- 1). Set the meter to a voltage scale that is higher than the voltage the meter will measure. If the meter is auto-ranging, select the auto-range option in preference to a manual setting.
- 2). Select either Direct Current (DC) or Alternating Current (AC) voltage, depending on the power source. Battery power is DC voltage and mains electricity is AC. Insert the test probes in the appropriate meter sockets for the type of voltage. They are usually marked AC and DC or with the international symbols for alternating and direct current.
- 3). Touch the red probe to the positive side of the circuit and the black probe to the negative side if the polarity of the circuit is known. Otherwise, touch one probe to each side of the circuit. If the meter shows a negative result, swap the red and black probes and try again.
- 4). Read the voltage value from the digital display on the meter. If the display is blank or reads "-1," the voltage exceeds the selected range. Increase the range setting and try again.
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