Basic Operation, Care and Maintenance

and Advanced Troubleshooting for the

Skilled Trades
An adaptation of Trades Access Common Core Line E: Electrical Fundamentals Competency E-
4: Use of Multi-Meters

Brent Pfifer

Multimeters 101: Basic Operation, Care

and Maintenance and Advanced
Troubleshooting for the Skilled Trades

Multimeters 101: Basic Operation, Care and Maintenance and Advanced Troubleshooting for the
Skilled Trades by Brent Pfifer is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
International License, except where otherwise noted.

Contents
1. Acknowledgements: eCampusOntario
2. Describe the Use and Storage of Meters
3. Use and Storage of Multimeters
4. Meter Safety Procedures
5. Digital Multimeters
6. Introduction to Voltage Measurements
7. Introduction to Current Measurements
8. Introduction to Resistance Measurements
9. Introduction to Continuity Measurements
10. Self Test 1
11. Use Meters to Analyze Simple Circuits
12. Troubleshooting Principles
13. Voltage Tests
14. Troubleshooting Series Components
15. Testing Resistance (Ohms) with a Digital Multimeter
 16. Continuity Test
17. Polarity in a Parallel Circuit
18. Self Test 2

Acknowledgements: eCampusOntario
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Describe the Use and Storage of Meters

I

Use and Storage of Multimeters

A technician/ Engineer is only as accurate as the measurement equipment they are using. If the
equipment is used incorrectly or is faulty, then the measurements will be inaccurate. If the
measurements are inaccurate, then the technician / Engineer will draw the wrong conclusions.
To avoid getting inaccurate readings, you need to handle, use, and store meters properly. When
you are done using a multimeter, it should always be turned off to extend battery life.

Precautions in Handling and Using a Meter

These precautions apply equally to digital and analog meters.

 Do not drop any meter.

 Do not overload any meter. When in doubt, use a high range that you know will not be overloaded. You
can always switch to a lower range if necessary.
 Do not tamper with precision instruments. Let a competent instrument repair person service precision
instruments.
 Before you connect a meter to a circuit, ensure that the range switch is set to an appropriate position.
 Carefully check circuit connections before applying power to meters.
 Be careful not to touch any other electronic components within the equipment.
 Be careful not to touch the probe tips to each other while connected to anything else.
 Never switch settings (voltage to current for example) while the probes are connected to circuit

The two major types of meters are analog and digital (Figure 1). Although both meters perform
the same functions, they look different.

Figure 1: Analog multimeter and digital multimeter

As you can see, the difference is in the display unit. Digital meters are usually simpler to use and
are more accurate than analog meters, and therefore have become more popular. We will focus
on the digital multimeter (DMM), as it is the most common type in use, although analog
multimeters may still be preferable in some cases, for example when monitoring a rapidly
varying value.
Handling a Multimeter

When handling a multimeter it is wise to be sure the meter is held

securely. Dropping a multimeter, especially an analog meter, even from a small height can affect
future readings and the accuracy of the multimeter. While taking readings the user is most likely
going to need the use of both hands to complete the task. As a result it is necessary to be sure the
meter is set securely in a safe place where it can be read without having to change the user’s
position. If no suitable spot is available, a second person to hold the meter and/or record the
readings may be necessary. Some meters also can be equipped with magnetic straps or tethers to
aid in their use by a single user.

Storage
Multimeters should be stored in a dry place where they will not be subject to physical damage.
Most multimeters will come with a case in which to store them. This case not only keeps all the
pieces together in one place (meter, leads, batteries, magnetic strap etc.) it will also protect the
vulnerable parts, such as the display, from any damage that may occur.

When storing a multimeter for a prolonged period, removing the batteries will ensure that
corrosion will not accumulate at the battery connections.
The leads on multimeters can be varying in length. Additional care must be taken to ensure the
internal connections of the leads do not become damaged by tightly winding them around
themselves.