How to Use a Multimeter to Diagnose Car and Truck Electrical Problems
In this video, we'' re gon na be looking at some
of the functions and just how to use a multimeter. The reason you may require a meter is to ensure that
you can check and identify electric elements in your automobile. There is several meters that you could
have. You might have a more pricey one or a much more
affordable one. Currently, this more inexpensive one looks quite
active. There'' s a lot going on on the dial. While taking a look at the much more costly one, it
looks less busy. There'' s much less things taking place as for the
dial go. Generally, these meters do the exact same
point. There is a bit a lot more options with a.
more costly, a lot more professional one. For the home option, this set will be fine. There is 19 various settings on this meter. Let'' s damage this down to three various sections. The first thing we wan na discuss is voltage. We have air conditioner voltage over on this side which.
we'' re not gon na speak as well much regarding that.That '
s just the voltage in your residence and.
electrical outlets and stuff, however we want automotive voltage, which is DC voltage. So what you wan na do is relocate the dial over.
to the 20 right there and it'' s gon na obtain your decimal in that place. Now, the just real distinction between these.
various arrays simply relocates the decimal point. To ensure that'' s simply gon na give you your range. So if you stick with 20, you must be good. Depending on what you'' re screening, you may.
have to move that. You'' re gon na want your black lead in the usual.
ideal here.Every meter
is a bit various. And after that your red lead, you require to inspect.
down listed below where the voltage is gon na go. To ensure that one'' s gon na go right there. So this is exactly how we'' re gon na examination for voltage. Ensure those remain in. So we'' ll take our black lead which is gon na.
be our unfavorable lead, placed it on the negative battery terminal, take a red lead, stick it.
on the favorable, and we can examine the voltage of the battery today. That test we just did was not necessarily.
testing the battery.We just wished to
make certain the meter was. functioning and the test leads were functioning. What I can do is a no tons voltage test on. the battery which is gon na examine the fee of the battery. The initial thing we wan na do is turn the headlights. on for one minute. That ' s gon na take the surface cost off the. battery to ensure that we can evaluate it at its regular state. So currently, let ' s simply check this and we ' re at. 12.8, 12.8687, which is good.That '
s the cost of the battery.
Currently,'that doesn ' t imply the battery is good. or bad. It just implies what the charge is right now. To in fact do a precise test, you would certainly. need a battery load examination device which really puts a tons on the battery and sees just how it. responds to that. Yet if you were examining the
battery with this. and you saw less than 12 volts, you ' re gon na
wan na charge your battery. So examining'the battery is not gon na be the. just factor you utilize this tool.
You ' re gon na test other circuits with it.When you ' re screening other circuits, you take. the black lead or'the unfavorable lead, put it on the unfavorable battery terminal, and after that. whatever various other circuit you ' re gon na be testing, you ' re gon na utilize'the red lead and put it on. the various other end and you ' ll obtain an analysis someplace in between 12 volts and 5 volts relying on.
the circuit kind. Now we'' re gon na go over the resistance and.
continuity tests. The first point you do, place your meter on.
this sign right below. And this is likewise a diode test. That'' s something various. Currently, just take both examination leads, placed them.
together just to inspect the meter, see to it it'' s functioning. And as you can see, you get a distinct beep. and then the meter will go as near to zero as possible, which behaves. So if you were gon na test the circuit, you.
wan na inspect a wire.You can have one end go right below. And we ' re just examining the connection to. ensure that voltage can stream with the cord. It ' s just gon na send a little bit of voltage. through there. Now, something important when you ' re doing. this examination, you'don ' t wan na have any kind of power on this. So remove the battery, disconnect the battery. if you ' re not sure, and after that test the circuit. Which suggests that the power has the ability to flow. via this cable. So the circuit would certainly be good. Currently, we ' re gon na inspect the resistance. Now, if you go to the 20K, that ' s sort of. the middle factor.
Like I said previously, when you move these, it ' s. simply gon na move'the decimal point. So start at 20K. You can check the resistance of this cord,. really near zero, it ' s 0.01. If you examine the cables themselves, the leads,.
test leads are 0.01, to ensure that'' s quite great. All right. Allow'' s claim you desired to examine the resistance.
of a certain automotive component and you understood what the specifications were, whether it'' s gon na be. less than 1000 ohms or 1 ohm or 10 ohms, take the negative on one side, favorable on the.
other side, and consider the meter.And this item is actually shorted so this.
is closed circuit. It'' s extremely close to a closed circuit,
which. it shouldn ' t be. Certain things, you can examine in this manner, particular. things,'it ' s gon na be difficult even to find a spec. What you might do is take a new one and test.
the brand-new one and afterwards examine the old one and see what you generate. So as you can see, if I relocate the range, I.
obtain a different reading.Like I stated, it
simply relocates the decimal factor. And this is really near being shorted out. Now, if I was evaluating this, and when I went. and put the leads
on the terminals and the reading was like this, just like that, that'' s. gon na be an open circuit. To make sure that'' s the distinction in between a nearly.
shut circuit and an open circuit. So last, we'' re gon na discuss the amp setup.
or examining for amperage. What you wan na do is established the scale. You can relocate this around. Again, it'' s gon na relocate the decimal point. Relying on what you wan na do, if we were.
gon na do a parasitic draw, probably stick it on 10 amps. And afterwards we'' re gon na move this test lead over.
to below. Now, you obtained ta be careful with this since.
limit you can examine is 10 amps and then the meter is gon na shut down or it might also.
damage the meter.Let ' s
claim you intended to examine this follower and.
the fan is below 10 amps, you understand that it'' s below and you have a specification for it or you have.
a new one to compare it to. I recognize there'' s gon na be buttons and relays.
and resistors in between this but also for function of testing it, we'' re simply setting it up like.
this. So the way you would establish the meter up is,.
you'' re gon na have to break that wire right there or separate something, placed the meter.
in between it. So one lead is gon na go right here, the other.
lead is gon na go right here, and you'' re gon na see just how much existing the follower is actually drawing. The voltage, well, on the ground side, the.
ground would undergo below and it would certainly create an analysis. So when you'' re screening this, you could have.
an old fan that you'' re testing and it only draws 4 amps where the all new one is.
gon na pull two amps.The new one is a
bit extra effective which. is great and that ' s a great way'to contrast it. To ensure that'' s one test that you can do if you. needed to examine the amperage of something. You can additionally do a parasitical draw examination on.
this where you hook this in between your car'' s negative battery cord and the battery and.
with the lorry off, see if the car is pulling way too many amps and it'' s creating your.
battery to pass away. So I hope this video clip streamlines making use of a multimeter.
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