Harbor Freight FREE multimeter; Tools for SHTF!
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- Опубліковано 14 жов 2024
- A very brief and basic introduction to the multimeter, the device for measuring and testing electrical and energized components. This is meant to be informative only, and in no way is any kind of qualified instruction... so if you shock or electrocute yourself after watching this and trying something you thought you saw here... it's not my fault! If you would like some more in-depth info about anything you see here, please ask and I will do my best to help you out. There are also hundreds of other very informative and educational vids on this subject on YT, so go down the rabbit hole and have fun!
- I consider yours the BEST video on explaining the HF freebie multimeter.
- I understand the settings better than the ones for my IPhone
- I understand the pros and cons of this multimeter as opposed to ones you have to pay for
- Intelligent people know how to explain things using simple language. THANKS!
Thank you and blessings upon you and yours!
thanks for the video, i had this multi-meter for 2 years now, never figured out how to use it, and now i do!
ABSOLUTELY SUPERB TUTORIAL!!!! Finally, someone who knows how to address rank beginners about the MYSTERIES of Multimeters. Thank you so much for your expertise!!!!
Thanks for watching and chiming in. I'm really happy you got something
out of it... comments like this are what makes it worth it to do
these. Please ask if there is anything I can help you understand
better. Best of luck!
I have one in my RV, another in my tool box and one in my truck. They were free at Harbor Freight and I got one each time I went in, even got one for my daughter to have at her new house. Learning the basics is a must if you do any home or auto repairs. If you are going to buy or rent a new house it is handy checking to see if the outlets are wired properly, I found some outlets wired backwards.
Simple and informative. Most of us just need it to test power and resistance. Thank you
Thank you and I hope it helped. Those things are 99% of what I use them for in the field as well. Keep learning!
1st time using 1. Got the same model you show from HF awhile back but never thought I'd use it. I had to check for continuity on a mini fridge compressor today. Thanks for your instructions. Your a great teacher.
Thank you so much... hope it helped!
I am a disabled vet and I get those free almost every 6 months. I get the coupon for it and usually 3 other things . My wife always get the free things as I already have 3 meters. I have to use the higher range to test my handicap scooter it has a battery pack of 60 volts dc.
I learned my electronics in the NAVY on submarines . I was on SSBN 619 634 and I was taught with a vacuum tube meter and simpson 220 . Those 2 were the only ones you could use on a submarines back then. I also was taught tube electronics which today is a dieing art . One thing on the sub I used a meter most on was a mk 19 gyro it had over 300 tubes.
Keep up with the great videos it brings back some great memories
Thank you for your service, sir. The submariners are a special breed indeed! I cannot even imagine 300 tubes burning in a small enclosed space like that. Wow.. I'm sure you have some stories. Tubes are still in use in a few industries... musicians still love them in a few amps and effects. The best ones are made in Russia these days.. they kept the technology going a lot longer than we did, as tubes are inherently EMP proof (well, highly resistant, anyway!). I love the old analog meters too... I still have my clamshell Radio Shack meter that my mom gave me for Christmas when I was 12, and it still works perfectly. Thank you for watching and chiming in!
Hi :). I have a question. I have the same meter as the one in this video and I would like to know if the battery test setting will give the same measurment of mA as the reading of mA down in the current section. Do they not both measure the same thing or am I misunderstanding something? I tested a 9v battery with the battery setting and got 21mA. Then I tested the same battery down in he mA section of the dial and got .68A. Why the difference? Looking forward to your reply. Thank you.
Hi Michael; that is an awesome question. Your thinking is logical, but there is a caviat. To be honest, I do not know what the numerical value shown when in battery test mode is meant to show, but pretty much all I use it for is testing AA cells, which will show about 4.0 if they are in good shape. I assume it is in ma. You are getting a high reading across the cell in current mode because you are measuring the full current capacity of the cell across a dead short. If you were to try that with a car battery (Do NOT do this!!!! REPEAT... DO NOT!!!!) it would either melt the fuse or blow up the meter, as it would be about 700 AMPS through it, for a very brief moment. The battery check range has a built in resistance load in order to show how much "push" the cell has left in it for a given average task. No load /dead short current won't tell you much, will eat up your cell in a short time, and may overheat and cause fire if left connected for too long. Be safe, and keep questioning!
@@GoingGoneGalt Thank you for your prompt reply. I noticed on other meters they also have this setting for 1.5 and 9 volt batteries but it is clearly volts they are measuring. On this meter I was thinking perhaps they designed the setting to measure mA but under a load they provide in the meter therefore expecting a reading of 4 mA for 1.5v and 25 for 9v. I am new to all of this but find it interesting. Although I would not tinker with such readings on large powerful batteries I do want to thank you sincerely for reminding me of this safety issue. And thank you also for taking the time to clarify for me :).
I am a body tech. And my father is a retired NAVY electrician and every time I ask him a question it's like opening a dictionary in German. THIS was the most helpfull thing I have ever watched. THANK YOU!
The Body Shop; Thanks! My high school electronics teacher was a Navy radio man as well... They have an entirely different way of approaching EVERYTHING! There's no time here.. Or anywhere it seems.. To go so in depth, so let's just get to the point! Glad i could help... And if you have any more questions, ask anytime. Peace!
Thanks, I'm a total novice, I was trying to figure if a line on my deck had power, with all the settings on the multi meter, I was lost. Thanks for clearing it up. I had bought something from HF and had a coupon for a free multimeter, i'm happy it work, free isn't always a good thing, Thanks again.
Anytime, my friend... if there is anything that I can help you out with in the future, please feel free to ask! Good for you for diving in and tackling the problem yourself.. feels much better than calling out an overpriced service tech. Keep at it!
Thanks for the video. Just getting into electronics, so this video is what I needed. Sure beats reading the manual!
The manual doesn't really tell you anything anyway. Best of luck!
Thank you. I bought the sane product but couldn't figure out out till this video.
Glad I can help!
I got mine free ,from there ,I seen people do amazing things with this cheap meter ,me I keep this one in the car ,I have several other meters for work on electronics of a better grade someday like most guys I want a fluke meter .thanks for your video.
Thanks. I really just needed to see where to plug in the leads, but learned more!
Thanks for the video.just got the meter and needed the tutorial. I'm sure I'll watch it a few more times.
Thanks very informative, same to you and your love ones happy holidays!!!
Hi i might be a little late i notice this video was made eight years ago
Thank you for sharing your knowledge very appreciate
Thank you
Thank you
Thank you for watching and learning. I hope this helped. Feel free to ask any questions, and never stop learning!
When testing continuity how do you know what to set the meter to, 200 2000 20 ?
Thanks You explained your videos so the average person can understand.
Hi Richard, I have the same question...did you ever find out an answer to your question?
No
LOWEST RANGE IN OHMS
thanks for the informative presentation. this meter: Free - and worth every penny. When do you toss it?
(When the thought first occurs to you)
Is this accurate enough to measure resistance in the 1-4 ohm range (to check my subwoofer wiring configuration)? Thanks for the video!
It isn't very accurate in super low levels of resistance. Also... Just because a speaker coil is rated at 8 ohms, 4 ohms, etc, does not mean you can measure that with an ohmmeter. That rating is not resistance, it is nominal impedance, which is the dynamic opposition to current flow in an AC circuit, rather than the static resistance to DC current flow, which resistance is and what an ohmmeter measures. The voice coil on a loudspeaker that is rated 8 ohms might measure .2 to .5 ohms on an ohmmeter. For your subs, are you trying to wire them in parallel to get the impedance down and get more total power? Just do a visual inspection and compare to your schematic. Most important, make sure you have them in phase. Just use a 9v battery and make sure they are both extruding the same direction when you put it across the input. If they are out of phase, you will get no bass (self cancellation), and will soon destroy the spiders.
@@GoingGoneGalt thanks for the info! Reason im asking is because I saw a video from Sonic electronics where the guy checks his wiring config with a multimeter and it seemed to work for him. I'm wiring 2 DVC 4 ohm subs down to 1 ohm to supply the sufficient RMS (Amp is mono and 1 ohm stable). My box has 2 separate compartments so I couldn't follow the diagrams exactly, just wanted to make sure how I have it wired is indeed ~ 1 ohm.First I wired each of the subs voice coils together (i.e. POS a of sub 1 to pos b of sub 1, same as diagram) then pos and neg of the subs to their terminals in the box, then connected the pos and neg wires from each terminal to the mono amp. I believe it would be the same but not entirely sure, I took physics years ago lol
I'll make sure to check the phase too, thanks for the battery tip!
@@bAc0nBoY755 Wiring two 4 ohm speakers in parallel will give you a combined impedance of 2 ohms. This is good. Car audio specs are usually grossly overstated, so staying within them by a factor of 2 is a good plan.
Thanks for the video! Just tried to start using mine (exact same model) and what I forgot about using one was just about everything. Doing some automotive stuff on my Jeep and need to check (disconnected) battery cable stuff, grounds, etc.
Great! Let us know how it turns out!
@@GoingGoneGalt Turned out great. Just finally got around to checking if my new radiator has a ground path. It apparently does (not sure where yet). In the spring or so I am going to be doing a long flush on that system, so will check it again with the coolant out. One does not want the electrons flowing through the coolant, one wants the metal components grounded so they don't get promiscuous and breed galvanic corrosion. That is one of the things that destroys any aluminum coolant system parts early. If I discover later that there is no ground path through the frame, will be adding a grounding wire.
@@AustrianAnarchy I hadn't thought of grounding the radiator... Brilliant! Electrolysis is the enemy...
@@GoingGoneGalt They do it in industrial equipment all the time. Not sure why it is not done on home gamer transport. I guess I should check resistance by opening the cap and putting one probe into the fluid and the other on the same body ground I used before. If it is the same reading as going from radiator metal, then I really don't know anything yet. Will know for sure when I check it with the radiator drained.
I could use help troubleshooting a Hunter irrigation sprinkler controller. The display isn't receiving power. I need to know if it is the power supply adapter or if it is the internal computer that is burned out on the controller. The power supply is 24 volts from a power adapter plugged into the wall. Any help would be appreciated.
If you were to hold both probes in each hand and were to measure your own body's resistance what would it read in Ohms.Just curious
Thanks! Very instructional video. If I may ask, what is the other plug ised for? the empty one. And what is the blue part next to the off button on this multimeter used for?
The open probe hole is for the 10 amp range when measuring DC current. The blue block is for testing transistors. I have never used this on this meter, so I cannot vouch for how well it may work. Sorry about the lateness of the reply!
There have been times when my local HF Tool store has had this very meter as a give away item when you make any purchase, and in my book free is always a good price!!
If it's for free, it's for me! Tied for my favorite four letter word that starts with F!
Thank you for this video. It was very informative. I have one of these things in my tool box for years and had no idea how to use it. very cool, now I can get rid of any batteries that are dead in the drawer.
What does SHTF stand for?...thx
That makes my day when I hear I've helped someone, thank you so much for replying! And SHTF is a term used by the "doomsday prepper" community... standing for "When S#!+ Hits The Fan"; a possible day in the future when the systems of normalcy that we take for granted no longer are there.
GoingGoingGalt you didn't tell Steven he can't check his batteries with this meter, other than if they are completely dead, but even then dead batteries can come to life if charged properly. Steven needs a better Multi-meter or a battery tester to be certain.
@@demaXxXx .... the multi-meter will not tell me if a battery is good or not?
The continuity does not beep on mine, like yours. I have the same one and it was a freebee at Harbor Freight. So what should continuity show on the meter?
Thank you! Now maybe I can take one of mine out of the package and use it! HF gives these away like air. Now I know a little bit about it. Very cool.
You're a genius! I'm a clock person, they take AAA, AA, D, C and 9v batteries. I have the same meter as yours. PLEASE tell me what the the screen should read in order for these batteries to be good. I'm putting the dial to "1.5v" like the instructions say......what's good, what isnt??? THANK YOU!
It kinda depends on the current load that will be asked of them whether or not they will be usable for your application. New ones usually read 4.0 to 4.3, i usually toss them below 3.6 or so... But what a clock requires, i don't know... I would bet that you could drain them down pretty far... Measure one that died in your clock to see where it is.. You will get a sense of what is usable or not. Practice practice practice!
@@GoingGoneGalt You have helped me out tremendously! I love my meter, the instructions are easy enough but it doesn't say what to look for or what a good or bad reading should display. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME (no pun intended:-) Gotta LOVE UA-cam! ..... and I do! Thanks again! ♡
I have the same multimeter. Mine when turned ON, it does not show 0.00 but some numbers. As an example, when I set on DCV 20 and my both black and red terminals are not connected anywhere, it still keeps showing some numbers such as 0.87, 0.88 and keeps changing. How come it doesnot show 0.00 when it is not connected any where to measure? does it mean the multimeter is faulty or not correctly functioning?
Well, that is the big downside to equipment that is made so cheaply out of pure chinesium that HFT could afford to give them away by the tens of thousands. The accuracy, especially at the super low ranges, is not good. Most of the time, a "close enough" reading will tell me what I need to know about what I am looking at in a given circuit. If I need good accuracy, Like when bench troubleshooting to component level, I will use my Fluke or BKP meters. Try yours, in the appropriate ranges, on known components like alkaline batteries, mains power, resistors, etc, especially if you can check it against another meter that is known to be accurate. If it suits your needs, great. If not, you will have to invest some money into some better gear. Best of luck, and thank you for chiming in.
What is the difference between voltage and live circuit? I'm trying to figure out how to test my dryer outlet.
When looking at AC supply mains, we say that a circuit is "live" when it has voltage on it. It is either on (live), ot it isn't. There are very few situations in which you would not see full mains voltage when looking at a circuit, which would be 120 or 240 or possibly 208 in the US for anything you might see in a residence. If you see something very different than these, something is VERY wrong; you should probably shut off those branch breakers and call an electrician.
I do Hvac. U would b surprised what I have fixed with one of these free meters when I lost my Fieldpiece for about a week.
Just got mine a an hour or so ago, I had to open it up and hot glue the board down to the case where the leads fit in because that section of board was flexing. I also had to push the battery connector ring the battery connects to together because it was bent out of shape, other than that, or should I say aside from that it seems to work as it should.
Hugh Janus; For the price ya pay for it, stout construction and NASA tolerances are a bit much to ask. Hope it does well for you!
Similar here. I'v had exact digital multi meter for a year, unopened and battery still good and didn't leak . Just curious , i want to test if an old land line has electricity to charge my cell phone in case my charger gives out/damaged / and just to see if it can be done .. I'v read that some landline phone outlets that are not being used for landline services still can have power from possibly a secondary generator source. And trying to figure out how to test for possible cell phone charger use or if no electrical current then i want to use for a standard antenna for my television . By doing second plan i'd be using existing wire through out entire route in my apartment building untill it reaches to cut off point , power pole i'm guessing . Anyhow , i have a phone cable line plug in with two wires going into a flat seperate connectors(4 inches wire phone cord line from wall connector ) . What setting on mulimeter should i use? Thanks
Attaching anything to a telephone line that is not a part 68 approved interface is, in the US anyway, a crime. The DC voltage on a telephone line between the tip and ring has nothing to do with what charges your cell phone, and would damage your phone badly if you tried to hook it up to it. It would also likely make a very poor antenna.
Definitely, additional using an LM317 or an L7805 voltage regulator along with a 3A rectifier diode (1000 V) directly on line should keep too much power from overload phone charger circuit. I tested it and has power . I have used other outlets for basic antenna reception (different location) but I made sure if no power was in line , that I had to ask property owner , didn't have a multi meter . Actually, antenna worked perfectly, so good he asked me to configure/ hook his television up. And that also worked awesome. Got television channels super clear without distortion and a few extra stations. Mainly because the telephone line was running quite a distance to a power box ( 60 yards , estimate). Anyhow, I going to give this next project a try , and see what I come up with . thanks
What is the blue plug to the left of the “on-off” switch?
It's for testing transistors.
Hello, thanks for your help in advance.... I've had power supply adapters fail, such as for a cable box or CCTV camera hard drive adapters where the output..is 12v
Thanks for explaining what each indicator is for man. I was trying to see if my RV Water Heater Element was getting any juice from my relay switch and had it set on Battery DCV 20 and it would amp up then show 0.00. I am guessing I had a bad relay switch to begin with so I ordered a new one and replaced it ( obviously). I then tested it again with no results. However, I think I was just using the wrong setting on the multi meter. No harm and cost of money though as I knew my relay switch was bad anyways because I would hear a click and another click. With the new one it clicks once when powered on then it stays on. None the less, I will test it again in 120 ACV versus DCV. Thanks a ton!
BrotherBones X glad i can help... And best of luck withtbe rest of your project! I know my old RV is nothing but one repair after the next....
Yeah I hear you. I can understand going cheap when they make them to keep cost down, however, I wish they had legit after market pieces built to last instead of having to re-buy and replace junk parts for junk parts.
Could you please explain the three plug-in female ports on the meter...which ones are used for each function???? Thanks.
THANKS - very useful and eeasy to follow
Thank you., Sir.This information was very helpful! Happy Holidays....
And to you as well!
Great vid. I was looking for a video on how to use this tool. I picked up 2 of them at HFT for free with coupon. Except it only goes up to 5A
GoingGoingGalt: I have one of these that I got at Harbor Freight Tools. It is the exact same one that is in this video. I have had it in a drawer for many years, and it has never been opened. I was wondering if there is a battery inside it that makes it work? If so, do you think I should replace the battery?
Yes; there is a 9v battery inside that powers the unit. If it doesn't power up when you turn it on, then the battery would probably be the problem. There are, if i remember right, two tiny phillips head screws that hold the back on to give you access to inside. Make sure the leads are not connected to anything before you open it up. Let me know if this fixes you up. Thanks for mentioning this, i guess i never did!
@@GoingGoneGalt Thanks for your help! When i get a 9V battery i'll let you know.
Whats the little blue thing thats has the NPN and PNP just to the left of the on/off switch for?
That is a transistor checker. I have never used it, but it should tell you the gain of the transistor being checked, as well as checking reverse bias. PNP and NPN refer to the two types of transistor configuration.
I got it too. However, why mine shows minus after being turned on, and yours doesn't ???
The calibration on these chinesium meters isn't exactly the best. Also; what range do you have it set to?
Thanks for the video on my meter. Guess I'm a dummy 😂. I lost my manual on it and it is driving me nuts trying to figure out how to use it.
Multi-meters in general work all the same so download any manual to give you the basics in settings and measurements. Where the difference lies is in accuracy, longevity, perhaps more functions and quality. If you download a manual on multi-meter about the same price range you should be fine, what will differ on all meters is how to reach battery compartment, location & fuse specifications, and battery type, so don't throw away a fuse if its blown. You need it to buy the same fuse. Some multi-meters will have a 9 volt special battery, don't use that manual, they are for military use only. Hope it helped.
'
So a new 9 V battery reads about 26 milliamps?!? Why does it not read 9 V? Can't you put it on 20 DCV then measure it? (I'm got me a free meter and just curious on how to use it). Thanks in advance.
You can take a simple open circuit voltage reading on a DC range, and it is better than nothing, especially if you are very familliar with the type of battery you are using and the equipment that you are using it in, like I am with Duracell Procells and wireless microphone systems. The purpose of the dedicated battery check range is to measure the battery / cell under a small load, to see how well it is performing. This gives a better estimation of condition than a simple open circuit voltage reading can. Hope this helps!
Can you demo continuity again? This one will do it, but there is no beep?
No, unfortunately, there is no beep on this one. That's a nice feature on a meter, as it allows you to keep your eyes on your work, especially if it's a low light situation, like i often find myself in. If you're needing that, then it's time to graduate to a slightly more expensive meter. Congrats! Your skills are growing!
How do you check the control box for a water well with this multimeter? I've searched Google and UA-cam without any luck.
You will have to give a little more detail... Which component in the box do you suspect might be bad?
I was wanting to check each component in the control box to make sure that they were all functioning properly. Fortunately, the issue was the less expensive and easiest part to replace- the pressure switch. I would still like to know how to run through and check the components of the control box for future reference if possible.
thanks for the information it helped a lot you showed me what I needed to know
could i read how many watts something would use???? thanks
Hello and Thank You for the video, very helpful. Off the wall question for ya: How would this meter be used to troubleshoot a remote control car? More specifically the transmitter and other components in the RC car or any similar electronic device.
That goes a lot deeper into the process of troubleshooting than I can get into here, Walter. I'm afraid that every device is different, and I can't help you without having it on my bench. I might not even be able to help then... if it's in the RF section of the remote, I'd be lost. Check the obvious connections from the battery compartment and power switch with the voltage range... after that... I'm afraid I'm a little lost. best of luck!
All you could do is test the components in the OHM settings to see if anything is either open or shorted. You will need an RF meter to test wavelengths. Go to Radio Shack or a shop that installs the dish. They do make meters which reads the signal to be adjust the dish in the right direction, but again not cheap.
You didn't mention that blue circle on the left hand side what is that for
I addressed that in another comment below... It is a transistor checker. I have never used it, IMHO it is a pretty useless feature in a beater field meter.
Thank you so much! I just want to see if my camera batterys are charged and i couldnt figure out the meter. (The directions are not user friendly for me). Now i can test them!
If you’re that bored at work you’re not at work lmao
Well, let's hear it for that guy who knows everything and speaks for everyone, the world's foremost authority on all subjects!
Good Info. Thanks. Question can this unit be used to check the voltage and condition on a 12v marine deep cycle battery?
Any voltmeter is just measuring the voltage potential across whatever two points you put the probes on, in real time as they are placed. It will tell you what the voltage is across the terminals, but not what kind of power the battery is capable of delivering. The only way to test a battery like that is to put it on a load tester, which you can do for free at most auto parts stores, or you can buy your own there, or @ wallys or harbor freight for between $50 and $100, depending on how fancy you want it. Good luck!
When you were checking the AC in the power strip you didn't let us know what the hot one was meaning did the black or the red go in which side where you plug into the power strip I'm pretty sure from other videos the larger longer of the power strip is the black negative
Hi mity; I would suggest that you check out some videos on basic electrical theory. When dealing with AC (The power that comes out of the wall) there is no "positive" or "negative", as the EMF (voltage) swings between both equally at a rate of 60 times per second (in North America, anyway). So, it does not matter which probe you apply to which side of the outlet, you will get the same reading. There is a difference between them, however, as you had stated. The smaller slot is the "Hot" side (which carries the power potential, both positive and negative in relation to Neutral / Ground. This is the side that will hurt or kill you if you come in contact with it!) and the larger side is the "neutral" (which SHOULD be at the same potential as ground, but is there exclusively to carry the current back to the source, whereas the ground is there to protect from voltage potential where it shouldn't be). It is necessary to take note of which probe you use when measuring DC potential (like in a car's electrical system), so you can confirm what you are looking for. In that case, you are right, black will be negative and red will be positive. If you did reverse them, it will not hurt the meter, but you will see a "-" symbol before the reading... indicating a "negative" potential. I hope this helped.. thank you for your question!
You get it for free at HB but it does not have capacitor testing feature but it is very good.
Very informative. Thank you and be safe.
To check for continuity with this cheap multimeter, you mentioned it was possible. But since this one doesn't have the audio beep to check for continuity, what am i looking for on the screen to show there was or isnt continuity between a fuse for example?
Hi j... To test continuity with this guy, set the dial to the 200 ohm setting,and short the probes together. Note this reading, as it will be very close to what you should see when there is continuity. This is covered about halfway through the video. Good luck!
Thank you! I'm struggling with a 3 way light circuit. This helped!
Great... Let us know how it goes!
I am trying to test my travel trailer converter. what setting should I put the meter on, 20DCV? some instructions say to plug the trailer into 110, remove two 30 amp fuses, and touch positive to the blue wire(terminal) and negative to white (ground). So, set the meter to 20DCV and got a reading of .01
Jay Monroe without seeing your converter, it's hard to tell if you should be reading something there or not. I'm not sure why you would be removing the fuses, unless to isolate from the trailer wiring. If you have it plugged in and it's not giving you the 12v - 14v that you're expecting to see, yoy may have a problem with the converter unit. Test your meter on the terminals of the starting battery to make sure the meter is working right. Best of luck!
Thanks for a nice, useful, explanation video.
Thank you! the info was great for a beginner like me
Just bought a 5.99 plus tax multimeter from Harbor Freight. But it won't work. Potentiometer is missing inside on the PCB. Then I realise it's not a Cen - Tech. But a No Name Brand Knockoff you would find in say, Chinatown in NYC. Very Sketchy, Harbor Freight on Artesia & Hawthorne in L.A. County. I have the receipt.
What should I do?!
Take it back. They will refund or replace as long as you have the receipt. It's always a risk with low dollar chineseum equipment.
Thank you for sharing. A question. Can car fuses be tested with this particular multimeter.
I'm sorry about the late reply... I didn't see it! Yes.. but make sure to take them out of the fusebox before testing them, or you can fry the meter. Once you have it out, put the meter on a resistance range (ohms) and put the leads across the fuse legs or caps... one on each. The readout should drop to near zero, or the same as if you short the leads together without the fuse between them. If it does, the fuse is good. If it does not change, the fuse is open (bad).
so my car is blowing fuses from the a/t cont fuse every time I turn on the switch. Does that mean I have a wire grounding out and what settings will I use on this multimeter to check and pull fuse one by one to narrow it down?
it is very strange that this cheap and most times free meter is the only meter that has battery load tester on it. even my 500 dollar fluke and half a dozen other expensive meters I own don't have that. go figure. and it is handy as heck to have instead of connecting resistor across leads.
You explained it very good
nice video.....i though that multimeter is a piece of crap that's why they give it away for free...now i got to get myself one...thanks bro
mikal vanger. They can be hit & miss..m. Ive had a few that had issues right out of the box, and some that have worked perfectly for years. I will say that the probes are crap.. Be careful or else you can pull the leads right out of them. But for a free beater meter... Can't beat it!
I got a free one also with coupon, must say handy to have and it does work well
mikal vanger Just got one free when I bought a 99c epoxy mix... Well worth the price.
good vid!
i have a similar meter and ive always wondered what the little circle thing with letters, in the lower left corner of the meter does? Its left of your OFF switch on your meter...
Thanks
Not being able to see it, I would guess that it is a transistor checking utility, which will check transistors for leakage and test their inherent gain. For the record.. I have NEVER used this function. That's really more of a mid level bench technician need. Thanks for watching & chiming in!
GoingGoingGalt
ok thanks!
so im assuming you would insert the 3 legs of it into this part of the meter...
good to know
You just have to know which are the emitter, the base, and the collector, and then there is probably a switch to select the type, either pnp or npn. Good luck!
GoingGoingGalt
ya, looks like 6 holes in it and pnp and npn are marked. So it should be easy enough to get a datasheet on the specific # before testing it.
thx again
Thanks, You are helping many people with your video who are becoming familiar with basic electronics. Something they will use all their lives. But as far as that Harbor Freight Multi-meter goes, it's a piece of junk - never mind one shouldn't be complaining if its free. I have a Fluke but its too big for my tool box so I've gone thru 2 of those CEN-Techs (one lasted 6 months the other about 9 months.) If one is going to buy one, spend $15 more and buy yourself a decent one such as Innova Equus 3320 at Amazon. It's accurate, has battery tester, has more settings, and nicely rubber bumper covered to take abuse. (Don't buy a Fluke unless you're an electrician and have mucho bucks to spend.) Other than that, good job, and I took the liberty to answer some questions here-below. Electronics was a phase in my life I enjoyed, as I'm sure you do. (PS: I have a library full of electronic books is someone cares to have them.)
Have the exact model. How do you know if the meter is working right? When on the 200 ohm setting, then crossing the probes, mines reading dances all over the place for sometimes up to 20 seconds before settling into about .6
BOC4ALL yeah. the resistance reading isn't perfect. if you need it to be, better buy a more precision meter. There is a zero adjust pot inside on the circuit board, if you take the back off like you have to when replacing the battery. Play with that if you need to see true zero for continuity.
GoingGoingGalt
I just got this exact multimeter and I would like to know if there is a way to measure small circuit board capacitors with it or perhaps at least be able to check them to see if they are good.
This meter does not have a capacitor test mode. A capacitor tester is a
completely different animal. You can put the leads across the cap in
resistance mode and see if the cap is shorted (reading on the display
will be the same as if you just shorted the leads together), but that's
about it. If it's a big electrolyctic, you should see the value change as the cap charges.
Yeah, OK thanks.
Good video! I only really will use the first 2 functions but that is what I needed to know. If you do another on basics maybe you can include the wire locations? Not sure when you would use the 10ADC input but would be useful to know. Thanks for the basics...
Video coming up on that... thanks for the question! Please feel free to ask anytime....
Hi Tripple G: A ? : what settings do you set the meter on to measure flow of electricity, example 60amp breaker feeding a heat pump, where the heat pump also has a 60amp breaker seperate from the breaker box, which is on the unit itself?
Hi Donnie; I'm a little unsure just what it is that you want to check out. If you want to measure the current (amps) on something like that, you will have to use a "clamp-on" ammeter... maybe I will do a vid on one. This little meter does not have that capability. Is the heat pump working, or are you trying to troubleshoot it? Let me know, and best of luck to you....
Its my brother heat pump, the inside breaker for the home is got a little warm and tripped. The breakers on the unit doesn't trip so we figured that the breaker was bad where there was electrical condensation built around the breaker. Changed out the breaker on the unit and still the breaker inside the home trips off. Thanks for responding back,
Well, if the breaker is warming up and tripping, that's certainly an indicator of an overcurrent situation. You didn't mention what the ratings on the breakers are. Also, heat pumps are usually 220, so it will probably be a dual gang breaker to feed it. I'm not sure what electrical condensation is... if you're getting water around your breakers, that's bad all around. Best of luck to you...
Great video! BTW pencils have graphite not lead 🙂
Thank you.... and they are still called pencil leads, even though they aren't. Lead would be a lot more conductive.
with which one of these option do you test capacitors with?
Fading Skater well... you can and can't. for small ones, you can use the resistance ranges to make sure that they aren't 'leaking' or shorted. it cannot tell you if they are completely open and useless, or what the capacitance is. A capacitor tester is a completely different device. If you are applying it to an electrolyctic cap, make sure you observe the polarity so you don't damage the cap. hope this helped.... good luck!
Great job
You explain it very good thank you
What setting do you use to check your washer & dryer terminals?
Eric Wilson i would need more info than that... Which terminals are you referring to? What is the problem you are having?
I have this meter, I have to test the continuity of the capacitor and the compressor what do I set the meter on to do this?
How do I test this meter to make sure it is calibrated right?
thanks Judy
Judy Ettenberg hi Judy; this meter does not have a capacitor test mode. A capacitor tester is a completely different animal. You can put the leads across the cap in resistance mode and see if the cap is shorted (reading on the display will be the same as if you just shorted the leads together), but that's about it. it cannot tell you if the cap is working to its rated ability. if you are checking it for a short, be sure to isolate it from the circuit first so you are not also looking across the winding of the motor. best of luck!
can you check a capacitor with one of these?
Good video Thank you so much
hello, ke7azd here, I was building a 2m dipole and can't afford a mfj on my shoestring budget. I got this mm free. can I use it to tune my antenna
I don't think that you can use it that way, but then again, I'm not really an RF guy. There may be a hack for that! I just got an old CB SWR meter at a local thrift store for like five bucks... keep your eyes out... the bargains are out there!
Will it test those larger batteries for my flashlight? They are known as 18650 3.7V.
It will give you a reading, but what that reading means you will have to figure out on your own. Try it with a vrand new one, and comoare that to one that is just this side of dead, and you will see what i mean. Best of luck to you...
To measure 230v I would put it on the 750 Acv setting correct? And to measure Amps in the 15 range what do you set it too?
Jared Causey. Yes; 750 range for 230VAC. The meter can only handle up to 10 Amps of DC current according to specs, but I would not try that much, especially with the whimpy leads that come with it. It kinda concerns me that you are wanting to measure 15 amps... I hope you're not trying to "measure" the current from a wall outlet... That is for measuring the (DC only!) Current IN-LINE in a circuit! Sticking the leads in to the wall in current mode will give you some very fast fireworks and a destroyed meter. Thanks for chiming in, and best of luck!
GoingGoingGalt no not really needing to even measure the amps on and just wanted to make sure that’s what the 10 setting meant and would only be measuring the 220-230-240 range on a breaker
Well, once again, the current measurement is only for DC, and you can't really measure the current capability of a breaker, without putting a progressively bigger load on it and seeing where it trips. If you want to measure the AC load on a device, there is a neat gizmo called a "kill-a-watt" that will tell you all that and more. I have two of them... Maybe I'll make a vid about them. Hope this helped.
so what about if im testing for 48v with multiple batteries in a car... i put it to 200v? cause i left my voltimeter at 20v and it reads 1. on the screen... i have my measure dial too low than 200v?
Yeah it should be at 200V, 1. just means its out of range. I always suggest getting a autoranging meter to start with because it makes learning a lot easier.
I'd be interested in knowing whether CCA on a car battery can be estimated or measured with this..
Nate Ngcould; well... Yes and no. It cannot directly measure it, but if you were to put a variable resistance load across the terminals that could dissipate that kind of current, you could determine CCA. Of course, the battery would also have to be cold too. Im not sure what they mean by that, but i think its pretty cold... Like 0 degrees f or lower. You can buy battery testers for thirty to fifty bucks that will give you more info about your battery too.
Openin a play pen
I have a couple of these that I stash in various places for quick checks or where I try to avoid bringing my good meter, like the garage. The specs are listed in the owners manual and for free they are not too bad. I verified them against my good meter that is 4.5 digit, .001% , with a NIST certificate. You almost never need that kind of accuracy but it makes a good calibration standard. I love it when somebody swears a piece of measuring equipmemt is accurate when they test it against another piece of junk and they match. There are a couple of things about this cheapo that annoy me. The probes when shorted together do not read O on the 200 ohms range. Some of it is in the crummy connectors and skinny test lead wire but even if you jump the terminals with a jumper of heavy copper wire, you see a rather unstable .4-.7 ohms. With leads it can be well over an ohm. At least in the old days, analog meters had a 0 adjust. Another problem is the really crummy test leads. The insulation often separates at the connector. That is where Amazing Goop comes in handy. It sticks well to the wires, has high dielectric strength (a good insulator), and is a good strain relief but it does look like crap. I agree, a beeper continuity check would be nice but the cost of the beeper element might raise the price beyond what most people pay for it: FREE!!. A frequency function is really reaching. I have used the transistor test function. It measures DC beta or how much a transistor amplifies. Good for selecting transistors in switching circuits. It actually works but the socket is such poor quality, that with much use you have connection problems. Frankly, I am amazed that they can make it so cheaply. I can't buy some of the components for what this goes for Another feature you will find in an even slightly better meter is auto ranging. You don't have to worry about frying the meter because you measured 48 volts on the 200mv range.
Very good points. Yes, the leads are crap and I wish it had a zero adjust (Like my Radio Shack Micronta analog meter that I have had since I was 12.. made in the early 80's and still works awesomely!) And about not being able to buy the parts that cheaply; that's another great use for it. I take them apart and use them for standalone voltmeters in my vehicles (Like the 3 I use in my RV to monitor the battery bank levels). Thanks for chiming in!
I was gonna make a car voltage meter out of one until I got a good look at how it was put together (this was back before they went to the thinner smaller circuit board) so i just opted for the $2-3 Amazon voltage meter along with one that plugs to cigarette lighter for backup, but ive stuck the HF DMM on my dash for temporary when I had a 2000 Cavalier that had more money in the electrical system then the car was worth and had a switch hooked up to alternator to give it a small voltage boost when needed to make amps play louder and it made the car so if I had the music on when idling the motor wouldn't bog down or die as bad, I used to watch my voltages like most people watch the road
I always pick up a new free one because the leads break off. I always wondered why it never zeroed out too.
That was simple enough. I'm not confuse anymore. Thanks
Great Video
Thank you
Awesome. Thanks for sharing!
Great really helpful! Thanks!!
Glad you got something out if it. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.
Thanks for the video just got this free at HF and if it matters I'm an automotive student at my high school
justindasilva73 Awesome! Thank you for checking it out. With the way things are now, automotive work is more about electronics than about mechanics anymore, so it will be critical for you to understand this as well as any electronics tech. Please feel free to ask questions any time... maybe you'll inspire me to another vid on the subject. Please subscribe... I'll be doing a contest soon and I'll probably be giving away a few more of these. Peace!
I am trying to find out if I have live wires under my house. How can I test them with this?
The only way that this meter tests for the presence of EMF (voltage) is by direct contact of the probes to the conductors. If you can trace down the wires and find out where they go, you can probably get to an exposed end and test them there. If not, there is another device that is available at your local hardware store called a non-contact electrical tester (they're pretty cheap... under $10 usually. It looks like a big plastic pen.). It will beep when placed alongside a live conductor. They're so sensitive that it will beep from the static generated by rubbing it on my arm hair... which is how I confirm that it is working each time I go to use it.
No matter what, if you are going to cut the wires or cut into them, turn off the main breaker to the house before you do. (And if you have solar, be sure that system is disengaged as well) It's the only way to be 100% sure that an unknown conductor is de-energized. Good luck, and thank you for watching and chiming in!
thats easy are the wires exposed ? do any of the wires have any copper shown ? If not you might need a TICK tracer.
thats easy are the wires exposed ? do any of the wires have any copper shown ? If not you might need a TICK tracer.
Very heipful, thanks.
What is the other port for on the right used for on the red lead.
Hal Greene I'm pretty sure the one you are looking at is for the 10A measurement range... It has to be in a different port than the other ranges because it passes a relatively large current through it. Hope this helped......
The household battery tester how do I convert a number of 24 to nine volt if testing a nine volt battery ?
I'm afraid i don't quite follow you? Please explain a little more...
well it doesn't show 9.0 if a 9 volt or 1.5 if a 1 .5 volt- am I suppose to multiply a conversion amount or should the meter show the actually voltage?
@@songman1955 The battery tester range isn't going to give you a voltage reading, it's doing a small load test. The numeric readout is showing the milliamperes measurement of that battery / cell under the load that is across the internal circuit. A good 1.5v cell should read about 4.0 mA. A good 9v battery should read around 25mA. Try it with a new one, then again with one that JUST died in the device you are using it in. You will see the difference. The AA cells that i use, i usually call them toast around 2.5 - 2.8 mA. Depending on the device, of course. Some can draw them down lower, some need more or they will cease to function. Hope this helps!
How would you set this meter to check 24v on wire going from landscape controller to anti syphon valve?
Most of the time, from my experience, the power going to the irrigation valves is AC, so set the meter appropriately and go across the leads at the valve to see if they're getting the power. If they're not, check at the controller to see if it's that, or if it is putting out, you have a bad line.
Usually that's a long run and all you need is a continuity check as 99% of the time the wire underground is broken or disconnected at the valve. I had an extra 100 foot lamp cord (but any cord will do, even an extension cord with an alligator clip) Use it to reach the multimeter PROBE. Take a Ohm (Continuity) check if open you will get ZERO. Then start digging to find the broken wire. (You don't need to check the Voltage, that's not were the problems lies.) If want to check voltage do it at the box, or directly at the Valve, your choice.
Good job. Thanks
i have 1 for 3 years and it is my back up meter.
That's what I use them for... backup or 'beater meters'. I throw them in every tool box & vehicle, and keep my Flukes & BK in protected safe keeping. Thanks for watching!