Multimeters

Paul Sr.

Time for a new multimeter! Any big favorites these days? I have used Flukes for years, but it has been suggested that there are many other brands out there that offer the same or better features with comperable quality - and cost much less. Not interested in cheaping out, but if there's more bang for the buck, I'd love to hear suggestions based on your experiences.

TIA,
Paul

Dave Paton

I love my Waveteks, but they're gone for all intents and purposes. I'd go with Fluke if I had to buy another one. Supposedly the company that bought out Wavetek and that now makes those orange meters (Wavetek lookalikes) has decent stuff, but I follow the buy-once-cry-once philosophy, and get as much as I can afford.

-dave

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
This is not a sig. This is a duck. Quack.

Bean

The saying at my work is "Buy cheap, buy twice"
Bean.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"SX-Video·Module" Now available from Parallax for only $28.95

http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=30012

"SX-Video OSD module" Now available from Parallax for only·$49.95
http://www.parallax.com/detail.asp?product_id=30015

Product web site: www.sxvm.com

"Ability may get you to the top, but it takes character to keep you there."
·

Paul Sr.

Bean (Hitt Consulting) said...
The saying at my work is "Buy cheap, buy twice"
Bean.

"Not interested in cheaping out,"

Paul Baker

Paul, is there any specific feature yopu want (capacitance meter, etc), or are you just looking for a general purpose meter?

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
·1+1=10

Paul Sr.

Paul Baker said...
Paul, is there any specific feature yopu want (capacitance meter, etc), or are you just looking for a general purpose meter?

Paul,

I have been looking at (considering) more toward the high end of the DMM spectrum - just short of those with "scope" capabilities (although some are tempting, I believe I have a Tek scope coming to me from a long time friend who is in Thailand for the winter). Extech has some pretty impressive "looking" pieces ( I am considering the MM560/570's ), but outside of the IR Temp gun I own, no experience with their DMM line. Extech has a couple of units with scopes (i.e. 381265), but it looks like the MM functions fall short of the dedicated DMM nits. I am seriously considering a Fluke 179 - that looks like it would make me happy and do many things I probably won't need it to do - but I am a toy guy!!

You ought to see me when I buy vehicles.....

Thanks,
Paul

Paul Baker

My el' cheapo Craftsman model serves me nicely, so I cant give actual user feedback on any of the models you have cited. Id say that if you going for that price range, get a RS232 connection, but all the models you've referenced have them. A very nice DMM I do have some experience with are the Agilent series (formerly HP), but I think those are beyond your budget (>$1K). Having a DMM capable of measuring 1000V AC/DC is nice, but sometimes you have to ask yourself "Do I really need the range, or the precision DMM X provides?", also the Fluke 179 has a IR thermometer, something which you already own, the Fluke 175 and 177 is the same DMM without the IR temp, and the 175 is without the backlight (something not really needed if you are just doing benchtop measurements).

I know your a toy junkie, but just some food for thought.

If I had money to burn Id probably get a DMM/calibrator such as the Extech CMM-17, because after a period of time you find the accuracy of even the best DMM to be off and having a calibrator included takes care of the natural drift in accuracy that will occur. Of course for that price, Id likely just get a cheap oscilloscope or digital storage scope instead.

Also to consider is getting a nice set of probes, like some microclips to make measurments on PCB of SMT devices (they are fairly cheap (<$20 a probe)).

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
·1+1=10

Post Edited (Paul Baker) : 1/19/2006 9:52:11 PM GMT

Paul Sr.

Paul Baker said...
My el' cheapo Craftsman model serves me nicely, so I cant give actual user feedback on any of the models you have cited. Id say that if you going for that price range, get a RS232 connection, but all the models you've referenced have them. A very nice DMM I do have some experience with are the Agilent series (formerly HP), but I think those are beyond your budget (>$1K). Having a DMM capable of measuring 1000V AC/DC is nice, but sometimes you have to ask yourself "Do I really need the range, or the precision DMM X provides?", also the Fluke 179 has a IR thermometer, something which you already own, the Fluke 175 and 177 is the same DMM without the IR temp, and the 175 is without the backlight (something not really needed if you are just doing benchtop measurements).

I know your a toy junkie, but just some food for thought.
If I had money to burn Id probably get a DMM/calibrator such as the Extech CMM-17, because after a period of time you find the accuracy of even the best DMM to be off and having a calibrator included takes care of the natural drift in accuracy that will occur. Of course for that price, Id likely just get a cheap oscilloscope or digital storage scope instead.



Also to consider is getting a nice set of probes, like some microclips to make measurments on PCB of SMT devices (they are fairly cheap (<$20 a probe)).

Chripes, you're as bad as I am! But thanks as you have provided some very good consideration points.

Paul Sr.

Well, I now have a place to start! I picked up a new Extech MM560 on ebay this evening so I'll see how it goes.

Thanks for the suggestions.

LoopyByteloose

Personally I have a cheapo and a good one.
The cheapo goes in my pocket and runs into all sorts of abuse in the outside world.
The other one stays home for thoughtful, accurate work.

▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
"When all think alike, no one is thinking very much.' - Walter Lippmann (1889-1974)

······································································ Warm regards,····· G. Herzog [noparse][[/noparse]·黃鶴 ]·in Taiwan