Measuring battery voltage using a multimeter?

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Nino NoSpam - 02 Jul 2006 18:34 GMT

I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm not
sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on to
measure the voltage of my vehicle's battery?

Thanks

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Seth - 02 Jul 2006 19:06 GMT

>I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm
>not sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on
>to measure the voltage of my vehicle's battery?

DCV is for DC Voltage. With car off, should measure approx 12v give or take
a few tenths. With car running, approx 13.8 or so.

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Elle - 02 Jul 2006 19:56 GMT

> "Nino NoSpam" <Nino.NoSpam@unsubscribenews@shaw.ca> wrote
>>I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA,
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> approx 12v give or take a few tenths. With car running,
> approx 13.8 or so.

Well done. See also the five checks of voltage listed about
one-third of the way down at
http://home.earthlink.net/~honda.lioness/id13.html .

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Nino NoSpam - 02 Jul 2006 21:04 GMT

Thanks, but now next to DCV there are the following numbers: 10, 250 and
500. Do I set it at 10?

>>I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm
>>not sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on
>>to measure the voltage of my vehicle's battery?
>
> DCV is for DC Voltage. With car off, should measure approx 12v give or
> take a few tenths. With car running, approx 13.8 or so.

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Seth - 02 Jul 2006 21:13 GMT

>>>I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm
>>>not sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> Thanks, but now next to DCV there are the following numbers: 10, 250 and
> 500. Do I set it at 10?

Set for the scale ABOVE what you are looking for. In the case of your
meter, set it for 250.

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Nino NoSpam - 02 Jul 2006 21:59 GMT

Thanks so much Seth. I followed your instructions and I can see that my
vehicle battery is at 10 MA. Which seems correct.

>>>>I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm
>>>>not sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it
[quoted text clipped - 8 lines]
> Set for the scale ABOVE what you are looking for. In the case of your
> meter, set it for 250.

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Seth - 03 Jul 2006 17:10 GMT

> Thanks so much Seth. I followed your instructions and I can see that my
> vehicle battery is at 10 MA. Which seems correct.

No, I think you read it wrong. There is no "MA" when reading "VOLTAGE".
With the meter set to DCV/250, you should have a reading of around 12V with
the engine off and about 14V with the engine running.

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Nino NoSpam - 03 Jul 2006 21:20 GMT

Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
somw weird symbols. Yikes!

Nino

>> Thanks so much Seth. I followed your instructions and I can see that my
>> vehicle battery is at 10 MA. Which seems correct.
>
> No, I think you read it wrong. There is no "MA" when reading "VOLTAGE".
> With the meter set to DCV/250, you should have a reading of around 12V
> with the engine off and about 14V with the engine running.

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jim beam - 03 Jul 2006 22:02 GMT

> Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
> somw weird symbols. Yikes!

spend about $10 to $20 extra bucks and get an auto-ranging meter. then
you only have to select V, A, Ω, etc.

never test a battery in "A" mode!

> Nino
>
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>>With the meter set to DCV/250, you should have a reading of around 12V
>>with the engine off and about 14V with the engine running.

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Seth - 03 Jul 2006 22:06 GMT

> Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
> somw weird symbols. Yikes!

As stated earlier, DCV/250

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Gene S. Berkowitz - 03 Jul 2006 22:25 GMT

> Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
> somw weird symbols. Yikes!
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
> > With the meter set to DCV/250, you should have a reading of around 12V
> > with the engine off and about 14V with the engine running.

Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for
you...

--Gene

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Matt Ion - 03 Jul 2006 23:20 GMT

>>Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
>>somw weird symbols. Yikes!
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for
> you...

From the sound of it, he's got an analog meter and is being confused by
the multiple markings on the scale.

I'd suggest getting a simple $10 digital meter at whatever local
electronics or auto-parts surplus outlet...

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Nino NoSpam - 05 Jul 2006 00:16 GMT

Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for you

Okay, it's a mastercraft 52-0059-8. It came with no manual!

Nino

>> Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and
>> then
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> --Gene

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Earle Horton - 05 Jul 2006 01:19 GMT

I think that Gene was being sarcastic. I would use the closest thing to a
0-20 Volt DC scale that is available on that meter, being careful of course
to hook up positive to positive, and negative to negative.

Earle

> Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for you
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> >
> > --Gene

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Graham W - 05 Jul 2006 02:51 GMT

> Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for
> you
>
> Okay, it's a mastercraft 52-0059-8. It came with no manual!

You'd be better off with a 052-0060-2 Digital model.

It has many more ranges on it and, although it won't 'auto-range'
(set the range which will display the value best automatically)
you'll be able to get a decent reading on its 20 dcv range.

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Matt Ion - 05 Jul 2006 03:41 GMT

> Post the make and model of the voltmeter so we can read the manual for you
>
> Okay, it's a mastercraft 52-0059-8. It came with no manual!

Yeah, as I suspected, it's an analog meter, and you're getting confused
by the multiple scales on the dial.

Graham's right - go pick up a digital model, like the 52-0060-2 ($9.99
according to canadiantire.ca)

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'Curly Q. Links' - 04 Jul 2006 05:37 GMT

> Oh, okay then, which scale do I use? There are: dB, AV10V, V-mA, and then
> somw weird symbols. Yikes!

-----------------------------------

DC voltage would be read with VDC, or DCV.

If you set it to an AMPerage scale, you'll 'let the smoke out' of the
meter.

You could practice on a 1.5 volt Walkman battery, to be sure. Use a
lower scale for that if you want.

'Curly'

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TeGGeR® - 05 Jul 2006 04:56 GMT

>> Thanks so much Seth. I followed your instructions and I can see that
>> my vehicle battery is at 10 MA. Which seems correct.
>
> No, I think you read it wrong. There is no "MA" when reading
> "VOLTAGE". With the meter set to DCV/250, you should have a reading of
> around 12V with the engine off and about 14V with the engine running.

Actually, at room temperature, a good battery will read about 12.65V with
the surface charge removed. A battery that reads 12V at 70F is near DEAD.

It is very clear that the OP is a newbie. The OP should spend some time at
this Web site:
www.batteryfaq.org , and specifically should see this Excel table:
http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/SoC.xls
See the 8th column from left.

To remove the surface charge before checking voltage:
Turn on headlights for five minutes with engine OFF. Turn lights off again,
then wait five more minutes. Now check the voltage with engine OFF.

Checking voltage with engine running is a test of the charging system, not
the battery.

Signature

TeGGeR®

The Unofficial Honda/Acura FAQ
www.tegger.com/hondafaq/

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Mike Doyle - 02 Jul 2006 19:10 GMT

> I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm not
> sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on to
> measure the voltage of my vehicle's battery?
>
> Thanks

DCV or DC Voltage.

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johnin - 02 Jul 2006 22:17 GMT

I have a multimeter that has OHM, ACV, 9V Bat, 1.5V, DCA, and DCV-- I'm no
sure I know what all these mean. Anyway, what setting do I put it on t
measure the voltage of my vehicle's battery

Thank
if youres is like this one www.iequus.com/product_info.php?product_id=3310&category_id=1_60 set it to BAT.
Load Tes
12V

you can test 2 way

1. the vehicles battery alone with engine off. place the multimeter
probes on battery "the state of charge on the battery" should read on your multimeter somewhere in the range of 12.3 - 12.6 or higher 12.6 being 100% state of charg

2. Load Test this checks alternater output with a load meaning with the vehicl
at 2000 RPMs and "all accesorys" on like high beam lights on, radio, fan on, defrost, etc... rev engine to 2000 RPM place multimeter probes on battery posts and it should read around 13.9 - 14.4 volts if you got that charging system is working ok

why do you need to check the Volts is there a starting problem

--
johnin

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nospam - 05 Jul 2006 10:47 GMT

If your multimeter has an on/off switch, turn it on. Place the end of the
black lead that goes into the meter in the COM position and the end of the
red lead that goes into the meter in the +DCV position. Set the scale
selector on your meter to the closest setting that's above 12 volts. Place
your multimeter on DCV, place the black lead on the negative terminal of
your battery and the red lead on the positive terminal.

prvtlewis

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