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// FREE MINI-COURSE · DMM

Workbench Skills

Use Real Tools — The hands-on skills every maker needs: the multimeter first, then breadboard, soldering, datasheets and the scope.

0 of 12 lessons out · next: Meet the multimeter: what every symbol on the dial means

  1. 02 PLANNEDMeasure voltage: is this battery dead?Black probe in COM, red in V, dial to DC volts, touch + and −: a fresh AA reads about 1.5–1.6 V, below about 1.2 V it is getting weak.
  2. 03 PLANNEDMeasure mains voltage safelyAC volts, a CAT II / CAT III meter, never in the amps socket; 230 V · 50 Hz (India, UK, Europe), 120 V · 60 Hz (USA, Canada).
  3. 04 PLANNEDContinuity beep: find a broken wire in secondsPower OFF, beep mode: a beep means a path (good wire or fuse), silence means a break.
  4. 05 PLANNEDMeasure resistance: check a resistor the right wayPower off and take the part out of the circuit, then read ohms; compare with the colour code and its tolerance.
  5. 06 PLANNEDMeasure current: the meter goes IN the circuitBreak the circuit and put the meter in series; across a battery in amps mode it is a short and the fuse blows.
  6. 07 PLANNEDDiode mode: test an LED and find its + legDiode mode pushes a tiny current: the LED glows faintly and shows its forward voltage when red is on the anode (+).
  7. 08 PLANNEDThe breadboard: which holes are connectedRows of 5 holes are joined inside; the long rails at the sides carry + and −; the middle gap splits the two halves.
  8. 09 PLANNEDSoldering: the perfect joint in 3 secondsClean tip, heat the pad and the leg together, feed solder to the joint (not the iron): a shiny little cone = good.
  9. 10 PLANNEDRead a datasheet in 30 secondsFind the pinout, the typical values and the Absolute Maximum Ratings: never go past those.
  10. 11 PLANNEDThe oscilloscope: a multimeter that draws picturesVolts up the screen, time across: you can see a signal change, not just one number.
  11. 12 PLANNEDBench power supply: set the current limit, save your circuitSet the voltage, then a low current limit: a mistake makes the supply limit the current instead of burning parts.