Do this at your own risk: WARNING, if you don't understand it don't do it. A electric shock can kill you. On capacitors, I always discharge them before fooling with them. Use a good insulated screw driver and short across the terminals. Here is how I made a cheap tester that I use when working on elec motors, generators, starters, etc. Take a old shop trouble light. (or better a old elec table lamp) Make sure it has a polarized plug and polarized wall receptacle. Double check it . Find out which is the neutral wire (white) Cut it into. (cut only white wire, not black) Solder it on to a stick of brazing rod, (2 pices about 6" long) (one wire on one stick)Take windshield wiper hose and slide over it covering soldered and all but about 1/2" at the tip. (you can grind tips to a point if you like. Put at least a 100 watt bulb in light. When prods are touched together the light should come on. When testing any thing make sure you are not touching anything you are working on. You can touch each connection on the capacitor and then(charge capacitor) remove test leads and short across with screwdriver. You should get a pretty good crack or snap. Compare it with a known good capacitor. You can also unsolder or un hook your winding so you are not shorting them out. Hook a prod to each winding end. Listen for any crackling or sparking between frame or other windings. You can even check saw, drill, and other types of armatures with this. (can also be used to check 110v light bulbs, light cords, elec switches. Just make sure you know what you are doing and don't touch or handle item when prods are applied. If testing anything small, I check laying on a sheet of plywood, mud flap, piece of floor mat or plastic, don't have it laying on a metal work bench. on
