Having a reliable battery is essential for any device or vehicle to function properly. Knowing how to check your battery with a multimeter can help you ensure that it’s in good condition and functioning as expected.
Not only will this save you time and money, but it could also be the difference between having a fully operational device or one that won’t start at all!
We’ll explore the basics of how to check a battery using a multimeter – from what tools are needed, to step-by-step instructions on checking your battery’s health. So if you’re ready to learn more about diagnosing batteries with multimeter, keep reading!
What is multimeter
Before checking the battery, first, you have to know about the multimeter. Multimeter is a tool for testing electrical circuits and components in a battery, extension cord, or appliance, multimeter can help determine exactly what has failed.
The one we’re going to use is the digital multimeter. Another type of multimeter that has a needle in it, is called an analog multimeter.
Every multimeter has two probes. The black probe goes into the neutral terminal labeled COM or common, and the red probe goes into the VΩmA terminal.
How to check phone battery
1. Take out the battery from your phone. Check the battery’s label to see what voltage it is rated for. For instance, the battery in the picture has a 3.85 V rating.
2. Now turn on the multimeter and set the dial to 20 V since you want to take more than 2 Volts up to 20 Volts. If you’re not sure what the setting should be, just start with the highest and adjust downward to get a more accurate reading. If you go too low, your multimeter will read “1” or OL for overload, which means the voltage is out of range.
3. Put the red probe to the positive pin of the battery, and the black to the negative pin of the battery.
4. Look at the reading on the multimeter. It says 3,84 V. That means the battery is in good health. If the multimeter registers less than half the voltage level listed on the battery, the battery is normally regarded as dead.
5. If you’re getting a negative reading, that means you misplaced the red probe to negative pins.
How to check AA/AAA battery
You can also use the same technique to measure how much “juice” is left in AA or AAA battery. That battery has a 1,5 V rating.
1. Put the red probe to the positive terminal of the battery, and the black to the negative.
2. The reading says 0,21 V. That means the battery is almost dead. You should find a replacement.
Remember to always check the polarity of the terminals before connecting them. Finally, make sure you follow all safety precautions when handling any electrical equipment and never work on live circuits unless you are qualified to do so. With proper knowledge and care, you can confidently test your battery with a digital multimeter for optimal performance.
