Ex.

No :
STUDY OF MULTI METER AND ITS USE
Date :

Aim:
To determine the resistance of different selected resisters by using multimeter.

Apparatus required:
1. Breadboard
2. Multimeter
3. Selected resistors
Multimeter
A multimeter measure several different electrical quantities, usually including voltage
and current. There are two kinds of multimeter, analogue (left below) and digital (right).

Both meters have sockets for probes:

 Positive, marked ‘+’ and usually red.
 Common (negative), marked COM or ‘–’ and usually black.
Some meters have a second positive socket which must be used for high voltages.
Both kinds of meter have a knob for selecting which quantity to measure. It often selects
the range too. On the right, the knob is selecting the 0 V to 10 V range.
 With an analogue meter, you must touch the black (common) probe to the more negative
point and red to the more positive. If you touch them the wrong way round, the needle swings
below zero. Remove the probes from the test points immediately or you may damage the meter.
Digital meters often have autopolarity. These work with the probes touching either way and
display a minus sign to the left of the reading, if necessary. With an analogue meter, there is the
problem that the reading is wrong if you do not look straight down at the scale. This is called a
parallax error. To help you avoid this, the meter has an arc of mirror on the scale. You can see
the needle reflected in this. When you take a reading, move your head from side to side, until
you have lined up the reflection of the needle exactly behind the needle. This makes sure that
you are looking straight down on the scale and the reading will be correct.

Digital meters (such as that in the photo) may

be auto ranging. They select the correct range

automatically when a measurement is made.

Placing the probes
When you measure current, the meter is part of the circuit. The current flows through the
meter. So, break the circuit at one point and connect the meter across the break. When you
measure voltage, you are measuring the difference of electrical force at two points in the circuit.
Do not break the circuit. Touch the probes to the two points to measure the difference.

Testing procedure
 Before you connect the meter to the circuit, set the selector knob to the range you want
to use. If the meter has auto ranging, you
 need only select the quantity (current or
 voltage). If you are not certain which range
 to choose, select the highest range (for
 example, 0 V to 1000 V). Then, if the meter
 shows only a very small reading, you can
 work down through the ranges to one that
 gives a readable result.
 Connect the meter to the circuit, or just
touch the probes to two points (remember

about polarity – black to negative, red to

positive).
 Take the reading (remember to avoid parallax), and write it down.
 If you need to change the range, disconnect
 the meter from the circuit first.
 Disconnect the meter from the circuit when
 you have taken the reading.
 Turn the selection knob to the OFF position.
Breadboards
A breadboard makes it easy and quick to build circuits. It is a plastic block with rows of
sockets. The sockets in each row are connected electrically, as indicated in the photo.
 Find out the value of one of the resistors by reading its colour code.
 Use the multimeter to check the resistance. First select a suitable range on the meter.
 Plug the wire leads of the resistor into different rows on the breadboard. Touch one
probe to each of the resistor leads.
 Read the resistance on the meter. Does it agree with the color code?
 Repeat with the other resistors.

Tolerance
There is usually a fourth colored band on a
resistor, at the end opposite to the three bands. This band indicates the tolerance or precision of
the resistor. This tells us how far the actual resistance may differ from the nominal resistance,
as shown by the color code

Example
A 470-ohm resistor has a gold tolerance band.
This means a tolerance of ±5%.
Calculate 5% of 470 ohm, which is 470 × 5/100 = 23.5 ohm.
The actual resistance of the resistor may be somewhere between: 470 – 23.5 = 446.5 ohm and
470 + 23.5 = 493.5 ohm
Results
OBSERVATION

Selected resistor
S.
Value from resistor Total Remarks
No. Color identification
color code table resistance, 

OBSERVATION
 Selected resistor
S. Value - Multimeter
readings, Remarks
No. Color resistor Total
identification color code resistance,  
table