Things You'll Need:
- Multimeter probes
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Step 1
Connect the probes to your analog multimeter. Probes are color coded red and black, which will match the colors on the multimeter input jacks. Probes have banana jacks that are used to plug into the multimeter jacks. Insert the black banana jack into the negative or common jack, and insert the red banana plug into the positive jack.
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Step 2
Turn your multimeter on. Turn the range dial to the correct setting for voltage measurements. On some models, you'll need to set the function knob for voltage measurements. When you're measuring AC voltage, the range will be the 120 range for household voltages. If your model does not have a 120 setting, select the next highest range. The range is the uppermost voltage measurement that can be made at that setting.
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Step 3
Touch the probes to the voltage source you want to measure. For a safety precaution, keep your hands on the insulated parts of the probes.
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Step 4
Read the number directly behind the deflected needle. The number is the voltage that the probes are measuring. Some analog multimeters will have strips of mirrors across the dial face, behind the needle. This helps to guard against parallax error, which happens when you're not viewing the needle from directly above. Align the needle and its reflection so that the reflection is hidden by the needle. When this occurs, there's no parallax error.
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Step 5
Remove the probes from the voltage source and turn off the analog multimeter. Write down the voltage measurement, especially if you're worried about forgetting the reading.
