This a decent multimeter?

I bought a cheapo $19.99 one from radioshack a couple years ago and it has never failed me. Though now that I say that, Ive jinxed myself.
 
Just looking at the zoomed in face of it, it looks like a pretty good meter for the price. The audible continuity tester is something I really wish was in mine, I have a cheap RS one. It's not auto-ranging, but turning the dial to the right setting isn't exactly difficult, you'll probably get a lot of happy years of use out of that one.
 
I just have the $1.99 Harbor Freight one, but so far, it's done me well. No auditory though. :( ...if price was a concern, endrien.
 
I'm not terribly used to multimeters, how do you know what settings to put it on?
I mean its obvious for things like 110vac but other things?
 
Depends on the game. You could be looking for +5, -5 or +12 for modern jamma stuff, so you'd set it to the 20v dc setting. Older stuff can have higher voltages, if you were measuring something that could be 24 or 40 volts (grabbing figures out of the air) you'd set it to 200 as 20 is too low. The basic rule of thumb is like the opposite of The Price is Right. Closest you can get without going under the voltage that might be there. Setting it too low might damage the meter depending on how it's set up, setting it too high might give wonky readings.
 
I prefer ones with the beep continuity tests, and the auto-shut-off feature when left idle for very long. I have two, and one doesn't have auto-shut-off. I have to make a special effort to shut it off, otherwise I'll forget and leave it on, and my battery is dead withing a couple days...
 
I had an old POS meter once that didn't have an auto shutoff... heh, it was dead the next day.

The only other thing that meter doesn't seem to have is a spot to test caps. I think mine has the feature though I don't know how to use it yet XD

-Linolium
 
That second meter looks better and appears to have logic prob functionality. Next time you're looking to upgrade your meter, snag one with a frequency counter feature.
 
Why didn't you buy this this one? It looks to be $20 cheaper and a lot more range.

...might be a really dumb question, but I was looking at that one, does it have the auditory continuity thing? :confused: I couldn't see it in the specs. Or auto shut-off...
 
Ok, today I found a (I'm assuming) halfway-decent multimeter at a pawn shop for only $15. (They were asking $30, but pawn shops are KLOV PP pushovers, lemme tell ya)

iEquus Innova 3320. Review Link

equus-3320-multimeter.gif


Any good? Anyone else ever heard of this company? Seems like a nice meter, and has the ever-so-desirable continuity tester... :) I'm happy so far, and I guess that's kinda what's important.
 
As long as it does the basics: AC & DC voltage, resistance (continuity is a plus) and diode tester (for testing diodes and transistors) and you are happy with it, then it is a good meter.

One feature that is nice, but not essential is to have the thin clip on probes as well as the pointed probes.

I just bought 2 of these today, so I would have one I can keep in the garage as well as a spare for watching more than one thing at once.

98025.gif


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?function=Search

They were on sale at my local Hongkong Fooie Tools store for $2.99.

I guess I'm going to have to read the manual to figure out how to plug a 2N6057 into that little transister socket on the front :D.

ken
 
As long as it does the basics: AC & DC voltage, resistance (continuity is a plus) and diode tester (for testing diodes and transistors) and you are happy with it, then it is a good meter.

One feature that is nice, but not essential is to have the thin clip on probes as well as the pointed probes.

I just bought 2 of these today, so I would have one I can keep in the garage as well as a spare for watching more than one thing at once.

98025.gif


http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?function=Search

They were on sale at my local Hongkong Fooie Tools store for $2.99.

I guess I'm going to have to read the manual to figure out how to plug a 2N6057 into that little transister socket on the front :D.

ken
I have like 4 of these. They were on sale for $1.99 one day and I couldn't help myself. :(
 
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