hmmm okay. ive had it with DMM's, its the third one that has this shit.
It is a poor craftsman who blames his tools.
You've probably burned out the fuse in the multimeter(s) by measuring using the wrong method--
multiple times after burning out previous meters.
Current is a flow. You can't measure current unless you're
in line (series) with the current flow. If you hook up the meter
wrong, like what
blind-leading-the-blind Cilegray suggested, your ammeter will act like you just hooked a wire across the leads (a short). Fortunately, the fuse will blow instead of letting your meter catch on fire.
So try checking the fuse in your meter too. I remember when I was younger and finding my meter didn't work with the amp measurement setting, that the fuse had been burned out. It was probably from hooking it up wrong some other time. You may not want to do what I did and fix the fuse with a ball of aluminum foil though.
The ammeter part of your multimeter isn't very accurate, and usually has a high and low range that you have to select. The different ranges have different circuitry for the expected amount of current passing through, and some are more accurate for certain ranges than others. The best way to measure current is with a resistor in series with the load (what you're trying to measure), and measuring the voltage across that. It keeps your meter out of the circuit, is more accurate (for a given resistor accuracy), and you don't risk burning out fuses.
Finally, I'm surprised that a member with over 1,300 posts, and all different stuff hasn't learned the basics of electronics. Read up dude!
