Some cars use a combination of analog and digital meters.
Your car communicates with you in many ways, including using analog meters to do so. By consulting the dash, you can find out how fast the car travels, how much fuel it has left and even how many revolutions per minute the engine produces. Mechanics and do-it-yourself tinkerers use analog multimeters and ohm meters to test electrical engine components. The principles of reading any sort of analog meter remain the same across types.
Instructions
Dashboard Analog Meters
1. Start with your fuel gauge, an analog meter you can read while your car is stationary. Turn the ignition on and observe the meter. Over the course of a few seconds, you'll see the meter start to rise from the "E" or "Empty" position on the scale, progressing toward the "F" or "Full" position, provided your car has gas in its tank. The needle's position against the scale indicates how much fuel you have left. The closer the needle is to "E," the closer your fuel tank is to empty; the closer it is to "F," the closer it is to full. In many cases, analog fuel gauges feature four bold vertical lines that indicate whether the gas tank is empty, a quarter full, half full or completely full.
2. Begin driving and watch your speedometer, the analog meter that tracks your vehicle's speed. Notice the numbers on the visual scale behind the needle. These numbers represent the number of miles per hour your car is traveling. If the meter hovers over the number "20," you are traveling at 20 miles per hour; if it hovers over "60," you are traveling at 60 miles per hour. In most cases, not every number is explicitly labeled on the speedometer; analog speedometers often feature numeric labels only in intervals of five or 10. Look for small vertical lines between the numbers, which act as indicators for your miles-per-hour. For instance, if the needle hovers halfway between the numbers 30 and 40, you are traveling at 35 miles per hour.
3. Monitor all the analog meters in your vehicle after you feel comfortable reading your fuel gauge and speedometer. Once you're used to reading one analog meter at a time, you can split your attention between multiple meters - such as oil pressure gauges, tachometers, coolant temperature gauges and oil pressure meters - until it becomes second nature. Never devote more focus to your meters than to the road, however.
Multimeters and Ohm Meters
4. Observe the various numeric scales on the analog multimeter or ohm meter. These devices often feature more than one numeric scale, arranged in horizontal rows. The top scale often indicates direct volts while the scale below it indicates alternating current volts. Below that, you might find scales that indicate decibel reading, current, resistance and low voltage readings, depending on the specific multimeter or ohm meter you have.
5. Allow the needle to settle after attaching the meter to the proper component and selecting what sort of reading you need from the meter's dial. Analog multimeters and ohm meters are generally very sensitive; it's normal for the needle to vibrate or jiggle slightly.
6. Note the position of the needle against the scale for the measurement you'd like to obtain. For instance, if want the DC voltage, consult the scale labeled "DCV." The number the needle stops over is the correct reading, measured in units printed on the scale, such as "ACV" or "dB." If the needle stops on vertical lines between printed numerals, this indicates a number between the two numerals. For example, if it stops between "50" and "100," this denotes a numeric reading of 75 units.
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