question about how to use a multi-meter - newb at this

[JuniorNA]

yes. i'm trying to figure out how to use a multi-meter, and it's pretty pathetic that i don't know how. I"m using a radio shack digital, picture included. and I set it to volts, and wanted to test the voltage of my charged battery, but i can't get it to work. Am i doing something wrong, or am i not choosing the wrong setting? IT says you can put it to auto and it will detect DC/AC voltage but i'm not getting any readings near 3.7 or 4.2 on a charged battery. IT says something like .003 which is weird.

I wanted to learn to use it to see if i can measure the voltage on a VV mod box i'm getting, but it seems i'm stuck at step one on how to even check the voltage of the battery, lol.

Also, if i were to get this to work, where would i be testing the voltage on the mod? red cable in center connector, and black cable on the outside connect (ground)

Any help would be great.

Here is what i have.

 

[Para]

DOZENS of videos on Youtube that show how to use a multimeter......HERE

You can check your VV voltage using a multimeter, but fumbling with the probes gets old so you might consider making a simply volt meter or buy one from a vendor.

I like to make this one

Here's the same meter in a different box from Madvapes

 

[CraigHB]

I actually have one of those meters I bought way back when. I don't normally use it, but needed a pocket meter at the time. I have a higher end DMM I normally use.

Sounds like there's something wrong with that one. They're pretty simple, you just set the switch and go.

You should try another one. Harbor Freight sells one that works okay for a few dolllars. They're a lot cheaper than the inexpensive Radio Shack ones which are like $20. You can also get inexpensive ones online like this. I would spend a litte more and get a name brand like Extech, Fluke, BK Precision, Elenco, Instek, etc. Those cheap Chinese ones fail a lot and can give you bad readings.

 

[THJahar]

Here's a very nice picture for you

 

[JuniorNA]

Thanks para, I did a lot of youtube searching before posting, but none that had this specific model.
And CraigHB, you're right. I'm going to get a decent one, because honestly, this meter is supposed to have "auto" mode where you clamp them to whatever you want and it will know right away if you're measuring dc/ac, amps...etc. and it doesnt do jack crap. It won't measure a battery if it had a gun to it's head. ALso, even when i turn it on, and it's set to auto, numbers are all over the place, and when i set it to voltage (V), it's all over the place. I think i'm gonna buy the mad vapes multimeter for 14.99, but I have to read the description again, not sure if it reads OHMs .

thanks for the links guys !

DOZENS of videos on Youtube that show how to use a multimeter......HERE

You can check your VV voltage using a multimeter, but fumbling with the probes gets old so you might consider making a simply volt meter or buy one from a vendor.

I like to make this one

Here's the same meter in a different box from Madvapes

 

[ScottinSoCal]

I'm going to get a decent one, because honestly, this meter is supposed to have "auto" mode where you clamp them to whatever you want and it will know right away if you're measuring dc/ac, amps...etc. and it doesnt do jack crap.

I'm guessing here, because I haven't used anything but a Fluke meter for years, but...

I'd guess it's designed more for the home user, who wants to check power outlets and such. It is reading something, just in a range that doesn't do you much good. It looks like it's reading in 100 volt increments, so .003 would be rounded off from whatever 3.x volts you're reading, but in the wrong scale.

My DMM has a whole bunch of ranges, AC/DC/Ohms, etc. I just pick the one that's next higher than the voltage I want to measure. For my car battery and my mod batteries, I choose 20 volts DC. Then it reads the right scale and gives me the best accuracy for the range I'm reading.

 

[CraigHB]

this meter is supposed to have "auto" mode where you clamp them to whatever you want and it will know right away if you're measuring dc/ac, amps...etc.

The only thing meters can do automatically is range the display for you. Some only have auto-ranging and some only have manual ranging. Higher end meters allow you to select between them. However, no meter will be able to detect what measurement you want. You always have to set the switch to whatever it is you want to read. Depending on the meter, you at least have to select between Ohms, DC volts, or AC Volts. My higher end meter has a whole bunch of other things it can measure like amps, temperature, capacitance, and more. I always have to set the switch for whatever I want to look at.

 

[Para]

And CraigHB, you're right. I'm going to get a decent one, because honestly, this meter is supposed to have "auto" mode where you clamp them to whatever you want and it will know right away if you're measuring dc/ac, amps...etc. and it doesnt do jack crap.

You can spend $10,000 on a meter and it won't read your mind.

 

[Liv2Ski]

@JuniorNA- Actually that is not a bad meter you have. While not a fluke it will get the job done. There is a good possibility that the fuse is blown. Open the battery compartment on the back. Inside you will see a small glass fuse. Pull it out and check it. If bad replace. If that does not work I guess you could just step on it and get a new meter

 

[JuniorNA]

thanks guys, vent to home depot and got a klein multi-meter and measured all my atty ohms, and all my batteries. my roughstack 18350 battery is measuring at 4.2v fulling charged on a 1.7 ohm attie, kinda hot...but it will do the job.

Now when i get my VV, i'll know how to measure how much voltage is pushing out of the connection area. So i'll know what its set when i first get it, and try to get it close to 5 or 6v based on the ohms i'm using. With 5ohm cartos i'll prob like 7v

 

[CraigHB]

Looked those up, looks like a good name brand. Which model did you get?