THE UTTER BASICS -- Using A Multimeter

They gots multimeters that talk!

"Point zeero one six ohms!"

"One four point three three volts!"

Don't get me wrong, I have the HFT DMM's all over the house and one in the MH but my Fluke has one big advantage, it has a memory. There are a lot of times that just holding the test leads where you want them makes it difficult to read the display or the voltage is on for a half second and my Flukes all record that. Very few DMM's can measure AND display anything that lasts for lest than half a second.

The other thing I like having is a threaded sleeve around the base of the probe. I bought some test probes with that feature just like the probes from my Triplett 310. You can buy a lot of different attachments for that 8-32 threaded sleeve, my favorites are alligator clips. In the MH, being able to clip to a good ground and have only one probe to touch potential voltage sources etc. is a really timesaver.

If the HFT meters had full size banana sockets for the probe wires they would be fantastic.

Don't get me wrong, I have the HFT DMM's all over the house and one in the MH but my Fluke has one big advantage, it has a memory. There are a lot of times that just holding the test leads where you want them makes it difficult to read the display or the voltage is on for a half second and my Flukes all record that. Very few DMM's can measure AND display anything that lasts for lest than half a second.

The other thing I like having is a threaded sleeve around the base of the probe. I bought some test probes with that feature just like the probes from my Triplett 310. You can buy a lot of different attachments for that 8-32 threaded sleeve, my favorites are alligator clips. In the MH, being able to clip to a good ground and have only one probe to touch potential voltage sources etc. is a really timesaver.

If the HFT meters had full size banana ends on the probe wires they would be fantastic.

mikebreeze wrote:
Good article. 2 things:

They do not mention this in the article but NEVER read resistance in a live circuit or you will fry your VOM.

Also, I had a discussion with my DG about this. Is it pronounced MULtimeter or mulTIMeter. I say the former. She says the latter. What do you say?

Many better multimeters can withstand attempted resistance readings on live circuits. My Fluke 73 is specified as having protection in the resistance ranges to 500V. Obviously you can't get accurate resistance measurements on live circuits, but one doesn't lose any magic smoke. And yes, I have inadvertently but successfully tested this a few times--once with around 300V applied voltage. (You can also buy a fair few cheap meters for the cost of a single good one, so it may even out.)

I usually pronounce it MUL-tee-Mee-ter. I believe I've heard mul-TIM-it-er from time to time.

Tow MAH Tow

Cah RIB Bee Ahn

DMM

Phhtt!

I had a Radio Shack Multi-meter that I used to check batteries for my model airplanes. After 14 years the meter decided to go to meter heaven.

I replaced it with a free meter from Harbor Freight.

A neat feature of the Harbor Freight meter it has a battery check for AA AAA and 9 volt batteries. Something my gold-plated Fluke does not have.

I had about a dozen batteries in a drawer and had no idea if they were good. All checked OK on voltage but with the Harbor Freight battery check I was able to sort out a few good batteries.

The cheap/free meters like you get at Harbor Freight work great for most things you would want to do in a RV. You do not need a .001 volt accuracy meter for most tasks involving the RV or your Truck.

I pronounce it "Fluke". Jusy sayin'.

And if all you ever get is the $10-or-less (and often Free at Harbor Fright) version

you have a gadget that'll answer about 99% of the meter-able issues you'll have in a RV or at home!
My tip is this:

Make a mark on the end of the pointer that's supposed to do the "Pointing." On that little HF meter, it's marked with a little dimple on that one end. Take a Sharpie and make that dot black. Then you won't blow the meter up 'cause the dumb end pointed to Voltage but the dimple end pointed to Ohms. My cousin was testing a clothes drier and that maneuver let the Smoke right out of it. They run on Smoke. So does a CB radio... Let it out, gadget no workie.

I often call them DVOM's. Digital Volt Ohm Meter. Easier to type than Multimeter. I think I'll call them

"mul TIM eter" - Like a pilot's "al TIM eter" since it lets you know how you're doing.

I just call it a voltmeter.

Nice to see you, Old-Biscuit, after the recent fiasco!

muhl TIM i ter