6. Pull Fuses Once you’re in position, begin pulling fuses and replacing them one by one while you watch the multimeter.

You can use them to test for voltage drop at various circuits, blown fuses, current draws, heating elements, and to verify bad cable connections. The most common task is checking pedestal voltage.

Switch the multimeter to measure resistance at its lowest setting, and test across the fuse. A reading of OL, or significantly higher than 20 ohms, suggests the fuse is blown.

So, what are you likely to do when using a multimeter for DIY appliance diagnostics? The most likely uses for the tool will be tracing power throughout the appliance, testing fuses, testing ...

That one had a fuse, though, and we aren’t sure if it had better-rated resistors or not. We’ve also seen cheap meters with fuses that weren’t actually used.