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How to use your Digital Multimeter effectively

How to use your Digital Multimeter effectively

[tps_title]D)  – Testing Diodes[/tps_title]

 

Diodes are one of the most commonly used components in electronic circuitry and a digital multimeter provides a quick way to find out whether a diode is functioning correctly or not.



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  1. Connect the black probe to the COM terminal. Connect the red probe to the terminal with a V and a diode symbol.

 

  1. Turn the knob to point to the option for testing diodes, which is marked with a diode symbol.

 

  1. Turn off the power supply.

 

  1. Touch the red probe to the positive end and the black probe to the negative end of the diode. If the value displayed by the multimeter lies between 0 and 1 then the forward bias of the diode is good.

 

  1. To test the reverse bias of the diode, touch the red probe to the negative end and the black probe to the positive end of the diode. If the multimeter displays OL or overload, then it means that the reverse bias of the diode is good.

 

  1. If both the forward bias and the reverse bias of the diode are good then the diode is functioning correctly.

 

  1. A reading of overload or 0 while testing the forward bias or a reading of 0 while testing the reverse bias implies that it is a faulty diode.

 

Tip – Some multimeters generate a beeping sound for readings in the range of 0-1, this doesn’t always indicate a good diode because the diode could be shorted as well. Do check the numerical value of the reading while testing a diode.

 

Read on to find out how to measure continuity in the next section.

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