Any suggestions for a decent digital multimeter?

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Website · #1 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:44 pm

As the title states, does anyone have any suggestions for a decent multimeter, for testing several laptop parts. I guess this would mean that the leads would have to be pretty small for testing such small parts, in tight spaces.

Would a standard Rat Shack version be ok?

#2 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 12:51 pm

Fluke! I have a ten year old fluke that is still going strong. If you have the bucks.

Lowes has some good ones too. It really depends on the tolerence you are looking for and what type of components you will be checking. For basic stuff Radio shack is fine, I bought a few for our techs a couple of years ago at Lowes and they are actually still working. Can't remember the brand name.

#3 Post by **jdhurst** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:06 pm

I have a Fluke that I got in 1979 and it still works fine. I have to replace the LCD once in that time. I got a B&K Precision on sale at Tuckers for about a hundred dollars and it works great as well. Newer and more functionality than the Fluke. ... JD Hurst

#4 Post by **rkawakami** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:19 pm

Fluke! Got a free 110 from a drawing with one of the used test equipment suppliers earlier this year. Nice, except it doesn't measure current

. If you can locate a used 77 they're pretty good too.

(edit: If you can get a chance to try one out, make sure you test the continuity/diode "beep" mode. Some meters take around 1/2 second to sound off. Much too long in my opinion. I have an old Circuitmate DM20L which is almost instantaneous. That one also tests transistors and has a built-in logic probe.)

(edit2: Fluke 77, not 71.... had a brain f@rt...)

christopher_wolf · #5 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 1:57 pm

Fluke! I have a Fluke 177 that I use alot in the labs and it has yet to let me down.

dsigma6 · #6 Post by **dsigma6** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 2:12 pm

While I have no experience with multimeters, I can say that since a kid I distinctly remember my Father with a Fluke meter. He's still using them today.

#7 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 4:38 pm

Steve, one thing i'll pass along is to get a meter that you can change the probes on, or make sure you get the sharp tip points. The main thing that goes on a meter from use is the probes. Sharp tips are good for checking very tiny components and you can also "dig" through coated wires, paint, or just about anyting to get to the metal. Also some good probes come with screw on alligator clips which are great for clamping to ground or to one end of something so you can poke around with the other one looking for voltages or whatever.

Happy shopping.

#8 Post by **GomJabbar** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 4:43 pm

I use multimeters occasionally in my line of work. I guess it wouldn't be a fluke to say I like the Fluke.

christopher_wolf · #9 Post by **christopher_wolf** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:10 pm

Another hint: If you want to deal with small, tangled wiring, it would be a good idea to get a "witchhat clamp" and hook to go with some of the probes. This can make quite a few things involving constant monitoring, especially in cramped spaces, alot easier.

#10 Post by **rkawakami** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:38 pm

And going to the other extreme (and getting OT)... If you can afford them yourself, or work for a company that uses these:

Pomona Micro SMD Grabbers

see if you can borrow a couple of them for a few hours at a time. They work wonders!

#11 Post by **jdhurst** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 5:45 pm

rkawakami wrote:And going to the other extreme (and getting OT)... If you can afford them yourself, or work for a company that uses these:
<snip>
see if you can borrow a couple of them for a few hours at a time. They work wonders!

Pricey little buggers, aren't they

I got (for pennies back in 1980) little plastic covers that go over the tips of my scope probe and limit the contact point to a very small area. This facilitates working in cramped quarters. Yes I am off-topic, too, but this is the off-topic forum. ... JD Hurst

Website · #12 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 6:34 pm

Wow, walk away for a few hours and a thread can really grow.

Fluke it is then...thanks!!

Website · #13 Post by **tfflivemb2** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 6:51 pm

ooook...a little pricey. I think I'll start with a cheap one until I prove to myself (uh..eehemmm....my wife) that I will actually make good use of it.

#14 Post by **rkawakami** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:12 pm

Yeah, even used Flukes can be a little expensive if this is your first meter. To save a little bit of money you should probably look for a meter with separately selectable ranges (i.e. a big 360° rotary switch), as the auto-ranging models tend to be a little bit more expensive. Radio/Rat Shack appears to have a good basic model (22-810 for $20).

(edit: One thing that may be a strike against that meter is that it uses a special 12V battery. The next model up (22-813 for $30) uses regular AAA batteries.)

#15 Post by **GomJabbar** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:36 pm

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/wwg/start.shtml carries a wide range of multimeters. They have brick and mortar locations in most states.

#16 Post by **Kyocera** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 7:42 pm

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=p ... tt=Testers

These are the Lowes Models I was talking about, the 50$ range would be a great meter, I think they use standard 9V batteries. Just pull of that huge rubber thing and chuck it.

#17 Post by **jdhurst** » Fri Oct 06, 2006 9:00 pm

I like my Fluke, but I also have respect for B&K. Tucker (www.tucker.com) have B&K multimeters from 40 dollars on up. They emailed me an offer for the B&K 5360 for 89 dollars (which I took) and I see they are continuing to sell it for 229 dollars. Most pleased at this point.

Be aware that cheaper A->D converters lack accuracy. Both my Fluke and my B&K are good for 0.1 percent. With good accuracy usually goes good repeatability and consistency.

... JD Hurst

440roadrunner · #18 Post by **440roadrunner** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 1:12 pm

Fluke

I'm sorry to say I'm not impressed with BK. A few years ago, I spent (then) a fair amount of money on a BK, with several features, like transistor testing. I don't remember what model, but it was fairly pricy

The main complaint I had with it, and ESPECIALLY after getting a Fluke, is that the Fluke, in auto ranging, could range and stabilize on a reading faster than the BK could settle on a steady reading even with manual ranging. I was just not ever impressed with that meter.

Frankly, with my long time (bad) experience with Radio Shack, I'd be tempted to look elsewhere.

#19 Post by **jdhurst** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 3:39 pm

FWIW, I also have a Sperry that I picked up from Home Depot for around 20 dollars. I just hooked up all three to the same voltage source. The B&K (newer than 440roadrunner had) displayed the voltage at the same time as my Fluke and the same value within a hundredth of a volt. The Sperry is OK, off by a little more, but still tolerable and cheap to acquire. ... JD Hurst

#20 Post by **rkawakami** » Sat Oct 07, 2006 4:28 pm

Ah, but try the "beep" (diode/continuity) mode and see which one is the quickest to sound off. I do a lot of signal tracing using the beeper and it is maddening to have to pause at each node for 1/2, or even a 1/4 second for some meters. Many times I scan the pins of ICs by simply taking one probe and swipe it across all of the leads (think stick against a picket fence).

Any suggestions for a decent digital multimeter?

Any suggestions for a decent digital multimeter?

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