Meter Gifts

[PsychoMaster]

I am considering buying the males in my family and one Grand Daughter a multimeter each as I am buying myself one( Exited!). I bought a meter thirty years ago and have brought many cars and house items back to life so what better a gift? Well I  can only afford descent quality oriental meters and have questions over this ratings issue. I will explain  how to set the meters up before they use them and I want them to become more self reliant so I can get on being retired.At Christmas I bought them all mig welders and they are all still alive. Is this a bad idea?

[Seekonk]

I wouldn't get any more than a FREE Harbor Freight meter.  Your reverence for this gift won't be matched by your kin.  They will end up measuring the ohms of a wall outlet and amps of a car battery.  Although I have a 6.5 digit Guildline,  my daily meter is a HF.  And it is usually destroyed by the time the battery is dead.  Stuff happens.

[Flenser]

Perhaps one with some imput protection and HRC fuses?

What price range?

[Christopher]

Depends what it's being used on ! If you're not measuring mains (no one should without proper training according to UK health and safety), then just get a cheapo one.

[PsychoMaster]

 I am about to order myself one of the two Powertek models (can't make my mind up which one) And then order on mass for the rest of my tribe. I always get them good guys stuff ,I cannot stand useless can't do anything for myself kids.
Back on subject surely it is easy enough to back fit MOVS to the inputs?These parts cost so little money.I will look mine over when it arrives.
Sorry about my appalling grammar.

[SeanB]

Most of those torn down here have the spaces and screen print for the MOV's on the board. I did that using some 275V MOV units in series on my UT61E, and tested it with a high voltage tester afterwards and saw they clamp at 800 odd volts, well above mains peak but still within the voltage ranges I might see in common use. I used small 10mm ones I ordered from RS for another job where I needed 1 but the SSM was 10.

[Lightages]

Buying them junk meters, as suggested, would be like buying someone a broken car with no seat belts. If you are going to buy a meter for someone it should be a safe one. You never know when someone will decide to check that wall socket for the dryer plug. What will they use? "Oh yeah, my Dad/Grandfather bought me that meter. I trust him, lets use that!"

The lowest quality multimeter that I can recommend from personal experience is a Uni-T UT139C. It has good input protection and has all the features most people could use. It can be purchased from our friend here on the forums, iloveelectronics, by pming him or buying from his ebay store: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Uni-T-UT139C-True-RMS-Digital-Multimeter-with-Temperature-NCV-Backlight-/171213085325
He is in Hong Kong but will take care of you like he is in your own country. $50 shipped to your door.

Is this inside your budget?

[PsychoMaster]

Remembering that I no little yet It seems to me that MOVs only protect from high voltage spikes and unless the meter has some where to earth to then no matter what price the meter they become of little value (Connect Common First?). Mainly it seems that PTCs do the big job of breaking the circuit.
Oh yea I forgot ,all my kids have degrees and Doctorates and wealth including my Grand Daughter It,s only me that,s a mere engineer so I doubt they'll do anything dumb  .