it's been over 20 years since avionics school and i can't remember how to read an analog multimeter to help my daughter with her homework! have confusion about range settings and how they affect the scale reading. specifically, if you were in the 50 microamps range, how do you read an 11 on the 0-1.5 ac scale? i feel like an idiot

 

awww, "Use it or lose it", don't feel too badly.

Usually, your range setting corresponds only with a particular scale to be read. So, if you select 50mA, then your scale should have a range of 0 to 50 or sometimes 0 to 500, etc. If it isn't clearly indicated in your manual, then compare to a digital meter if you have one, then you can be sure.

Steve

 

Lets see - my Simpson 260 has:
1. ohms scale
2. 0 - 250 scale
3. 0 -50 scale
4. 0 - 10 scale
5. a 2.5 VAC only scale
6. the dB scale

I think my eyes crossed a few times when I first used it.

 

an analog meter is more brain consuming then a digital, and requires math to use. after setting the function control knob to the function and range, look up to the display to find a corresponding scale with the matching range (say 50) number as you chose on the knob. the numbers on the far right of the scale represent maximum deflection of the meter for that scale/range. if that exact number is not there add or subtract a 0 (multiple of 10) and use that scale. that scale is now used to read the quantity you chose. it has graduations that need to be calculated for their value for the range you chose. in other words the graduations of this somewhat universal scale would represent different values (use you multiple of 10 here) for different ranges.

so your answer would be if you were on a 50 range/scale, the needle would be to the right of the 10 mark and on a graduation equalt to 1.