Help Needed to use Digital multimeter on Car battery?

[jamesc76]

I set the multimeter to "DCV 20" and then I plugged the positive multimeter lead into the "10A" jack. I then applied positive multimeter lead on positive battery terminal, and negative multimeter lead on negative battery terminal (as further described in question "2b" above). The reading on the multimeter remained "zero" and the multimeter leads became very hot.

And thats when you just fried your new multi meter!

It should have been the black lead to the com and the red to v/ohms etc plug!

[Mickyfin]

Is that a spam signature I spot right there?

[ghost123uk]

Aye the 10A hole is for measuring current flow (Amps) not voltage. Chances are you have damaged that section of the meter (at least) as a battery can chuck out hundreds of Amps when shorted and your meter can only handle 10 Amps

Without wishing to sound rude, did you not read the instructions ?

All of the things you list as "is it safe" - the answer is YES
The only one thing that is NOT SAFE is I am afraid exactly what you did do

Test the meter by setting it to 20 Volts DC (note DC not AC) and put the black lead in the "Com / Common" hole and the Red into the V/Ohms/mA hole, then test the battery reading. It does not matter whether the ignition is on though it is normal for it to be off. The reading should be around 12.6 volts. By the way, with a meter such as yours, if you get the red and black leads the wrong way around, either on the meter or the battery, the display will still read out correctly but it will have a minus sign in front of it.

[ghost123uk]

Is that a spam signature I spot right there?

Good point and I just noticed "post number 1"

[pauly8888]

Aye!
SPAM
DR Logan my a***!

[pauly8888]

Like I said:

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index ... 452AAzPVHP

[jamesc76]

Just reported it so should soon be gone!