27
May
A multimeter itself is going to do one thing measure voltage and in this case DC voltage. How to Check Your Car Battery with a Multimeter Set the device to read DC direct current voltage.
Before you learn how to test a car battery there are a couple of things to keep in mind.
How to use a multimeter on a car. Before using a multimeter you should set its range and parameters depending on what you intend to measure. Always apply the parking brake before measuring anything as well. For car owners intending to measure amperage strictly use the fused port for your probes.
The red probe is the positive one whereas the black probe is the negative one. Attach the multimeters leads to their corresponding electrical connections. Adjust the multimeter to the predetermined settings of either volt current or resistance.
Adjust the multimeters specific volt current and resistance settings to the specific setting to what youre testing ie. 20v 200v or 1000v. Testing Batteries with a Multimeter.
Before you learn how to test a car battery there are a couple of things to keep in mind. A multimeter itself is going to do one thing measure voltage and in this case DC voltage. Where a battery test at AutoZone has an advantage is its going to simulate a starting load on a battery.
Set your multimeter to the continuity setting using the selection knob. The readout on the screen will instantly read 1 which means that there isnt any continuity. This would be correct since we havent connected the probes to anything yet.
How to check car battery with multimeter The first test with your multimeter will measure DC voltage indicated with a solid line and a dashed line above a letter V. Set the dial to 20 which will allow you to accurately measure between 0-20 Volts. Touch the red probe to the positive terminal and the black probe to the negative terminal.
If there is no negative lead you can use a solid piece of metal on your car. Take your multimeter metal prongs and connecttouch them to each of the terminals Red to red and black to black. Just to note if your multimeter has a minmax function it is important to set that so that you can have recorded what the highest voltage and lowest voltage was so you have both of the extremes.
When using a multi-meter the first thing is to make sure that you connect the meter leads the right way round. This depends on the polarity of your car. If your car uses a negative earth system you should attach the lead marked negative or - to the body.
If your car uses a positive earth the lead marked positive or is connected to the car body. Check in your car handbook for the polarity of your car. Beginner Tips When Using a Multimeter.
Always set the multimeter to read voltage after you finish using it. You wont get the voltage value on the meters display if you left the device in the current mode. It can be tricky to get precise voltage and resistance readings when using a multimeter for the first time.
Step 1 Disconnect the wires at their corresponding components at both ends using a screwdriver. Connect a jumper wire between one wire end and the car frame. Connect the red positive probe of the multimeter to the other end of the same wire.
Connect the multimeters black probe to the car frame. Learn how to use a multimeter so you can start diagnosing some of those electrical system gremlins yourselfIn this quick multimeter tutorial I take you thro. How to use a Multimeter to Test a Car Battery 1.
Obviously the first thing that you have to do is to search for the actual location of the. Get the Multimeter Ready. Now that you have located and cleaned the battery the next thing to do is to prepare the.
How to Check Your Car Battery with a Multimeter Set the device to read DC direct current voltage. After doing this set the dial to 20 volts so you will be able to measure 0-20 volts. A fully charged battery should give out at least 126 volts so setting the dial to 20 volts is enough.
How To Use a Digital Multimeter. Using your DMM may require a little of learning but they are easy enough to use. The leads are positive and negative black for negative ground or common and red for positive.
Most functions use the non-fused port but amperage tests should always be performed with the red lead in the fused port. Set Multimeter Ensure the ignition lights and radio are off. Select the DC volts position on your multimeter or the 12V setting if you have a dedicated car battery test range.
DC voltage is usually marked as a V followed by a short line with a dotted line beneath it. SPONSORED LINKS A voltmeter is usually used in many ways in the automotive repair field its most basic function is to check for voltage at a particular component such as a battery brake light or switch. Step 1 - To check for voltage 12 volts at a particular accessory switch the meter to the DC voltage setting.
Voltmeter Set to DC Voltage. So you need to connect your multimeter in series with your circuit. To place the multimeter in series you need to place the red probe on the lead of a component and the black probe on the next component lead.
The multimeter acts as if it was a wire in your circuit. If you disconnect the multimeter your circuit wont work.