resistor reading help

SgtWookie

Joined Jul 17, 2007
22,230
The first thing I do before checking resistance is set my meter to read on the lowest resistance range, and short the test probes together.

If I read less than 1 Ohm, it's good. If not, there's a problem with the meter or test leads.

In "the old days", resistors had very large tolerances; up to 50%. Nowadays, 5% or better are the most common.
 

djb

Joined May 17, 2008
31
also you have to know that the multimeters are working in some range with resistances. they can not measure accurate very high or very low resistances. check in the manual for the accurate percentage in each range. maybe you are out of range.

All the above are correct and i agree with SgtWookie. troubleshoot the multimeter.
 

t06afre

Joined May 11, 2009
5,934
I also hope you know that the resistor value is not 100% accurate. All resistors have tolerance given as +/- percent of expected value, so the error may go both ways.
 

alim

Joined Dec 27, 2005
113
how cum my multimeter dosn't measure accuratley with resistors
In the absence of you saying what you are measuring and the inaccuracies as you see them , it would be guessing what is wrong. For example if you are measuring high ohms resistance, say megohms- and you have your fingers acroos trhe meter leads tips , hence across the resistor, the reading would be lower. If you are measuring very low ohms say one ohm- the reading would show high, due to the resistance of the meter leads which should be substracted. So if you can fill in some detail, it should help clarify.
 
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