Thread: Two Multimeters - continutiy test

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In the past I have used alligator clips and clipped the black (-) wire to ground and the red (+) wire to the end of the wire I was tracing (multimeter one). With multimeter two in hand I would go to the location (to far to ohm check with one mutimeter and lead) and start checking for the other end of the wire by grounding the black (-) and touching the other wires one by one with the positive red lead. When the wire was found the multimter would produce an audible tone. In the past the multimeters were the same brand and model number. I have two different meters this time. and no audible. Do I have to have the same make and model numbers?

I'd take a 9V battery, hook (-) to ground and (+) to the wire you want to check. Go to the other end, put your black multimeter lead on ground, and poll the wires with your red lead. When you see 9V that's the one.

Oh, Great idea!

If it's a digital multimeter, then it probably has the tone, you need only find the setting.

They are both digital and they were set to tone.

Roger, Yesterday I used the 9 Volt battery trick in a building where the breaker panel was labelled incorrectly. The 9V only had to travel 15 ft at most. I found it. I am curious to see how far down the little 9V battery voltage will travel. Thanks, you don't know how often I only have 1 multimeter.

Originally Posted by August Mariner

Roger, Yesterday I used the 9 Volt battery trick in a building where the breaker panel was labelled incorrectly. The 9V only had to travel 15 ft at most. I found it. I am curious to see how far down the little 9V battery voltage will travel. Thanks, you don't know how often I only have 1 multimeter.

Glad it worked for you! With a #14 or #12 solid copper conductor I'd think that the 9V would be good for pretty long distances because you have almost zero current to drive that digital multimeter.