multimeter use

[yanqui]

In the practice exams, there are quite a few questions regarding how to test using a meter. None of my study material (2 fat books and a buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunch of websites) gives more than cursory attention to meters. I know that a digital multimeter will need to be part of my diagnostic kit, but what do I do with it? (Okay, I'm not QUITE that dense.) There are questions like "[component] is tested a)in series b)in parallel c)doesn't matter. Is this something that I need
a)both for the exam and for the real world
b)for the exam, but not the real world
c)for the real world, but not the exam
d)neither for the exam nor the real world; those questions are there strictly to increase anxiety level
e)know it--it's good for you.

Where can I go to get this material--Please?

 

[Accessdabbler]

It's a minor issue. It's part of a computer tech's toolbelt and you are expected to know when to use one and how. The chances of getting a question about one is slim. If you do get one, you're more likely to be asked, "What tool should you use to..."

If you are freaked out about it, go buy or borrow one and play with it for a couple minutes. Just don't electrocute yourself.

 

[yanqui]

One of my upgrade/repair fatbooks (I keep one at home and one at my office) warns against using two hands to do certain kinds of testing--that you should clip one probe to one end and probe with only one hand, otherwise you become a circut, and the electricity travels from one arm across you body including your heart, which doesn't respond well to electrical currents other than its own. Or something to that effect.
So there aren't really as many questions on the test as I had worried about, then? One site had like 12 testing questions.

 

[Accessdabbler]

There are lots of troubleshooting questions (that I recall) but not specifically about multimeters.

Although I passed the A+ Exams the first time on the same day (me so smarrt), I wish I had studied more troubleshooting scenarios.

The troubleshooting questions are not the strange and bizarre ones you'd see on this forum (usually caused by the user screwing around with their system or downloading a virus) they are generally about "normal" failures with common components. For example a question like, "No drive is recognized by the system what should you check?" would not have an answer about how the drive's platters are stuck together or that the drive requires some exotic overlay program.

 

[yanqui]

*Whew*

 

[glister]

Here's acouple of links that may come in handy.

The ABC's of Digital Multmeter Safety

http://www.fluke.com/download/library/1263690_w.pdf

Multimeter functions and features explained (it shows how to take measurements)

http://www.fluke.com/Application_Notes/Multimeters/1260898.pdf

Good luck.
A+,N+,S+,L+,I+,HTI+,CET,CST,CNST,CFOT,CCNT,ACSP,ISA CCST3

 

[yanqui]

Thanks, glister, once again you have exactly what I'm looking for. How do you KNOW all this stuff exists? Geez, I barely have time to find what I can't live without!

 

[glister]

Hi guys,

Click on over to

http://www.examnotes.net/

and check out the forum for Security+. It is moderated by Tcat Houser, noted author and CompTIA guru. It is filled with valuable info and resources for the exam.

Good luck. A+,N+,S+,L+,I+,HTI+,CET,CST,CNST,CFOT,CCNT,ACSP,ISA CCST3

 

[glister]

OOPS A+,N+,S+,L+,I+,HTI+,CET,CST,CNST,CFOT,CCNT,ACSP,ISA CCST3

 

[yanqui]

As always, glister was right on the mark. This information from that website had exactly the answers to the questions I was having, and it had them in plain english. Thanks, sensei.

 

[lemsion]

yanqui
The problem is not really for you to know it for the exams.You need to know it, because anywhere you go you will used.Just imagine you are working with out a multimeter and then you want to know the amount of Dc in the system or the amount of Ac entering the system,what are you going to do?You need to know how to use a multimeter.You can read from A+ CERTIFICATION(ALL IN ONE IS ALL YOU NEED)BY M MEYER.I think that is all I have.BYE

 

[yanqui]

Well, I know what a multimeter does--but I've never heard a technician talk about using one here where I work. I know it would be useful for what it does, but I was confused that some study sites put a lot of emplasis on certain aspects of the multimeter, while others ignore them completely. I have one from Osborne, plus I visit a lot of practice sites, and I have a guide from New Riders (I think I wasted my money on that one). When I looked at the information glister pointed me to, it was right what I needed to know. I think it's a rare occasion when I'll ever need to know exactly how the current is flowing, because where I work, nothing is a FRU. The key here is to get the user up and running. If it can't be fixed in one hour, we bring in a replacement unit and fix it in the back.
I appreciate your input on this--I know a lot of people want to know if they need to know something "for the exam." I figure if it's on the exam, I need to know it. Period.