When measuring voltage on a suspected damaged cable, which tool is appropriate?

When measuring voltage on a suspected damaged cable, which tool is appropriate?

• A. Oscilloscope
• B. Toner and probe
• C. Multimeter
• D. Cable tester

Answer: (C)

For measuring voltage on a suspected damaged cable, you want a device that gives you a direct reading of the electrical potential between two points. A multimeter does that in voltage mode, and it can read both DC and AC voltages, which covers most cable scenarios. It has high input impedance, so you measure without significantly loading the circuit, and it's portable and easy to use for quick checks. An oscilloscope can measure voltage and show waveform shape, but it’s more complex to set up and not usually necessary for a simple voltage presence check; it’s overkill unless you need to see signal characteristics. A toner and probe is for tracing a wire by sending a tone, not for measuring voltage. A cable tester focuses on continuity, resistance, or pinout, not the actual voltage along the line. So the multimeter is the best fit for a straightforward voltage measurement on a suspected damaged cable.

For measuring voltage on a suspected damaged cable, you want a device that gives you a direct reading of the electrical potential between two points. A multimeter does that in voltage mode, and it can read both DC and AC voltages, which covers most cable scenarios. It has high input impedance, so you measure without significantly loading the circuit, and it's portable and easy to use for quick checks. An oscilloscope can measure voltage and show waveform shape, but it’s more complex to set up and not usually necessary for a simple voltage presence check; it’s overkill unless you need to see signal characteristics. A toner and probe is for tracing a wire by sending a tone, not for measuring voltage. A cable tester focuses on continuity, resistance, or pinout, not the actual voltage along the line. So the multimeter is the best fit for a straightforward voltage measurement on a suspected damaged cable.