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| Best practices for not damaging DMM? |
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| Fungus:
--- Quote from: Brumby on January 08, 2023, 01:15:56 pm ---+1 on the Current measurement caveat. Never leave a meter in current measurement configuration. --- End quote --- Yep. And always measure current on the 10A range first. Never start on the mA range. Second: Don't turn the dial with the probes connected to anything. You don't say what DMM you own or what you're doing with it but I think you'll have a hard time doing any damage if you follow those three rules. |
| nightfire:
To sum up: Best practice independent of an digital or analog multimeter include turning your brains on and think about what you want to measure exactly and what the expected value would be. Then: - begin with Volts measurement first to check IF voltage is present and if it is present at the estimated points - begin with highest range first (or make sure autorange is engaged) - disconnect the wires after usage OR at least put them in the Volts input to prevent accidents like having wires in the Amps socket and probing for voltage- will go boom - usually the device under test (DUT) should be powered up first, then go measure- to prevent nasty inrush spikes frying the multimeter - do not use cords longer than necessary- they tangle and push stuff from the desk - only do Ohms/diode tests etc. if confirmed that there is no voltage present - replace blown fuses with correct (and expensive) types that can withstand the short circuit power, do not cheap out on this |
| David Hess:
Buy a hard case to store it and its accessories in when not in use. I use Nanuk but there are lots of options. |
| BillyO:
I always turn my meter off and remove the leads after each use. All my leads(DMM, scope probes, alligator leads, etc..) are always removed from my equipment and hung up. If I have to measure both voltage/ohms and current in a given situation, I use two meters. I know this is not going to be an option for everyone but at a very minimum if you are moving between measurements turn off the meter and remove the positive lead. |
| Fungus:
--- Quote from: BillyO on January 08, 2023, 04:21:45 pm ---If I have to measure both voltage/ohms and current in a given situation, I use two meters. I know this is not going to be an option for everyone ... --- End quote --- Huh? Everybody here has at least 20 multimeters... (or is getting there) |
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