any recommendations for a multimeter ?

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › any recommendations for a multimeter ?

Mark

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#265598 30-Jan-2020 14:37

My el-cheapo multimeter seems to have gotten very inaccurate so I'm looking for a semi decent replacement, it doesn't have to be the best in the world as it'll not get used that much, just has to be accurate.

Anyone have some pointers ?

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#2410258 30-Jan-2020 15:01

Fluke off aliexpress.

Richard rich.ms

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#2410261 30-Jan-2020 15:16

richms:

Fluke off aliexpress.

Really? Wouldn't you end up with a "Fulke" or some similar alternative?

richms

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#2410273 30-Jan-2020 15:36

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richms:

Fluke off aliexpress.

Really? Wouldn't you end up with a "Fulke" or some similar alternative?

Nahh, they are Chinese specific models that don't have all the certifications that the bureaucrats in the west want which is why they are so much cheaper, but they are still really good. Dave jones and AVE done videos on them.

Richard rich.ms

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#2410276 30-Jan-2020 15:41

richms:

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richms:

Fluke off aliexpress.

Really? Wouldn't you end up with a "Fulke" or some similar alternative?

Nahh, they are Chinese specific models that don't have all the certifications that the bureaucrats in the west want which is why they are so much cheaper, but they are still really good. Dave jones and AVE done videos on them.

Nice! I might add one to the shopping list if they are kosher then.

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#2410287 30-Jan-2020 16:23

Fluke are okay products. else try Repco branded ones

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qwertee

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#2410293 30-Jan-2020 16:27

We use both Fluke and Agilent at work but they are on the expensive side unless from Aliexpress etc.

Suggest that the one you buy has auto-off and also a continuity buzzer on the Ohm scale

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#2410300 30-Jan-2020 16:52

I've been meaning to upgrade my multimeter for a while too.

Any particular features I should be looking out for? Or recommended model numbers?

I saw Electroboom with a multimeter that combined a basic oscilloscope and wave generator. I can't justify a full scope but a cheaper handheld could be useful on the rare occasion I need it. Or would I just be buying three junky items in one convenient plastic shell?

immunofort

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#2410302 30-Jan-2020 17:00

Damn even the flukes are like $60 off AliExpress. Is it really worth it for a hobbyist compared getting an el cheapo going for $20? I suppose it's not that expensive if you buy it for life though.

Handle9

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#2410316 30-Jan-2020 17:23

immunofort:

Damn even the flukes are like $60 off AliExpress. Is it really worth it for a hobbyist compared getting an el cheapo going for $20? I suppose it's not that expensive if you buy it for life though.

If you buy a fluke you never need another meter. Up to you if you want something decent or buy a cheapie every 3-5 years.

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#2410339 30-Jan-2020 18:20

Really depends on what you want to do with it.

This would be a life time thing if you want to part with your cash.

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#2410486 31-Jan-2020 07:05

You might want to consider getting one with a thermistor... convenient for measuring temperatures. Maybe also a capacitance meter?

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#2410549 31-Jan-2020 10:12

The Autohaus DMM at the Warehouse is OK if you just want a cheapy. For the money ($25) it had a much better case & feel in the hand than other cheapies from Jaycar/Repco/Supercheap, but the leads are junk, so you'll maybe want to use your old meters leads. Otherwise, as others have said, you can't beat a Fluke - they're just built better.

qwertee:.....Suggest that the one you buy has auto-off and also a continuity buzzer on the Ohm scale

Can you even buy a DMM without auto power off now days cos I would buy one? Auto-off has to be the most disruptive/useless/aggravating/pointless feature ever - drives me nuts when the meter repeatedly shuts off mid job. It's not like DMM's chew through batteries even if you use them 40 hours a week.

The other useless feature on many cheap DMM's is the backlight - it typically goes off after 20 seconds which is just long enough to press the light button, pick up the probe and almost get a reading, certainly not long enough to get 2/3/10 readings - perfectly timed to be perfectly useless. In a meter with a busted LCD I bypassed the lights on/off transistor so it runs the whole time the meter is on - after 3 months or running 24/7 the LED's were still running so I switched the modified main board over to my replacement DMM and a year later I'm still on the (new DMM's) first set of batteries. Clearly back-light auto-off isn't critical for battery preservation.

mclean

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#2410560 31-Jan-2020 10:27

The thing that defines multimeter quality is the over-voltage category. If you're EVER going to use it to test a mains voltage circuit (and you probably shouldn't unless you're a sparky), then you need a Cat III meter. Multimeters designed for hobbyist/electronic use are usually Cat I - if the specs don't say anything then you can assume that's what it is.

Higher category meters are more expensive, but if you need good accuracy that's usually where you end up anyway.

neb

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#2410755 31-Jan-2020 14:34

immunofort:
Damn even the flukes are like $60 off AliExpress. Is it really worth it for a hobbyist compared getting an el cheapo going for $20? I suppose it's not that expensive if you buy it for life though.

Any $20-30-or-less multimeter is going to be dangerous junk. Look at any teardown of these on YT, I don't even know where to begin in terms of had badly/cheaply/dangerously made these things are. Here's DiodesGoneWild on their accuracy and what happens if you use them at the high end of their claimed measurement ranges.

If you want to get a fairly decent one without paying Fluke prices, get a UNI-T or similar, and get it locally so you know it won't be a dodgy knockoff.

neb

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#2410757 31-Jan-2020 14:37

Handle9:
immunofort:

Damn even the flukes are like $60 off AliExpress. Is it really worth it for a hobbyist compared getting an el cheapo going for $20? I suppose it's not that expensive if you buy it for life though.

If you buy a fluke you never need another meter. Up to you if you want something decent or buy a cheapie every 3-5 years.

The cheapies will need replacing long before that. For example if you're doing measurements of higher currents or voltages then it's essentially a binary reading, if the meter catches fire then you know that it's more than a couple of amps or couple of hundred volts. Gives you a permanent record of the reading, but it sure burns through meters...

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