Ok, sorry I got it differently, for ths case, just buy the replacement caps and try to solder them back which I think is much more cheaper than buying an ESR meter.
Again, do you think its worth to buy that ESR meter rather than take a speculation by replacing those caps which is far more cheaper ?
Remember there is no guarantee if this method will tell if the cap is good or not, because even the cap is still alive, it can be really bad to the circuit since its degraded so bad. (layman = sick cap)
This method only a quick way to tell if its alive (doesn't mean its healthy) or totally dead.
- Set your DVM setting to Ohm reading at some range at 2000 or 2K (try others as well)
- Short your cap 1st with some metal to discharge it
- Use the probes on those pins (ignore the polarity) and you will see some value in the meter and it will start to increase until it reached unlimited ohm.
- This process can be slow or really fast, so watch the meter or try different range
- Reverse the probes polarity again and watch the same process as previous one
If your cap behave like that, then it still alive but if you see that meter stuck with a constant value, then for sure its a dead cap.
NP, I was born like that too !
Edit:
Posted at other thread
HERE, an example on mobo with replaced caps, sorry for the poor pics. J
Watch those two black caps soldered horizontally, the original were vertical, but I made some bent "extension" using stiff wire, since the replacement caps is a lot higher that had some clearance problem with the HSF.