My old one has today thrown the towel in. Can't complain as it's given me good service for 25-30 years. Main usages: AC up to 440V, DC up to 120V. Resistance occasionally. Transistor testing never. Audible continuity testing is a must. Not used very frequently but lost without it. A decent item that might last
10 years will see me out. Thanks, Nick.
I've still got a Maplin "Precision Gold" which is ancient but still working, the current one they do looks very similar but whether it's the same internally...
Unless the budget runs to a Fluke, in which case Fluke.
The display on my Fluke has become unreadable, but I did buy it in the early 1980s.
After a confusing hour spent measuring ghost voltages (or what I hope are ghost voltages) on a two-way switched stair lighting circuit, I've ordered a Fluke 117. It has a low-input-impedance voltage measuring mode, which should allow capacitively-coupled ghost voltages to be distinguihed from real ones. It also has a no-contact voltage detector. I can't wait for it to arrive...
Likewise, one of these is my old favourite, including the shock protective boot.
Don't know what the current examples are like though.
Watch out for cheap multimeters that are marked with misleading max categories and voltages. I've got one that's marked CAT III 600V/CAT II 1000V, but a quick look at the fuse (simple glass jobbie with no physical shieding), and the PCB gaps between the terminals (maybe 1mm) means I'd never even use it for single phase mains.
I think a lot of the imported meters just silk-screen on these CAT III / CAT II markings.
As ohers have said, can't go wrong with Fluke.
Same here. Mine might be 30 years old (can't recall exactly when I bought it).
The audible continuity testing is not great - it's fed from the resistance scale and there's too much delay whilst it auto ranges and settles before it sounds the sounder. Audible continuity testers need to be instant. Other than that, it's fine.
The spindle between knob and switch sheared on mine.
It also flashed over when measuring mains once - brass dust between the switch tracks. Did manage to fix that, though. But I now only use a proper meter designed for mains to measure that - not a DVM. Although my main DVM is now a Fluke.
Buy two, a Fluke and a cheapo one. Use the cheapo one when you just need to buzz out lightbulbs, check batteries, whatever, and use the Fluke when it actually matters.
The cost of a fuse for a Fluke can be as much as a whole cheap multimeter, so you live to regret testing the voltage of a D cell but the probes plugged in for current mode. And the cheapo one comes in handy when you pick up the Fluke and discover the battery is flat *again* (I know it's a problem in the Fluke 83, not sure about others).
In fact, buy several cheapo ones and leave one in the shed, one in the car, etc. Then there's always one about when you need it.
Theo
When I could see, it was a must to keep an analogue one with a real meter, as the digital ones were always less accurate if measuring things that fluctuate. I'm on the lookout at the moment for a simple audio continuity tester so Ican actually do a bit of wiring seeing as I cannot see the wire colours.another gadget would be a live detector which warbles on the live. Such things no doubt would be frowned upon for health and safety grounds, but we do not all keep sihted people in cupboards. Brian
Good advice.
Quite. Of course there will be smartarses who say they've never blown a fuse in a DVM. I'm certainly more careful after having to buy a new one for my Fluke. ;-)
I bought a 'proper' automotive one off Ebay from China direct to keep in the old car. Does RPM, Dwell and Temperature, as well as the usual and has a 20 amp range. Actually seems rather a nice meter at about 30 quid.
My Fluke is a delight to use - but doubt it is decent value for money, and probably not worth it for general DIY. Snag is knowing which of the many from China are.
Hehe, the manual for my cheap Uni-T dvm/'scope says "the fuse will only blow due to customer misuse" :) :)
Dave Jones' eevblog forum has plenty of discussions about meters and of course he has several test and teardown videos.
I have a couple of the Tenma ones from CPC, seem pretty solid so far. (I also have an ancient Maplin Gold DVM and a Maplin Analogue one)
+1
NT
Fluke! I have had my 70 Series II for more than twenty five years. Get the hard rubber case for it. Secondhand ones appear on eBay from time to time. Choose carefully.
Fluke. eBay has bargains, if you're patient.
Otherwise cheapo from Maplin / eBay and treat it as consumable.
You can't go wrong with one of these:
I've got one.
E.
Indeed. I have four!
As I said, smartarse.
But then you'd not admit if you had blown a fuse, being the perfect being you like to think you are.
You can certainly go wrong with one of those. Just trying to get batteries, for a start. And they're less accurate than the average 2 quid market stall DVM. And don't whatever you do drop one.
I've got one too. In a nice leather case. Where it stays.
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