Multimeter shows 1 when taking Voltage reading

[purplemonkey]

hi there,

I have a multimeter, albeit a cheap one, it works fine for the usual Ohms test, my most frequent use. however I wanted to check for live circuits recently and so I turned the dial to the V with the squiggle and set to 600 stuck the pins across the wires and it just shows a 1 in the left corner of the screen.

not sure if means it broken, or I'm doing something wrong, I read somewhere that 1 means out of range, but its 240v circuit, so should be well within its limits.

anyone know?

this is the unit I own
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B000L0RINQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

 

[EFLImpudence]

Not sure what the '1' means.

Which wires are you measuring?

What does it show if you set it to 200V?

 

[purplemonkey]

same shows a 1.

I'm measuring straight into a plug socket, red wire to live wire black wire to neutral.

this shows a better picture of the device, I am using the bottom and next hole up, not the top one.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/mercury-600-101UK-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B00LEHK23I/ref=dp_ob_title_hi

 

[Risteard]

Not sure what the '1' means.

Which wires are you measuring?

What does it show if you set it to 200V?

1V measured means that no voltage is being measured.

And I wouldn't set it to 200V for a 230V circuit.

 

[purplemonkey]

humm. no volt. does there need to be a load on a circuit to get a reading?

 

[EFLImpudence]

No, try it between live and earth.

 

[ban-all-sheds]

I'm measuring straight into a plug socket, red wire to live wire black wire to neutral.

Why?

 

[purplemonkey]

to see if the circuit is on

 

[EFLImpudence]

1V measured means that no voltage is being measured.

Could be but OP did say it was in the left corner of the screen.

 

[EFLImpudence]

to see if the circuit is on

Perhaps it's not.

 

[purplemonkey]

to see if the circuit is on

Perhaps it's not.

I really don't want to believe that, my alternate test is a old fm radio, that seems to detect voltage ok

 

[EFLImpudence]

Measure between Live and Earth and Neutral and Earth.

 

[purplemonkey]

Measure between Live and Earth and Neutral and Earth.

will have to give that a go tomorrow. if that shows something would that indicate a fault?

 

[EFLImpudence]

What are you measuring - socket, light?


Perhaps you should test the meter somewhere else first.

Assuming it is ok, then -

With power and any switches on
L-E should read 240V ish.
L-N should read 240V ish.
N-E should read 0V but maybe a few.

If you have 240 L-E but not L-N the Neutral is open circuit somewhere.
If you have 0V L-N and L-E then there is no power.
Should you have 240V N-E and 0V L-E then L and N are reversed but it would still be 240V L-N.

 

[PBC_1966]

I turned the dial to the V with the squiggle and set to 600 stuck the pins across the wires and it just shows a 1 in the left corner of the screen.

What does the display show when set to that range with the leads not connected to anything?