Fiat Bravo Quiz
Electrical system

Measuring voltage

In this manual: Electrical system
Dear Reader — 1Engine — 35Engine lubrication — 3Engine cooling — 10Ignition/spark plugs — 14Fuel system — 10Petrol fuel injection — 13Diesel injection system — 13Exhaust system — 7Clutch — 7Transmission / Gearshift / Automatic Transmission — 5Front Axle — 11Rear axle — 4Steering — 9Wheel alignment — 1Brake system — 22Wheels and tyres — 10Body — 34Heating — 6Electrical system — 39Lighting system — 14Instruments — 7Windscreen wiper system — 8Vehicle care / tools — 6Jump Starting / Towing the Vehicle — 3Jacking up the vehicle — 1Fiat Bravo / Brava Maintenance Schedule — 1Maintenance — 38Wiring diagrams — 5
~2min read

Voltage can already be detected with a simple test lamp or voltage tester. However, this only shows whether voltage is present at all. To check the level of the voltage present, a voltmeter (voltage meter) must be connected.

First, set the voltmeter to the measuring range in which the voltage to be measured is expected to lie.

Voltages on the vehicle are generally no higher than approx. 14 volts. The exception is the ignition system; here the ignition voltage can be up to 30,000 volts. This high voltage can only be measured with a special meter or an oscilloscope.

While with meters specially matched to the car you only need to switch the selector to voltmeter, with a general multimeter a number of decisions must first be made. First, set the selector to the DC voltage range (DCV, as opposed to ACV = AC voltage). Then select the measuring range. Since apart from the ignition system no voltages higher than approx. 14 volts occur on the car, the upper limit of the measuring range to be set should be somewhat higher (approx. 15 to 20 volts). If you are sure the measured voltage is much lower, for example in the 2-volt range, the measuring range can be switched down to achieve greater display accuracy.

If voltages higher than the instrument's measuring range are applied, the meter can be destroyed.

Spannung messen

Connect the meter leads in parallel to the consumer as shown in the diagram. The red test lead is connected to the wire coming from the battery positive terminal, and the black test lead to the earth wire or to vehicle earth, such as the engine block.

Test example: if the engine does not start properly because the starter turns too slowly, it is useful to check the battery voltage while the starter is operated.

To do this, connect the voltmeter's red lead (+) to the positive battery terminal and the black lead (-) to vehicle ground. Then have an assistant operate the starter and read the voltage value. If the voltage is below approx. 10 volts (at a battery temperature of +20 °C), the battery must be checked and, if necessary, charged before the next starting attempts.

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