Digital Multi Meters - time for a new one

Not in Waitrose...

Andrew snipped-for-privacy@btinternet.com wrote in news:vq529s$1cug8$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me:

Yes, all are 4mm. Any from a reputable source will now come with the plug ends shrouded to protect from accidental contact with higher voltages once plugged in. Meter sockets have been compatible with shrouded leads for decades.

Better silicone leads will also be abrasion and nick resistant, cheap knockoffs may be less so.

Indeed. But not all shrouded leads are created equal.

I bought a set to use with my DVM and they simply didnt work.

As are the 2mm variety

I had an el-cheapo Archer (Tandy own brand?) multimeter as a kid, that had the only 2mm leads I remember ...

I was Fluke's UK sales desk from 1979 to about 84. That's not a policy that we ever had.

Thereby hangs a tale.

Fluke bid for the first DMMs used by BT. "Meter, multifunction, 1A"

We offered them the standard 8022A but they decided they wanted a non-standard 3mm connector which we supplied as a special. Charging a small premium for the non-standard parts. We kept getting BT engineers phoning to complain about them. Quite a lot of BT engineers drilled the connector out to 4mm and used normal leads.

We were quite happy because the crappy leads that BT supplied kept breaking and engineering stores often ran out. When that happened the engineers just bought a new meter from us, at full price.

Thanks for the (many) suggestions. After much diving down a large number of rabbit holes I spent a little more than planned at the outset and went for a Brymen DMM. It's early days, but first impressions are positive.