How to Use a Multimeter

Hello guys in this topic I will be going through the basics of a multimeter's function to show you how it works, link to the video below for more instructions.

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A multimeter is an electronic device that let's you measure the electrical difference in a circuit,
with a multimeter we can measure current AC/DC, voltage AC/DC current, resistance, capacitance, HFE(Hybrid parameter forward current gain common emitter) used for measuring npn and PNP differences

FUNCTIONS

1.Continuity; Continuity Test mode can be used to test switches, fuses, electrical connections, conductors and other components. A good fuse, for example, should have continuity.

2.Resistance Ω; The resistance mode in a multimeter is used for measuring the total resistance of a conductor this function is mostly used to measure electronic components such as resistors, inductors, transformers and many more.

3.Voltage Dc ⎓; The DC mode is used for measuring the direct current from a battery or an ac to DC power supply.

4.Voltage Ac~; The AC mode is used for measuring the alternating current from an AC wall adaptor.

5.HFE(Hybrid parameter forward current gain common emitter); This mode is used to test transistor and also to know the transistor difference PNP/NPN and also the base collector and emitter pin of a transistor

The are two wires that comes with a multimeter, this wires are called probes, the are black and red in color, the red is the positive probe and the black is the negative probe. In the multimeter there are four ports but most multimeters comes with three port, the positive probe should be connected to the VΩ and the negative Probe will be connected to COM.

First let us start with the Continuity mode, to show how it works I have a wire that has not been bridged, by testing the wire the is no beep sound, but bridging the wires there is a beep sound, with this mode we can test fuse's to know if the are burnt.

To show how the resistance mode works I'm going to measure a resistor. The 200 digit in this multimeter stand's for 200 ohms, so keep in mind that if you measure a resistor or any other conductor above 200 ohm the will be no reading in the meter. So adjusting my meters knob to 2k, 2k signifies two killo ohms which means two thousand ohms, by connecting the probes to a 1k virable resistor, the meter indicates 1.493 which is probably just 1killo ohm, so that goes for the 20k and 200k.
Adjusting the meter's knob to the 2M function, 2M means two million ohms, testing a 1M ohm resistor I have a reading of 1.013 which is probably just 1Million ohm's so that goes for the 20M and the 200M.

Adjusting the meter knob to the 200m in the DC mode, 200m signifies 200milli volts, by touching the probes terminal's i will measure the EMF from my body and it works just fine, this can be applied to thermocouples because the generate milli volts the same thing goes for 2v. Adjusting the meter knob to the 20v function I will measure the voltage of a dry cell battery, we have a reading of 1.28volts DC, the same thing goes for the 200v and 1000v DC mode which can be used to measure higer dc voltage.

Warning❗high voltage AC is extremely dangerous, be sure to understand the Ac safety protocol's before working with ac devices. Adjusting the meter's knob to 750volts in the Ac mode I'm going to measure the output voltage from my ac wall adaptor, so here we have a voltage output of 183volts AC, the same thing applies for 200v,20v,2v,200milli volts ac.Note that when using this functions you must only measure voltage's below the rated voltage.

We can tell the differences between an PNP and NPN transistor with the HFE mode this mode comes with a socket and some letters, B,C,E. ''B'' stands for base, ''C'' stands for collector and ''E'' stand's for emitter. To show how it works, I will insert a bc547 transistor in the NPN socket, as you can see we have some readings which shows that it is an NPN transistor. Note that if we connect the emitter, base, collector pins the wrong way, then the meter will indicate an error.

The capacitance mode is used to measure the capacitance of a capacitor it has a socket where the capacitor's are being inserted with a capacitor symbol, to show how it works I'll start with the 20n which means 20nano farad. Measuring a capacitor with low capacity, we have a reading of 0.11nano farad, same thing goes for the 200n. Moving on to the 20u function 20u means 20micro most capacitor's like the electrolytic capacitor's have polarity, connecting an electrolytic capacitor in a correct polarity, i have a reading of 8.16micro farad, the same thing goes for the 2u and 200u.

In this mode i will change the connection of the negative probe, and insert it in the 20A MAX port, adjusting the meter's knob to 2m in the A~ current mode 2m means 2milli amp, I am going to measure the output current of an AC alternator, as you can see i have a reading of 104 milli amp. Note that amp meters should always be connected in series with source and a load, so the same thing goes for the 20m, 200m, and the 20 mega amp.

Starting with 20, the digit ''20'' signifies 20maga amp, to show how it works, i will measure the current draw of a DC motor. By connecting a battery in series with the motor and the meter, the meter indicates a current draw of 0.04amp the same thing goes for the 200m, 20m and the 2m.

Note that when measuring voltages and cuttent, make sure the source of voltage or current is bellow the rated digit on the meter. With this your multimeter can last for years, and make sure to change the batteries if there are errors. 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 and lastly do not overload the meter.