[kbmuri]

I popped open the 8080 again. I've had the same old boxy Micronta 20,000-ohm Multitester since 1978, back when Radio Shack used to be a real electronics store. I was able to probe all 5 meters in-circuit. The leftmost power meter, with the Ohmmeter set at Rx1, black probe tip placed on the 8080's power meter post marked "+", I was able to deflect the 8080's meter a few degrees (the Micronta Ohmmeter deflected all the way to 0 Ohms). The Red, Green, blue meters get pegged pretty hard at the Rx1 setting, but at the Rx1K setting the meters deflect softly a few degrees. Again, always black probe on the "+" labeled meter post. The "Restoring Current" meter gets pegged at Rx1 and doesn't noticeably deflect at Rx1K, but on the rX10 setting, again, a nice soft deflection.

Your mileage may vary, of course, with a different VOM. Pretty sure Rat shack still sells a version of my meter, ergonomically restyled and more hip-hop of course, but you gotta ask for it, they push a yellow digital LCD readout one that I don't care for. But I'm old school. Analog meters are best.

In every case I got 0 Ohms on my Rat Shack meter. The 0-Ohm reading may be thru the meters or thru other circuits though, as I kept the meters in circuit. So what matters is getting the 5 8080 meters to deflect. Tells you they aren't smoked. I see that each meter has screw-down terminals so it's real easy to take them out of circuit if you want to thoroughly inspect them, but what I outlined above should suffice. I didn't want to disturb mine by taking them out of circuit. You shouldn't have to either.

Because the Restoring function uses the third Octal socket, you might want to inspect the wiring around the 3rd socket for anything loose. Might be as simple as a corroded solder joint there.