\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. For example, if your circuit is powered by a single 9V battery, it probably doesn't make sense to select the setting for 200V, and 2V would be too low. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. This section includes answers to the following questions: A multimeter is a handy tool that you use to measure electricity, just like you would use a ruler to measure distance, a stopwatch to measure time, or a scale to measure weight. 1 uA is .000001 amp and 1 mA is .001 amp. This is a manual-ranging multimeter with typical settings for DC voltage, current, and resistance, It can also measure AC voltage and has a continuity check. If so, the sections below will help you sort through what to do. You might have blown out a fuse in your multimeter. A typical multimeter. Just wondering what everyone's response to the following scenario is. Here are a couple suggestions for quick experiments you can do with a multimeter around your house. Hello everyone, friends. See the next section for an explanation of what these terms mean, and click on the Using a Multimeter tab, above, for instructions on how to make these measurements. Intro Meter shows voltage when not connected. Thanks Hook the multimeter leads up to a speaker using speaker wire, and set the multimeter to measure AC amps (or AC volts if AC amps is not available). "Hadn't used a multimeter in some time. Then you're in the right place! Make sure that your multimeter is set to the right setting for the unit that you are measuring otherwise you will not get the correct results or any results. Is that dangerous? By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. It has one socket for measuring voltage, resistance, and low current, and another socket for measuring high current. Then, you can make the reading: Place each one of the terminals of the multimeter in each one of the terminals of the resistor. Jesse Kuhlman is a Master Electrician and the Owner of Kuhlman Electrician Services based in Massachusetts. By changing the position of the measurement selector switch, we will be able to configure the multimeter to measure different parameters. The amount of pressure making the water flow is like voltage; a higher pressure will "push" the water harder, increasing the flow. Plug your red and black probes into the appropriate sockets (also referred to as "ports") on the multimeter. reading of about 2 milliamps should be indicated since from Ohm's law I = V/R = (9 volts)/(4700 ) = .00191 amps = 1.91 mA. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Did you know you can get expert answers for this article? With the test probes separated, the multimeter's display may show OL and . Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. By changing the position of the measurement selector switch, we will be able to configure the multimeter to measure different parameters. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. If it still shows a "1", then there's a problem and your circuit isn't complete. If you are working with a manual-ranging multimeter, you can estimate the range you need based on the battery (or batteries) powering your circuit. Like voltage, current can be AC or DC. Notice the resistance is reduced. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Most multimeters use these abbreviations instead of spelling out words. Lucky you didn't you didn't electrcute yourself tbh. All rights reserved. Different multimeters have different symbols for measuring direct current (and the corresponding voltage), usually "DCA" and "DCV," or "A" and "V" with a straight bar above or next to them. To do a continuity check (which ensures that there is a conductive path between two points in your circuit), follow these steps: Touch two parts of your circuit with the probes. Don't worry if this seems confusing; this table will help you keep track: This is very common in physics. The Fluke 117 Digital Multimeter he was using that day has dual impedance capability; incorporating both regular high impedance test capabilities and low impedance functions for detecting ghost voltages. You are using an out of date browser. Each multimeter is different, so you might need to read your multimeter's manual to find out what the display on the screen means. The black terminal (Common) should be placed in the point of the circuit closer to the ground "-" terminal of the battery. Resistance is like an obstruction in the pipe. I'm trying to simulate a simple low-pass filter on Tinkercad and check the voltages in both resistor and capacitor, but for some reason the multimeter is showing random numbers.. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. The scale selected is very important for accurate measurements. If you don't know something, ask questions and ask someone more experienced. 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