relatively low in the two other
around a type 16F877 PIC microcon- The capacitance meter has automatic ranges, so no special measures are
troller. The advantage of this is that zero adjustment. After the instrument is taken. The measurements on those
some new features can be added, switched on, the PIC executes a rou- ranges are thus single measurements
while there is also enough room for the tine to measure the residual capaci- without any averaging.
program for the capacitance meter. tance of the probe leads or other exter-
The following capabilities have been nal circuitry. The measured value is
added to the ESR meter: subsequently subtracted from every Large capacitances
- AC resistance (ESR) and DC resist- reading to yield the correct value, so Capacitors with values less than
ance are displayed simultaneously. In the offset resulting from using different 10 mF are continuously measured. The
the old design, you had to select one or probe leads does not affect the read- measurement cycle is repeated period-
the other by pressing a switch. The DC ing. It’s thus important to ensure that ically starting with the picofarad
resistance indicates whether the the meter is not connected to a capac- range, followed by the nanofarad
capacitor is internally shorted (and itor when it is switched on, although range and then the microfarad range.
thus simply ‘kaput’). this actually only applies to the pico- Capacitors with values greater than
- The new design asks the user to farad range.
short the probes together when the For capacitance measurements in the
meter is switched on, so the offset can other ranges, no problem will result if
be measured. With the old design, this the capacitor is already connected
ideal
had to be handled mechanically. before the meter is switched on. Imme- capacitor
- An audio function is built in to avoid diately after the automatic zero adjust-
having to always keep an eye on the ment, the meter starts measuring in ESR
meter. That’s primarily helpful when the picofarad range. If the capacitance
you’re making measurements on is too large, a counter overflow occurs 1
capacitors deep inside a device. The and the PIC selects the nanofarad reactive part X C =
2πf.C
rounded-off ESR value is indicated by range. A lower charging resistance is
012022 - 11
beeps. If the measured ESR is in the selected for this range (R17–R19 and
range of 3.1–4.1 Ω, for instance, four P2–P4), so the charging current is
beeps are emitted. The meter also gen- higher. If the capacitance is still too Figure 1. The most important property of a
erates a warning signal if the DC large, the PIC switches to the micro- capacitor is its capacitance. The second most
resistance is less than 10 Ω. No beeps farad range and completes the meas- important property is its equivalent series
are emitted if the measured ESR is urement in that range, regardless of resistance (ESR).

9/2005 - elektor electronics 31

HANDS-ON TEST & MEASUREMENT

C10 +5V +5V

10µ
R27
C16
+5V 220 Ω
16V R25
2 4
100n BZ1

10k
C+ C- C15
+5V -5V
8 5 11 32
V+ VOUT
IC4 100n +5V
ICL7660 1 26 K1
7 6 C11 14 MCLR RX/RC7
OSC LV C7 15 1
RC0
10µ 4 6 33 16 2
MCLR RB0 INT/RB0 RC1
100n
3 16V 7 34 3
RB1 RB1 8
17 8 35 RE0/AN5 4
+VBAT RA0 IC2 RB2 RB2 9
18 9 36 RE1/AN6 5 P5
IC6 RA1 RB3 RB3 10
1 10 37 RE2/AN7 6
S2 78L05 +5V RA2 RB4 RB4
2 PIC16F84 11 38 IC1 19 7
RA3 RB5 RB5 RD0
3 12 39 20 8 22k
R28 RA4 RB6 RB6 RD1
13 40 21 9
RB7 RB7 RD2
10k

BT1 C8 C9
22 10
OSC2 OSC1 RD3 -5V
100n 100n 27 11
9V 15 5 16 RD4
PIC16F877 28 12
R29 RD5
29 13 LC DISPLAY
RD6
10k

30 14
7 RD7
RA5/AN4 15
6 17
RA4/T0CK RC2 16
5 18
RA3/AN3 RC3
4 23
RA2/AN2 RC4
3 24
RA1/AN1 RC5 +5V
2 25 R21
RA0/AN0 TX/RC6

1k
R26 OSC2 OSC1
12 14 13 31
10k

T1
C17
X1

1 100n
BC557
3
C3 20MHz C4
2
P3 P4 P2 4 8
Cx
+5V 22p 27p R
S1 1k 200 Ω 1M 2
4 TR
R18 R19 R17 IC5
6
14

120 Ω

8M2
7k85
C14 7 3
5 DIS OUT
IC3
TLC555
7 100n
6
THR

CV
5 1
IC3.C C2
R1 R12 1% P6 R22
11 10
56 Ω 1M 82k
47n
sense + R10 C1 100k
R3 R5 12
1k
signal + 56 Ω 2k2
IC3.B 1n 6
2x R7 R11 1% R20 +VBAT
4 3 2 7
1N4007 1M IC7.B 1k
2k2

R9
R30 1 5
R14 1% IC7.A 10k
180 Ω

D2 D3 D4 D5 5 3
1M C12
R8 R13
13 R24 IC7 = LF412 D1 100n
2x +5V 8
2k2

1M

R15 C6 C5
1 2
2k2

1N4007 1% 10k IC7

220n 10µ 4
R4 R6 5V6 C13
IC3.A 16V
signal – 56 Ω 2k2 R23 P1
6 100k 100n
47 Ω

sense – R2
8 9 R16
56 Ω
10k
IC3 = 74HC4066 IC3.D -5V 040259 - 11 -5V

Figure 2. The complete schematic diagram of the capacitance/ESR meter.

10 mF (milli-farad) are not measured to the capacitor being tested (the thus the voltage across the ESR. As the
continuously. Instead, a series of four ‘capacitor under test’ or C.u.T.). The two electronic switches are actuated
measurements are made and the value of the ESR can be determined by synchronously at the same frequency,
results are then averaged. measuring the AC voltage across the a constant differential voltage is pres-
This method ensures that the capaci- capacitor. If the capacitance is suffi- ent at the input to the opamp. The
tor is fully discharged and charged and ciently high relative to the frequency, opamp passes the differential voltage
generates highly reliable measure- the voltage drop due to the reactive (in this case 11 mV) to its output, so
ments. It also limits the current con- impedance is negligible, so the voltage the voltage at the output of the opamp
sumption. The instrument must be across the capacitor is entirely caused is proportional to the ESR value.
switched off and then on again in order by the ESR. This voltage is rectified Figure 4 shows a different example,
to make a new measurement. Contin- and fed to the voltmeter. with a test capacitor rated at 0.1 µF
uous measurements are made in all The operating principle is illustrated in and having an ESR of zero ohms. As
other ranges. Figure 3. Here it is assumed that the already noted, a fairly high frequency is
C.u.T. is rated at 100 µF and has an used to keep the effect of the reactive
ESR of 10 Ω. The reactive impedance impedance as small as possible so that
Measurement principle (XC) is equal to 0.5πfC or approxi- even small electrolytic capacitors with
of the ESR meter mately 0.0159 Ω, which is negligible values as low as around 0.1 µF can be
A 100-kHz square-wave signal that relative to the ESR value of 10 Ω. The measured. That makes it necessary to
supplies a constant current is applied voltage measured across the C.u.T. is further reduce the effect of the initial

32 elektor electronics - 9/2005

 1.255V
1.244V
0
+5V 2k2
0 1.255V 1M

2k2
0

XC = 0 11 mV
1 0
16F84 1M

100kHz 18

ESR
generator ESR = 1M
10Ω
2k2
1.244V

1M
+5V
0
0 2k2
1.255V
1.244V
0
C.u.T. ≈ 100 µF

012022 - 12

Figure 3. With a capacitor rated at 100 µF çnd having an ESR of 10 Ω, the reactive impedance is negligible
and the ESR (which is purely resistive) determines the output voltage of the opamp.

50 mV
0
+5V 2k2
0 50 mV 1M
0
2k2

0 50 mVpp

XC = 15
1 0 V DC
16F84 1M

100kHz 18
ESR

generator ESR = 1M
0Ω
2k2

50 mV
1M

+5V
0
0 2k2
50 mV
0
C.u.T. ≈ 100nF

012022 - 13

Figure 4. The situation with a capacitor rated at 0.1 µF and having an ESR of 0 Ω. Here the average output voltage of the opamp is 0 V.

integration of the voltage waveform. the actual ESR value of 10 ø, while the These modes are controlled by the
Here the ESR is zero and the reactive effect of the reactive impedance of 16F877, which uses interrupt routines
impedance is 0.5πfC, or approximately 16 ø would have been eliminated. to determine what the 16F84 has to do.
16 Ω. As can be seen, the differential
configuration of the opamp causes the
sawtooth integration waveform on the Multiple PICs Component selection
inputs to be summed to yield a saw- The frequency generator in the circuit As this circuit works with high fre-
tooth voltage on the output with an of the original design has been quencies and signal levels in the milli-
average value of 0 V. The resulting volt- replaced by a PIC (type 16F84). The volt range, a differential amplifier with
age after integration by the subse- 16F877 cannot be used for this purpose a low offset and large bandwidth must
quent RC network is 0 V, and this value because the signal cannot be inter- be used. The LF412 meets these
is applied to the input of the voltmeter. rupted unless a DC tests is being requirements and is also not all that
If the capacitor had an ESR of 10 Ω, the made. The 16F84 uses the same clock expensive.
sawtooth voltage on the output would oscillator as the 16F877. The advan- The HC version of the well-known 4066
still have the same form, but it would tage of using a second PIC is that it quad electronic switch IC provides fast
be superimposed on a DC component makes it unnecessary to align the 100- switching times, which reduces the
due to the ESR. After the sawtooth kHz generator frequency. It also allows effect of the undesirable reactance by
was filtered out by integration, the the generator to be easily switched a factor of 2.
remaining voltage would correspond to between AC and DC measurements. The best results will be obtained if the

9/2005 - elektor electronics 33

HANDS-ON TEST & MEASUREMENT

C2
COMPONENTS LIST
BZ1
040259-1

P2

040259-1
+

P5

C11
C15
IC4
IC5
Resistors:
IC2

R1-R4 = 56Ω

P4

S1
C17

C+ C-
R5-R8,R24 = 2kΩ2
T1

C10
R17
R9,R10,R15,R16,R25,R26,R28,R29 =

D5
R27 R19
R21 10kΩ

D4

-
P3
R11-R14 = 1MΩ 1%
R18

BT1
C3

R26 R2 sense- R17 = 8MΩ2

R18 = 7kΩ85

+
R5 R30 R4 signal-

D2
R19 = 120Ω
X1

D3
R7 R3

S2
signal+
R20,R21 = 1kΩ

P6
R6 R1
sense+
R8 R16 R22 = 82kΩ
R23 = 47Ω

C14
R22 R15
C16

R27 = 220Ω
P1
IC1

C9
D1

R30 = 180Ω
R24 R23
C4

P1 = 100kΩ 10-turn preset

IC3
R13
C6
K1

P2 = 1MΩ 10-turn preset

C12

IC6
R11
R12
P3 = 1kΩ 10-turn preset
IC7

R9

R14

C8
P4 = 200Ω 10-turn preset
R10
C7

C5

P5 = 25kΩ preset
R29
R20
C13

R28
P6 = 100kΩ 10-turn preset
C1

R25

Capacitors:
C1 = 1nF
C2 = 47nF
C3 = 22pF
C4 = 27pF
C5 = 10µF 16V radial
C6 = 220nF
C7,C8,C9,C12-C17 = 100nF, lead
pitch 5mm
C10,C11 = 10µF 16V radial

Semiconductors:
D1 = zener diode 5V6 500mW
D2-D5 = 1N4007
IC1 = PIC16F877-20/P, programmed,
Publishers order code 040259-
41*
IC2 = PIC16F84A-20/P,
programmed, Publishers order code
040259-42*
IC3 = 74HC4066
IC4 = ICL7660
IC5 = TLC555
IC6 = 78L05
040259-1 IC7 = LF412CP
T1 = BC557

Miscellaneous:
Bz1 = AC (passive) piezo buzzer
040259-1 S1 = switch, 2 changeover contacts
S2 = switch, 1 make contact
K1 = LCD module, 2x16 characters
(e.g., Digikey # 153-1078-ND)
X1 = 20MHz quartz crystal
2 wander sockets for banana plug
Measurement cable
Enclosure, e.g., SERPAC H75 (Digikey
# SRH75-9VB-BD)
PCB, Publishers order code
040259-1*
Disk, source- and hex-code files,
Publishers order code 040259-
11* or Free Download

* see Elektor SHOP page or

www.elektor-electronics.co.uk

Figure 5. Double-sided circuit board layout

and component layout for the
ESR/capacitance meter.

34 elektor electronics - 9/2005

 Keep smiling
Even if we run into
major problems in our
lab we always try to
see the positive side of
things — if only to con-
vince ourselves that a
troublefree life would be
boring. Engineering
Flemming Jensen’s
ESR/C Meter from blue-
print right up to publica-
tion in print was a far
from smooth process and
with hindsight we have
to admit having made an
error or two when
assembling the proto-
type. Nothing too seri-
ous of course, but still…

Karel Walraven

The first life signs of the circuit were and we were using a 1:10 probe quency divided by four, so in the- were invariably negative instead of
hopeful. The display produced leg- so extra capacitive loading would ory, at 20 MHz, it is able to supply positive, and the microprocessor
ible texts, so at least the micro- be small. This leaves several other new data on its I/O pins every programs was known to turn any
processor is running its program. fault factors to be considered: the 200 ns. That looked like a plausible negative value into a solid zero. In
Then came the problems. Measur- PIC may have been programmed explanation of the phenomenon we theory, this can happen if the
ing capacitors was troublesome if for ‘standard crystal’ instead of were faced with. This kind of error phase of the synchronous detector
not impossible — usually, the dis- ‘high speed crystal’, or the two xtal easily creeps into a design. The test has been swapped over. After a lot
play remained stuck at one firm ‘0’ loading capacitors may be too circuit runs fine at a lower clock of searching and debating, we
and that’s no incentive to build an large. Also, the crystal itself may be speed, hooray, the design is agreed that that was not the case.
ESR/C Meter. So we ran the usual at fault, some will simply refuse to ‘quickly optimised’ while drawing Wild theories were heard then in
checks on the board. Always start switch to overtone resonance. In our the schematic and then… a final the lab, until it transpired that the
by measuring the supply voltage case, it turned out that the PIC was check of the pulse timing is forgot- switch selecting between capaci-
directly on the IC pins — both the incorrectly programmed and the ten. However, it could also be an tance and ESR measurement was
+5 V and ground rails should be problem was solved quickly. Alas… undiscovered error — some LCDs incorrectly wired, causing a mighty
inspected. Next up is the micro- the display now greeted us with have no problems with 200-ns offset in the detector. Nobody had
processor clock and bingo there we total gobbledygook. Strange, but pulses, while others from a different thought of such a simple exchange
got 6.66 MHz instead of the still reassuring to know at this point series or manufacturer will hang. of two wires!
desired 20 MHz – the quartz crys- that there were no display wiring
tal was cheerfully resonating at its errors — after all, the display had We cast a critical eye on the LCD The moral of the story: always check
fundamental frequency instead of worked just fine we corrected the driver routine, created a longer obvious matters first. Do not fear the
the third overtone. Sometimes this is clock frequency. A timing error? LC enable pulse and reprogrammed worst and certainly do not dig
a false reading however, the 50-pF displays may not be driven too fast. the PIC. The LCD then worked as deeper than necessary!
scope probe capacitance wreaking For example, the datasheet tells us desired. By itself, that is, because
havoc at the oscillator input. How- to observe a minimum length of after all this hard work, the readout
ever, a rock solid 6.66 MHz was 450 ns for the enable pulse. Inter- was still meaningless. We quickly
measured at the oscillator output nally, a PIC operates at the xtal fre- found out that the measured values

9/2005 - elektor electronics 35

HANDS-ON TEST & MEASUREMENT

recommended components are used. switch on the power. You can use P5 to
However, the performance is still adjust the contrast of the LCD module.
acceptable with a normal 4066. Short the probes together when you
are requested to do so. Now connect
the probes to a 10-Ω resistor and
Compact construction adjust P6 until the display shows a
Thanks to the use of two microcon- value of 10 Ω. Connect the meter to
trollers, the size of the overall circuit several working capacitors in turn,
remains relatively small, so the printed without and without a 10-Ω resistor in
circuit board designed for the circuit
(Figure 5) has quite modest dimen-
series, to verify that the meter is work-
ing properly. Things to pay
sions.
There are only a few components that
attention to
have to be connected to the circuit Calibrating the capacitance meter
Always discharge the capacitor before
board via short leads. The LCD module You need a pair of precision capacitors connecting the meter to it.
is connected to K1. Switch S1, which is to calibrate the capacitance meter. A
used to select either capacitance or value of 470 pF / 1% is suitable for the
Switch on the meter before connecting
ESR measuring mode, is wired to con- picofarad range, and a value of it to the capacitor to be measured.
nector S1 on the circuit board using six 220 nF / 1% can be used for the nano-
Four measurements are made on
short leads. Points C+ and C– are con- farad range. Both values can be
capacitors with values greater than
nected to two measurement terminals obtained at a reasonable price from
or sockets located on the front side of various vendors, such as Farnell. Do 10 mF. After that, the meter displays
the enclosure. The pins marked Sig- not use values of 1000 pF or 1000 nF, ‘Ready’, and it must be switched off and
nal+, Signal–, Sense+ and Sense– are since that can cause the display to back on to make a new measurement.
for connecting the additional ESR test flicker between 999 pF and 1.00 nF or

Be patient when measuring capacitors
leads with their separate sense lines in 999 nF and 1.00 µF, respectively. The
with very large values. It takes approxi-
order to measure capacitors while they easiest way to adjust the range above
are still connected in a circuit (see Fig- 10 µF is to use a commercial capaci- mately 10 minutes to measure a 370-mF
ure 6). tance meter. An alternative method is capacitor.
The battery and power switch S2 (BT1 to use the formula t = RC and a simple
and S2, respectively) must also be con- stopwatch.
nected to the circuit board, as well as Keep the meter away from transform-
the beeper (BZ1). ers and strong 50- (60-) Hz fields. Warning
Switch on the meter, connect it to the
470-pF capacitor, and use P2 to adjust Although the inputs of the meter are pro-
Test probes the value on the display to match the tected by diodes, it is good idea to dis-
Four-wire measurement is used here to value of the capacitor. Next, connect charge large capacitors before measuring
compensate for the voltage drop in the the meter to the 220-nF capacitor and them. The risk of burning out the protec-
test leads. Each of the test leads has use P3 to adjust it to the right value. tion diodes is particularly high with fil-
two screened conductors, consisting of Finally, you can use P4 to set the right ter/buffer capacitors used in power sup-
a signal lead and a sense lead (see value for your reference electrolytic ply circuits.
Figure 6). This prevents the measure- capacitor.
ment from being corrupted by hum, After that the meter is ready for use.
noise or ESD interference and allows a From now own, no capacitor new, old
stable zero calibration to be imple- or NOS (new old stock) will hold any Figure 6. How to build the two dual
mented. secrets for you. shielded measurement leads that connect
(040259-1) the probes to the actual instrument.

Calibrating the ESR meter

The offset is set to 40 mV instead of max. 0.5 m
0 V because the ADC cannot handle
negative voltages. Short the test A Probe 1
probes together and connect a volt-
meter to pin 7 of the LF412 (IC7). Then B
adjust P1 for an offset voltage of 40 mV.
The resulting offset can then be com-
pensated by the software. However,
that requires shorting the probes
together when the meter is switched
on in the ESR mode. The offset voltage C Probe 2
is converted by the ADC. The resulting
value is stored in an EEPROM and sub- D
tracted from the measured ESR value
012022- 15
when a measurement is made.
Switch the meter to the ESR mode and

36