Extech Instruments 381676A User manual

USERGUIDE
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PenMultimeterwithVoltageDetector
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Model381676A
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
2
Introduction
ThankyouforselectingtheExtechModel381676A.ThisinstrumentmeasuresAC/DCVoltage
andCurrent,Resistance,Diode,Continuity,Logic,andincludesanon‐contactVoltageDetector
(NCV).FeaturesincludeMAXHold,DataHold,AutomaticPowerOFF(APO),andAuto/Manual
Range.Thisdeviceisshippedfullytestedandcalibratedand,withproperuse,willprovideyears
ofreliableservice.PleasevisittheExtechInstrumentswebsite(www.extech.com)tocheckfor
thelatestversionofthisUserGuide.
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Safety
WARNING:Improperuseofthisdevicecanresultinelectricshockordamagetothe
meter.Followallsafetyguidelinespresentedinthismanualandtheusualsafety
precautionsusedwhenworkingwithelectricalcircuits.
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ThisinstrumentconformstoGB/T13978‐92fordigitalMultimetertechnicalstandards,aswell
asGB4793.1‐1995(IEC‐61010‐1:2001)safetystandardsforelectronicmeasuringinstruments
withasafetycategoryofCATIII600Vandpollutiondegree2.
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PreliminarySafety
Whenusingthemeter,observeallnormalsafetyrulesconcerning:
Protectionagainstthedangersofelectricalcurrent
Protectionofthemeteragainstmisuse
Whenthemeterisdelivered,checkfortransitdamage.Whencheckingvoltage,alwaystestthe
meteronaknownlivecircuitfirst.Testleadsmustbeingoodcondition.Beforeuse,verifythat
thetestleadinsulationisintactandfreefromleadwireexposureorotherdamage.Useonlythe
suppliedtestleads.
Safetyduringuse
Besuretosettheappropriatefunctionandrangebeforeuse
Neverexceedthelimitsindicatedinthespecificationtableofthismanual.
Nevertouchprobes,testleads,oralligatorclipwhenconnectedtolivecircuit.
Donotmeasurevoltageonterminalsthatexceed600Vaboveearthground.
Alwaysusecautionwhenworkingwithvoltagesabove60VDCor30VACrms.Keepfingersbehindprobe
barrierwhentakingmeasurements.
Neverconnecttestleadsacrossavoltagesourcewhiletherotaryswitchisintheresistance,continuity,or
diodemodeofoperation.
Neverperformresistance,continuity,ordiodetestsonlivecircuits.
Whentakingnon‐contactvoltagemeasurementsensurethatthepositivetestleadisNOTexposedand
thatthenegative(common)testleadisnotconnectedtothebottomofthemeter.
Beforechangingfunctionsusingtherotaryfunctiondial,besuretodisconnectthemeter’stestleads
fromanycircuitundertest.
Neverusethemeterinanexplosiveenvironmentorwheredust,dirt,orsteamexists.
Neverusethemeterifthehousingorbatterycompartmentisopen.
Donotstoremeterindirectsunlight,hightemperature/humidity,orcondensation.
Iftheequipmentisusedinamannernotspecifiedbythemanufacturer,theprotectionprovidedbythe
equipmentmaybeimpaired.
ALWAYSdischargefiltercapacitorsinpowersuppliesanddisconnectthepowerwhenmakingresistance
ordiodetests.
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
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A
SafetySymbols
Thissymboladjacenttoanothersymbol,terminaloroperatingdeviceindicatesthatthe
operatormustrefertoanexplanationintheOperatingInstructionstoavoidpersonal
injuryordamagetothemeter.
Thissymbolindicatesthatadeviceisprotectedthroughoutbydoubleinsulationor
reinforcedinsulation.
Thissymboladvisestheuserthattheterminal(s)somarkedmustnotbeconnectedtoa
circuitpointatwhichthevoltagewithrespecttoearthgroundexceeds600V.
ControlsandJacks
1. Positivetestprobe(+)
2. Removableprobecover
3. NCValertLEDindicator
4. Logic(High/Low)LEDIndicators
5. Fingerguard
6. Rotaryfunctionswitch
7. Range(R)button
8. DataHold(H)button
9. MaximumHold(MAX)button
10. Mode(M)button
11. NCV(non‐contactvoltdetector)button
12. LCDdisplay
13. JackforCommon(negative)testlead
14. Common(negative)testlead
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Note:Thebatterycompartmentislocatedontherearofthe
instrument
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DisplaySymbols
•)))AudibleContinuityVVolts
DiodefunctionOhms
LowbatteryD.HDataHold
µmicro(10‐12)AAmperes
mmilli(10‐3)(volts)DCDirectcurrent
kkilo(103)ohmsACAlternatingcurrent
MMeg(106)ohmsM.HMaximumHold
1
2
34
5
6
78
910
11
12
13
14
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
4
ButtonDescriptions
ButtonOverview
BUTTONMODEDESCRIPTION
H(DataHold)AnyModePresstoholdareadingonthedisplay.
Pressandholdwhileturningthe
meterontodefeatAPO
R(Range)V,A,PresstoManuallyRange.Pressand
holdtoreturntoAUTORange
MAX(MaximumHold)AnyModePresstoholdtheMaximumreadingon
thedisplay
NCV(Non‐contactVoltageDetectorAnyModePressandholdforNon‐Contact
VoltageDetector(settheFunction
switchtoanypositionotherthanOFF)
M(Mode)V,A,,SwitchbetweenACandDC
Voltage/Current.Holddowntodo
Logicleveltesting.Switchbetween
resistance,diode,andcontinuity
ButtonDetails
DATAHOLD(H)Button
Tofreezeadisplayedreading,presstheDATAHOLD(H)button.Thereadingwillfreezeandthe
D.HdisplayiconwillbevisibleontheLCD.Toreleasethedisplay,presstheDATAHOLD(H)
buttonagain.TheD.Hindicatorwillswitchoffandthedisplaywillagainshowrealtimereadings.
MAXIMUMHOLD(MAX)Button
Todisplayonlythehighestreading,presstheMAXbutton.TheM.Hdisplayiconwillbevisible
onthedisplaywhileintheMaxHoldmode.Now,thedisplaywillonlychangewhenahigher
readingthanthedisplayedreadingisencountered.Toreturntonormaloperation,pressthe
MAXbuttonagain(theM.Hdisplayiconwillswitchoff).
MODE(M)BUTTON
TheMode(M)buttonisusedtoselectACorDCwhileintheVOLTAGE(V)orCURRENT(mA)
modes.TheMode(M)buttonisusedtoselectdiode(),Continuity(),orResistance().
PressandholdtheMode(M)buttontotakeLOGICtestswhileintheLOGICmode.
RANGE(R)Button
Themeterautomaticallyselectstheoptimumrange;however,themeter’srangescanbe
selectedmanually.WhenusingtheRange(R)buttontomanuallyselectarange,startwiththe
highestrangeandthenselectsuccessivelylowerrangesuntilthedesiredrangeisreached.The
decimalplacewillmovewitheachpressoftheRANGEbutton.PressandholdtheRange(R)
buttontoreturntotheAUTORangemode.
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
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TestLeadNotes
Thesuppliedblacktestleads(standardtestleadandalligatorclipprobe)haveprotectiveplugs
thatmustberemovedbeforebeinginsertedinthebottomofthemeter.Thisprotective
apparatusmustberemovedfromtheendoftheleadthatplugsintothemeter.
Thepositive(+)redprobecoverisusedwhenmakingCategoryIIIorhighermeasurements.
TwisttoremovethisprobecoverwhenmakingCategoryIIorlowermeasurements.
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MaximumInputLimits
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MeasurementsInputLimits
VoltageDCorAC200mVrange:250VDCorACrms
2~600Vrange:600VDCorACrms
CurrentDCorACFuseprotection(FF400mA/600V)
Logic,Resistance,Continuity,andDiode250VDCorACrms
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AutomaticPowerOFF(APO)
Themeterisequippedwithanautomaticpowerofffeaturetopreservebatteryenergy.After14
minutesofinactivitythemeterwillemit5shortbeeps.Afteranotherminutethemeterwillemit
onelongbeepbeforefinallyturningoff.Toturnthemeteronagain,simplyrotatethefunction
switchtothedesiredfunction.
TodefeattheAPOfeature,pressandholdtheHbuttonwhileturningthemeteron.TheAPO
featurewillre‐enableafterthemeteristurnedoffagain.
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
6
OperatingInstructions
WARNING:Riskofelectrocution.High‐voltagecircuits,bothACandDC,areverydangerousand
shouldbemeasuredwithgreatcare.
NOTE:OnsomelowACandDCvoltageranges,withthetestleadsnotconnectedtoadevice,
thedisplaymayshowarandom,changingreading.Thisisnormalandiscausedbythehigh‐
inputsensitivity.Readingswillstabilizeandgivepropermeasurementwhentestleadsare
connectedtoacircuit.

NON‐CONTACTACVOLTAGEDETECTOR(NCV)
WARNING:TesttheACvoltagedetectoronaknownlivecircuitbeforeeachuse.

WARNING:BeforeusingthemeterintheACVoltageDetectormode,verifythatthebatteries
arefreshbyconfirmingcharactersappearontheLCDwhenthefunctiondialisturnedtothe
voltage(V)position.DonotattempttousethemeterasanACVoltageDetectorifthebatteries
areweakorbad.
Notes:
Voltagemaystillexistevenwithnoindicationgivenbythemeter.DonotsolelyrelyonNCV
detectiontodeterminethepresenceofvoltage.Socketdesign,insulationthicknessandother
factorsmayaffectreadings.
TheNCVindicatorLEDmayflashwhilemeasuringAC/DCvoltageduetothepresenceofinduced
voltage.
ExternalenvironmentalinterferencefromadditionalsourcescanfalselytriggerNCVdetection.

1. Disconnectthecommon(negative)testleadfromthebottomofthemeter.
2. WiththefunctionswitchsettoanypositionexceptOFF,pressandholdtheNCVbutton.
3. Movethetipofthemeternearthevoltagesourceorconductorasshown.
4. Ifthevoltagedetectedis>110VAC,thebeeperwillsoundandtheNCVindicatornearthe
tipofthemeterwillflash.Alwaystestthedetectoronaknownlivecircuitfirstbefore
attemptingothertests.
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
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ACandDCVOLTAGEMEASUREMENTS
WARNING:RiskofElectrocutionforACMeasurements.Theprobetipsmaynotbelongenough
tocontactthelivepartsinsidesome240Voutletsforappliancesbecausethecontactsare
recesseddeepintheoutlets.Asaresult,thereadingmayshow0voltswhentheoutletactually
hasvoltagepresent.Makesuretheprobetipsaretouchingthemetalcontactsinsidetheoutlet
beforedeterminingthatnovoltageispresent.

CAUTION:DonotmeasureACorDCvoltageifamotoronthecircuitisbeingswitchedONor
OFF.Largesurgesmayoccurthatcandamagethemeter.

WARNING:Topreventelectricshockanddamagetothemeterorpersonalinjury,donot
measurevoltagesthatmayexceed600VDCorACrms.
NOTES:
Beforeconnectingtheprobeandtestleadatlowervoltageranges,thedisplaymayshowerratic
readings.Thisisnormalbecausethemeterishighlysensitive.Onceaconnectionismade,the
truereadingwillbedisplayed.
‘OL’indicatesanover‐rangeconditioninmanualmode.Ahigherrangeshouldthenbeselected.
Inmanualmode,selectthehighestrangefirstifthevaluetobemeasuredisunknownthenlower
therangeasneeded.
TheACmillivoltrangeisonlyavailableinthemanualrangemode.
1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations.
2. SetthefunctiondialtotheVposition.
3. UsetheMode(M)buttontoselectACorDC.
4. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegativejackatthebottomofthemeter.
5. TouchtheblacktestprobetiptotheneutralsideofthecircuitforACmeasurementsorto
thepositivesideofthecircuitforDCmeasurements.
6. Touchthepositivetestprobetiptothe“hot”sideofcircuitforACmeasurementsortothe
negativesideofthecircuitforDCmeasurements.
7. Readthevoltageonthedisplay.Themeterautomaticallyselectsoptimumrangeortheuser
maymanuallyselectarangebypressingtheRange(R)button.PressandholdtheRange(R)
buttontoreturntotheAUTORangemode.

AC

DC



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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
8
ACandDCCURRENTMEASUREMENTS
WARNING:Riskofelectricshock.Topreventdamagetothemeterorpersonalinjury,never
measurecurrentwhereopencircuitvoltagesexceed250V.
NOTE:‘OL’indicatesanover‐rangeconditioninmanualmode.Ahigherrangeshouldthenbe
selected.
1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations
2. SetthefunctiondialtothemAposition.
3. UsetheMode(M)buttontoselectACor
DC.
4. Inserttheblacktestleadbananapluginto
thenegativejackatthebottomofthe
meter.
5. Connectthetestleadsinserieswiththe
circuitundertest.
6. Touchtheblacktestprobetiptothenegativesideofthecircuit.
7. Touchthepositivetestprobetiptothepositivesideofthecircuit.
8. Readthecurrentreadingonthedisplay.Themeterautomaticallyselectstheoptimum
rangeortheusermaymanuallyselectarangebypressingtheRange(R)button.Press
andholdtheRange(R)buttontoreturntotheAUTORangemode.

DIODETEST
NOTES:Thedisplayshowstheapproximateforwardvoltagedrop.Iftheconnectionsarereversed
ortheleadsarenotconnected,thedisplaywillshow‘OL’.
1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations
2. Setthefunctionswitchtotheposition.
3. UsetheMode(M)buttontoselectthediode
function 
4. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegative
(common)jackatthebottomofthemeter.
5. Touchthetestprobestothediodeundertest.
6. Agooddiodewillindicateapprox.0.3V(germanium
diodes)to0.7V(silicondiodes)fortheforwardtestand
“OL”forthereversetest.
7. Ashorteddiodewillindicatethesamevalueofvoltageinboththereverseandforward
testdirections.Anopendiodewillindicate“OL”inbothtestdirections.


DC
AC
mA
V
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
9
RESISTANCEMEASUREMENTS
WARNING:Toavoidelectricshock,disconnectpowertotheunitundertestanddischargeall
capacitorsbeforetakinganyresistancemeasurements.
NOTES:
‘OL’indicatesanover‐rangeconditioninmanualmode.Ahigherrangeshouldthenbeselected.
Iftheresistancemeasuredisgreaterthan1M
 ,themetermaytakeafewsecondstoobtaina
stablereading.Thisisnormalforhighresistancemeasurements.
Whentheleadsarenotconnectedorwhenmeasuringanopencircuit,thedisplaywillread‘OL’.

1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations
2. Setthefunctionswitchtotheposition.
3. UsetheMode(M)buttontoselectthe
resistancemode().
4. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothe
negativejackatthebottomofthemeter.
5. Touchthetestprobetipsacrossthecircuitor
partundertest.Itisbesttodisconnectoneside
ofthepartundertestfromthecircuitsothe
restofthecircuitwillnotinterferewiththe
resistancereading.
6. Readtheresistanceonthedisplay.Themeter
automaticallyselectstheoptimumrangeortheusermaymanuallyselectarangeby
pressingtheRange(R)button.PressandholdtheRange(R)buttontoreturntotheAUTO
Rangemode.
CONTINUITYCHECK
WARNING:Riskofelectricshock.Ensurethatallpowertothecircuitisoffandcapacitorshave
fullydischargedbeforemeasuringcontinuity.
NOTE:Iftheresistancemeasuredisgreaterthan200,thetestleadsarenotconnected,orwhen
measuringanopencircuit,thedisplaywillread‘OL’.

1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations
2. Setthefunctionswitchtotheposition.
3. UsetheMode(M)buttontoselecttheaudiblecontinuitymode.
4. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegativejackatthebottomofthemeter.
5. Touchthetestprobetipstothecircuitorwireundertest.
6. Iftheresistanceislessthanapproximately50,theaudibletonewillsound.
M
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381676A-en-GB_V1.1 08/15
10
LOGICTEST
WARNING:Topreventelectricshockanddamagetothemeterorpersonalinjury,donot
measurevoltagesthatmayexceed100VACrms.
NOTE:Ifthetestleadsaredisconnectedorifthevoltagemeasuredis<1.5VtheLEDwillbegreen.

1. UsetheprobecoverifmakingmeasurementsoncategoryIIIoraboveinstallations
2. SetthefunctionswitchtotheLOGICposition.
3. Inserttheblacktestleadbananaplugintothenegative(common)jackatthebottomof
themeter.
4. Connecttheblacktestleadtothecircuit’sground(‐)terminal.
5. HolddowntheMode(M)buttonandtouchthetestprobetothecircuitfor
measurement.TheLEDsnearthetipofthemeterwillindicatethecurrentlogiclevel.
6. Ifthemeasurementis0~1.5V,theGreenLEDwilllightandthedisplaywillshowadown
arrow,indicatingthatthelogictestresultisaLOW(‘0’)condition.
7. Ifthemeasurementis1.5~3.5V,theGreenandRedLEDswillbeOFF.
8. Ifthemeasurementis3.5~5V,theRedLEDwilllightandthedisplaywillshowanup
arrow,indicatingthatthelogictestresultisaHIGH(‘1’)condition.Seediagram.

0V 1.5V 3.5V 5V
Green LED ON Green & Red LED OFF Red LED ON
LOW ‘0’ HIGH ‘1’

Maintenance
WARNING:Toavoidelectricalshock,disconnectthetestleadsfromanysourceofvoltage
beforeremovingthebackcoverorthebatterycover.

WARNING:Toavoidelectricalshock,donotoperatethemeteruntilthebatterycoverisinplace
andfastenedsecurely.
Thismeterwasdesignedtoprovideyearsofdependableservice.However,ifthefollowing
guidelinesarenotfollowed,thedependabilityofthemetercanbecompromised:
1. KEEPTHEMETERDRY.Ifitgetswet,wipeitoffandallowittodrybeforeuse.
2. USEANDSTORETHEMETERINNORMALTEMPERATURES.Environmentalextremescan
shortenthelifeoftheelectronicpartsanddistortormeltplasticparts.
3. HANDLETHEMETERGENTLYANDCAREFULLY.
4. KEEPTHEMETERCLEAN.Wipethecaseoccasionallywithadampcloth.Donotuse
chemicals,cleaningsolvents,abrasives,ordetergents.
5. USEONLYFRESHBATTERIESOFTHERECOMMENDEDSIZE/TYPE.
6. IFTHEMETERISTOBESTOREDFORALONGPERIODREMOVETHEBATTERIES
7. Repairsshouldonlybeimplementedbytrainedpersonnel.
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