How to Use a Clamp on Amp Meter to Read Ohms
A digital multimeter is an indispensable tool for testing, diagnosing, and troubleshooting electric circuits, components, and devices. The first digital multimeter was introduced in the late 1970s, and has proven much more accurate and reliable than the old needle-based analog meters. Information technology'due south used primarily to mensurate voltage (volts), current (amps), and resistance (ohms). But that's only the beginning of what this surprisingly useful tool tin practice.
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Here are five common uses for your digital multimeter. Note: These instructions are applicable to most multimeters. Withal, the exact procedures and how the screen reads out might differ slightly based on the features and functions of your detail device.
The Best Multimeters
đź’ˇAlert: Working with electricity and electrical components tin can exist potentially unsafe. Extreme safety precautions must be followed when taking electrical measurements. Earlier using a digital multimeter, be certain to read and fully understand the instructions and warnings outlined in the owner's transmission.
Before diving headlong into how to employ your new multimeter, give Fluke's introductory articles into multimeters a read too. They'll give you lot a solid rundown well-nigh what multimeter is as well as everything it can do, and keep reading to get some tips from our of our favorite electricians.
Testing Batteries
Starting with the simplest, most basic test, use the voltage mode on your meter to check battery output. First plug the meter's black probe into the jack marked - COM (common). Insert the ruby probe into the jack labeled Volts or +V (next to the V, you may also see a symbol that looks like an upside down horseshoe, we'll get to that in a minute). About modernistic meters brand this setup all only foolproof by also color coding the jacks. The blackness common probe goes into the black jack; the red probe goes in the red jack. At present turn the rotary switch (dial) to Volts DC; considering batteries supply directly current (DC), non alternating current (AC).
Hold the tip of the cerise probe against the battery's positive (+) outward-shaped terminal, and the blackness probe against the negative (-) inward-shaped terminal. The bombardment voltage will read out on the meter's display screen. For case, a fully charged AA battery should have a reading of at to the lowest degree 1.five volts. And you can use your multimeter to test virtually whatever battery ranging from AAAs to auto batteries.
Note that the above-mentioned technique merely tests voltage, not the bombardment's ability to supply current nether load. The examination gives y'all a crude thought of whether the battery is skillful, shot, or needs to be charged.
Testing Electrical Outlets
Hither'due south how to make up one's mind if the wall outlets in your home are delivering the correct voltage, which in most modernistic homes is 120 volts. Plug the black probe into the meter's black COM jack, and the red probe into the red Volts jack. Then turn the rotary switch to Volts Ac (Vac), which is as well indicated by a wavy line on the dial.
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Push the tip of the ruddy probe into the shorter (hot) of the two vertical slots on the outlet. Insert the blackness probe into the longer slot (neutral). Check the readout on the meter'southward screen. A properly functioning outlet should produce 110 to 120 volts. Next, remove the blackness probe from the outlet—leave the red probe in identify—and insert the black probe into the pocket-size, rounded hole (basis) beneath the two slots. The reading should remain the same. If it doesn't, the outlet is improperly wired or possibly the ground is missing; telephone call an electrician.
Testing a Wall Switch
Got a faulty ceiling lite? Hither'due south how to determine if the problem is with its switch. First, turn off the power to the switch, remove the cover plate, and unscrew the switch from its wires. Before disconnecting the wires, characterization them or have a photo with your phone to ensure you reconnect them correctly. Loosen the switch terminal screws, unhook the wires from them, and remove the switch.
Rotate the meter's dial to the Ohm setting. Fix the resistance range to X1. Skip this pace if your meter has auto-range (yous can tell you have an auto-ranging meter if you plow the dial to the Volts AC (Vac) setting, the word "motorcar" appears on the screen). Plug the black probe into the COM jack and the reddish probe into the red V jack.
To exam a single-pole switch (the simplest kind; it has ii brass screws and ane light-green screw). Flip the switch to the Off position. Now bear upon the meter'southward probes to the brass screw terminals on the side of the switch–it doesn't matter which probe touches which screw.
With the switch turned off, yous should get a reading of O.50 (you may besides get other readings, such as 99999 or a symbol like this I or even this: L). This means Over Load or Over Limit; the resistance is so high that it can't exist measured. At beginning this doesn't seem to make sense (you would recollect the meter would read zero ohms), only the meter is telling you that when no internal contacts are touching inside the switch, the resistance across the open contacts is so large that the meter can't read it. Now flip the switch On and the meter should read less than one ohm. If information technology doesn't, the switch is faulty and should be replaced.
Some other simple test is to rotate the meter dial to the position for continuity. This means a continuous electric path. The symbol for continuity on the meter's confront is a wedge shape that indicates noise waves radiating out from a point. Connect the meter across the switch contacts and flip the switch upward and down. The switch is skillful if the meter beeps with the switch in the On position. The switch is bad if the meter doesn't beep with the switch flipped to On.
Testing Extension Cords
It's smart to utilize your meter to occasionally test erstwhile extension cords because damaged cords tin shock you or showtime a fire. Brainstorm past unplugging the extension cord from the wall and turning the meter'southward dial to the Ohm setting.
To test the cord'south ground, push button the cherry-red probe into the pocket-sized hole on the female person finish of the cord. And so touch on the black probe to the round (footing) prong protruding from the male end. A continuous circuit measured from these ii ends will accept a resistance of.8 ohms or even less. At present, touch the cerise probe to each of the flat prongs on the male end to ensure an O.L reading. At that place should be an open circuit when the cord is analyzed in this style; there should be no contact between the wire that connects the ground pin and either of the other two wires inside the cord.
Next, insert the reddish probe into the brusk (hot) slot on the female end of the cord. Impact the black probe to the narrow flat prong on the male end. Electric continuity through the cord volition accept a resistance of .eight ohms or less. Then touch the black probe to the broad flat prong and then the circular prong, the meter should show no continuity and an O.L. for reading in these ii positions.
Finally, take the ruby-red probe and push button it into the longer (neutral) slot on the female person end of the cord. Take the black probe and touch on the wide flat prong. The continuity will have a resistance of .eight ohms or less. Touch on the blackness probe to the narrow prong and then the round prong for an O.L. reading.
After confirming that the string doesn't accept any shorts, run a voltage test. Plug the cord into an electrical outlet and rotate the meter'southward punch to Volts Air conditioning. Insert the black probe into the round hole in the female person end of the cord, and push the scarlet probe into the narrow slot. You should get a reading close to 120 volts. Now move the red probe into the longer (neutral) slot to confirm a reading of about .1 millivolts (at that place is negligible voltage between the outlet's ground and neutral and the cord's ground and neutral).
Leave the cerise probe in the longer slot and move the blackness probe to the shorter slot to become a voltage reading of about 120 volts, confirming that the extension cord is in adept condition.
Reading Temperatures
Besides all of its amazing electric-testing capabilities, about mod multimeters can also take temperature readings. Simply rotate the meter's dial to the temperature style, then printing the select button to toggle between Fahrenheit and Celsius.
Plug the thermocouple into the meter to read air temperature, or insert the temperature probe to take temperature readings of liquids, gels or to track the surface temperature of a gas dryer. Y'all can discover the appliance's temperature cycle without touching it with your hand.
And At present, a Few Pro Tips From an Electrician
David Shapiro is a master electrician in the Washington DC suburbs and is one of the smartest guys nosotros know. He sits on various electric code making committees and has written a book on sometime house electric systems. It'southward considered the definitive work on the topic. Hither are Shapiro'south 8 cardinal pieces of cautionary advice almost working safely with a meter.
- Develop the habit of keeping your fingers on the meter's plastic and rubber parts to avert making contact with energized metallic surfaces.
- Wear prophylactic glasses when doing electric testing, especially to guard yourself if an electrical wink occurs.
- Cherry versus black: The meter will operate correctly if you mix upwardly which probe goes into which jack, merely go into the habit of plugging cerise into red, black into black every bit a ways of preparation yourself to associate those colors with polarity and its symbols (the + and - signs and colors that back-trail electrical terminals and wires).
- Amateurs should ever work on electrically dead systems. If it turns out that the component is live (energized, in electrician speak), you may accidentally short between the wall of a metal box and the electrical device you're testing. This can cause an arc flash that will startle you. It could too give yous a nasty shock, a burn or burn the electrical component. If it wasn't damaged before, information technology volition be at present. In the worst case, the electrical shock could kill you.
- Yes, it'south a good thought to exam an extension string for continuity and impedance, but regularly inspect your cords visually, checking for areas that are cut, abraded or crushed.
- Know your meter. Know what the symbols on its confront mean and when those symbols appear on the screen, exist clear most what you're looking at. For case, some meters might read 99999.99 instead of O.50. The place to first with your meter is its owner'due south manual.
- Usually a meter isn't broken when its stop reading (assuming that it has a good battery). Y'all might have blown its fuse. Read the manual about how to replace the fuse (normally it'due south located behind a small hatch attached with tiny screws). Replace the fuse with one of the same size, attach the panel, and carry on.
- Temperature: When electrical parts such every bit switches, wiring and outlets heat upwards, that commonly indicates a problem. "I e'er tell customers, if it'south warmer than a infant'southward bottle, pay attention." This isn't the time or place for amateur repair measures. Close off power to the circuit, and phone call an electrician.
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Source: https://www.popularmechanics.com/home/tools/a28084082/how-to-use-a-multimeter/
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