Red Seal Electrician Practice
Meters and troubleshootingQuestion 313 of 1506

A DMM set to ohms reads OL when the leads are touched to a wire. What does this mean?

  1. The wire is broken or the leads are not in contact
  2. The wire is good and has very low resistance
  3. The meter battery is being charged by it
  4. The circuit is energized and the meter reads it
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Correct answer: The wire is broken or the leads are not in contact

OL shows infinite resistance, which means an open path.

Source: Troubleshooting Motors and Controls (Dickson-Self), 1.3: Meter Usage

Practice meters and troubleshooting

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026