What Does ACV Stand for on a Multimeter If you have electrical problems in your home, you can't go wrong with a licensed electrician. However, if you decide to take a do-it-yourself approach to electrical maintenance, you can buy a digital multimeter for a few euros. A multimeter is not a solution, but it will help you measure the voltage, current and resistance of any circuit in your home. They are inexpensive ($10 is enough to buy a multimeter that offers the basic functions) and fairly easy to use, although they may seem intimidating at first. There are some symbols on the multimeter dial that you don't see every day. Understanding the multimeter dials Your basic multimeter has a dial that indicates the type of measurement you want to make. The voltage reading is called DCV for direct current and ACV for alternating current. The former can be used to test batteries, while the latter can be used to test sockets, appliances and electronics. When measuring resistance, look for ...