Recently I had the need to test a handful of through hole resistors. I’ve had this need before when going through drawers of discarded components as well. Being colorblind, it’s not even helpful for me to memorize the color code, so I have to measure them.
I’m all about simplification, so simplifying the setup, handling, etc. is always a goal. I came up with the project below using parts I had laying around.
Parts needed
- 4mm Banana plugs (2)
- Toothless Alligator Clips (2)
If you have a standard multimeter, it should have 4mm banana jacks to accept test leads. Using this as a starting point, I gathered two each of solderable banana plugs, and toothless alligator clips with long noses. They were a simple thing to solder for assembly and use. See photo gallery for more details.
Procedure (x2)
- Remove rear jacket from banana plug
- Reform rear of alligator clip to fit into solder socket of banana plug (snug fit)
- Solder clip to plug
- Bend tips of alligator clip to form a curved “V”
How to Use
With a 4mm plug multimeter…
- Replace existing multimeter leads with constructed plugs
- Arrange clip “V”s in parallel
- Select mode/range on multimeter for measurement
- Place component to be tested between “V”s
- Read meter
Amazon Links to Parts
- https://www.amazon.com/HIGHROCK-Banana-Speaker-Cable-Connectors/dp/B00APVQZ8U/
- https://www.amazon.com/Smooth-Toothless-Alligator-Clips-Copper/dp/B07KDDGK73/