Engine battery 0 volts

Geek said:
They are fine for use in a garage, testing a starter battery's ability to start an engine.
I used them in the garage where I worked - the old glowing strip sort that you could burn yourself on.
I have one of the modern digital ones now. I use it for checking starter batteries, but they are not testing the right thing for this.
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Thats the ones we had, good for warming your hands. 😂
 
The downside of those was the small but life-changing chance of the battery exploding from a spark, spraying your face and eyes with acid.
 
Geek said:
You can test at any point if there is nothing switched on. There will be no voltage drop in the wiring if there is no current.
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I suppose I could look in the garage for an old ciggy socket plug open it up and test on that.

Can I test for amps that way with a multimeter to see if anything is drawing current?
 
Trev you are becoming more and more annoying with your suggestions, which are pretty useless (especially with no link) when people have already bought something to do the job.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I suppose I could look in the garage for an old ciggy socket plug open it up and test on that.

Can I test for amps that way with a multimeter to see if anything is drawing current?
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No. To test for amps you have to get to the battery or a lead or fuse from the battery, connect the multimeter then disconnect the connection the multimeter is bridging.
 
Think of the electricity as water in a pipe system. If there is no flow, you can check the pressure (voltage) anywhere. It will be the same everywhere until you turn a tap on.

The flow of water is different. To measure that (amps), you need to put your meter where all the water is passing. So the multimeter needs to be in line, with all the current going through it.
 
I'm not comfortable doing it so would this be good enough?

Just noticed it's a panel mounted one not a plug in Doh.
 
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Which, if I was looking to buy would be good :D but I already bought :(
 
trevskoda said:
Yes at a over inflated price, i had one and gave it away, found the numax worked well, hope you get sorted soon.
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I have still already bought it though.

I give up.
 
Pudsey Bear said:
I'm not comfortable doing it so would this be good enough?

Just noticed it's a panel mounted one not a plug in Doh.
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It is not possible to have a plug in ammeter.

To be measured, the current has to pass through the meter, not just past it.

There is one exception: you can get Hall Effect meters that measure the magnetic field from current passing, but theyre not accurate unless calibrated by an ammeter, which you're tryong to avoid.
 
Yes, I figured it out after posting :rolleyes:
 
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