Energy & Power Measurement

More Information about Energy & Power Measurement

Power and Energy Meters produce critical information about how a system is performing, so that immediate improvements can be made. There are two main types of meters that handle different types of data: Energy meters and power meters. Energy meters measure kilowatt-hour (kWh) and feature an optimal communication output. They are used for basic energy measurement. Power meters measure active and reactive energy consumption.

How to Use a Multimeter

Measuring AC Voltage

Set the dial to the AC voltage symbol and plug the red probe into the voltage port. Place the red probe into the hot terminal block and the black probe into the neutral terminal block. Make sure the probes are fully seated to something that can conduct electricity, like the screws on the terminal blocks. The measurement is taken in parallel with the load.

Measuring DC Voltage

Set the dial to the DC voltage symbol and leave the probe in the same port as it was for the AC voltage measurement. Place the red probe to DC positive and the black probe to DC negative. The measurement is taken in parallel with the load.

Measuring Current or Amperage

Set the dial to either milliamps or amps. Move the red probe to the DC amp port. The multimeter is now set to measure DC current. Remove the wire that is sending power to the load and place one probe on one end and the other probe on the other, to complete the circuit, allowing power to bypass the load. The meter will break the circuit and measure the current in series with the voltage source. This allows the meter to measure the current that is going to the load.

Measuring resistance

Make sure that the load is disconnected from the electrical circuit, otherwise, the resistance measurement will not be accurate. Set the dial to the ohm symbol and place the red probe into the voltage port. Place one probe on one conductor and the other probe on the other. Take the reading.

Measuring Continuity

Meter settings stay the same as previous measurements, with the addition of pressing the audible button. Place the probes anywhere on the electrical circuit. An audible tone will sound if there is a continuous, point to point connection. If there is no sound, there is break in the electrical connection, possibly caused by broken or frayed wires.