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How to read a multi-meter


Guest martij8

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Guest martij8

Hi,

I'm having electrical problems. I have the service manual for my 98 VFR and in tracing the electrical system, the battery checks out good(3 months old), but I don't know how to read "current leakage" on the meter to determine if I have a bad connection somewhere. I have a cheap multi-meter, but what setting do you guys put it on to get a reading for this?

Thanks,

Jim

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Guest 767fixer

current leakage? i assume you mean a short? if so you do it power off (or you will fry the meter) and use the ohms value. one lead to end of a wire or whatever and put the other lead to ground( a good frame bolt or such) if the wire is attatched to ground you can see if it has high resistance. if the wire is not connected to ground (i.e. powered wire) and you measure some ohmage....you have a short remember ....wire or such can have no power to it ...( this is such a vague attempt to help you....Im sorry)

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Guest kerplode

To measure leakage current, you must put the meter in series with the current path:

1) Switch the key to the "off" position.

2) Set the meter to A (for Amps) and move the red test lead to the "Amps" socket on the meter.

3) Remove the ground wire (Black) from the battery.

4) Attach the black meter lead to the battery post and the red meter lead to the battery ground wire. You may need to use alligator clips.

5) With the key off, you should read very little current (a few mA). If it's more than that, start disconnecting subsystems from the main harness until the high current draw disappears. The last one you disconnected will be the one causing the battery drain.

6) You can turn the key to "on" for a few seconds if you want, but don't leave it on too long or the meter will overheat. Whatever you do, DO NOT START THE ENGINE! The starter draws, like, eleventy billion amps and will fry your meter and probably melt the insulation off the test leads.

The Ohms test mentioned above might not be all that useful, but if you try it, disconnect both battery leads before trying to measure resistance anywhere on the bike. Just because a wire has low resistance DOES NOT mean it's a short! V=IR...If a system draws a lot of current, its path to ground will be pretty low resistance. A true short on the bike will read as a couple ohms or less.

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Shoulda posted this a few weeks ago, tried to check for power getting to the speed sensor cus my speedo wasn't working and using a muti-meter (kinda knew what i was doing....well not really) blew a couple of fuses!

Could've been worse...might have set fire to the thing! :huh:

Garville :huh:

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