Testing caps with a DMM?

[Danny G]

How exactly do you test caps with a DMM?  I have installed some electrolytics backwards, and may have blown them by doing so?

How do you test electrolytics, and any caps, with a DMM?\

Thanks

[Hal]

you can't reallly ususally, unless you have a capacitor tester.  You can test for some things though:

continuity.  This works better on an AMM than a DMM.  hold the probes up to the legs on resistance, somewhere around 100 ohms or 1k ohms range.  You should see one strong spike toward continuouts as soon as you toutch, then a gradual back down toward a total insulator.

capacitance, leakage - hold a 9v up to the leads.  Then, careful not to toutch them together or with ure hands, hold the DMM probes up to the cap leads.  The should read about 9v and slowly drop, since the DMM does not have the idealy infinate resistance.  

those 2 tests should give you a good idea.  When in doubt, socket, and try some other caps!

[Fret Wire]

Here's an inexpensive capacitance meter ($29.95) that will cover the whole capacitance range for pedals and such. If you're gonna build alot of pedals, they come in handy.

http://www.electronickits.com/gold/capacitancemeter.htm