On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 17:08:00 -0500, Mark Lloyd
wrote:

On Sun, 17 Aug 2008 16:11:15 -0400, mm
wrote:

[snip]


OH, you're using a light. They indicate voltage, not current. Because
test lights are not connected in series with the current you would
like to measure.

A light isn't connected in series, only if you don't connect it in
series.

Well, I guess I was thinking of this guy. I know he didn't do that.
:-)

Connected in series, it glows only when sufficient current is
flowing.

IIRC my first test equipment worked like that. It was a 110 volt light
bulb, a socket, cord and an ice pick. I was 18 looking for a short,
trying to find out what was draining my battery in my '50 Olds.

Pleaes either learn enough to get your terminology
right, or give more details in the first place, like the fact that you
are using a neon test light.


[snip]


Although digital meters can sometimes show misleading induced
voltages, you can learn to allow for that.

It would be useful if a meter had a "load" button. When pressed it
would connect a small load across the terminals (when measuring
voltage). A drop in the reading would indicate induced voltage.

Good idea. One could make something like that that plugged into the
meter and the test leads plugged into it.

One of my meters has a DPDT slide switch on the leads, which makes it
very easy to change the polarity of the leads, good for testing diodes
and capacitors.

[snip]