AVOmeter compared to cheap modern digital meter

How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?

-----------

Thirty-odd years ago my friends had AVOmeters. I would look on
with some envy. Remember AVOs? I think they were mainly a UK
thing. 10 by 8 inches and about 4 inches thick. See this:-
http://www.richardsradios.co.uk/Images/AVO.jpg

Today I can buy a regularly stocked item like the super-cheapo
single-chip digital multimeter from a UK shop like Maplins for £8
($8) and that includes the battery. Although Maplins call it a
"domestic tester" it is more than just that:

600V-200V-20V-2000mV-200mV plus 600VAC-200VAC
10A-200mA-20mA-2000uA-200uA
2000kO-200kO-20kO-2000O-200O
transistor and functions
overall accuracy approx +/-0.5% to +/-1.0%

<http://www.maplin.co.uk/module.aspx?ModuleNo=37279&doy=26m6>

How does something as ridiculously cheap as this meter compare, in
terms of measurement accuracy, to an old stye AVOmeter?

"Zak" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9681A7E72BF5264A18E@204.153.244.156...
> How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
> the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?
>

AVO is still producing meters and test equipment. Their meggar and ground
tester are some of my favorites.

Accuracy and speed is the only differences that I know of. I still have an
old Sperry analog meggar. Works fine for the purpose, I have no reason to
upgrade it.

"Zak" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9681A7E72BF5264A18E@204.153.244.156...
> How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
> the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?
>

The answer is "it depends". The cheapo electronic meters are often peak
detecting, they detect the peak voltage and infer an RMS value from this.
Any distortion is the waveform and they are very inaccurate. Most analog
meters are average responding. They can also be inaccurate for less than
perfect sinusoidal waveforms. Some very expensive true RMS analog meters
did/do exist. They use hot-wire or electrodynonometer movements. I am not
familiar with the meter in question, so I can't say whether it is true RMS
or not.

For me, I only buy true rms meters. They cost more, but I have wasted many
an hour responding to electricians complaining about voltage unbalance only
to find out they were using some cheap ass meter that was measuring
incorrectly.

Charles Perry P.E.

"Zak" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:9681A7E72BF5264A18E@204.153.244.156...

> How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
> the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?

I wouldn't sell my Salford Selectest Super 50 - but I don't use it! You can
often buy those on eBay for a modest price, whereas the Avometers were going
for a lot more.

Why do you ask?

N

about 30kg lighter!!

David - who once upon a time lusted after an Avometer, but as a kid
never had the money and so settled for a Western

Zak wrote:

> How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
> the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?
>
> -----------

"N Cook" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:d9opt2$pjs$(E-Mail Removed)...

> I'm a bit of a Luddite but not on DVMs.
> The only facility I miss is for observing fluctuating DC levels where my
> Fluke nominal LCD analogue scale
> is useless.
> I certainly don't miss those high V batteries for high ohms, the few K
> loading on
> circuits rather than Megs


Sometimes useful to ignore leakage currents on AC circuits!

N

shhhhhhh

I really can't say, but Check this one out
I'd order a dozen for friends & family.

Hot Hot Hot }:-)

How so to a Dirt Cheap DMM ?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=92020

*not affiliated with consumer ®

I own a multitude of test gear, from a cheapo £3,99 multimeter to a £2,500
scopemeter.

Then again, I probably use both the cheapest gear and the most expensive an
equal amount of time.

If you are technically savvy enough you will know what test gear is most
appropriate and when.

Old AVO multimeters are probably amongst the best you might ever use, by the
way. If anyone tries to argue otherwise then they haven't a clue !!!.

If I sound condescending I don't mean to !!!.

Regards,
CG BSc (Hons) (Open))



"Charles Perry" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:(E-Mail Removed)...
>
> "Zak" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:9681A7E72BF5264A18E@204.153.244.156...
> > How do bargain basement modern digital meters perform compared to
> > the old analogue meters from 30 years ago like the AVOmeter?
> >
>
> The answer is "it depends". The cheapo electronic meters are often peak
> detecting, they detect the peak voltage and infer an RMS value from this.
> Any distortion is the waveform and they are very inaccurate. Most analog
> meters are average responding. They can also be inaccurate for less than
> perfect sinusoidal waveforms. Some very expensive true RMS analog meters
> did/do exist. They use hot-wire or electrodynonometer movements. I am
not
> familiar with the meter in question, so I can't say whether it is true RMS
> or not.
>
> For me, I only buy true rms meters. They cost more, but I have wasted
many
> an hour responding to electricians complaining about voltage unbalance
only
> to find out they were using some cheap ass meter that was measuring
> incorrectly.
>
> Charles Perry P.E.
>
>