multimeter, how to use?

oh oh oh

hi, i just bought a multimeter and i want to test voltage on lights ,sockets etc around the house... what setting should i use on multimeter ? where should i place leads of meter when testing ? is it on live and neutral?....

seaniefr

oh oh oh wrote: »

hi, i just bought a multimeter and i want to test voltage on lights ,sockets etc around the house... what setting should i use on multimeter ? where should i place leads of meter when testing ? is it on live and neutral?....

It sounds like you have a new toy & maybe should consider a course in basic electrics to be shown SAFELY how to use it properly i really would'nt like to be reading about you in the death notices

oh oh oh

what shouldnt i do ? and what should i do?!

KoolKid

TBH If you are asking questions like that you should not be going near live connections.
What problems are you having that you need to test socket and light voltages?

Bruthal

koolkid wrote: »

TBH If you are asking questions like that you should not be going near live connections.
What problems are you having that you need to test socket and light voltages?

Id have to repeat this advice exactly,

Mike2006

Ditto...

Get it wrong and at best you knock off an MCB/RCBO. At worst you knock off yourself...


Mike.

bassey

Don't bother, I'll bet ya a fiver you'll get between 220-240 volts between phase and neutral on them all

Bruthal

bassey wrote: »

Don't bother, I'll bet ya a fiver you'll get between 220-240 volts between phase and neutral on them all

Unless he has it setup for current which might give a slightly different reading for a few miliseconds:D

ted1

best to leave it to the pros if you have a specific problem ask and you may get more help.

maxfresh

might be safer to use a volt stick like this

http://www.google.ie/imgres?imgurl=http://www.budgetgadgets.com/images/proimg/ebay/WWWBGCOM/678/6784/DSC_30926-2_360.jpg&imgrefurl=http://cgi.ebay.ie/FLUKE-1AC-C-II-VoltAlert-volt-stick-Detector-Pen-AC-/390224449445&usg=__Z97qEpNLHYtRzYpNgCPrOWNScrk=&h=360&w=360&sz=21&hl=en&start=0&sig2=hSyuQDuOXNdhqlSpkp0jfQ&zoom=1&tbnid=P9diatrNvoM48M:&tbnh=144&tbnw=175&ei=MxIfTcOwPNWAhAfR0YS5Dg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfluke%2Bvolt%2Bstick%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26cr%3DcountryIE%26sa%3DN%26biw%3D1543%26bih%3D1042%26tbs%3Disch:1,ctr:countryIE%26prmd%3Divns&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=347&vpy=177&dur=1187&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=150&ty=129&oei=MxIfTcOwPNWAhAfR0YS5Dg&esq=1&page=1&ndsp=36&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0

exaisle

If you didnt know how to use a multimeter properly, then why on earth did you buy one?

Sounds like a potential candidate for the darwin awards....

Bruthal

exaisle wrote: »

If you didnt know how to use a multimeter properly, then why on earth did you buy one?

Sounds like a potential candidate for the darwin awards....

So never buy anything we are not experts at using is it?
You could be right though.

Slick50

oh oh oh wrote: »

what shouldnt i do ? and what should i do?!

Step away from the multi meter, and get someone who knows what they are doing.

exaisle

robbie7730 wrote: »

So never buy anything we are not experts at using is it?
You could be right though.

No, you simply shouldn't meddle with anything that has the potential (pun intended) to come into direct contact with the mains. And I have the skin grafts to prove it!

You could be right too, though.

ntpm

maxfresh wrote: »

might be safer to use a volt stick like this

I think the likes of a volt stick can be dangerous in the wrong hands as well.

Neutrals are still "live conductors" and volt sticks do not indicate the value of voltage or absense of voltage.:eek:

You need to open up sockets/ switches and junction boxes this exposes live conductors.

Leave taking voltage reading to trained/ competent persons.

Dardania

OP if you want to use it, use it on a 9V battery!

Bull76

The Op has the multimeter now. So telling him not to use it is more than likely a waste of time.

Buying a device like a multimeter for pottering about the house isn't a wish idea. You should read the instructions and probably have a search on youtube.
It would be prefered to test on non live circuits, realistic low voltage dc circuits if you had too.

Testing around the house why? and for what reason?

Mains voltage is AC and would be tested on ac~, where as testing switchs would be Ohms, never test voltage with Ohms and never test current unless you aware of the dangers it puts you in.

Then saying that, if you don't know how Electrics work how are you expecting to know how all those electric components work and what reading you should be getting from them.

Realistic you shouldn't be testing something you nothing about, as you can do more harm than good.