How Do You Use Electronic Test Equipment?
The most basic piece of electronic test equipment is the Digital Multimeter (DMM). These are available in hobby and handyman stores for as little as $4 and up into the hundreds of dollars depending on your needs. Connect the power supply to the circuit you wish to test and turn it on. Clip the DMM ground (usually black) lead to the circuit or power supply ground. Set the DMM selector dial to the Voltage (V) range you think you will see. Most DMMs have several AC and DC voltage range settings. The DMM will also have several current range, resistance and diode settings as well. Connect the probe lead (usually red) into the DMM voltage socket. Some DMMs have separate sockets for current or voltage/resistance. Probe the test circuit with the DMM red lead by touching the metal tip to the component you wish to check the voltage (relative to ground) on. The DMM display will show your value in volts. If you only have the least (right hand) digit displayed, switch the voltage range (DMM dial) d