Micronta Pocket Multimeter teardown

[Robomeds]

Not much to this meter other than some sentimental value.  This was my first meter and bought new back in the day.  I think it was the cheapest or tied for cheapest meter Radio Shack sold.  The competing option was a larger sized meter with manual ranging and likely amp testing.  I went with auto ranging and size.  In the end I don’t know that I regretted the choice.  This was my only meter for perhaps 10 years.  When I finally got a “real” meter I think it was the short test leads that did this one in. 
Though small, I always liked this meter.  The auto ranging never seemed slow but that’s likely because it has only a few ranges.  Slow auto ranging seems to normally bother me on ohms readings.  1 Mohm is the largest this thing will do.  I believe it only has 4 ranges (1000 k, 199.9k, 1999, 199.9).  Regardless in about 2 seconds it has a reading.  The continuity is latched but not that quick and certainly not loud.  The accuracy after all these years seems to basically agree with my Fluke 87 with in a count or two. 
Too bad it doesn’t have auto off… killed more than a set of batteries that way. 
So what’s inside?   
Well not much.  There is a folded bit of foil as shielding.  The batteries are a pair of 1.5V coin cells.  Interestingly, they are not wired in parallel or series but each goes into the electronics its own way.  The safety circuit is minimal to say the least.  Then again this is a 400V max with no CAT rating meter.  I don’t know if CAT ratings were common when this was a new meter.  Either way it seems a PTC and perhaps a few diodes are it for safety.  Not much to it… just like this review.

[retiredcaps]

Thanks for another teardown and review into your collection.   

There are 2 or 3 other 99 cent multimeters with reasonable shipping that may get no bids ready to expire in the next 24 hours or so.