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I'm about to test my laptop motherboard to make sure a component is receiving power.
All guides point out I need to connect my multimeter to a proper electrical ground.
How do I locate such a ground?
Merudo
Posted 2018-12-15T07:42:23.800
Reputation: 133
7
Motherboards are covered in grounds. Any large metal pad on the motherboard should be a ground. However, there is an easier place to find a ground: The metal around any screw hole that mounts the motherboard to the case is a ground.
If you are unsure if a particular pad is a ground, put your multimeter into continuity mode - when it beeps if a circuit is made. Touch a known ground, such as a screw hole, with one probe and the other to what you are testing for ground. If it beeps, it is connected to ground.
Keltari
Posted 2018-12-15T07:42:23.800
Reputation: 57 019
1I've taken my laptop apart to test for the power so the motherboard is no longer screwed into its case. – Merudo – 2018-12-15T08:32:02.847
1@Merudo the screw holes are still attached to the ground plane. – Keltari – 2018-12-15T08:36:44.540
That continuity mode has to send a current through the motherboard. If the two points are not directly connected but are connected through a component on the board I'd be a bit concerned. Could the current introduced by the multimeter damage the component? Could you incorrectly conclude the other point is also ground even though the current had to pass through a component on the board? – kasperd – 2018-12-15T13:13:25.233