Author Topic: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change  (Read 5449 times)

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Online Fungus

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #25 on: July 16, 2018, 12:51:48 pm »
You could buy them a resistor and a battery.   Instant LED light up tester...

Or just a CR2032 battery - CR2032s have a built-in current limiting resistor.
 

Offline ataradov

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #26 on: July 16, 2018, 04:30:44 pm »
Maybe nobody notices that because they don't look at the meter from above.
And I may not notice it either, except I looked a lot at UT136 and from the first moment I powered on AN8008 I felt discomfort. I had to adjust my position to see the reading. So AN8008 was discarded (I actually want to do OLED conversion by tapping into LCD lines, but that's a long term project).
Alex
 

Offline mtdoc

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #27 on: July 16, 2018, 04:59:47 pm »
I think the idea of having a DMM is to have as many tools you need in one package. Having to find a battery to test an LED is not ideal.

Also, a battery alone won’t help when you need to test an in circuit LED or a surface mount LED.  Yes, SMD LEDs are increasingly being used by kids new to electronics when they make paper circuits.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 05:05:10 pm by mtdoc »
 

Offline ataradov

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #28 on: July 16, 2018, 05:02:39 pm »
Having to find a battery to test an LED is not ideal.
If you want to test the LEDs, then UT136 works just fine, they just won't light up in the process. If you want to light them up (what kind of a requirement is that for a test tool?), then use batteries or whatever. Or not.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 05:05:30 pm by ataradov »
Alex
 

Offline mtdoc

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #29 on: July 16, 2018, 05:06:29 pm »
Having to find a battery to test an LED is not ideal.
If you want to test the LEDs, then UT136 works just fine, they just won't light up in the process. If you want to light them up (what kind of a requirement is that for a test tool?), then use batteries or whatever. Or not.

You clearly haven’t worked with kids new to electronics.
 

Offline ataradov

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #30 on: July 16, 2018, 05:08:47 pm »
You clearly haven’t worked with kids new to electronics.
I was a kid working with electronics.The thought of lighting up leds with a tester never crossed my mind. It would have been also nice to have a DMM instead of analog meter, but you get used to tools you have. If that somehow discourages you, then you may be better off doing something else.

12 yo is not that young.
« Last Edit: July 16, 2018, 05:10:21 pm by ataradov »
Alex
 

Offline mtdoc

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #31 on: July 16, 2018, 05:34:38 pm »
Kids these days...when I was a kid ....., we would have loved to have an analog meter. All we had was a galvanometer and a voltaic pile as a voltage source, but we were happy. ;D

But I know what you mean . Still  IMO given the multitude of cheap DMMs these days, it’s silly to give a kid a meter that does not light up LEDs. There’s joy to be had for a newbie when they see an LED light up and nothing worse than building your first circuit with an LED and having it not light up and not easily being able to troubleshoot it with your DMM.  Also, I found that using the DMM to light up LEDs is an excellent way to teach them about diode polarity.

 

Offline CustomEngineerer

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #32 on: July 17, 2018, 12:00:07 am »
Children are our future, so important to keep them safe. Thats why I recommend 2x Fluke 88V.
 

Offline sleemanj

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #33 on: July 17, 2018, 01:08:35 am »
If it wasn't for the LED requirement, I would have recommended the MS8233D or MS8233E and various rebadges thereof (ADM01 / ADM02), yes it is "only" a 2000 count meter, but it has 5x20 fuses on both ranges, is physically solid and with rubber boot, APO, backlight, auto ranging, max capture, it's not quite so blatantly "over rated" in terms of it's warning marks etc (specifically, it's CAT II 600V on the volt ranges, and marked as 250V max on the current ranges)

OEM is Mastech in green, custom branded by a few, mainly bside who does it in blue (ADM01/ADM02), and Peakmeter who does it in orange.

Difference between the two models is D/01 has frequency count mode, while E/02 has temperature mode, I think temperature is more useful myself generally.

Price on Aliexpress typically around the $12-14 mark, sometimes you can get them under $10.

Achilles heel for your requirements though, can't light an LED in diode test mode.

~~~
EEVBlog Members - get yourself 10% discount off all my electronic components for sale just use the Buy Direct links and use Coupon Code "eevblog" during checkout.  Shipping from New Zealand, international orders welcome :-)
 

Offline rstofer

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #34 on: July 17, 2018, 01:15:44 am »
For a fact, the Aneng 8008 will light up a blue LED in diode test mode.
Don't replace the fuses, replace the meter!

Seriously, have the 12 YO do voltage measurements and avoid current measurements until the underlying theory is well understood.  I just don't see current measurements as being all that important because, more often than not, the current is flowing through a resistor.  It is just as easy to measure voltage drop and use a calculator.

Perhaps current measurements with supervision.  It isn't the measurement that's the problem, it's overlooking putting the leads back where they belong that causes the problems.  On the Aneng 8008, it doesn't take a lead change to measure uA.  Hm...

When I was a kid, I was told not to touch the 120V stuff on my dad's workbench.  Of course I touched it.  Got bit a couple of times until I learned more about the theory.  These days I power my stuff from batteries or wall warts.  I bought a Rigol DP832 power supply and I like the ability to dial in a current limit.  Maybe I'll dial in 100 mA or something even less if I can.  I like low energy circuits.  LiPO batteries aren't low energy!  They need to be handled with care.  Alkaline AA and 9V are suitable for kids.  They can make the smoke escape but they probably won't burn the house down.  Probably...

Those $5 Harbor Freight meters can be used as well.  I helped my grandson do a science fair project of Ohm's Law using 3 of those cheap meters.  He won first place!  Surprised me, I didn't think anyone would care about electricity.  Those cheap meters were perfect for the project.
 

Offline ataradov

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #35 on: July 17, 2018, 01:19:05 am »
I would agree. HF meters are perfectly fine for this use. If you afraid of explosions - burn the fuses yourself, turn it into Fluke 101.
Alex
 

Offline rstofer

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #36 on: July 17, 2018, 02:00:00 am »
You clearly haven’t worked with kids new to electronics.
I was a kid working with electronics.The thought of lighting up leds with a tester never crossed my mind. It would have been also nice to have a DMM instead of analog meter, but you get used to tools you have. If that somehow discourages you, then you may be better off doing something else.

12 yo is not that young.

Actually, I was a kid new to electronics, about 62 years ago.  In the heyday of Heathkit, my folks bought me an a VOM kit - I was probably 10 when I built it and I still have it!  Later on, I built a VTVM and a 10 MHz scope.  Along the way were other kits.  I guess I was "that kid...".

It's unfortunate that Heathkit no longer exists.  OTOH, it's fortunate that we can get things like Arduinos.  The 555 timer hadn't even been invented when I was a kid.  In fact, all of my projects were based on vacuum tubes.  Transistors came along a bit later.  Even in college, LEDs were brand new and memory was 16 4-bit words.  I was clear into grad school before the 8080 hit the hobby market.  The 2102 RAM (1k x 1) was just hitting the hobby market.  A 4k memory board for the Altair 8800 was $400.

Kids today have it pretty good.  Even if their parents can provide only financial assistance, the Internet can provide everything else.
 

Offline mtdoc

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #37 on: July 17, 2018, 02:39:39 am »
Yes,  the Aneng 8008 lights up all colors of LEDs just great.

The HF meters light up LEDs but have the major flaw of no continuity buzzer.
 

Offline Mr. Scram

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Maybe nobody notices that because they don't look at the meter from above.

LCDs have limited viewing angles. If the meter is usually flat on a table in front of you then it makes sense to optimize for that, not some artificial viewing angle ("above"?)
I don't call real world scenarios artificial. It really doesn't take a very steep angle to cause fading.
 

Online Fungus

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #39 on: July 17, 2018, 01:43:51 pm »
Yes,  the Aneng 8008 lights up all colors of LEDs just great.

So does the ANENG 860B+, and it's a much better all-round meter, IMHO.  :popcorn:

(plus it uses normal-size fuses so you can easily put in higher-rated ceramics if you want)
 

Offline mtdoc

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Re: Multimeter suggestion for 12 yo Light up LEDs - Easy fuse change
« Reply #40 on: July 17, 2018, 08:07:37 pm »
It looks like you can get a rebadged Aneng 8002 on Amazon for $12 .  So for about $30 you could get both one of those and a Brymen 136b and have the best of both worlds! - That's assuming the 8002 lights up LEDs like the 8008 does. Can anyone confirm this?
 

Offline tooki

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ANENG has horrible view angles. How do you people live with that? I could not use it pas first two minutes.
Either some models have awful LCDs, or you got a dud. My Aneng 8008 has better viewing angle and contrast than my 87V.
 


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