Multimeter Recommendations

[SEANHAWG 1]

Anyone have any recommendations for some good handy Multimeters they have used?

[tomcctv 187]

we have used flux for years. this unit comes with belt holder and you can also change the tip ends for crock clips.

 

volts AC/DC - AMPS - OHMs

 

[Soundy 1]

I have two that I normally use... a really nice Fluke clamp meter that I found in a ceiling and a little wallet-style meter that fits nicely in my tool pouch, similar to this one:

 

 

I have one of these somewhere as well, with one test lead pulled out (just haven't bothered to fix it):

 

 

And assorted other cheap ones laying around... got a couple different ones on my test bench, including an analog version...

[SDM Group 0]

Bought a little pocket one from Radio Shack years ago and was the butt of many a joke, but still working and very handy. After all for Access and CCTV most of the time only need low volt AC/DC and Ohms.

[Soundy 1]

Bought a little pocket one from Radio Shack years ago and was the butt of many a joke, but still working and very handy. After all for Access and CCTV most of the time only need low volt AC/DC and Ohms.

And continuity beeper! I actually have one cheap DMM that doesn't have the beeper, and there's been many a time I've cursed at it for that.

[survtech 0]

I used to have a Fluke Model 12 but it was stolen. Nice meter that had some special features:

 

"Continuity Capture (12 only): locates intermittent opens and shorts as brief as 250 's and identifies them in a symbolic display as a short-to-open or open-to-short transition

Min/Max recording with relative time stamp, records the highest and lowest voltage readings during a 100-hour period (12 only).

 

Those features alone were worth the slight price premium. Saved a lot of time locating intermittents. It could also measure capacitor values - a big help for bench testing. Wish I could find another relatively inexpensive DMM with similar features.

[Soundy 1]

Fluke has been one of the premium brands for many, many years... I remember drooling over them some 30+ years ago.

[mike_va 0]

I have a few Flukes. I blew one up (my own fault) years ago and they fixed it free of charge.

 

The only subtlety is that if you are using it to check sensitive low level circuits, some Fluke models can generate excess voltage (e.g. >5V) in the resistance mode.

[Birdman Adam 0]

Flukes are awesome. More expensive, but built very well, work very well!!

 

 

I have a Fluke 115. I use it for everything. Measuring mains voltage or current. Measuring capacitance of all types of capacitors. Testing transistors and diodes. Measuring resistors. Keeping an eye on battery charging. Etc, etc. Goes on forever! Continuity is very smart, nice beep too.

 

It has autoranging, so no need to select between .2v and 200v, for example. You can hold values, and set it to record min/max over a time period (useful for measuring power problems through night with IR!)

 

Backlight can be easily set to stay on forever as well as keep power on forever, has a nice flap in the back to stand up on its own. They have a connection in the back to go on your belt even!

[SEANHAWG 1]

Fluke 115

 

Just ordered one.

[cctv_down_under 0]

Check this out - PTZ control, cable tester, multimeter - all in one

[nDAlk90 0]

Sound like a toy not a tool. Have you ever lost a multimeter? Now consider losing your multimeter, video monitor, cable tester,etc. Plus things that are all-in-one are mostly gimmicks.

 

 

Check this out - PTZ control, cable tester, multimeter - all in one

[cctv_down_under 0]

I dont see why it is a toy...

 

It has High res screen

It has lithium ION battery

It has cable tester

It has PTZ protocols

It has Multimeter

It has 12V output

It has looping balnaced outputs

It has CCTV test signal

 

ETC ETC ETC - hardly a toy mate - although I bet you play with a few

[EarlT 0]

Have you seen a price on it? It looks like it might be a handy "Toy".

[SEANHAWG 1]

looks pretty sweet

[Soundy 1]

I have a Fluke 115. I use it for everything. Measuring mains voltage or current. Measuring capacitance of all types of capacitors. Testing transistors and diodes. Measuring resistors. Keeping an eye on battery charging. Etc, etc. Goes on forever! Continuity is very smart, nice beep too.

 

It has autoranging, so no need to select between .2v and 200v, for example. You can hold values, and set it to record min/max over a time period (useful for measuring power problems through night with IR!)

 

Backlight can be easily set to stay on forever as well as keep power on forever, has a nice flap in the back to stand up on its own. They have a connection in the back to go on your belt even!

In fairness, a lot of meters have most of these features - even my little mini pocket meters are autoranging, do the diode tests, continuity, hold, etc. The time-lapse recording is a nice feature you don't see much, though, as is capacitance.

 

It's the build of the Flukes, and the little touches, that really set them apart... like the stand-up flap and belt clip; the nice little extras that make a technician's life easier.

[cctv_down_under 0]

$300Aud

[cglaeser 0]

In addition to a good multimeter, the ZTS battery testers are very handy. Rather than simply measure voltage, they measure voltage while the battery is under load. http://www.amazon.com/ZTS-Mini-Multi-Battery-Tester/dp/B0002EH4YO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1315246033&sr=8-1

 

Best,

Christopher