I recently purchased some 7Ω 1% resistors and used one in a circuit. However. my digital multimeter says it's closer to 11Ω, which is 'way outside the 1% tolerance. My meter isn't top of the line, so this made me wonder: How much can I trust it, and for that matter, how can I trust any meter readings?

 

How typical is miscalibration in low-end measurement devices? Or should I trust the meter and gritch at Mouser that the Vishay resistors they sold me are monstrously out of tolerance? (Or at least one of them; I haven't checked all of them.)

 

Thanks!

What does the multimeter measure if you put the tips of the probes together?

Or should I trust the meter and gritch at Mouser that the Vishay resistors they sold me are monstrously out of tolerance?

Resistors have color code printed on them.

Check what is nominal value of it this way..

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronic_color_code

(or Google "resistor color code")

 

Multimeter can be damaged. I have one such showing wrong measurements. It was destroyed by too high voltage..

Or battery can be exhausted. Replace it by fresh one, for a moment, to see whether there is difference.

Edited October 15, 201510 yr by Sensei