Mark,

Then you are constantly risking damage to your meter. Suffice it to say
that your meter's precision resistor that it uses to measure amperage by
actually measuring voltage drop across that resistor is probably 0.1 ohm or
greater. This resistor coupled in series with the internal battery
resistance, the leads, and probe contacts is what is limiting your current
to under its fuse rating.

By the way, the 750mAH battery rating has absolutely nothing to do with the
actual maximum instantaneous current that battery can deliver. The AH
number is an energy capacity rating that simply describes how long the
battery will last based on the current it must supply.

Bob

"Mark W. Lund, PhD" wrote in message
...
I am speaking from experience. Of course my meter reads
20 amps full scale, so I should have said that, but he
has 750 mAH cells, not likely to put out enough current
to blow the fuse. So use a 20 amp + meter.

Measuring the open circuit
voltage is not usually very useful, because it doesn't
take much active chemistry to show the full voltage. It takes
a lot of active chemistry to put out a few amps.

I routinely test AA alkalines using this method.

Best regards
mark