How to Use a Multimeter on Your E-Bike

In plain English

A cheap multimeter answers two questions that solve many e-bike problems: does the battery have the voltage it should, and is this wire broken? Battery voltage is measured on the battery's output terminals. Wire tests are done on wires that are unplugged at both ends.

Work from the top. Steps go from free and easy to shop jobs. Switch the bike off before touching any connector. Tick each step as you go. Your progress is saved on this device.

1. 1Learn the two settings you needFree DC volts (a V with a straight line) for battery voltage, and continuity (a speaker or sound-wave symbol), which beeps when a wire is unbroken.
2. 2Switch off and remove the batteryFree Turn the display off, then take the battery out of its mount (or unplug it). Do this before touching any wires, brakes near the motor, or the rear wheel.
3. 3Test a small wire for breaksEasy With the battery removed and the wire unplugged at both ends, set continuity mode. Touch one probe to each end of the same wire. A beep means it's unbroken. No beep means it's broken somewhere.
4. 4Check battery voltageModerate Set DC volts to a range above your battery's voltage. With the battery off the bike and its switch on, touch the red probe to the positive output terminal and black to negative. A full 36V battery reads about 42V, 48V about 54.6V. Some batteries read 0V when off or out of the bike.
5. 5Leave high-current tests to a shopShop job Testing the motor's phase wires, Hall sensors or the controller needs experience. A shop can do it safely.

Parts you might need

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Only buy a part if the free steps didn't fix it. Always match the voltage and connector type to your bike.

• Digital multimeter

  Checks whether wires are broken and measures voltage.

  Link coming soon