Multimeter / discharging caps question

[BPSUL]

Okay, bear with me as I think this is surely a dumb question.

After alot of research I am confident in my ability to discharge the caps in my old Harmony amp before I do a couple small bits of maintenance to it this weekend.... In fact this would be a great time to pass on this link to any other noobs like myself, the most concise easy to understand guide I have seen:
http://www.schematicheaven.com/mods/capdischarge.htm

Anyway, here comes my dumb question.
I have read multiple posters say that even after discharging caps they still check the caps with a multimeter periodically which got me thinking. Wouldn't simply hooking up a multimeter to the cap and ground discharge it automatically? I mean, isn't that the same as using the discharge-alligatorhook-probe tool described at the link above? Or is there simply so much resistance or something inside a multimeter that it reads the voltage but does not actually let any pass through to ground.

Am I making any sense? :jo In other words - why doesn't the simple act of using the multimeter drain the cap? or does it?

[GearHeadFred]

Measuring it won't discharge it!! As you guessed, your voltmeter has a very high resistance.

[Rick1114]

I think it's possible to just use the multimeter, but it's not the safest, nor the preferred method, so no one will just tell you to do it that way - it can mean your life.

I connected two alligator clips (make sure they have plastic covers) with a piece of wire, and I just clip that to pin #1 of the pre-amp tube tube and the other to the chasiss. That will drain them. Then I check the filter caps with the multimeter before I start working in the amp.

[jdh]

BPSUL

Your multimeter is the same as connecting a 10,000,000 ohm resistor. This will take forever to discharge. Using the info you got from Schematic Heaven, I would use a 1K resistor instead to reduce the current surge and possible arching.

Dennis

[5er Driver]

I connected two alligator clips (make sure they have plastic covers) with a piece of wire, and I just clip that to pin #1 of the pre-amp tube tube and the other to the chasiss. That will drain them. Then I check the filter caps with the multimeter before I start working in the amp.

Hint: Leave the wire configured as stated above while you are working on anything in the amp. I use a similar "discharge wire" with a
10k Ω resistor inline between the aligator clips. I clip onto the caps directly and to ground and leave it there until I'm finished. Once the power caps are discharged they can't recharge themselves while grounded like that. If you are removing caps, check their voltage again just before unsoldering. Don't forget to remove the "discharge wire" when you're finished poking around inside the amp.