A quick question re:Multimetres and wiring.

[DrNomis_44]

OK everyone, I just want to be sure here so that's why I'm asking the question - If I set my MM to 200 Ohms and then poke and prod around the wires, I should be getting a small reading, say 0.3. And this means I've connected the wires correctly. So when I get a reading of 1 this means there is no connection and I have to resolder that wire? Thanks in advance. =D

Usually, if you're measuring resistance on a Digital multimeter set to 200 Ohms and you're measuring an open-circuit it will display OL on it's LCD screen, a reading of 1,or something like 0001 will mean a resistance of 1 Ohm.


Readings of less than 1 Ohm will display as 0000.

[keloooe]

I personally use an auto-range MM, you just select the type of measurement and it automatically sets the range and gives you the unit it is measuring in as well, I like it!

[DrNomis_44]

I personally use an auto-range MM, you just select the type of measurement and it automatically sets the range and gives you the unit it is measuring in as well, I like it!

I'm a bit more old-school with my multimeters, you have to manually change the ranges with the ones I have, I've been looking into buying a replacement for one of my digital multimeters that can measure Capacitance as well as Inductance and Frequency.

When I'm working on an occasional pedal build and I'm trying to find an elusive fault that I can't find with a multimeter, I use one of my other pieces of test equipment called an Oscilloscope, usually in conjunction with a Signal Generator, they are a bit more technical.

[sulistbu]

Hi nDro1d, check if your meter has capacitance function and use it to verify your caps. Unfortunately setting your meter on resistance is not effective way to check any caps as previously mention by Rabbitz.

Budi

[sulistbu]

I'm a bit more old-school with my multimeters, you have to manually change the ranges with the ones I have, I've been looking into buying a replacement for one of my digital multimeters that can measure Capacitance as well as Inductance and Frequency.

When I'm working on an occasional pedal build and I'm trying to find an elusive fault that I can't find with a multimeter, I use one of my other pieces of test equipment called an Oscilloscope, usually in conjunction with a Signal Generator, they are a bit more technical.

Hi Dr, Element14 has this DMM, and a friend of mine recently purchase it for his study/apprentice.
Its quite good for money, I've compared it with my Fluke 177, in term of basic function and measurement (Vdc/Vac, Resistance, Capacitance, Temp, Freq ) it is very good.

http://au.element14.com/tenma/72-773...-4PPM-SP-TM-MM

Budi

[DrNomis_44]

When you try to use a digital multimeter to test a capacitor, initially the multimeter may show a low resistance reading, then the reading will increase till the multimeter shows DC, this is because a capacitor is essentially an open-circuit as far as DC is concerned, when you measure resistance with a multimeter you are measuring pure resistance to DC (direct current), capacitors do exhibit resistance but it is resistance to AC (alternating current), AC resistance is totally different to DC resistance and is frequency dependent, this is basically how the capacitors in the tone controls of a guitar work to control how bright or dull the guitar sounds.


At very low frequencies, the AC resistance that a capacitor presents to them is very high, almost like an open circuit, now, as the frequency increases the AC resistance will become less and less and the capacitor will let more of the signal through it, the tone control pot gives us a way of controlling how much of the signal gets affected by the tone capacitor.


Apologies if I'm sounding a bit technical here.