So, you’ve just purchased a new multimeter and have noticed the strange-looking letter N inside a circle on one of the buttons. But what does “NCV” mean on a multimeter?
Getting to know “NCV” on a multimeter
Have you ever been working with electronics and got shocked? One of the most common reasons for this is a device you are working with is not properly grounded, and the shock is the result of voltage “leaking” through you.
Voltage is the flow of electrons, and it’s everywhere, even if you’re not working with electronics. Static electricity is a great example of voltage leaking through you naturally, but let’s not get into that here.
When you need to measure voltage, the multimeter probe first needs to detect the voltage. You can get a standard, cheap multimeter that can measure AC voltage with a non-contact voltage detection. So, what is “NCV?”
“NCV” stands for “Non-Contact Voltage”
The term “Non-Contact Voltage” is used when measuring voltage with a multimeter. The meter is able to detect the voltage without having to touch the wires.
Non-contact voltage, also known as touch voltage, is a specific kind of voltage that is present when you are working with electronics, even if they aren’t powered. It’s the result of voltage leaking through your body to the ground (the floor or the nearest object touching the ground).
Basically, what the NCV feature does is allows the multimeter to detect voltage without having to actually touch the wires. The meter uses a small probe that can fit in between the wires.
Another interpretation of “NCV”
The abbreviation “NCV” can also stand for “No Current Value,” and it is a very useful parameter to measure when troubleshooting electrical circuits. An NCV reading indicates that a circuit is not complete and does not have a return path that will allow current to flow.
Reading NCV in Multimeter
There are steps to read NCV in a multimeter. Despite the fact that this process seems complicated, if you follow it step by step, it will not be difficult.
Most multimeters have a switch to change between DC volts and AC volts, so the first step is to look at the switch. Most multimeters switch between DC and AC by moving a switch on the side or bottom of the multimeter.
Here is how you do it. Connect your multimeter in parallel with the circuit you are troubleshooting. (For those of you who don’t know, this means that the black multimeter lead is connected to the black wire, and the red multimeter lead is connected to the red wire.) Now measure the voltages across two different points in the circuit.
If that is still complicated to follow, here’s a step-by-step guide for you to follow:
- Switch off the multimeter, connect the black probe to the COM port, and the red probe to V-port. Now switch on the multimeter.
- When the multimeter is ready, place the red probe to V-port and the black probe to the COM port. At this step, you will find the voltage of the multimeter is zero.
- Place the red probe to COM port and the black probe to V-port. The multimeter will beep and display the voltage of the multimeter.
- Calculate the voltage of the multimeter is higher or lower than the original voltage.
When a multimeter has an NCV capability, it means that it is capable of displaying a numeric value rather than a frequency value. When the meter is set to the average or rms voltage modes, it will display the RMS value of the voltage.
When the meter is set to the peak voltage mode, it will display the peak voltage. If the meter is set to the DC voltage mode, it will display the peak voltage. The NCV capability is available on most multimeters, including analog and digital multimeters.
The NCV Function
The NCV function on a multimeter measures the resistance of non-conductive material. This means that if you want to find out the resistance of a cat, you will first have to get one to hold still for a reasonable amount of time.
The range of the NCV function is usually between 10Ω and 100MΩ. But what is an NCV function in a multimeter? How is it used to display data? How can it be used to determine the safety of a device?
The NCV function is used to indicate which of the several measurements available on a multimeter is the highest, the lowest, or the best of them all.
It is one of the lesser-known functions of a multimeter. But it can be one of the most useful. The NCV function allows you to measure voltage without connecting one of the multimeter’s probes to the live wire. It’s a useful function for checking the voltage in hard-to-reach areas or for voltage testing without causing a short circuit.
This function is also short for negative current value. This function is used to measure the amount of negative current that flows into the multimeter. It is used in conjunction with the ohms function since a negative current flows into a circuit when it is being tested for continuity.
The NCV function in any multimeter is often misunderstood. This is perhaps due to its nature and complexity, as it is not a simple function but a way of displaying data. It is often the case that a multimeter has several measurements, and the NCV function shows the best result or the lowest or highest measurement.
Familiarizing Multimeter
Multimeters are ubiquitous in the electronics testing industry and can be purchased from a number of retailers, both online and off. However, for the electronics hobbyist, the multimeter can be a very useful device for a number of different applications.
While it is true that most multimeter models have a built-in range of different functions, it can be difficult to know which of these functions are the most useful.
The multimeter is one of the most widely used instruments in the electronics industry. It is an indispensable instrument in our daily lives, which can be used to test the electric circuit and the voltage, current, resistance of various electronic components.
It is used in the PCB production line to test the components and the PCB itself. Because it is easy to carry, accurate and powerful, it is widely used, and more and more people are familiar with it.
