Favorite Multimeter

[upspoon12]

Just wondering what multimeters people are using. Which people are bashing and what some of the most reliable are.

I want to buy a new multimeter that will include capacitance as my current one does not have this function, and just curious if maybe theres one that the guitar pedal community is loving?


Thanks!

[Ice-9]

I use an Amprobe 37XR-A  which does everything I need from a basic meter and it measures capacitance well. its also capable of measuring inductance and freq among other things, it can be half the price of what is in the link I have posted though.

http://uk.farnell.com/jsp/displayProduct.jsp?sku=1466455&gross_price=true&CMP=KNC-GUK-FUK-GEN-LISTINGS&mckv=YKMwxwd8|pcrid|14164337469|plid|&gclid=CNad8Z_K4L8CFSHItAodL2cA7w

[karbomusic]

I have several but I picked this one up a few weeks ago. I didn't really expected much from it but have been very pleasantly surprised using it for caps and as a meter in general. Last week I was using the temperature probe while testing a voltage regulator I was troubleshooting:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003LCITWA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I'm sure others my have better/cheaper ideas, there is also this little fella if your main interest is caps which I also ordered:

http://www.diystompboxes.com/smfforum/index.php?topic=108076.0

[anotherjim]

The safe answer is Fluke. They aren't cheap, but they are something of an industry standard.

I don't have one (to honest to "lose" one from the day job), I just have a few cheap ones.

What I would avoid are...

Weird Batteries. If it isn't AA,AAA or PP3, don't.

Soft power switch. Some clever ones with logging memory have this and it stinks. They don't really switch off so the battery goes flat. I hate this!

Non standard test leads. These tend to be small gauge plugs with very fragile leads. 4mm banana are the ones to try for but sadly, most decent meters have plastic guarded test lead sockets because somebody might get electrocuted. You can't plug any old 4mm plug into those even though they are 4mm.

Measuring current... Try not to. This usually involves plugging the + lead into a special current socket, you then temporarily break the circuit you're testing and remake it with the meter leads. You then forget to take the lead out of the current measure socket and back into the V/ohm + socket and proceed to measure power supply voltage - BANG! The way current is measured places a low resistance (called the shunt) between the Current and -Neg sockets. It's still there when you switch to a voltage range! If the meter also has a small (mA) current measure, that's ok, because you will soon blow it's little fuse (even with a 9v battery) and render it harmless.
Instead put a small (1 to 10ohm) resistor in series with circuit - measure the voltage across it and do a bit of ohms law

Don't forget Clamp meters. These are very versatile. A good one can measure AC or DC (at the same time) current without breaking the circuit or risking a short -  and have ordinary probe sockets for V/ohm tests.

[digi2t]

Wavetek Meterman 235. Now discontinued, but has been replaced by the 38XR. I bought it back when I was doing lots of intermittent electrical troubleshooting, the RS232/data logging component was quite handy in spotting dropouts when you weren't looking.

Now, it proudly resides on my the bench in my little workshop. Great meter.

I believe (correct me if I'm wrong) Wavetek is a division of Fluke. Fluke being the "Acura", and Wavetek being the "Honda".

[merlinb]

I was pleasantly surprised by the Vichy VC99 that someone on here mentioned in a thread and which I then bought. Capacitance, temperature, hFE, can't go wrong really!

These days most budget DMMs use the same chipset, so you more or less get the same thing whatever you buy, as long as it's not one of those dollar-store specials.

 I have a Fluke at work, but I ****ing hate it. Much prefer non 'computerized' DMMs. I went and bought a Tenma to substitute it, although I am annoyed that it only measures temp in Fahrenheit, which is like being in the nineteenth century 

[tubegeek]

I have been VERY VERY VERY happy with a Wavetek Meterman 37XR for several years now. It appears this model is now discontinued and replaced by Amprobe 37XR-A, which I unfortunately can't vouch for personally.

[Ice-9]

I have been VERY VERY VERY happy with a Wavetek Meterman 37XR for several years now. It appears this model is now discontinued and replaced by Amprobe 37XR-A, which I unfortunately can't vouch for personally.

I indeed use the 37XR-A which I mentioned avove, it has been a very good meter so far, but again for the same price the newer 38XR-A is available.

[electrosonic]

I have two of the VC99s. They are cheap and work good enough for my purposes. Under $30 shipped off of ebay.

If I was selling pedals and generating an income I could justify buying a fluke - otherwise I will probably stick with the cheap ones.

Andrew.

[petey twofinger]

i got one of those vishys too , i use it FAIRLY often , the transistor sockets on mine are a bit of a hassle to make connection . i was unaware of the capacitance feature so THANKS !! lol ... i am such a massive tool .

although i really mus speak truthfully , i much prefer th equus 332o i paid 19 bux for at wallmart , many years ago . the AA cells last a long time , but i have rpaired the proebes 3 times now , fact of life i suppose , they actually did take a ton of a beating .

it doesnt have the hfe / temp / cap features , but the much smaller size makes it my go to device . i use em both ,

the dollar store special , i modded mine with external wires with sockets for the transistor hfe test so that works really well for me , but ... i am much more of the dumpster guy / goofball than a serious builder .

https://www.iequus.com/Product/3320/Auto-Ranging-DMM

[tubegeek]

I have been VERY VERY VERY happy with a Wavetek Meterman 37XR for several years now....

I indeed use the 37XR-A which I mentioned above, it has been a very good meter so far, but again for the same price the newer 38XR-A is available.

I think I'd keep the 37XR-A - I'd rather have inductance than PC connectivity. Seems like the main differences?

EDIT: the choice is a little more complicated than that:

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/amprobe/multimeters/Digital.htm

[njkmonty]

I was pleasantly surprised by the Vichy VC99 that someone on here mentioned in a thread and which I then bought. Capacitance, temperature, hFE, can't go wrong really!

I have this one too , very happy with and was less than $20 Aus !!

[Ice-9]

I have been VERY VERY VERY happy with a Wavetek Meterman 37XR for several years now....

I indeed use the 37XR-A which I mentioned above, it has been a very good meter so far, but again for the same price the newer 38XR-A is available.

I think I'd keep the 37XR-A - I'd rather have inductance than PC connectivity. Seems like the main differences?

EDIT: the choice is a little more complicated than that:

http://www.testequipmentdepot.com/amprobe/multimeters/Digital.htm

There are some good extra bells and whistles on the 38XR-A but I agree i'm happier with the inductance measurement on the 37XR-A. Now if it had included a basic scope in it, that would have been a deal maker for me.

[CodeMonk]

I've had this one for about 5 years now:
http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12988573

I'm pretty satisfied with it although the capacitance meter isn't very accurate.

[davent]

Have a few cheapies but got a Extech EX330 for my birthday which is quite nice. When there's room on my bench there's something very satisfying about using  this old beast.