Multimeter Suggestion?

[NY535iManual]

So my faithful old multimeter crapped out (funny, it seems that dropping these things then stepping on them somehow affects their operation.)

Anyway, do any of you guys have any suggestions for replacements - make/model would be really helpful.

Thanks,

[632 Regal]

they have some half way decent digital ones at most part stores in the budget bins for 9.99, I tested one against a high dollar one I have at home and its reading correct. Just not as many options but does everything you would need automotive.

[mikell]

Fluke, if you want to spend the big bucks. I find a Sears unit is perfectly usable and a lot less expensive.

[Russell]

digital is the best option? Analog is hard to read for old eyes.

[Bill R.]

It also has a temperature probe and it seems to take abuse pretty well. I buy them in two's and the first one has held up longer than my much more expensive ones did... The fluke didn't survive a year even with the impact housing. If you check back every few days you'll find this on sale for 19.99 (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37772)





So my faithful old multimeter crapped out (funny, it seems that dropping these things then stepping on them somehow affects their operation.)

Anyway, do any of you guys have any suggestions for replacements - make/model would be really helpful.

Thanks,

[Eric Clark]

Analog is better if there are flucations in the current. Digital will never pick this up and if it does you will never know the range.

[NY535iManual]

Thanks a million for your suggestions. Bill, think I'm going to go with your suggestion, since I think these might be overkill!

http://zone.ni.com/devzone/conceptd.nsf/webmain/E50CA0FE56C50A5486256E4B005EB49F?opendocument&node=12675_US

[DaCan23]

Or if you are or join as an Inside track member, it's almost always $19.97

I joined ITC so I didnt have to wait for some things to be on sale.


It also has a temperature probe and it seems to take abuse pretty well. I buy them in two's and the first one has held up longer than my much more expensive ones did... The fluke didn't survive a year even with the impact housing. If you check back every few days you'll find this on sale for 19.99 (http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=37772)

[Holland]

If U use it daily as I do, buy a Fluke, I have a Fluke 112 for 3 years now, perfect meter with backlit display which is very usefull if you are repairing a pinballmachine in a dark corner of a bar or measuring some things under the dash of an e34 for instance.
If you only use it to measure volts, amps or resistance once in a while, buy the cheapest you can find.

[Russell]

Good point. As I already have an analog version, I may get a HF digital one as bill is suggesting

[winfred]

these are ****ing cool (http://cgi.ebay.com/SNAP-ON-DIAGNOSTICS-MT2400-VANTAGE-KV-MODULE-POWER-3-0_W0QQitemZ290008284763QQihZ019QQcategoryZ42291QQs sPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem) $300 would be a steal for this with the kv module, graphing auto ranging meter with a data base for more cars, it does a good impression of a lab scope too, you can read waveforms on stuff like abs sensors and refrence sensors

[ryan roopnarine]

dittos on bill's comments about harbor freight units. i buy VOMs two at a time as well. about a year ago, harbor freight had their 9-12$ digital cheapo unit on sale for like $3.75 or so. bought two thinking that one would certainly break in the interim. the first $3.75 one i opened is still chugging along, i actually ended up giving the other one away to somebody because this one is still going strong. i like to pick up the REEEAALL cheap ones from harbor freight because the probes alone are usually worth more than the $1-$5 you'd pay for the meter+probes.

[Mr._Graybeard]

I like the SunPro CP7678 digital multimeter. It has a setting that lets you measure duty cycle (good for checking the signal to the E34 heater valve, among other things). Sears has 'em for $60 but I just bought one used off eBay for about $15 shipped.

That said, the one I bought from Sears for retail crapped out after maybe 4 years of not terribly arduous service. I'll be more careful with this one and hope it's not as delicate.