Test equipment

Digital Multimeter

Measures volts, ohms, amps and continuity — the instrument every test begins with.

Real part — tap a marker

Digital Multimeter

Measures volts, ohms, amps and continuity — the instrument every test begins with.

Display — holds the reading so you can let go before you read it
Selector dial — volts, ohms, continuity, current; the setting decides the input impedance
COM jack — the reference terminal every measurement returns to
V/Ω/mA jack — for everything except high current
10 A jack — a separate, unfused shunt for heavy current
Test leads — fused on the current ranges, and rated for the voltage you are measuring

🔧 Use it while you build

Terms used here

Defined in the glossary — each one opens at its own entry.

⚠ Safety note

The dial position matters more than the leads: measuring volts with the leads in the amps jack is a short circuit, and measuring resistance on a live circuit feeds the meter's own battery into the supply. Set the range before the probes touch anything, use 600 V CAT III or better leads on fixed wiring, and treat a reading of zero on a voltage range as a reason to prove the meter before you trust the circuit is dead. It is also not an insulation resistance tester: a multimeter pushes a few volts into a conductor, where an insulation resistance test applies 500 V and measures in megohms — which is why a meter can read a cable as fine when its insulation is already failing.

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