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Nice set of Multimeter probes on eBay — Parallax Forums

Nice set of Multimeter probes on eBay

GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
edited 2014-06-15 14:37 in General Discussion
Found these probes while browsing a seller's store...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390315196655
They're for measuring SMT resistors and similar stuff.

Not the best quality, but for the price, they're OK.

Comments

  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2014-06-06 11:02
    https://www.sparkfun.com/products/11060 - Cheaper. Probably similar quality.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2014-06-06 11:21
    Well, the ones on eBay has longer leads, and shipping is included.
    (Sparkfun has a lot of nice stuff, but also not so fun shipping cost, at least for international buyers)

    Anyway, found a cheaper one http://www.ebay.com/itm/130569383037
    $3.39 including shipping...
  • mindrobotsmindrobots Posts: 6,506
    edited 2014-06-06 11:55
    OK, now we're down to the price of a bag of chips.....that one is worth a try to see how well it works.

    Thanks, Gadgetman!
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2014-06-06 12:28
    Thanks for the heads-up! I ordered one. 'Wish I'd read past the first post before I did, though. Oh, well; still just two bags of chips. :)

    -Phil
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,664
    edited 2014-06-07 12:10
    I ordered one of those too, from the 1st site. Testing loose parts with individual probes too often ends up with them flying off like tiddlywinks. So many parts these days not marked.
  • ercoerco Posts: 20,256
    edited 2014-06-07 21:08
    Nice item, here's one for $3 flat: http://www.ebay.com/itm/SMD-Inductor-Test-Clip-Probe-Tweezers-for-Resistor-Multimeter-Capacitor-NI5L-/400684918030?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item5d4aaea50e

    This one is in Canadian dollars that converts to $2.98 USD, but Paypal usually charges more than Ebay's initial estimate: http://www.ebay.com/itm/gib-SMD-Inductor-Test-Clip-Probe-Tweezers-for-Resistor-Multimeter-Capacitor-/171111499978?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_2&hash=item27d70a48ca
  • ksltdksltd Posts: 163
    edited 2014-06-09 11:26
    Probemaster makes the best scope and DMM probes; once you use these, you'll never use anything else. There's just no substitute.
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2014-06-09 12:08
    Yeah, if you're willing to pay $20 + shipping for a similar probe set...
  • RDL2004RDL2004 Posts: 2,554
    edited 2014-06-09 15:14
    Though he doesn't have any SMD types, a good source for decent, economical probes, multimeters, etc is 99centHobbies store on eBay. The seller is active on the EEVblog forums.


    http://stores.ebay.com/99centHobbies
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2014-06-13 21:41
    'Got mine today. (One week from China ain't bad!) The tweezer points aren't exactly precision-machined. In fact, they're stamped with rounded ends and a little wobbly. But it does the job, nonetheless, on some 0603s that I tested.

    -Phil
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2014-06-14 02:52
    You can do wonders on the points with a decent file...
  • Tracy AllenTracy Allen Posts: 6,664
    edited 2014-06-14 08:57
    I received mine too. I'm amused by the instructions, part of which reproduced here...
    tweezer.JPG


    The circuit board pictured is an old phenolic thru-hole board and the tweezers are shown probing the leads of what appears to be a 1/2W resistor. So much for 0603!

    I wouldn't use this for in-circuit testing. I have sharp needle probes for that. I'd use it more on the bench to test unmarked SMT Rs and Cs. My main gripe with it for that purpose is that it is stiff and you have to squeeze it pretty hard. For SMT you need a something with a light touch so that your proprioceptors can sense when you've made contact. With this, you have to keep your eye on it and if you look over at your meter you're likely to send the part flying.
    tweezer.JPG
    640 x 480 - 102K
  • GadgetmanGadgetman Posts: 2,436
    edited 2014-06-15 14:37
    If I ever manage to clean out my hobby room and build my computer table/electronics workbench, I'll give it a glass-topped work surface and have a drawer underneath...
    Then I can place the meter underneath and watch the reading without moving my eyes from the object I'm testing.
    (It'll also allow me to keep solderless prototypeboards safe by keeping them in the drawer, while still being able to see LEDs and LCDs. That's why I thought of the glass-top in th first place; too many accidents with disturbed experiments when a bok or something smashed down on an experiment)
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