MULTIMETER Introduction

This PowerPoint is a companion

to the videos in Background /
Resources / Multimeter Guide
It is recommended that you
watch the videos for an animated
explanation of this PowerPoint

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MULTIMETER Overview

In this presentation, you will learn:

Continuity
Using a multimeter to test continuity
Reading direct current voltage using
a multimeter
Reading the voltage of a battery

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MULTIMETER Continuity
What is continuity?
Defined as: uninterrupted connection
The circuit below has continuity
The circuit has an uninterrupted connection with the battery

Battery

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MULTIMETER Continuity continued
If the wire is cut, the circuit no longer has continuity and the
light bulb is not lit

Missing
segment
of wire
Battery

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MULTIMETER Continuity Testing
How to perform a continuity test:
Continuity testing is done with a
multimeter
Allows a technician to see
whether or not a circuit is
complete
Checking for continuity can help
you locate:
Broken wires
Defective switches
Loose connections

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MULTIMETER Step 1

Move the selector switch to

the continuity setting

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MULTIMETER Step 2
Remove insulation from the
ends of a piece of wire
Touch the multimeter test
probes to the wire, as shown
If the wire is good, you will
hear a tone from the
multimeter, and the display
will show all zeros

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MULTIMETER Step 2 continued
Note that polarity does
not matter
If you switch the probes
of the multimeter, you
should still hear a tone
if the wire is good

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MULTIMETER Step 3
Test the bumper switch by
building the setup to the right
If you press the bumper switch,
you will hear a tone
The tone means that the
bumper switch is working
Repeat this set of steps for the
limit switch

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MULTIMETER Step 3 continued
Note that you can directly
connect the probes to the
proper pins of the bumper
switch instead of using the
breadboard
You will see the same results

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MULTIMETER Batteries and Continuity
Continuity tests cannot be performed
on batteries
If you try to perform a continuity test
on a battery, you will not harm the
meter, but you will get incorrect
readings
Batteries should be removed before
testing the continuity of any device

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MULTIMETER Practice
You can try continuity tests on:
Switches
Wires
Cables
Flashlight bulbs
This will give you more
experience with continuity Battery
testing

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MULTIMETER DC Voltage Testing
What is DC Voltage testing?
Reading the voltage of circuit
elements, such as batteries and
cells
Why is this useful?
Weak or dead batteries will
render your electronic device
useless
DC voltage testing is a good first
step in troubleshooting

For more information on direct or

alternating current, refer to Overview /
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MULTIMETER Step 1
How to read DC voltage:
Insert the red test wire into the red
jack, as shown
Do the same for the black wire

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MULTIMETER Step 2
Rotate the multimeters selector
switch to DC Volts
The multimeter is now ready to
read voltage from a device

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MULTIMETER Step 3
Touch the multimeter probes to the ends
of a AA battery
Standard voltage for AA batteries is 1.5 V
Does your display show this?
What happens when you switch the
multimeter probes?

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MULTIMETER Step 3 continued
If you switch the probes, Multimeter Reading: 1.5 V
your voltage reading will
become negative
What is polarity? - Battery +
Negative probe Positive probe
Having two oppositely
charged poles, one
positive and one negative Multimeter Reading: - 1.5 V
Batteries have polarity
On a multimeter:
The black probe is - Battery +
negative Positive probe Negative probe

The red probe is positive

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MULTIMETER Step 4
Touch the probes of the
multimeter to a 7.2 V battery
Do this by connecting the probe
tips to the connector pins inside
the plug as shown
What is the multimeters reading?

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MULTIMETER Step 5
Remove the batteries
from your radio control
transmitter
Lay them out end to
end, as shown
Make sure the
negative terminals only
touch positive
terminals

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MULTIMETER Step 5 continued
Connect the meter as
shown
Make sure that the red
probe is touching the
positive terminal of the
top battery
Make sure that the black
probe is touching the
negative terminal of the
bottom battery
What is the total voltage of
these 8 batteries?

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MULTIMETER Step 5 continued
When batteries are Voltage of 1 AA battery = 1.5 V
connected together like Number of AA batteries = 8
below, their voltages add
Total voltage of 8 AA batteries in series:
together
1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V + 1.5 V = 12 V
These batteries are in
1.5 V x 8 = 12 V
series

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MULTIMETER Step 6
Place the batteries back in
the radio control transmitter
Place the probes as shown
Observe the voltage reading
What do you expect it to be?

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MULTIMETER Step 6 continued
Now, place the probes differently,
as shown at right
What voltage reading did you get?

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MULTIMETER Step 6 continued
Continue to move the
black test probe, as shown
Do the values you read
from the multimeter make
sense?

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