Disconnect the capacitor from power
Discharge the capacitor safely
Remove at least one lead from the circuit
Set the multimeter to capacitance mode
Connect the probes to the capacitor terminals
Check the reading against the rated capacitance
Replace the capacitor if the reading is far below or above the rating
Switch the multimeter to resistance mode if capacitance mode is unavailable
Observe the resistance reading
A good capacitor usually shows a brief low reading that rises toward infinity
A bad capacitor may show a constant low resistance, no change, or open circuit
Check for short circuit by testing across the terminals
Check for open circuit by testing across the terminals
Test for leakage if the multimeter supports it
Compare results with the capacitor’s marked specifications
Replace the capacitor if it fails any test