Amp checking on live PCIe video card - multimeter.

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axfalcon

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Dec 17, 2013
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Hey :)

I have a DT810B $10 multimeter for all intensive purposes. Will I kill anything (including the multimeter) checking the Amps whilst my card is running and how does one go about it?

1. I've a pic on imageshack showing where I'm guessing is the Amps (pretty obvious on multimeter) however I just wanted to check that I've chosen the correct setting (digital 10A):



2. If this setting is correct, does this also mean that 10A is the max the multimeter will measure/handle?
3. And I'm guessing I set the black to black, red (multimeter) to yellow (PCIe card) cable?

Thanks :)
 
Solution
makkem
Hi
Firstly DO NOT connect the multimeter how you have suggested ie black to blackand red to yellow this will cause an absolute short circuit which will likely destroy your meter,the power supply and quite possibly the motherboard and the graphics card.That is how you measure voltage and not current.
Since you do not know this I strongly advise you not to attempt any measurements inside your PC.
Now with that safety warning out of the way,the 10A on the meter is the maximum it will take and this is not high enough for most modern video cards.
To measure current you need to have the meter in series with the load and this would be difficult to to do without cutting cables.
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chrisso

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Nov 17, 2013
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Wow, thats a cheap piece. I would read the instructions, but I douibt will go bang, just read off the scale. It mite show the amps without warrenting accuracy. If you connect the leads the wrong way round it will either show nothing, or the amps flowing , maybe as a minus figure but unlikely. Any reading should be taken lightly because of the motherboard upto 75 watts issue. You cant measure how much is going in. .
 
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makkem

makkem

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Jan 22, 2012
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Hi
Firstly DO NOT connect the multimeter how you have suggested ie black to blackand red to yellow this will cause an absolute short circuit which will likely destroy your meter,the power supply and quite possibly the motherboard and the graphics card.That is how you measure voltage and not current.
Since you do not know this I strongly advise you not to attempt any measurements inside your PC.
Now with that safety warning out of the way,the 10A on the meter is the maximum it will take and this is not high enough for most modern video cards.
To measure current you need to have the meter in series with the load and this would be difficult to to do without cutting cables.
 
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Solution
makkem

makkem

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Jan 22, 2012
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20,965
 
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