Multi meter ?

harryagain wrote on 07/03/2015 :

Well, only if you don't know how to use one and their limitations.

Not really...

If you need to monitor a rapidly changing voltage, or peak or null a voltage - yes analogue. For most other purposes digital works very well indeed.

Never in a million years. I own a couple of AVO 8's, which was the peak of an analogue multimeter design. When last on sale a few years ago the price tag was around £700.

Analogue certainly its uses, but I mostly reach for digital these days

I leave the batteries in all of my equipment. (Quality) Batteries are much more leak resistant and the equipment terminals are usually proof against acid attack from leaks.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield
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Hopefully the OP would end up using a muiltimeter for jobs those things can never do

NT

Reply to
meow2222

?

Far from, they're way more fragile electrically & physically.

no

??

NT

Reply to
meow2222

yes... in the 1930s. Much better has come along since. The prices of those are just madness.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

I've been using the Tenma ones from Farnell/CPC/etc. Pretty much do what they say on the tin. Current one is a 72-7720, which is decent quality for

14 quid or whatever it was. It's not really worth scraping the barrel below this kind of price range.

Also have a Fluke 83 III (at both home and work) - the battery is always flat when you need it. That's why I bought the Tenma. The Fluke comes in handy when you want an accurate measurement, rather than 'is it dead?' which almost any meter will do.

Theo

Reply to
Theo Markettos

I bought an analogue multimeter for a fiver.

Reply to
harryagain

Just how little of "not much else" do you think you might need a DMM for?

Pleny of cheap DMMs available as I'm sure others will be only too keen to point you at.

As far as "Testing for Live Wires" goes, that neon screwdriver will still fit the bill (and safely if you're in the habit of verifying that it still gives a clear indication by deliberately seeking live wires to test it with before relying on it not glowing as being an indication of a dead circuit - just commonsense advice).

You can use a DMM for such testing but you'll find that it's a lot more bulky to handle than a simple neon screwdriver, plus, to get a proper reading, you'll also have to probe a neutral or earth with the other test lead.

However, if you're only interested in getting an indication of liveness, holding the end of the other meter lead (make sure you're on the AC volts range with the leads plugged into the volts/ohms socket mind!) will allow a reduced voltage reading - 100 to 200 volts? without having to poke the other probe into the mains wiring connections.

There's a lot to be said for the worth of a neon screwdriver when poking around live mains wiring sans the risk of "Letting the streams cross each other" to use a "Ghost Busters' " reference. :-)

Reply to
Johny B Good

As will the humble neon screwdriver even though it gives a dimmer glow than normal which, for the experienced user, will provide the hint that these semi-live wires aren't making a 'hard connection' to a live source, suggesting that the wiring in question is need of closer scrutiny if it isn't part of the mess of wires between the component parts of a CH system.

Reply to
Johny B Good

I can't really agree. With false positives and false negatives they're not safe to rely on. Testing it doesn't get rid of the problem.

You can. But I wouldnt recommend it.

A voltstick: take a multimeter, remove most of the ranges, tweak it to optimise for one application. IOW a muiltimeter will do way more.

A neon screwdriver: illegal to use in the workplace on safety grounds.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

I've an ancient Steinel combi check but sometimes feel it was designed for people with 3 hands (or with an apprentice to hold things). Do the tips on newer ones (Steinel or Di-LOG or others) fit into insulated croc-clips like some other probes?

(I do bodger: it usually lives with a couple of short leads with cheap, uninsulated crocs clips at each end. But I'd be willing to invest if the newer ones were easier/safer.)

Reply to
Robin

Well personally, when I had sight, I found analogue meters much more useful than digital ones, but the latter are now so cheap, one of each seems a good idea. Whatever you get, make sure it has good well insulated leads and a selection of terminations like prods, and insulated clips. If all you are doing is mains wiring work, then a continuity tester with a buzzer can be very nahandy, and a protection circuit in caase of revers ploarity or large voltages on the probes do to human error! Brian

Reply to
Brian Gaff

They sold well at least through to around 1985 and neither AVO 7 or 8 were not available in 1930 think.

I was brought up on 7's and 8's, so I keep them for old times sake, but they also have their uses. Last time I used it, I had a rather weird varying discharge on the car. The AVO 8 made it easy to track down, whereas the Fluke digital was entirely useless.

Reply to
Harry Bloomfield

I had an (expensive) Maplin Gold DVM blow up when used on mains. What seemed to have happened is that dust or whatever caused the tracks on the PCB that are part of the switch to arc over. And most DVMs use a similar design. It had worked OK on mains once - hence my thinking it was dirt etc after years of use.

I now won't use any DVM on mains. Bought one of the stick types for this which is specifically made for mains, and doesn't have the same type of rotary switch. It's also easier to use for mains.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Then worth paying a little extra for a decent meter which has auto power down.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Remember when you bought an electric drill and used attachments to turn it into a circular saw, etc?

Better than nothing - just.

I have the same views about DVMs. Some can try to be all things to all people, but end up being mediocre. Better to use specialist ones for specialist use.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

They were never the peak of analogue design. They may have been the peak of non electronic meters, though.

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Care to be more specific?

Reply to
Dave Plowman (News)

Even that I doubt. There were lower current meters around, smaller, lighter , rubber protected, with better range selection and far lower prices.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

I've used the old avometers enough to dislike them, and am quite convinced their price was an act of insanity. On a par with Russ's audiofool cables.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

can never do

Indeed. Their purchase was more about optimism and/or desperation than anyt hing else.

I use multimeters for mains work, and don't find them a problem. They're a bit clumsier and higher impedance, but then they do a wide range of other t hings too. Since the OP is going to buy only one instrument, a multimeter w ill prove far more useful imho. I might say different if OP already had a m eter and was going to do masses of mains work.

NT

Reply to
meow2222

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