bishbosh Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 My multimeter just fried itself, well, that's probably not strictly true, I may have had something to do with it Any recommendations on a replacement? Not looking to spend lots of money, but don't want a piece of tat either.... TIA. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unclebill Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 My multimeter just fried itself, well, that's probably not strictly true, I may have had something to do with it Any recommendations on a replacement? Not looking to spend lots of money, but don't want a piece of tat either.... TIA. Fluke if you want a really good one, but not cheap, or Machinemart sell a quite reasonable one, about twenty quid if my memory serves me right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
white90 Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Draper one from MVF £12 does everything you'd want http://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-60792-Digit...t/dp/B0001K9XKW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpb Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Draper one from MVF £12 does everything you'd wanthttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Draper-60792-Digit...t/dp/B0001K9XKW Im with Tony on this one, I've got one of those & I install vehicle based trackers, sat nav's, radios, etc. If it get's nicked or busted I'll buy another one. HTH Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Maplins do some decent ones starting at about £5, you need DC volts, resistance, DC amps as a minimum. A continuity buzz feature is handy for proving stuff, especially when underneath something on your own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ciderman Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I bought a Snap-on one ,paid about£ 180 for it , Its over complicated ,always eating batteries so I went out and bought a Durite one for about £25 , Its superb much easier to use and havent changed the battery for 2 years . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon White Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I like the Iso-tech ones that RS stock. Had mine for donkeys years and its ultra reliable, and the batteries last forever. Plus you can buy new probes for it and other accessories easily. In my expereience the probes die too easily on the cheapo ones. Jon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
western Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Mines a Skytronic REF NUMBER 600.527 does everything I need. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mpb Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 It's also worth getting one that you can fit Crock Clips to. I find them very useful when Im testing things and you need that extra hand. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rtbarton Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I bought a "Precision Gold M285" years and years ago from Maplin. Been superb. It came with a thermocouple for measuring temperature which I find very useful. I also have an AVO Multiminor which Dad bought me when I passed my 11 Plus (decades ago) and an AVO Model 8 for sentimental reasons. Try and get one with 4mm probe sockets, you can then buy the plugs and make your own test leads. RS &c sell ultra flexible wire which is good for test leads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 My multimeter just fried itself, well, that's probably not strictly true, I may have had something to do with it Putting it on a battery with the range set to 10A usually does the trick (says the voice of experience ) One of mine now has two decimal points on the display after such an incident but still works otherwise Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
istruggle2gate11 Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Ive got one of these bought from halfords, it seems fine. It has a nice feature of temp testing as well, although not used it for that yet. Ive just fried my "good-un" which had dwell and tach as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simonr Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 I've got a Fluke 79 - which is first class! Now 15 years old and going strong. Fluke do significantly cheaper ones and I know someone who bought a Fluke 79 for £30 on a certain auction site. I have a crappy £10 meter that lives in the car - but for the number of times it's failed to work when needed and been replaced, it would have been cheaper to buy a used Fluke! If you can possibly stretch to it - I would recommend one totally! Several here under £30 Out of the current under £30 lot - I'd be watching this one. Si Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomG Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 I use a cheapo pocket digital one (Silverline), fine for garage / rough use and an auto-ranging one with the analogue style meter (Precision Gold WG 022). Been doing some air temp and coolant temp sensor calibration (for megasquirt) recently, the auto-ranging was a lot nicer / simpler to use Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
missingsid Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Avo what a georgous peice of equipment, got to love the clicky rotary switches................... And the weight of 2 house bricks Oops back on topic, Fluke always, unless you expect to lose it or drown it. 10 penneth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Attryde Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Another vote for Fluke and Isotech, have had/got both brands and never given any major problems despite some serious abuse although the continuity buzzer on one Isotech decided to work all the time after the meter became accidently submerged. the rest of the meter still worked it just beeped all the time when switched on for about three months afterwards. I also like the old AVO8 (haven't got one though) not very easy to use on anything but a bench though. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BogMonster Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 I use a Draper one for all sorts at work, and an old Cirkit one I bought when I was still at school is used in the garage at home, both work fine. I figure if I buy an expensive one I'll only reverse over it or something so I don't bother. Bit like watches really - keep it under £30 and it'll last for ever, buy one the wrong side of £100 and you'll rip it off on the first sticky out door handle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
landy_andy Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Hi, Had my Fluke 77 for over 10yrs, on it's second set of probes but there ultra reliable and very good quality. Worth getting the rubber case if you get one of them, supposed to be good for dropping from the top of a telegraph pole. Iso-Tech, Robin, are also a good buy too. If you want to use for home electrics as well, I issue all my electrical engineers with Fluke T5-600 AC/DC tongue testers. Autorange up to 600V AC & DC, 100A AC as well as resistance to 1Kohm and cont buzzer, £74 from RS, pt 291-9372 Cheers, Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun D Posted January 5, 2007 Share Posted January 5, 2007 Fluke for me please, got a Fluke 179 at the moment for work (I'm an autoelectrician, so it's always on) and an old Fluke 73 in the kitchen drawer at home. Had a Fluke 77 series III until some toerag ripped off my Disco when I parked it up for half an hour one evening with some gear in it. I just think they are almost bullet proof. But just the same if you only use one occasionally then there are lots of reasonable choices, I think I would go for Iso-Tech. Go for autoranging and keep away from the really cheap stuff. Regarding leads, I keep the silicon cable and if I need special leads for something I just stop for 5 minutes and make some. I've got a pair that stretch the length of a vehicle, it makes life easy when you want to take a measurement at the back and the switch is at the front (in tank fuel pumps for instance). Regards Shaun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoatBuoy Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 My school one is a fluke, can't fault it. It is decreed that we have to use fused leads on it in case we touch something we shouldn't, and the metal contact nib must be between 2-4mm so we don't accidentally short them out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LS26 Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 Putting it on a battery with the range set to 10A usually does the trick (says the voice of experience ) I tried something like this with my Fluke (£5 from a car-boot! ) and the big fat (probably expensive) fuse inside went POP... No further damage Had it years, and since I only use is infrequently; it's still on the same battery! (It does take a little while to get working on a cold morning though... a bit like me ) Rog Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bigwood Posted January 6, 2007 Share Posted January 6, 2007 My school one is a fluke, can't fault it. It is decreed that we have to use fused leads on it in case we touch something we shouldn't, and the metal contact nib must be between 2-4mm so we don't accidentally short them out. I bought a multimeter and a mains tester, I need it for flu tubes on buses, for £8.92 from Maplins. It seems to do all I need and dosnt look too fancy so it will lesen the chance of it going walk about at work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun D Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 and the big fat (probably expensive) fuse inside went POP... Rog Damn right about that bit, between £4 and £7 each from RS components depending on what you need Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FridgeFreezer Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Can you not solder a cheapo fuse holder in instead then? My £4.99 Maplins ones have a normal 20mm glass fuse in them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LR90 Posted January 8, 2007 Share Posted January 8, 2007 Any quick comments on this one? My old unit isn't working (or the batteries are totally fkd) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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