To avoid possible damage to the Meter and the equipment under test, disconnect circuit power and discharge all high voltage _______ before measuring capacitance.

• A. Capacitors
• B. Inductors
• C. Resistors
• D. Batteries

Answer: (A)

Measuring capacitance works best when there is no stored energy in the circuit. Capacitors can hold a charge even after power is removed, and that residual voltage can skew the meter’s reading or even stress the meter’s input. By discharging all high‑voltage capacitors before the test, you reset the circuit to a true zero-energy state, ensuring an accurate capacitance measurement and protecting the test gear. Do this safely, typically with a bleed path like a resistor across each capacitor, rather than shorting directly, to avoid sparks or damage. Other components don’t store energy in the same way for this measurement, so the key focus is on removing the charge from capacitors.