The 7 mistakes you make when making electrical measurements

Electrical measurements are key, both in our vehicle and in any environment where energy is used. For the same reason, there are many things that we can do wrong during the process and affect our security or that of the installation.

When we work with electricity, all precautions are few. It doesn’t matter if we do it at home, with some electronic equipment or on our vehicle. In all these cases, an error when making these measurements or repeating certain habits that we already have as usual can end up being a source of problems and risks. For this reason, we want to analyze some of the most common errors during the process of measuring and correcting electrical environments, the consequences of which can be disastrous.

#1 Use low quality fuses

If we have chosen the best multimeter on the market, we have surely spent a lot of time looking for an efficient and quality product. A quality present in all the elements of the product, such as the screen, the casing or the measuring rods. But that quality is also present in the fuse included in the device, which is responsible for cutting the current and avoiding a discharge in case of problems. For this reason, it is essential that the multimeter’s fuse be replaced with another of the same quality and protection capacity. If we don’t, we have a good chance of ending up having an accident, since the new fuse will surely not be able to offer us the level of protection that the one we had previously installed in the device offered us.

#2 Replace the fuse with a wire or metal part

Another common mistake that we even fall into when we do electrical installations or assemblies. If the multimeter’s fuse breaks, it should never be replaced with a metal part, wire, or the like. Mainly because we are nullifying the ability of that fuse to protect us and the chances of having an accident are increased. A wire or a metal part has an indeterminate electrical resistance and that will almost always be higher than that of the original fuse. So if we use these elements as a fuse, we are allowing a greater passage of electrical current through the multimeter in case of problems, which will end up in our body.

#3 Not using the corresponding individual protection elements

As when performing any vehicle maintenance task, in which we should wear gloves, goggles or a mask, depending on what we are going to do, it is key to use these safety measures when we do this type of work. Gloves are a must, and the use of glasses is not superfluous, in case smoke or dust is released in the process. In any case, the necessary security measures vary, depending on the work that we are going to carry out, both in domestic use and if it is on our vehicle.

#4 Work on a live circuit

Unless it is strictly essential, due to the circumstances of the work we have to do, we should never work on a circuit that is under load or under voltage. This is important for the use of multimeters on our vehicle, although it is even more important when it comes to carrying out work on domestic or other types of electrical installations. In the event of having to work with the electrical circuit under voltage, it is key to make sure beforehand that the measurement process that we plan to carry out is not going to pose a considerable risk. And by the way, it is also convenient to check that this risk is acceptable by the security measures integrated in the multimeter that we are using.

#5 Multitask

In the event that we have to work on live circuits, it is important not to hold the multimeter by hand while performing the tests. The reason is that this behavior can end up generating current flows in our body that can cause us damage. Precisely for this reason, practically all current multimeters have a clip, which allows the multimeter to be attached to any structure of the vehicle or the environment, without the need to use your hands. We must also use the ground connection of the multimeter, which cuts that circuit and reduces the risks of shock derived from the use of the device. And as always when working with electricity, it is essential to pay full attention to what we are doing, so as not to touch where we shouldn’t or carelessly carry out

#6 Not taking proper care of the material

All the elements present in a multimeter have a tendency to wear. Time passes, the measurements accumulate and the different elements of the device deteriorate. For this reason, it is essential that we always keep the multimeter in good condition, with cables that maintain adequate insulation and a structure that does not present breaks or other defects. In the event that these problems appear, we will have to change the affected elements or replace the multimeter with another if these defects are serious. It is always worth investing in a new product to have an accident.

#7 Do not renew the meters

If we take a look at a car from 20 years ago and compare it with a current one, we will see how much has changed. The new vehicle will be less polluting, it will consume less fuel and you will have many new safety measures. Well, with multimeters and other measurement elements the same thing happens. This is precisely why it is essential that we do not use the same measurement equipment for longer than necessary, since a timely change will allow us to access new security measures that were not available when we bought our old equipment. Something that adds an extra security to the entire measurement process and to all the uses that we give to the device, as well as increasing the precision of said measurements.