profdant139 wrote:
2oldman, my question is more basic than you think it is. I understand the need to compare the voltages under load and not. My question is this -- physically, how does one use a multimeter to test this? Where do you stick the two leads without getting electrocuted?
Sounds like a silly question, but I would bet there are a lot of non-experts like myself who do not know the answer.
Granted it is not the "safest" way, but it can be done, carefully.
MOST multimeters have a safety guard built up near the metal tip.. That plastic guard is to help prevent your fingers from making contact with the metal probes.
The test lead metal tips typically are long enough to just make contact in the outlet.
The dangerous part is you will have to hold one probe with one hand and the other probe with your other hand (unless you are good with chopsticks which I am not).. This places your entire body potentially in series and from arm to arm your heart is in the middle.
If you are not comfortable with that then perhaps a plug in voltage meter would be better?
Like this..
I found that one
HERE for $30..
