Multimeter Technology

Voltage

There are 4 main indicators on the dial for voltage.

1. A Tilde mark ( ~ ) over a V is now used to indicate AC voltage*
2. A m followed by an AC Voltage symbol is used to indicate AC millivolts
3. A V with a dotted line and solid line above it is used to indicate DC Voltage
4. A m followed by the DC Voltage symbol is used to indicate DC millivolts

*Old school meters used to be marked VAC to indicate AC voltage but as technology has advanced this symbol has changed.

 

Current

Or amps as it is commonly known as. There are also 4 main indicators for amps on the dial. for continuity on the device, the symbols are very similar to the ones used for volts.

1. An A with a tilde mark ( ~ ) over it is used to indicate AC amps
2. An A with a dotted and solid line above it is used to Indicate DC amps
3. A mA symbol is used to indicate milliamps
4. A µA symbol is used to indicate microamps

If the µ is unfamiliar to you no worries, it was to us at first too. The Greek letter Mu is commonly used in electrical fields to indicate “micro.” Another common symbol that is more recognizable is the Ω Omega symbol. This symbol stands for ohms.

 

Resistance

Or ohms is the last thing that we will look at. It has 3 typical indicators.

1. Ω is the symbol used to test ohms
2. KΩ is the symbol to test Kilo ohms
3. MΩ is the symbol to test Mega ohms

Hopefully, this helps you understand the dial of your multimeter a little bit better. Working with and doing tests with your multimeter will help you familiarize yourself with its functions and capabilities.