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<\/a><\/p>\nRecommended reading:\u00a0<\/strong>Best Multimeters Under $50<\/a>.<\/p>\n A multimeter is a measurement tool absolutely necessary in electronics. It combines three essential features: a voltmeter, ohmeter, and ammeter, and in some cases continuity.<\/p>\n A multimeter allows you to understand what is going on in your circuits. Whenever something in your circuit isn\u2019t working, the multimeter will help you troubleshooting. Here’s some situations in electronics projects that you’ll find the multimeter useful:<\/p>\n These and other questions can be answered with the help of a multimeter.<\/p>\n You can find a wide variety of multimeters with different functionalities and accuracy. A basic multimeter costs about $5 and measures the three simplest but most important values in your circuit: voltage, current, and resistance.<\/p>\n However you can guess that this multimeter won’t last longer and isn’t very accurate. The best multimeter for you will depend on what you intend to do, if you’re a beginner or a professional electrician, and on your budget.<\/p>\n If you need help selecting a multimeter, check our post on Maker Advisor<\/a> about Best Multimeters Under $50<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n A multimeter is composed by four essential sections:<\/p>\n Note<\/strong>: There isn’t any difference between the red and the black probes, just the color.<\/p>\n So, assuming the convention:<\/p>\n The \u201cCOM<\/strong>\u201d or \u201c–<\/strong>\u201c port is where the black probe should be connected. The COM probe is conventionally black. This ports can vary depending on the multimeter you’re using.<\/strong><\/p>\n You can measure DC voltage or AC voltage. The V with a straight line means DC voltage.<\/p>\n The V with the wavy line means AC voltage.<\/p>\n To measure voltage:<\/p>\n Tip:<\/strong> to measure voltage you have to connect your multimeter in parallel with the component you want to measure the voltage. Placing the multimeter in parallel is placing each probe along the leads of the component you want to measure the voltage.<\/p>\n In this example we’re going to measure the voltage of a 1.5V battery. You know that you\u2019ll have approximately 1.5V. So, you should select a range with the selection knob that can read the 1.5V. So you should select 2V in the case of this multimeter. If you have an autorange multimeter, you don’t have to worry about the range you need to select.<\/p>\n What if you didn\u2019t know what was the value of the voltage? If you need to measure the voltage of something, and you don\u2019t know the range in which the value will fall under, you need to try several ranges.<\/p>\n If the range you\u2019ve selected is lower than the real value, on the display you\u2019ll read 1 as shown in the picture below. The 1 means that the voltage is higher than the range you\u2019ve selected.<\/p>\n If you select a higher range, most part of the times you\u2019ll be able to read the value of the voltage, but with less accuracy.<\/p>\n What happens if you switch the red and the black probe?<\/strong><\/p>\n Nothing dangerous will happen. The reading on the multimeter has the same value, but it\u2019s negative.<\/p>\n In this example we’ll show you how to measure the voltage drop across a resistor in a simple circuit. This example circuit lights up an LED.<\/p>\n TIP:<\/strong> two components in parallel share voltage, so you should connect the multimeter probes in parallel with the component you want to measure the voltage.<\/p>\n To wire the circuit you need to connect an LED to 9V battery through a 470 Ohm resistor.<\/p>\n To measure the voltage drop across the resistor:<\/p>\n To measure current you need to bear in mind that components in series share a current. So, you need to connect your multimeter in series with your circuit.<\/p>\n TIP:\u00a0<\/strong>to place the multimeter in series, you need to place the red probe on the lead of a component and the black probe on the next component lead. The multimeter acts as if it was a wire in your circuit. If you disconnect the multimeter, your circuit won’t work.<\/p>\n Before measuring the current, be sure that you\u2019ve plugged in the red probe in the right port, in this case \u00b5AmA. In the example below, the same circuit of the previous example is used. The multimeter is part of the circuit.<\/p>\n Plug the red probe into the right port and turn the selection knob to the resistance section. Then, connect the probes to the resistor leads. The way you connect the leads doesn’t matter, the result is the same.<\/p>\n As you can see, the 470\u03a9 resistor, only has 461\u03a9.<\/p>\n Most multimeters provide a feature that allows you to test the continuity of your circuit. This allows you to easily detect bugs such as faulty wires. It also helps you check if two points of the circuit are connected.<\/p>\n To use this functionality select the mode that look like a speaker.<\/p>\n If there is very low resistance between two points, which is less than a few ohms, the two points are electrically connected and you\u2019ll hear a continuous sound.<\/p>\n If the sound isn\u2019t continuous or if you don\u2019t hear any sound at all, it means that what you\u2019re testing has a faulty connection or isn’t connected at all.<\/p>\n WARNING<\/strong>: To test continuity you should turn off the system! Turn off the power supply!<\/p>\n Touch the two probes together and, as they are connected, you\u2019ll hear a continuous sound.<\/p>\n To test the continuity of a wire, you just need to connect each probe to the wire tips.<\/p>\n A multimeter is an essential tool in any electronics lab. In this Beginner’s Guide, we’ve shown you\u00a0How To Use a Multimeter<\/strong>. You’ve learned how to measure voltage, current and resistance, and how to check continuity.<\/p>\n If you’re looking for a multimeter, you may found this post useful\u00a0Best Multimeters Under $50<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In this post we’re going to show you how to use a multimeter. This post is mostly addressed for beginners who are starting out in electronics and have no idea … <\/p>\nWhat is a multimeter and why do you need one?<\/h2>\n
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Selecting a multimeter<\/h2>\n
Getting familiar with a multimeter<\/h2>\n
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Ports<\/h3>\n
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Measuring Voltage<\/h2>\n
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Example: measuring a battery’s voltage<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nExample: measuring voltage in a circuit<\/h3>\n
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<\/a><\/p>\nMeasuring Current<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nMeasuring Resistance<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nChecking Continuity<\/h2>\n
<\/a><\/p>\nHow does continuity work?<\/h3>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\nWrapping up<\/h2>\n