B&K Precision 879B - Manual - Manual (Page 86)

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Capacitance
When measuring capacitors, it is always most
desirable if the dissipation factor is low. Electrolytic
capacitors inherently have a higher dissipation factor
due to their normally high internal leakage
characteristics. In some cases, if the D (dissipation
factor) is excessive, measurement accuracy may
degrade and even read out of specification.
Inductance
Some inductors are intended to operate at a certain
DC bias to achieve a certain inductance value.
However, the 878B and 879B LCR meters cannot
produce such biasing scheme and external biasing
should not be attempted because external power
would be applied to the instrument and cause serious
damage to the meter. Therefore, in some cases,
measured inductance reading may not agree with
manufacturer’s specification. It is important to check if
specification pertains to DC biasing or not.
Resistance
When measuring resistance of devices, it is important
to know that there are two types or ways of
measurement. One type is DC resistance
measurement. Another type is AC resistance
measurement. The 879B and 878B uses AC
resistance measurement method and does not