Can anyone recomend a hand held voltmeter?

[F.H.]

Just something for various household batteries. TIA.

Frank

[m Ransley]

Get a battery tester they put a load on the batteries, for more acurate indication of life, voltmeters don`t. Radio Shack

[G. Morgan]

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 21:24:31 GMT "F.H." used 3 lines of text to write in newsgroup: alt.home.repair

A $20 Sears one will be just fine.

[G. Morgan]

On Thu, 18 Nov 2004 16:24:09 -0600 "G. Morgan" used 13 lines of text to write in newsgroup: alt.home.repair

Oooppps. M. Ransley is correct, if you need to only check batteries then a battery tester is preferred because it puts them under load.

[Phisherman]

I bought a Radio Shack VOM 20 years ago. It is digital, and has a large display and a sound continuity tester that I have found very useful. The handle folds back and acts like a stand, which is convenient at times. I remove the batteries before storing it as recommended by the manufacturer. A fuse blew in it one time, and got a replacement at RS. I think I paid $20 for it.

[Jim Yanik]

"F.H." wrote in news:jq8nd.13038$pP5.5132@trnddc05:

you want a battery tester,one that puts a load on the cell,and a ordinary DMM does not do that.

You can get one at RadioShack.

Harbor Freight sells a ordinary DMM for $5.

(DMM=Digital MultiMeter)

[George E. Cawthon]

Yeah Harbor Freight. $3.99 with light switch or $2.99 without lighted read out.

[George E. Cawthon]

You don't need a battery tester for ordinary batteries if you know what the voltage is supposed to be. Nicad and NiMH are a bit more difficult. To get a load just put an appropriate light bulb across the battery with the meter in parallel.

[m Ransley]

Before I had a battery tester, and I have 3 v meters, I threw away good batteries, could not match pairs and kept bad ones. A battery tester puts the correct load for each cell so you can determine if it is worth keeping and for how long. Plus you can match odd cells to the power left. I saved alot with a battery tester, no more gussing. A bulb will not be the correct load a V meter will not indicate Life Left.

[Red Neckerson]

Damn you! Tell the world why don't you!! I was going buy a bunch of theose and sell them for $20 on eBay!!!!

;-]

[Jeff Wisnia]

That's one heck of an expensive fuse.

Jeff

[Stormin Mormon]

Harbor Freight has VOM's as cheap as th ree bucks, now and again.

If you're testing batteries, you oughta have a battery tester. VOM read wtih very little added load. Battery tester supplies a little load while it's testing. Radio Shack has these for ten bucks or so.

[m Ransley]

Stormin is not totaly acurate but not totaly high either, in between....

[G. Morgan]

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 21:02:51 -0600 "m Ransley" used 3 lines of text to write in newsgroup: alt.home.repair

You're wrong. He *is* "totally high". ;~)

[Chip Stein]

if you want a real meter buy a fluke. Chip