What Is a Multimeter?

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Every industry has unique tools that help professionals do their job. Engineering is no exception. In fact, many engineering disciplines feature some of the most advanced and technical tools out there. One of these tools is the multimeter. This device can be extremely helpful in the engineering field, so let’s take a look at what it is and how it works.

What Is It?

multimeter is used to measure electrical characteristics such as output, current, resistance and more. They can be used in a range of tasks from the simple to complex by a number of different professionals. An electrical engineer might use a multimeter to measure electricity in a project he’s working on. A car mechanic might use it to measure the output of a battery. An electrician might use it to test the wiring in a house. It’s a handy tool that can be utilized in plenty of different situations.

Types

There are two main types of multimeter. The first (and most common) type is a handheld device. These can be hooked up to various electrical sources and read an output as the operator holds the device in their hands. This is an analog form of the device.

Another type is the bench multimeter. These often include digital readouts and are much larger than handheld devices. They’re used more in engineering than in everyday industries and can measure significantly more output than a standard handheld device. They’re often the go-to device for electrical engineers.

Other Uses

Multimeters can do some other interesting things too with the right attachments, such as measuring acidity, alkalinity or even wind speed. To measure these levels, the device would need some type of specialized sensor, since those characteristics are outside of its normal scope.

Mainly, multimeters are devices used to measure various electrical characteristics by trained professionals.


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