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Good Digital Multi-Meter in $50 Range

K

Ken Hall

Jan 1, 1970
0
I just dropped my 20 year old Radio Shack digital multimeter and it
stopped working. I use it probably once a month so I want to order
another DMM.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50 +/-
$10 range?

Most of the ones I've found on the web don't provide accuracy
specifications. For example, I found this one that looks like about
what I want but no specs http://tinyurl.com/jvkap . I couldn't even
tell if the autoranging can be locked out.

I think I'd like an autoranging model, but I've read that autoranging
meters are not as accurate. I don't see why. Does anybody know the
answer on this?

Anyway, don't lose sight of the real reason for my post which is:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50-$60
or less range?

-- Ken
 
R

Ralph Mowery

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken Hall said:
I just dropped my 20 year old Radio Shack digital multimeter and it
stopped working. I use it probably once a month so I want to order
another DMM.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50 +/-
$10 range?

Most of the ones I've found on the web don't provide accuracy
specifications. For example, I found this one that looks like about
what I want but no specs http://tinyurl.com/jvkap . I couldn't even
tell if the autoranging can be locked out.

I think I'd like an autoranging model, but I've read that autoranging
meters are not as accurate. I don't see why. Does anybody know the
answer on this?

Anyway, don't lose sight of the real reason for my post which is:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50-$60
or less range?

-- Ken

A good quality autoranging meter will be just as accurate as one that is
not. About double your price range is the Fluke 110. I hae used several
differant modles and the higher dollar one is almost right on the money
traceable to the government standards.
 
M

Melodolic

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken Hall said:
Most of the ones I've found on the web don't provide accuracy
specifications. For example, I found this one that looks like about
what I want but no specs http://tinyurl.com/jvkap . I couldn't even
tell if the autoranging can be locked out.

Maker's catalogue page...

http://www.esitest.com/cart/480.html

No accuracy figures, but looks like all of the features are listed
(including manual ranging). Seems like a decent enough meter if it has the
features you want. How accurate do you need your readings to be, and was
there anything special about the old meter in this regard?
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken said:
I just dropped my 20 year old Radio Shack digital multimeter and it
stopped working. I use it probably once a month so I want to order
another DMM.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50 +/-
$10 range?

Most of the ones I've found on the web don't provide accuracy
specifications. For example, I found this one that looks like about
what I want but no specs http://tinyurl.com/jvkap . I couldn't even
tell if the autoranging can be locked out.

That meter is a heap of crap, I've opened one before and the quality of
construction is poor. Don't buy it unless you are happy to throw it out
when it dies, which will be the worst possible time so says Murphys
Law.
I think I'd like an autoranging model, but I've read that autoranging
meters are not as accurate. I don't see why. Does anybody know the
answer on this?

Autoranging has nothing to do with accuracy. An autoranging meter will
simply take a bit longer to get a reading, unless you use the manual
range override which mode decent autoranging meters have.
Don't buy a manual range only meter, they are a real pain.
Anyway, don't lose sight of the real reason for my post which is:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50-$60
or less range?

-- Ken

You can get a used Fluke 70 or even an 80 series on eBay for around the
$50 mark. I even got an 80seriesIII on eBay for around US$50, so
bargains can be had.

Much better value IMHO to get a used Fluke than get a new cheapie. You
might take your chances a bit, but it's easy to check if it's in cal
when you get it, and then you'll have a top quality professional meter
you can use with confidence.

Dave :)
 
B

Bob

Jan 1, 1970
0
You can get a used Fluke 70 or even an 80 series on eBay for around the
$50 mark. I even got an 80seriesIII on eBay for around US$50, so
bargains can be had.

Much better value IMHO to get a used Fluke than get a new cheapie. You
might take your chances a bit, but it's easy to check if it's in cal
when you get it, and then you'll have a top quality professional meter
you can use with confidence.

Dave :)

I agree about the Fluke meters. They've never let me down.

If you're set on getting a brand new one then look at Extech. They make
decent stuff. Here's one that's one penny shy of costing you $50.00 --

http://www.globaltestsupply.com/product.cfm?te_id=5529165

Bob
 
E

Eeyore

Jan 1, 1970
0
Bob said:
I agree about the Fluke meters. They've never let me down.

This is a response you're likely to hear a lot ! I like my 77 series II as well.
They just keep going and feel so well made too.

Graham
 
B

Ben Jackson

Jan 1, 1970
0
I agree about the Fluke meters. They've never let me down.

I agree. If you want a basic one, the Fluke 10 is great. You never
think about what goes into making a good meter until you use a bad
one, and it takes twice as long to settle on a value, is slow to
autorange (or doesn't autorange at all), breaks when you drop it,
burns up the batteries in no time, etc.
If you're set on getting a brand new one then look at Extech. They make
decent stuff. Here's one that's one penny shy of costing you $50.00 --

http://www.globaltestsupply.com/product.cfm?te_id=5529165

I strongly disagree about Extech, though. We have one at work (450?)
that someone got for the IR thermometer. The thermometer is fun, but
as a multimeter it's crap. It migrates around the lab with the other
handhelds (all Fluke except for a BK Precision LC meter) and whenever I
mistakenly use it I find it disagrees with every other meter in the room.
I think someone once threw away a set of test leads, thinking they were
bad, when it was actually this meter.

It's too bad, really, since I've seen that version with IR thermometer
for sale for about $115. If it didn't suck, it'd be a great deal!
 
M

Melodolic

Jan 1, 1970
0
David said:
That meter is a heap of crap, I've opened one before and the quality
of construction is poor. Don't buy it unless you are happy to throw
it out when it dies, which will be the worst possible time so says
Murphys Law.

What are the chances of it dying? I've got a DMM that's had regular use for
15 years and has never failed. In fact, none of my meters have ever failed.

Don't buy a manual range only meter, they are a real pain.

Got my first autoranging meter a few weeks ago - I can't say that I found
manual ranging to be a pain. (I bought the autoranger because it was reduced
to a thord of the price and has an RS232 output.)
 
Ken, if you got 20 years of use out of a Radio Shack DMM, consider the
original purchase price money well spent. The only multimeter that I've
ever gotten longer useful life out of was my trusty old Triplett 630
analog, which is now close to its 50th year in service.

For an inexpensive DMM, the Wavetexk 5XL is both rugged, accurate, and
hard to beat for it's price. Mine is now going on 10 years old.

For extreme precision and accuracy, although it's probably not needed
for most routine electronics and computer applications, buy a Fluke. I
use a Fluke Differential Voltmeter for my primary calibration
reference. I don't even own a Fluke DMM, because they provide far too
much pecision for my day to day needs, and I would be heartbroken if I
happened to drop one of these $200+ boxes that I owned onto the floor.
They don't bounce well, well the Wavetek generally does, although if it
doesn't, a new one can be had for under $50. Something to think about.

I would strongly suggest that you keep at least one quality multimeter
on hand as a "sanity check" on your DMM, since DMMs often come up with
some off the wall readings (even the Flukes) when their batteries begin
to go south.

Just for what it's worth, the inexpensive Wavetek provides reading good
to three decimatl place, but in all honesty that 3rd place is usually
+/- 2 when compared with an accurate calibration standard. With the
exception of critical instrumentation measurments, not much work in
electronics requires accuracy greater than this.

Hope this helps.

Harry C.

p.s., Some of the Radio Shack equipment produced 20 years ago was
almost decent, but the stuff that they sell today is total throw-away
junk.
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Melodolic said:
What are the chances of it dying? I've got a DMM that's had regular use for
15 years and has never failed. In fact, none of my meters have ever failed.

If you leave it sitting on the bench and don't beat it around or change
the range switch too many times then the chances are reasonably good it
will last for many years.
However, start to mistreat it and it will soon fail. Take our
production facility at work, many times we have tried to outfit the
production workers will cheap meter like this, and in *every* case the
meter has failed within the year, most after a few months. No Fluke has
ever failed in the same environment. Actually I lied, all our Fluke 19s
died, but it was an experimental model made in China and was quickly
taken off the market.

This particular meter you are looking at, we got several (re-branded
under a different name) as throw around lab meters. Every one of them
has died within a year or two.

Take the meter apart and look at the quality of construction and the
components used, it's crap. Actually, this is a newer model and is a
lot better than the ones from a few years back. They had blow holes in
the solder joints, dry joints, crap gold plating on the switch
contacts, dodgy probe contacts, and the cheapest asian components. This
new one is a bit better in that it uses surface mount technology, but a
lot of the components are hand assembled on someone's kitchen table.
Got my first autoranging meter a few weeks ago - I can't say that I found
manual ranging to be a pain. (I bought the autoranger because it was reduced
to a thord of the price and has an RS232 output.)

Since outranging models came out in the early 80's people have never
looked back. So much easier to simply select V or Ohms and let it do
the work.

Dave :)
 
M

Melodolic

Jan 1, 1970
0
David said:
If you leave it sitting on the bench and don't beat it around or
change the range switch too many times then the chances are
reasonably good it will last for many years.
However, start to mistreat it and it will soon fail. Take our
production facility at work, ...

He uses it once a month. He had the last one for 20 years, which leaves me
feeling that he is probably not a careless user. I suspect that the
replacement will get nothing more than light use.

Take the meter apart and look at the quality of construction and the
components used, it's crap. Actually, this is a newer model and is a
lot better than the ones from a few years back. They had blow holes in
the solder joints, dry joints, crap gold plating on the switch
contacts, dodgy probe contacts, and the cheapest asian components.
This new one is a bit better in that it uses surface mount
technology, but a lot of the components are hand assembled on
someone's kitchen table.

You said the new one is crap. Now you're saying the old one is crap, and
that the new one is a lot better, apart from the components, which someone
is assembling in their millions on their kitchen table. Have I got that
right?

Since outranging models came out in the early 80's people have never
looked back. So much easier to simply select V or Ohms and let it do
the work.

I didn't say it wasn't easier, just that I don't think manual ranging is a
particular hassle.
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Melodolic said:
He uses it once a month. He had the last one for 20 years, which leaves me
feeling that he is probably not a careless user. I suspect that the
replacement will get nothing more than light use.

Then it'll probably do just fine. BUt you still don't get the
"measurement confidence" you get with a higher quality meter like a
Fluke.
You said the new one is crap. Now you're saying the old one is crap, and
that the new one is a lot better, apart from the components, which someone
is assembling in their millions on their kitchen table. Have I got that
right?

Yes, the new one is a lot better than the older models which were
absolute crap. The new model is "less crap" relatively speaking, but
crap none the less compared to a good quality meter.
I didn't say it wasn't easier, just that I don't think manual ranging is a
particular hassle.

True, it's not, if that's all you've got. We all survived quite nicely
before autoranging meters came along!

Dave :)
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken, if you got 20 years of use out of a Radio Shack DMM, consider the
original purchase price money well spent. The only multimeter that I've
ever gotten longer useful life out of was my trusty old Triplett 630
analog, which is now close to its 50th year in service.

Yes, the Triplett 630 is a damn fine analog meter. Sadly mine is just
gathering dust, as there is simply no place for it on my bench when
compared to a DMM, except for nostalgia sake.
I would strongly suggest that you keep at least one quality multimeter
on hand as a "sanity check" on your DMM, since DMMs often come up with
some off the wall readings (even the Flukes) when their batteries begin
to go south.

I'll second that. Anyone serious about electronics should have a top
quality meter in addition to any cheapie. But if anyone is hell bent on
having a cheapie only, get at least two or three of them so you can do
a sanity check against each other.

Dave :)
 
M

Melodolic

Jan 1, 1970
0
David said:
Then it'll probably do just fine. BUt you still don't get the
"measurement confidence" you get with a higher quality meter like a
Fluke.

I use a Fluke at work. My "measurement confidence" in more-or-less cheapie
meters is based on 15 years of hassle free use.

Yes, the new one is a lot better than the older models which were
absolute crap. The new model is "less crap" relatively speaking, but
crap none the less compared to a good quality meter.

So, "a heap of crap" is less crap than "crap", which is the same as
"absolute crap"? I'd have thought the order, from less crap to more crap,
would be "crap", "a heap of crap", and "absolute crap". If I'm right, does
that mean you're talking crap? :)

True, it's not, if that's all you've got. We all survived quite nicely
before autoranging meters came along!

I use my meters interchangeably. Thus far, I have come through forays into
the bad old days unscathed. I'm plucking up the courage to throw a volt or
two at my half-price-15-years-ago Maplin own-brand moving needle jobbie.

Smoke me a kipper...
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
Melodolic said:
I use a Fluke at work. My "measurement confidence" in more-or-less cheapie
meters is based on 15 years of hassle free use.

Then I'd say you've been incredibly lucky, or you've bought slightly
better than what I'm calling "cheap".
My experience is based on at least 20 cheap meters (<$50AU) of various
brands bought both personally and (mostly) for work. Every single one
of them has failed in some small or large way, be it a dicky switch
contact, a cracked/intermittent probe connection, being affected by
noise, drifting out of spec, generally "playing up" or just complete
death.
With that sort of number I'd say that's not bad luck, they are simply
crap quality and do not last. I've looked inside every one of them and
seen the quality for myself. If you buy one of these now and expect it
to last 15 years, I think you'll be dissapointed.

Incidently, my cheap meters at home get very little use at all, yet
they still die.
In contrast, not one of the higher quality meters has ever failed.
I am though talking about the recent flock of asian meters in say the
last 10 years, the ones that look too good to be true price-wise. In
particular the one posted by the OP, I've had several of that model
die.

I own a supposedly cheap brand Soar autoranging DMM and it is still
going perfectly after 20+ years. I remember seeing it in an old 80's
Fluke ad entitled "How to beat the high cost of cheap meters". I guess
even the "cheap" meters built 15-20 years ago are much better quality
than todays "cheap" meters.

Seriously, open up a new cheapie and you'll be shocked at the quality.
So, "a heap of crap" is less crap than "crap", which is the same as
"absolute crap"? I'd have thought the order, from less crap to more crap,
would be "crap", "a heap of crap", and "absolute crap". If I'm right, does
that mean you're talking crap? :)

You are getting your crap mixed up! :->
I use my meters interchangeably. Thus far, I have come through forays into
the bad old days unscathed. I'm plucking up the courage to throw a volt or
two at my half-price-15-years-ago Maplin own-brand moving needle jobbie.

I've still got and occasionally use my very first 20 range Tandy analog
meter I bought when I was about 7, took all my pocket money that did!

Dave :)
 
E

ehsjr

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ken said:
I just dropped my 20 year old Radio Shack digital multimeter and it
stopped working. I use it probably once a month so I want to order
another DMM.

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50 +/-
$10 range?

Most of the ones I've found on the web don't provide accuracy
specifications. For example, I found this one that looks like about
what I want but no specs http://tinyurl.com/jvkap . I couldn't even
tell if the autoranging can be locked out.

I think I'd like an autoranging model, but I've read that autoranging
meters are not as accurate. I don't see why. Does anybody know the
answer on this?

Anyway, don't lose sight of the real reason for my post which is:

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50-$60
or less range?

-- Ken


Get item 90899-1VGA from Harbor Freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/
On sale now for $2.99 and it includes the battery.

This is the meter to drop, abuse, throw in the tool
box, carry up the ladder, give away as a gift, etc.

Let the guys and gals debate what meter to get here
to their hearts content, while you use the thing.
It is fine for most of what you'll do. And it will
buy you the time to save the money to buy a good
bench meter that you will coddle and treat with
kid gloves. My view is that all meters under $50
are roughly the same in terms of accuracy - far
more accurate than most people will ever need from
a DMM - and vary only by features.

Ed
 
N

notbob

Jan 1, 1970
0
Does anyone have a recommendation for a good basic DMM in the $50 +/-
$10 range?

Spend the money and get a Fluke. Buy a used one if need be. I'm no
electronics expert, but I can speak with much experience on DMMs. At
one time it was part of my job to purchase and maintain DMMs for a
high-tech company where they were much abused on the production floor.
I've bought 'em, used 'em, and tossed 'em. Every brand you can think
of. As far as I'm concerned, they're all junk compared to Fluke.

nb
 
R

RST Engineering \(jw\)

Jan 1, 1970
0
Second the motion. I've got one that is a couple of years old and varies by
one digit out at the LSD when comparing it to the bench HP.

Jim
 
J

Jack F. Twist

Jan 1, 1970
0
ehsjr said:
Get item 90899-1VGA from Harbor Freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/
On sale now for $2.99 and it includes the battery.

This is the meter to drop, abuse, throw in the tool
box, carry up the ladder, give away as a gift, etc.

Let the guys and gals debate what meter to get here
to their hearts content, while you use the thing.
It is fine for most of what you'll do. And it will
buy you the time to save the money to buy a good
bench meter that you will coddle and treat with
kid gloves. My view is that all meters under $50
are roughly the same in terms of accuracy - far
more accurate than most people will ever need from
a DMM - and vary only by features.

I agree, but I'd opt for their 35017-3VGA instead. It's a
bit more money but a lot more accurate, and shock resistant.
Even if it does bite the dust after a year or two, buy another.
Or three or four. You'll still be far ahead compared to
buying a single obscenely overpriced Fluke.
 
D

David L. Jones

Jan 1, 1970
0
ehsjr said:
Get item 90899-1VGA from Harbor Freight
http://www.harborfreight.com/
On sale now for $2.99 and it includes the battery.

This is the meter to drop, abuse, throw in the tool
box, carry up the ladder, give away as a gift, etc.

Let the guys and gals debate what meter to get here
to their hearts content, while you use the thing.
It is fine for most of what you'll do. And it will
buy you the time to save the money to buy a good
bench meter that you will coddle and treat with
kid gloves. My view is that all meters under $50
are roughly the same in terms of accuracy - far
more accurate than most people will ever need from
a DMM - and vary only by features.

How much money does this thing cost you in lost time when it fails?

Yes, all meters in this price range have the same accuracy, but the
point has never been about accuracy, even a 1% tolerance meter is
plenty for most work.

More money buys you measurement confidence, and for many applications
that is *the* essential feature, as one mistake can cost you big $$$$.
But if you don't need that, like for hobbyist use, then sure, buy a
cheapie.

I'll give you one example from a place I worked at. A "calibrated"
cheap meter failed once giving a false reading that indicated that
there was a common fault in the product. As it looked like a common
fault that had been seen before, and no technical person was on hand at
the time to double check, they "repaired" the product using standard
procedure. Only QA were on hand, and they said the meter was OK because
it was "calibrated". Needless to say the product still "failed" after
being repaired and they realised their mistake.
The result? - several thousand dollars in repair cost, and over
US$50000 cost to the customer because the product delivery was delayed
by a day and they lost a days use on their survey boat.

Dave :)
 
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