How to use multimeter

[slippyr4]

One more question, the black probe has actually got a small clamp on the end.

sound like a crocodile clip. these normally pull off. they are useful for clamping on wires etc, but not this test.

Just to throw my spanner in (or VDE screwdriver!) a multimeter is not an approved instrument for testing if a circuit is live or dead. You should really use a voltage indicator unit such as the Martindale VI13700G and the prove-test-prove method.

But this is a DIY site, and the thread was about how to use a multimeter to tell if a circuit is disconnected or not. As such, "approved" doesn't really matter here.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

Use the black probe to push down the safety catch in the earth hole. Whilst that's down you can stick the red probe in the live hole (which is on the right whilst you look at it), then remove the black probe from the earth and still it in the neutral (on the left). Do this without touching metal bits with your hands.

Or you could buy one of these:

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There are many different styles of contacts in power sockets, so the difficulty is going to be ensuring that both probes are making contact when you poke them in. A horrible technique IMO.

My personal favourite is to take a 13Amp plug, remove the cover, remove the fuse, remove the live and neutral pins, and plug it in. You would want to use insulated pliers to push in the earth, of course.

You then have free and easy access to the live and neutral holes, and to a handy earth pin, until you remove the 13A plug.

Don't see how poking the probes through the holes in the base of a plug and into the socket makes things any better?

Why don't you buy or make something like this:

PS If you then connect two metres of single core earth conductor to the earth pin and strip the free end, then you have a handy device to keep in the toolbox when working on static-sensitive devices, e.g. replacing PCBs in boilers, replacing batteries in CH programmers, adding RAM to your PC, etc. etc.

Yeeeh haah!
You have not got a "handy device"!! - you should use a proper anti-static wrist strap, because the connection between you and earth should not be direct, it should be through an impedance of the order of 1M ohm. This is for your safety and to ensure that any static charge is dissipated in a controlled manner.

You should also have, and use, a tester to ensure that the strap is OK and that you are making proper contact with it.

 

[alifrank1]

correct slippyr4, it is a crocodile clip, couldn't think of the name. TY

 

[Softus]

There are many different styles of contacts in power sockets, so the difficulty is going to be ensuring that both probes are making contact when you poke them in.

Maybe I'm slow on the uptake here, but exactly what point are you making by putting that part of the quote in bold?

<snip>

You then have free and easy access to the live and neutral holes

<snip>.

Don't see how poking the probes through the holes in the base of a plug and into the socket makes things any better?

Well, it's better in the sense that you don't have to fight the earth cover with the end of a probe while trying to keep contact on the conductor. Aren't you just being deliberately obtuse?

Why don't you buy or make something like this:

Clearly this is alternative handy device.

PS If you then connect two metres of single core earth conductor to the earth pin and strip the free end, then you have a handy device to keep in the toolbox when working on static-sensitive devices, e.g. replacing PCBs in boilers, replacing batteries in CH programmers, adding RAM to your PC, etc. etc.

Yeeeh haah!
You have not got a "handy device"!! - you should use a proper anti-static wrist strap, because the connection between you and earth should not be direct, it should be through an impedance of the order of 1M ohm. This is for your safety and to ensure that any static charge is dissipated in a controlled manner.

You should also have, and use, a tester to ensure that the strap is OK and that you are making proper contact with it.

I agree, ban-all-sheds, although why you chose to assume that I don't use a wrist strap is beyond me. What do you connect your wrist strap to then?

 

[ban-all-sheds]

There are many different styles of contacts in power sockets, so the difficulty is going to be ensuring that both probes are making contact when you poke them in.

Maybe I'm slow on the uptake here, but exactly what point are you making by putting that part of the quote in bold?

To highlight that you were saying it would be difficult to make sure the probes had good contact with the L & N innards when there were different styles at which to have to poke around, and then advocating just that, but through the added depth of a plug base....

Well, it's better in the sense that you don't have to fight the earth cover with the end of a probe while trying to keep contact on the conductor. Aren't you just being deliberately obtuse?

No.

I agree, ban-all-sheds, although why you chose to assume that I don't use a wrist strap is beyond me. What do you connect your wrist strap to then?

OK - apologies - from your description I jumped to the conclusion that you were one of those people who thinks that just touching an earth now & then is enough. Sorry.

FYI - I plug mine into a plug-in tester - I have two, one "wall wart" style and the other on a flex. It has a banana socket and male & female press studs to support a variety of strap and mat connections and it has a touch pad to check that all is well.