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Date:         Fri, 21 Oct 2011 21:07:52 -0500
Reply-To:     Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Larry Alofs <lalofs@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Re: Multimeter help for the idiot
Comments: To: Courtney Hook <courtneyhook@shaw.ca>
In-Reply-To:  <A65497510B73418C83887F8C41A58848@MainComputer>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1

A couple of comments about what Scott said: Amps do have plus and minus, but it doesn't matter with a digital meter. It will just show a minus sign if connected backward. Results with a 12V test light depend on the light and the amount of current. If the light expects a lot of current (a brake lite bulb) but the current is small, the light may not light up. A small bulb like a dash indicator light would be better for detecting small currents. In any case you connect the bulb from the battery post to the cable that would be on that post.

Larry A.

On Fri, Oct 21, 2011 at 7:03 PM, Courtney Hook <courtneyhook@shaw.ca> wrote: > I was trying again to see if I had any current draw so did some internet sleuthing to help me figure this out. I can rebuild engines fine, tune motorcycles, etc, etc, but when it comes to multimeters I am an idiot. I think I did it right, but want some backup on this. I put my MM between the + terminal on my new battery and the + cable. I then set my RadioShack MM to the notch marked 200 DCmA which also had a solid line beside it with 3 dots under it. I then took the reading, and it said 00.0 ??? I reversed the leads and it then said -00.0 > Does that mean I have no current draw at all?? I am lost, because I have a small digital volt gauge plugged into the lighter that MUST be drawing something?? >  The MM reads voltage across the battery fine, at 12.74volts, so I think it's working fine. What am I doing wrong?? > Courtney >


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