DMM allows current to pass but measures 0 mA

[seanspotatobusiness]

I have a UNIT UT61E DMM. I have the probes in the correct sockets and the dial set to mA. When connected to a circuit with about 13 mA passing through it (measured with a different DMM), the reading is 0.000.

Perhaps in an unrelated issue, when I move the dial to A and move the probe to the appropriate socket, the screen defaults to Hz and I can't get it to go to the A setting by pressing the yellow mode button (it should default to A and only go to Hz after pressing the yellow button).

Can anyone advise what might be happening to allow current to pass like this but meaure 0 mA?

 

[(*steve*)]

You may have a damaged multimeter.

Presumably it reads V and Ω correctly? How well does it work on its lowest voltage range?

If you're really lucky there may be some overload protection other than the fuse which has failed short circuit.

 

[Bluejets]

When connected to a circuit with about 13 mA passing through it (measured with a different DMM), the reading is 0.000.

You might have blown the internal fuse.

(it should default to A and only go to Hz after pressing the yellow button).

According to the manual page 41, it's the blue button that selects differing operations on each selector position.

Also if you've been pushing the yellow, that's for data hold.

Quite a complex meter for anyone who is not familiar with software controlled meters.
Suggest you get yourself something simpler.

Manual here.....https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B4Jyby-tjH5oTUFhWVRuQjdoVEk/view

 

[seanspotatobusiness]

By luck I noticed that when the multimeter is squeezed a little it behaves correctly and determined that the PCB wasn't pressing the back of the dial well enough. I opened it up and tightened a screw at the bottom while pressing on the PCB and now it works as expected.

 

[(*steve*)]

Hmmmm. I hope it keeps working.