I want a new Multi Meter

[nacho459]

I'm looking into getting a new multi meter right now I have one for ? and µF and an old Simpson with an analog meter for AC/DC voltage. Here's what I'm looking for:

Digital desplay (I think there all that way now)
AC/DC volts up to 1000v
? 1?-20M?
Capacitence (however you spell it) pF, nF, µF, etc.
continuity test "beep" thing
and a thermomiter (not necessary but a big+)

I saw one a Sears a while back but it was a Craftsman, and I'd rather have a Fluke or something like that. Besides the Craftsman one didn't do caps. Any ideas? The Fluke webpage didn't have much info well, I didn't find what I was looking for. What do you guys use?

 

[nacho459]

All those question marks are supposed to be OHM symbols. They didn't translate correctly.

 

[NEVEtech]

what is your budget?

 

[radiance]

Check Ebay for Fluke meters. I bought a model 87 for 61 euro last week.
My model has a limited capacitance range but the newer ones(87 III or 87 V) will cover your needs.

 

[Scenaria]

I have to second that..

you can get a decent fluke DMM for under $50 US dollars on ebay.. way worth it and will be much nicer than something sold at sears or the rat shack

 

[radiance]

What's this?

Is it worth it? My display is a little bit like the before picture but I can live with that.

 

[Svart]

those are the conductive plastic strips that go between the lcd module and the driver pcb. maybe yours just needs cleaning. sometimes the contacts will corrode slightly. worth a try.

 

[PRR]

> All those question marks are supposed to be OHM symbols. They didn't translate correctly.

Windows font-codes won't read right on Mac or even all other Windows machines. And vice-versa.

There are standards for this. Unfortunately this board only supports the numeric meta-characters.

Use: & # 9 3 7 ; but without spaces. Ω

Yes, it is just as easy to type "Ohms".

 

[Steve Jones]

For audio DIY it will be a huge help for you to get a meter that reads TRUE RMS. It will allow you to calibrate the stuff you build properly. Some of the high end flukes read out directly in dB.

 

[radiance]

Thanks Svart, the cleaning did the trick.
Who needs new elastomars...

 

[PRR]

> get a meter that reads TRUE RMS.

Why?

Mostly we measure sine waves with less than 5% distortion. In that case, RMS is exactly 0.707 times peak or 1.1 times average. Well, exact to a fraction of a dB.

Some meters measure peak, some measure average. I like my old VTVMs because I know they measure peak-peak and divide by 2.8. When a sine isn't sine but clipped, a peak or peak-peak meter will stop rising when clipping starts, an RMS or Average meter will keep rising even when the waveform is too bent to use.

Also when you really abuse a "true-RMS", as with real musical signals, most will turn un-true. They have a "crest factor": how much narrow peak will be correctly calculated. Often only 3:1, when music peaks more like 5:1 over the RMS value.

Different strokes for different folks. Owning a true-RMS isn't bad. But it isn't cheap, it isn't always "true", and In My Opinion isn't usually what we want to know.

Yes, dB reading can be VERY convenient, even when you can log dBs in your head. Of course that has no relation to "true RMS", except maybe to the Marketing Dept.

 

[SonsOfThunder]

[quote author="PRR"]...Some meters measure peak, some measure average.[/quote] But the bigger diff in meters seems to be frequency response. This is the diff between the Fluke 7x series and the 8x series. The 7x series are designed for measuring such things as voltage out of a wall receptacle. I don't really know how high they go but it isn't very high. 8x series does well on "audio range" signals, I know.

HTH!
Charlie

 

[clintrubber]

I'm looking into getting a new multi meter right now I have one for ? and µF and an old Simpson with an analog meter for AC/DC voltage. Here's what I'm looking for:

How about a type with a transistor-socket for quick current gain measurements ?
But most types will probably have this already right away.

Peter

 

[nacho459]

My budget I would say... around $100.

I'm just curious if you guys know of any models that just rule for audio DIY.

I'm kinda a nubie in the sense that I usually just put stuff together and it works and I leave it at that. When it gets to the level that PRR is talking about with osiliscopes and THD and all that jazz I'm lost. I got an old UREI XY plotter, a HP VTVM, and the above tools and that's my knowledge of testing equipment. If you guys know a model that I could "grow into" I'd appreciate it.

 

[Scenaria]

$100 will get you a fluke 87 on ebay or perhaps an 8060A (which I kinda like for bench work)

 

[nacho459]

I looked on the Fluke page and couldn't find the 87 or 8060A, but I found the 80 series 80V. It looks pretty cool...

http://us.fluke.com/usen/products/f...73(FlukeProducts)&category=HMA(FlukeProducts)


I'm guessing the 87 / 8060A are discontinued I'll try ebay.

What do you guys think.

 

[Scenaria]

you can get alot of bang for the dollar if you buy used off ebay...

87's sell for around $60-$120

8060A's sell for around $50-80

you really should consider the 8060A... something handy on it is dB measurement..

 

[PRR]

> the bigger diff in meters seems to be frequency response.

Yes. Many DVMs only go to 400Hz. As you say, power-line.

I know there are good DVMs. Maybe ones that say "RMS" also cover the audio band. I would not bet on it without testing. And unless the drop-off is gross, if this is your only meter, how do you know?

> I got... a HP VTVM

The classic VTVMs are unbeatable, unless you must read millivolts or take floating masurements. And for those chores, any $9.95 DVM is adequate.

I've never owned a reactance meter. I just use a signal generator (I consider it as important as a good voltmenter) and resistors.

 

[achio]

i use a fluke 87 III at work. it's a great meter, the response time to measuring is very fast, and it's very accurate with True RMS. my personal meter is a 175, but i do truly desire the backlight for the LCD display. i think my meter brand new was $150 or so, but you can get them cheaper on eBay.

 

[nrgrecording]

[quote author="nacho459"]The Fluke webpage didn't have much info well, I didn't find what I was looking for. What do you guys use?[/quote]

my fluke 187:
max resolution@DC/AC voltage: 1µV
max resolution@DC/AC current: 0,01µA
max resolution@Resistance: 0,01 ohm
max resolution@Capacitance: 1pF max is 50.000µF
max resolution@frequency: 0,01Hz max is 1Mhz
max resolution@temperature: 0,1°C -200 to +1350°
max resolution@conductance: 0,01nS
max resolution@dBm and dBV 0,01dB range: -52to+60dB

The fluke 187 isn't cheap but I would would give away any other meter for it. I liked my first Fluke so much.. that I bought a second one :roll: :green:

It is true RMS and can measure dB. It beeps always when I forget to change the measurement connection if I measured current before. :thumb: And the nice blue backlight was another reason to buy one.
Only the battery life is 72 hours.

I have another LCR meter because the Fluke can't measure inductiveness. The other ones are BBC, würth,voltcraft and one bias master for tube amps.

Its christmas time.. so... do anything to have a fluke lying under the christmas tree. :wink: