How to Measure a Switch With an Ohm Meter
Ohmmeters are used to measure a variety of different electric currents that run through various circuits. The meters measure resistance, and can detect inconsistencies in these currents, which could cause damage to appliances plugged in to these circuits, or other types of electrical damage. Many people have electricians come in to take the measurements because they are unsure how to do it themselves. Using an ohmmeter is very simple, and to measure a switch all you need to do is find the circuit that the switch draws from and follow several simple steps. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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1
Shut off power to the switch you are testing.
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2
Zero the ohmmeter by touching the red and black probes together. The ohmmeter screen should read 0.
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3
Unscrew the light switch panel to gain access to the connectors.
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4
Connect the positive wire of the ohmmeter to the positive end of the connector, and the negative wire to the negative end of the connector, then observe the reading on the ohmmeter. A light switch should not have a resistance reading more than 5 ohms. The positive wire will be black or sometimes red for a light fixture, and the negative wire will always be white. The fixture will also have a wire that is either green or bare copper. This is the grounding wire, and should not be hooked up to the ohmmeter.
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5
Disconnect the ohmmeter and reassemble the light switch, then reconnect the power to it.
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