Multimeters help do-it-yourselfers diagnose electrical problems.

West Marine offers several handheld portable electrical test meters (multimeters) that can be used to test electrical systems to find and diagnose problems.

Portable test meters are used to measure the basic elements of electricity: current (amps), resistance (ohms) and electrical potential (volts). By measuring these elements, you can find out where problems exist and then fix them.

Typical Applications of Electrical Test Meters

Here are some examples of problems that are commonly diagnosed with a test meter:

1. If a boat’s engine won’t start, you can use a test meter to figure out if the battery, battery switch, starter solenoid, starter or wiring is the problem.

2. If the lights don’t work in the forward cabin, a test meter can help you to determine if it is the wiring, switch, fuse or light bulb that is the culprit.

3. If the zinc anodes on your boat are rapidly dissolving, a test meter can determine whether the boat is wired incorrectly, or whether the harbor is at fault for the galvanic corrosion.

4. If your outboard motor won’t start, a test meter can determine if the kill switch is working correctly.

Types of Test Meters

Specialized test meters include digital corrosion test meters which are used to check the electrical potential of the hull at different locations, while the boat is in seawater.

Clamp-style test meters are another type of test meter that includes a set of jaws. These meters can accurately read voltage and current when their jaws are clamped around any current-carrying wire.

Another Type of Test Meter

If you have a flooded battery with removable cell caps, there is another type of testing device that we suggest you keep on your boat. This is a hydrometer, which you can use to read the specific gravity of battery acid. Testing with a hydrometer is still considered a very accurate and easy way to check a flooded battery’s health.