How to Use a Multimeter
In connection with the demands for the accuracy of measurement values and ease of use and supported by increasingly affordable prices, Digital Multimeters (DMM) are becoming more popular and more widely used by Electronics Technicians or Electronics hobbyists.
With technological developments, now a Multimeter or Multitester can not only measure Ampere, Voltage and Ohm or abbreviated as AVO, but can also measure Capacitance, Frequency and Induction in one unit (especially on Digital Multimeters). Some of the multimeter measurement capabilities that are widely available on the market include:
- Voltage AC and DC unit of measurement Volt
- Current unit of measurement Ampere
- Resistance unit of measurement Ohm
- Capacitance unit of measurement Farad
- Frequency unit of measurement Hertz
- Inductance unit of measurement Henry
- Diode Measurement or Testing
- Transistor Measurement or Testing
Multimeter Important Parts
A multimeter or multitester generally consists of 3 important parts, including:
- Display
- Selector
- Probes
The picture below is a form of Analog Multimeter and Digital Multimeter and their important parts.
How to Use a Multimeter to Measure Voltage, Current and Resistance
Here's how to use a Multimeter to measure some basic Multimeter functions such as Volt Meter (measuring voltage), Ampere Meter (measuring electric current) and Ohm Meter (measuring Resistance or Resistance)
1. How to Measure DC Voltage
- Set Selector Switch Position to DCV
- Choose the scale according to the estimated voltage to be measured. If you want to measure 6 Volts, turn the selector switch to 12 Volts (only for Analog Multimeters)
- Connect the probe to the terminal of the voltage to be measured. Red Probe to the Positive (+) terminal and Black Probe to the Negative (-) terminal. Be careful not to tip it over.
- Read the measurement results on the Multimeter Display.
2. How to Measure AC Voltage (AC Voltage)
- Set Selector Switch Position to ACV
- Select the scale according to the estimated voltage to be measured. If you want to measure 220 Volts, turn the selector switch to 300 Volts (only for Analog Multimeters)
**If you do not know the high voltage being measured, it is recommended to select the highest voltage scale to avoid damage to the multimeter.
- Connect the probe to the terminal of the voltage to be measured. For AC Voltage, there is no Negative (-) and Positive (+) polarity
- Read the measurement results on the Multimeter Display.
3. How to Measure Electric Current (Amperes)
- Set Selector Switch Position to DCA
- Select the scale according to the estimated current to be measured. If the current to be measured is 100mA then turn the selector switch to 300mA (0.3A). If the measured current exceeds the selected scale, the fuse in the Multimeter will blow. We have to replace it before we can use it again.
- Disconnect the power supply line connected to the load,
- Then connect the Multimeter probe to the line terminal that we decided on. Red Probe to Positive Voltage Output (+) and Black Probe to Voltage Input (+) Load or the circuit that we will measure. For more details, please see the following image.
- Read measurement results on Display Multimeter
4. How to Measure Resistors (Ohms)
- Set the Selector Switch Position to Ohms (Ω)
- Select the scale according to the estimated Ohms to be measured. Usually it starts with an "X" which means "Times". (Analog Multimeter only)
- Connect the probe to the resistor component, there is no polarity, so it can be reversed.
- Read the measurement results on the Multimeter Display. (Especially for Analog Multimeter, multiplication is required with the settings in step 2)
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