Checking voltages with DMM?

[stronics]

If you put a DMM across the ground and the stinger lead on a mig unit, will it fry the meter. I don't want to risk a Fluke meter to try.
Thanks for any information,
David

[6010]

It shouldn't. But if you want me to, I will try it with mine first. I have a Fluke 787. I have been wanting to check mine anyway. The welder that is .

[Noisy Nova]

On a MIG unit it's OK, but be very careful with a TIG machine. Make sure the HF is off. If you have a newer inverter machine with snap/pulse start, don't try it. With a lift arc machine, you're only going to see the sensor voltage anyway.

[stronics]

Noisy Nova, that is what I was thinking about the HF too, just couldn't do it without checking.
6010, thanks guy, but I wouldn't want you to for me, but if you want to check yours I'd appreciate if you would let me know how it goes.
Thanks for your time guys,
David

[mustange70]

don't run the meter if you're running any sort of pulse wave form or anything (we tried this at the place i used to work at when we were developing a metal core wire with a lincoln pulse/stt machine, and the thing wouldn't weld properly with the meter hooked up), as the meter can/will mess the waveform up in some way to where it won't weld properly.

[6010]

I haven't forgot about you yet. I left my meter in the shop waiting on some help. I am too old to do much multi tasking. I can't weld and look at the meter at the same time, but maybe soon I can get some help I did take a look at the static voltages on my mig i.e., changes in the open circuit voltages as the voltage knob is changed. I forgot to mention as some of the other did about the changes in wave form affecting the reading. Multi meters are calibrated of 60 Hz. and the resulting readings while any other waveform was superimposed on the rectified DC would not give a valid reading.

When I get some help I will try the Fluke as well as some analog meters I have. I also have a couple of Simpson 260's and a Triplet. I may even take a look at it with an Oscilloscope I have . I will let you know what I find out. The only thing I am waiting on now is my daughter to come by, when my Alzheimer's hasn't kicked in.