Multi-tester recommendations?

M

mycroftt

Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Messages
7,350
Hey gadget folks - can anyone recommend a decent multi-tester. I'm strictly a weekend warrior so I don't need professional grade equipment and I know only enough about electricity to keep myself from getting fried. On the other hand, it's a good piece of equipment for the homeowner to have and understand and I would like to have one that maybe comes with decent directions for the noob.

thanks for any info

Mike
 
I have a Tenma multi meter that I've had for years. It's a knock off of a Fluke 70 series auto ranging meter. I used it for a few years while doing custom home theater installations, and then for quite a while longer as my around the house meter. I seem to recall that it was in the $60.00 neighborhood, way cheaper than the comparable Fluke (the Benchmark IMHO).

I also have a tiny portable Radio Shack Auto Range Multi Meter. Their part number is: 22-802. It's only 4.250" x 2.250" x .800" when closed. It has a small pair of captive test probes and will auto range continuity, impedance, AC voltage, DC Voltage and has a diode checker. It's truly handy and pocket sized. mine generally lives in my laptop case, but occasionally goes in my pocket for a trip to the surplus electronics place (Yeah Apex!). I've tried to find something cooler than the Radio Shack, like a micro Fluke, but nobody seems to be addressing this particular need quite like Radio Shack is. Mine is a last gen grey model. It doesn't auto detect AC vs DC voltage like the current model and probe wire management is not as good as the current model.

Here's a link to their site with the current model:

http://www.radioshack.com/product.a...y_name=CTLG_011_008_002_000&product_id=22-820

Mine's come in handy many times. If I ever kill it or lose it, I'll probably buy another the next day. The new yellow case makes losing it less of a problem and might even help on airplanes, although I've never had a problem so far.

John
 
mycroftt,

What are you going to be measuring? I use Flukes. The prices may be a little rough for casual use. Buy quality once.
 
I have a cheap one by Beckman. They make some decent ones but I got a cheap one when I was in school. Still works fine. The Amp meter won't measure a lot of current though, but I rarely use that feature. I could always borrow a Fluke from work if need be.

A co worker bought a multimeter from a flea market thinking it was a Fluke. It turned out to be a Fuke. All the chinese characters on the packaging should have told him it was a knock off. :D
 
I would also consider E-Bay as a source. Often times manufactures will change names,restructure, etc.etc. I have purchased a N.O.S. Beckman 110 dmm for $30.00. A N.O.S. Wavetek 2020 TRMS dmm for $23.00 and a N.O.S. Tif IT-990 Insulation tester for $12.00. These were often top of the line instruments at the time of their introduction to the mass market. You will have no warranty option of course, but are purchasing quality instruments at dirt cheap prices.
 
balrog said:
mycroftt,

What are you going to be measuring? I use Flukes. The prices may be a little rough for casual use. Buy quality once.
Click to expand...


Amen. I was an electrician apprentice befor I became a PA. We used fluke meters. Indestructible. Buy quality and cry once at the price. Buy economy and cry all the time.


Paul
 
I'm the purchasing agent for a team of maintenance techs, and I get to buy all kinds of cool tools. :D

I always buy Fluke. For about 30 techs in the last 6 years, I'm guesing I've purchased about 6 of 'em, and these things get used HARD. You can get into an entry level unit for about $100. Well worth it when your ass in on the line IMHO.
 
Flukes are pretty bullet-proof. Used them and Simpsons all my life for Air Force beat-em-up flightline avionics and semiconductor equipment repair abuse.

Sears has a couple of Craftsman models. Don't know who build them but they usually sub out to high grade folks and warranty them under Sears/Craftsman. B&K, Extek, and Protek have some decent entry level DMMs as well. Fry's Electronics has some of these and others.
 
Get a fluke 73 off ebay. Good all around meter and can take anything.
 
I've got the same Radio Shack model that Jmxcepter has, it sounds like. When I was recently in Texas recommending that my mom and stepdad should have something around the house for that sort of thing (we were trying to sort out unlabelled in-wall home theater speaker wire at the time) I got her to buy the newer yellow one. When I bought mine I also bought a book that Radio Shack sold called "Using Your Meter : VOM and DVM Multitesters". RS# 62-2039 It has some basic meter info and how to test commonly found household appliance and automotive circuits. I just searched Amazon, and they seem to have some basic books about using meters, and I also found this, which is kinda neat..

http://www.doctronics.co.uk/meter.htm

Good luck!
 
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