Teach me how to read

[zener]

...multimeter. :? . I got an analog one. The only thing I know is measuring resistance.

I shorted my power supply because it has multiple connectors that have different polarities. Basically, I want to figure out how to tell if a wire is positive or  negative so that I can arrange my PS.

Other things about reading multimeter that I might need in building DIY effects will surely be appreciated.

Thanks.

Zener

[Boofhead]

When you measure voltages set it to a DC volts range which is somewhat higher than the maximim voltages you expect to see.  Connect the meter and if the needle reverses you have to reverse the terminals - there's not much more you can do.  Once you get the polarity correct you can change the DC volts to a lower setting and get a more accurate reading.

[Ansil]

www.hookedonphonics.com

[zener]

It's a lot easier than I thought.

Thanks

[aron]

One last thing, you might consider getting a digital multimeter. In addition to being easier to read, the impedance of the digital meters seem to be higher in general than analog meters. The analog meter can sometimes give you an incorrect reading.