How to Calibrate a Digital Multimeter

Continuing our series on curated collections of our free online learning resources, this collection covers information related to how to calibrate a digital multimeter (DMM).

Blog post: Understanding the Basics of Digital Multimeter Calibration

If you’re new to digital multimeter calibration, this is a good place to start. It provides an overview about why DMMs need to be calibrated, with a link to a longer application note on the topic. The post moves into some criteria for choosing a calibrator suitable for the job, with a link to a handy “Workload Matrix” that gives an overview of Fluke Calibration electrical calibrators, plus a link to an application note that provides more information about how calibration relates to a DMM’s performance. A brief section on calibration sequences and some notes on what to include on a report of calibration round out this post. You’ll also find a link to the “Introduction to the Basics of Digital Multimeter Calibration” webinar.

Webinar: Introduction to the Basics of Digital Multimeter Calibration

This on-demand one-hour webinar identifies the important parameters involved in DMM calibration and offers a generic guidance strategy for their routine verification. You’ll see an overview of handheld DMMs versus laboratory DMMs, how to consider and apply specifications, multiple examples, some “what ifs,” a detailed functional diagram of a DMM measurement system, three different calibration sequences, recommended contents of a calibration certificate, related actions to do during a basic digital multimeter calibration, and much more. Registration is required for this free webinar, which you can view at any time.

Video: 5080A Multi-Product Calibrator video demo

In this brief video (just over two minutes) you’ll see how to calibrate a Fluke handheld multimeter with a Fluke Calibration 5080 Multi-Product Calibrator. The video is part of a series of brief videos that shows the 5080A calibrating a clamp meter and calibrating an analog multimeter.

Webinar: Understanding and Applying Specifications for Electrical Calibrators and Digital Multimeters

This free on-demand webinar explains how to interpret electrical calibration specifications including how to understand both primary and secondary aspects of specifications, how such specifications relate to estimating measurement uncertainty, and other common problems such as how environmental conditions are specified for their influence on instrument performance.

Application note: Understanding and comparing instrument specifications

This nine-page application note presents a comprehensive look at instrument specifications for electronic instrumentation, including digital multimeters. It includes an over view and then moves into sections about analyzing and interpreting specifications. You’ll find information about the components of a specification and what is included in a “baseline spec.” Learn why you should beware the word “accuracy.” Take a deep dive into what specification terms like output, scale, floor, time, temperature, power line and output load mean. This note includes a detailed example showing two specification tables with commentary about how to compare and analyze them.

Webinar: Electrical Calibration – Best Practices for Cabling and Test Leads

While not specifically dedicated to digital multimeter calibration, this free on-demand webinar presents best practices for using and maintaining cables and test leads, which can help you reduce measurement errors.

We hope you find these free digital multimeter calibration resources useful. We have many more articles, videos, and webinars on our calibration education page. Is there a theme you’d like to see us cover? Please let us know! And if you are looking for more in-depth, interactive training, see our courses on metrology and calibration.

If you prefer talking to a live human being, feel free to reach out to me through email ([email protected]) or telephone (+1 425 446-4618).

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