When using a megohmmeter to test for shorts between two conductors, how should the leads be connected?

Connecting one lead to the blue lead and one lead to the red lead while using a megohmmeter is the correct method for testing for shorts between two conductors. This approach allows you to measure the insulation resistance between the two conductors directly.

By connecting the leads to each conductor, the megohmmeter applies a high voltage across both conductors. If there is a short circuit or insufficient insulation between the blue lead and the red lead, the device will register a low resistance value. This helps in identifying potential electrical faults or degraded insulation.

Using the other available options would not provide an accurate measure of the resistance between the conductors and could lead to inconclusive test results. For instance, connecting to the conduit could provide misleading information about conductor integrity, as the conduit itself does not effectively demonstrate the insulation quality between the conductors. Thus, the best practice is to connect directly to the conductors for testing.