Multi meter ?

[ss]

Ok you have given me lots of options but with hindsight I am not sure I should bother with the multimeter for now as I am still struggling to work out what I would use it for based on the following.

I have managed to get my hands on a non contact volt stick and I also have a DC automotive multi meter (draper) which gives me continuity testing. This I use for building battery operated mini alarms or similar stuff.

Now the sort of work I will do (AC) is change sockets/light switches or recently rewired 2 halogen lamps / PIRs to extend the wiring and tested indoors (previous post) If changing sockets etc my usual procedure is check there is a live then turn off at the mains and then recheck. Even then I avoid touching a wire if I can avoid it.

At best even though I have no need at the moment I might attempt to say put an extra wall socket in, but anything beyond that is unlikely and I would call in an electrician, which I did when I got a double hob/oven cooker installed as I wanted to make sure ratings etc were ok. If I were replacing the cooker then I would probably do that myself now knowing the wiring was ok. The only other thing likely in the foreseeable future is disconnecting an electric shower (replacing to run off central heating) but again that would be done with the mains turned off and double checking for `lives`

[Caecilius]

I wouldn't have the cojones to test that. You're a braver man than me.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

It may have been an attractive option, but performed badly. Which was the point of my post.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Decent ones have a scale which mimics a needle too.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Dave Plowman (News) wrote on 08/03/2015 :

Yes, and I have three such, but they don't come close to an old fashioned pointer on a scale for usability.

[charles]

I've even seen a computer simulation of an analogue meter which resulted in a bent needle if you overloaded it.

[Harry Bloomfield]

Caecilius presented the following explanation :

I didn't deliberately test it, it was accidently tested or rather several times over the years. I don't even have the instructions for it to see if its part of the spec. to survive that, I've had it so long.

You have it on a resistance range, apply it accidently across a voltage, the display flashes, blanks as if it is thinking about it, disconnect then it magically comes back. The display is blank long enough to worry you that you have destroyed it, but it always has recovered so far.

No great loss if it were to go pop, I have certainly had my money out of it.

[F Murtz]

Do you still use the good old twin (in series)test lamps that every apprentice used to make as one of his first jobs back in my day?

[meow2222]

It was only attractive to those that hadn't used them before :) The results were truly pathetic.

NT

[meow2222]

but most dont. And it still doesnt give as much info as a waggling pointer.

NT

[meow2222]

Maybe once, but much better and cheaper were also common

NT

[Dave Plowman (News)]

The OP mentioned Fluke. My Fluke does. And that gives a far more accurate min/max than trying to read a waggling needle.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Such as? I doubt places like the BBC had them by the thousand if there was a better alternative.

I do have one - and it's in very good nick still. Had to re-do the stitching on the leather case, though. But even when it was current, had to supplement it with a valve voltmeter.

Now it is merely a nice looking curiosity - like so much older test gear.

[Harry Bloomfield]

on 09/03/2015, Dave Plowman (News) supposed :

For leaving across the mains and logging its worst excurions in voltage they are perfect, for everything else a proper analogue meter works best.

[Harry Bloomfield]

[e-mail] laid this down on his screen :

Cheaper yes, better no absolutely not. As said above, they were the standard - nothing came close. The nearest I came across was the Selectatest. When you mentioned a multi-meter, everyone called them an AVO, just like everyone calls a vacuum cleaner and Hoover.

[The Other Mike]

Maybe because they were a local supplier, spares availability was excellent and had already been in use by the beeb for decades?

I've a Fluke handheld DMM (8060A) entering it's fourth decade and I'd choose it over an AVO 8 any day although it desperately needs some new capacitors. I like the model so much I've bought a few more secondhand over the years.

If I really need an analogue reading then I've an AVO EA113 or a more recent Fluke 87 V with a bargraph. I'd not put any but the 87 V anywhere near the mains

I'm surprised AVO 8's were still in production after the turn of the century, wonder who was actually buying them? I could have bagged a couple of excellent condition 1970's Model 8's for free 20+ years ago, maybe in hindsight I should have, but I've would have never used them although they might have fetched a good price on ebay :)

[The Other Mike]

Fluke 101 35.99 delivered on Ebay (UK stock)

A manufacturer who actually designs the internals to genuinely meet safety standards rather than just silk screening some random s**te on the case.

If anyone is happy with testing anything on the mains either with a no name chinglish brand or an analogue meter then they really want their heads examining. There is some s**te out there that shouldn't be let loose on anything but a single PP3

[whisky-dave]

But that's still a lot more than a simple meter.

depeneds what you mean by no name, and remmeber a name can me little if yuo're ordering from ebay and teh stuff comes from china.

you leave my students out of this. ;-)

[Dave Plowman (News)]

A 'proper analogue meter' has far too high an input impedance to be of much use these days.

And as I said, I don't use a DVM for mains. Nor would it be any good for the job you mention as it auto powers down. You need the correct device for that task.

[Dave Plowman (News)]

Probably to go straight into a display or museum, etc.

They can be somewhat of a bargain used from Ebay. Unless you get in a bidding war. Loads come up - so just put your maximum bid in until you succeed.