FASTRACK SWITCH TRACK ISSUES

I have an ancient Fluke 77 that served me for around 15 years, but the ohms are now out of calibration and there's no easy or cheap way to fix it.  The voltages still work fine and are within a couple percent, but I had to finally retire it for a newer meter.

My most commonly used meter nowadays is the Fluke 117, though I go to the bench 8012A to measure low ohm parts.

The Harbor Freight clamp meter GRJ posted above is a nice one at a good price. While you are there getting yours, take this Coupon for a free Digital Multimeter and get one of those too.

I really appreciate the assistance in my search for a meter, but I have to be honest and I'm a bit embarrassed to say this, but I have not a clue how you use one of those things.  Brett used to get his out and hook up the leads and turn the dial to some setting and touch wires and get either a positive look on his face and say, well that's not the problem, or a pained look and say, that's not good.  This is why I don't want to spend anymore money on a tool I wouldn't know if I was using it right or not.  So if anyone feels like giving me a quick tutorial on how to use a volt meter or multimeter and if the two are different, I would greatly appreciate the help.

Do a search on youtube for something like 'how to use a multimeter' or 'using a multimeter'. They are also sometimes called DM, DMM, volt meter, current meter, etc. There are probably several out there that will not only explain but illustrate their uses. The video instruction is probably better than trying to explain in written text anyway.

Most multimeters purchased new should come this instructions. I have one more expensive meter that has instructions that I still refer to occasionally. 

Good advice, actually did that. Found one on a video where a guy was showing us how to fix a continuity issue.  He showed me how to test for continuity, then how to fix the problem if the center rail doesn't go beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.  One problem though.

I switched to how to test voltage.  The first thing I need to know is do I put the black lead to the ground or common rail and the red lead to the center rail.  If so, what's good?  What's bad and what's "this is what you ultimately want the meter to read for best case scenario".

There are many others here more qualified and able to describe this much better, but I'll give it a try. For measuring voltage I think it's good practice to use red for the positive (center rail) and black for common (outer rail). Our O gauge three rail trains are almost always AC so it will read the same either way. This is called polarity and it does matter with DC voltage. Red is positive and black is negative or common. Of course the meter inputs are marked and the leads need to be connected to the meter accordingly.

Probably the most important thing to remember when using a meter is to select the proper meter dial setting and range for the voltage, AC, DC, resistance or continuity, current, etc. that you are trying to measure. Measuring voltage with the meter set to resistance (continuity) will either blow the meter's internal fuse or ruin the meter if it isn't fused. Don't ask me how I know this...(but mine was fused). 

You put the black lead to the outside Rail, and the red lead to the center rail.  There is no good or proper voltage it should read.   It just reads the voltage your transformer is applying to the track depending upon where the transformer handle is set or what power supply you're using.  A good test would be to test your voltage across the posts of your transformer with a handle set to a certain position, and then test the actual track voltage when set at the same position. It should be fairly close to what the transformer is putting out.  You can then go around your track sections using the meter connected to the outside rail and the inside rail as described above and test each section and see if it's getting the same, or near the same voltage is the previous. Or in your case you may just be concerned with the switch / switches.  Voltage will go down the further you get away from the transformer connections unless you have multiple feeds to your track.

Train Nut

Thanks for the advice, hadn't thought of that approach.  I'll do that after I get my computer work done and see what I get.  Thanks to both replies telling me that I need to put the black to the ground and the red to the center.  Makes sense

So, getting to the crux of the biscuit, go to the offending switch and test all the rails and finally the red to center metal piece with the black to an outside rail on the through track.

The inside rails at the V of the turnout are isolated for non-derail. leave those out of the testing.