How to Repair a Digital Voltmeter

Repair your voltmeter by replacing the battery or its wire leads.

Digital voltmeters are more accurate than analog meters; they have a small internal battery that powers them whereas analog voltmeters use circuit current to power them. Digital voltmeters have no moving parts and use a liquid crystal display panel for showing the voltage measured. This means that a digital voltmeter has no serviceable parts, apart from the battery and the wires that attach to the meter. If you find your digital voltmeter isn't working, repair it by replacing the battery or the wires.

Things You'll Need

• Battery
• Replacement wires

Instructions

Replace Battery

1. Remove the battery panel from the back of the digital voltmeter. Either it's held in place using a small Phillips screw so use a screwdriver to remove it, or it clips in place. If it clips in place, pry the panel off using your fingers, or slide a small flat-head screwdriver under the lip and lift off the cover.

2. Remove the battery from the battery compartment. Lift it out.

3. Put a new battery into the battery compartment. Ensure it is the same type as the one removed.

4. Place the battery panel cover on the battery compartment and clip in place, or if it uses a screw, replace the screw and tighten.

Replace Wires

1. Unplug the red and black wire attached to your digital voltmeter. They clip in place so pull the plugs out of the sockets. When you stop getting accurate voltmeter readings, or the connections seem bad, it's time to replace your worn wires.

2. Get replacement wires from an electrical store. Take the old ones along so you get the same fittings.

3. Plug the new wires into the sockets. The red wire connects to the red socket and the black wire to the black socket.

Tips & Warnings

• Most digital voltmeters also operate as multimeters, so they can measure voltage, amperes and ohms.

References

• The Electronics Club: Multimeters
• Doctronics: Using a Multimeter