AEGEAN AIRLINES Technical Training Rev 01, 10/011

Introduction

• an ammeter measures current,

• a voltmeter measures the potential difference (voltage)
between two points, and
• an ohmmeter measures resistance.

A multimeter combines above measurement functions into

a single instrument.

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 Safety Information
Be sure the test leads and rotary switch are in the correct position for the desired
measurement.
Never use the meter if the meter or the test leads look damaged.
Never measure resistance in a circuit when power is applied.
Be careful when working with voltages above 60 V DC or 30 V AC rms. Such voltages pose
a shock hazard.
Keep your fingers behind the finger guards on the test probes when making measurements.
To avoid false readings, which could lead to possible electric shock or personal injury,
replace the battery as soon as the battery indicator appears.

MULTIMETERS
 Measuring Current
Diagrams below show a circuit before and after connecting an ammeter:

1.1 amps
A

• Current (amps) is the flow of electrical charge though a component or conductor

• Current is measured in amps or amperes
• Disconnect power source before testing
• Disconnect completed circuit at end of circuit
• Place multimeter in series with circuit
• Reconnect power source and turn ON
• Select highest current setting and work your way down.

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 Measuring Voltage
Diagram below shows the same circuit after connecting a voltmeter:

24 vdc

• Voltage (V) is the unit of electrical pressure; one volt is the potential difference needed
to cause one amp of current to pass through one ohm of resistance

• With a multimeter you can measure AC & DC

Alternating Current (AC) is house voltage
Direct Current (DC) is battery voltage

• The multimeter provides a parallel pathway so it needs to be of a high resistance

to allow as little current flow through it as possible

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 Measuring Resistance
An ohmmeter does not function with a circuit connected to a power supply. If you want to
measure the resistance of a particular component, you must take it out of the circuit
altogether and test it separately, as shown in diagram below:

100 Ω

• Resistance (Ω) is the opposition to current

• Resistance is measured in Ohm's
• Disconnect power source before testing
• Remove component or part from system before testing
• Measure using lowest value

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 Measuring or Testing Continuity

.1 Ω

Fuse: 5 amps

Resistance and continuity are opposites. When multimeter measures resistance

in ohms, it can not measure continuity. When there is little resistance there is a
great deal of continuity. Conversely, when there is a great deal of resistance,
there is little continuity. With this in mind, when we measure resistance we can
make assumptions about continuity based on the resistance values measured.

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 Common symbols on digital multimeters

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 With two loads of equal resistance, voltmeter reads 14 volts across the first load. We would
have seen 14 volts across the second load as well.

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 Simple circuit with two loads of equal resistance. The voltmeter reads 28 volts before the first
load. None of the source voltage has been dropped yet.

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 The voltmeter reads only half of the source voltage with the positive lead now on the ground
side of the first load. This is because the first and second load are of equal resistance value
so the voltage drop is split equally between them.

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 All of the voltage has been used up on the negative side of he second load. There is no
difference of potential so the meter reads 0 volts. Even though the meter reads 0.

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 Since there is an open to ground, none of the voltage will be dropped. The meter will be
reading 28 volts with the positive lead anywhere before they open. This can be a handy way to
determine if a ground is good or bad, particularly if the circuit has a lot of relays.

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 With a short to ground between the first and second loads, all the voltage is used up. Here the first
light bulb would be brighter than usual. Because the meter reads zero it tells us that the second
bulb is not burned out. Of course, had the load been something less obvious, this could also mean
that voltage never got there to start with. Verify that there is not an open from the bus and through
the first load). If the positive lead had been placed on the positive side of the first load, the meter
would have read the full 28 volts.

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 The meter shows a voltage drop lower than normal with corrosion in the circuit. The first
load only used up 9 volts because the corroded ground used up 10 volts (9v + 9v + 10v =
28v). The total voltage is redistributed throughout the circuit based on total resistance and
the current will go down (Ohm’s Law). The light bulbs would in this case be less brilliant.

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 Ohmmeters measure the resistance of a circuit or load. Its units of measurement are in ohms.
The leads are always hooked up across the load in question. Always isolate the component
from the rest of the circuit because of possible sneak circuits.

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 END

AEGEAN AIRLINES Technical Training fdim2003

MULTIMETERS