I bought a new multimeter today. I was playing around with it testing outlets and what not. I didn't realize I had the meter set to a resistance setting (2300k i think) and when I put the probes in the outlet , everything connected to that outlet went out. Everything else on the circuit appears to be fine, except for the one outlet (in the garage) where I probed it and the motion sensor light above the garage. I replaced the receptical and flipped all the breakers and nothing. I am now only getting a 1.9v reading. What did I do!???? How can it be fixed?
2007-01-01 06:12:06 · 6 answers · asked by benrad62 1 in Home & Garden ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
First you may have fried the multimeter. Does it read voltages in outlets you know are working. It needs to be set to a VAC (Volts, alternating current) setting. If it is working, see if a GFCI is off somewhere along the line to the breaker box.
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2007-01-04 14:17:50 · answer #1 · answered by Bill G 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Using the resistance setting on your multimeter basically put a low resistance or near zero resistance across the circuit. This "short circuit" is what caused your circuit breaker to open. In addition, you likely have damaged your voltmeter. Check to see if there is an internal fuse in the meter that needs to be replaced.
Also check to see that the switch on the meter is selected to the correct range. And if it has several scales on the dial, be sure you are reading the correct one.
I would also recommend, borrowing a friends voltmeter and testing your electrical outlets with the meter on the correct setting. If it reads okay with this meter, then your own meter is toasted.
If you don't know someone with a voltmeter, you can buy a cheapie from Radio Shack. I've purchased their cheapest a few years ago for about ten dollars.
And finally, if all you're doing is checking your household circuits, you don't need an expensive multitester. In most applications, all you are interested in is determining if the electricity is on or off, of if the the wire is open on closed circuit. You don't need a high level of precision for most household applications.
2007-01-01 07:00:34 · answer #2 · answered by richard Alvarado 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Find the closest GFI outlet and see if it is tripped. If it is reset it. Check the outlet again and see if it works. Often times one complete circuit is wired through one single GFI outlet to save money. If the outlet is near a kitchen, bathroom or outside receptacle check all of them to see if the GFI is tripped on the rest before replacing any more recepticals.
2007-01-01 07:41:58 · answer #3 · answered by crackymcrackin 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, sad to say, unless the multimeter is overload protected (which offhand I think would be a really difficult design problem when you have it set to ohmmeter) you've pretty much "smoked" your multimeter.
So are you testing (the new receptacle that you've put in) with the "smoked" multimeter? BE REALLY CAREFUL in the event the test instrument you're using isn't reliable. I ask this because you indicate 1.9 v reading -- you might want to test with a simple low wattage lamp instead.
Did you properly reset the circuit breakers? (Push to extreme off, then flip on is the typical way.)
2007-01-01 07:02:30 · answer #4 · answered by answerING 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
is there a gfi in your grage a recep with two push button it. if so test and reset it with the 2 buttons.
2007-01-01 07:24:07 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
it can be fixed by you throwing the meter away
2007-01-01 08:41:57 · answer #6 · answered by uridiot 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋