Using my new DVA Meter

[riverrat321]

272042Hi everyone,
My wife purchased me a new DVA meter from e-bay as a gift. I have an old 40hp suzuki with no spark so I would love to test this meter out. Problem is it arrived with no test leads. I removd the back to see if there was a battery included. There was one single AA battery, but not a second battery. It is obviously supposed to have two batteries so I put two new batteries in. I inserted test leads from my old multimeter and I cannot get this DVA meter to work. I also noticed the test leads got rather hot very quickly. I have e-mailed the person I got it from off e-bay but have not received a reply as yet. I really have no idea how to use this meter either. I have some other engines I can test on for practice. I have been able to get some merc specs and OMC specs but nothing on my suzuki so I will test on a 1996 30hp mariner until I know what im doing and ten try to diagnose the Suzuki.
To test peak voltage do I insert the black lead in -com and red lead in DC 10A MAX?
Can I use my multimeter leads in this DVA meter? Like I said the leads got hot and the meter didn't seem to work at all.
Any advise on how to use my new toy would be great. I have used multi meters for basic tests but never a DVA meter.
Cheers.

[groundloop]

To test peak voltage do I insert the black lead in -com and red lead in DC 10A MAX?

NO!!!!!!! That would be for testing current, and is virtually a dead short. No wonder the leads got hot.

Put the black lead in the COM port, and the red lead in the V-Ohm port for measuring resistance, DC volts, and AC volts, with the switch on the appropriate setting for what you're measuring. Move the red lead to the DVA port for measuring peak volts, again with the selector switch on the appropriate DVA setting. And the DC 10A port is only for measuring current (Amps), and the selector switch would be on the red spot that says "10A" - and that particular meter will only measure DC amps, not AC.

[riverrat321]

NO!!!!!!! That would be for testing current, and is virtually a dead short. No wonder the leads got hot.

Put the black lead in the COM port, and the red lead in the V-Ohm port for measuring resistance, DC volts, and AC volts, with the switch on the appropriate setting for what you're measuring. Move the red lead to the DVA port for measuring peak volts, again with the selector switch on the appropriate DVA setting. And the DC 10A port is only for measuring current (Amps), and the selector switch would be on the red spot that says "10A" - and that particular meter will only measure DC amps, not AC.

Crap... The DVA acale is on the bottom left and I think that threw me out. Don't know how I missed that! I will try it out again when I get home tonight. Hopefully the leads I'm using are suitable. Will let you know how it goes. Thanks for the quick reply.

[riverrat321]

Hi again,
I have now worked out which ports are for what. The volt meter works. I will test the DVA setting tomorrow. Cheers.