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LCR vs DMM

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requim:
I just acquired a Fluke 87 V and I am looking at purchasing an LCR, but then I started looking at what the Fluke does and it already measures capacitance and resistance, so I'm asking myself, why buy an LCR when the Fluke already measures the two values I'm trying to get?  Other than the LCR measuring inductance, what are the advantages/reasons for buying an LCR?

Psi:
LCRs are normally
- More accurate
- Able to read a wider range of values
- Can read an inductor at several different frequencies.
- Some can read capacitor ESR
- Can show if the component is within a set tolerance 1%,5%,10% etc (useful for testing many components quickly)
- Have probes and leads which are better designed to measure values without interfering themselves

And i'm sure there are other things i've missed.

LCR's are definitely handy to have but they're not really a 'must have' unless you plan to do work that requires that sort of accuracy (or, in your case, the ability to read inductors).

I bought a Peak brand LCR, they're pretty basic feature-wise but are relatively cheap and very portable.
I got the kit in a case including the peak DCA (a component tester). Which gives you all sorts of useful info from pretty much any semiconductor you connect to it,  pins,forward voltage etc). The whole kit is ~100GPB+shipping from www.peakelec.co.uk

sub:
They may also self-calibrate to remove the effect of the test leads on the measurements, pretty important if you're measuring in the picofarads.

Have a look at http://cp.literature.agilent.com/litweb/pdf/5990-7778EN.pdf for an example of some of the possible functionality (albeit from a reasonably high-end handheld meter).

Conrad Hoffman:
IMO, the only LCR meter worth having will give you the dissipation factor of capacitors and the Q of inductors. Just knowing a capacitance value (DMM or cheap C-meter) isn't sufficient to tell you if the part is any good or not. Just knowing the ESR is actually better but still inadequate to get the full picture. You need both numbers!

EEVblog:

--- Quote from: Conrad Hoffman on October 15, 2011, 11:49:06 pm ---IMO, the only LCR meter worth having will give you the dissipation factor of capacitors and the Q of inductors. Just knowing a capacitance value (DMM or cheap C-meter) isn't sufficient to tell you if the part is any good or not. Just knowing the ESR is actually better but still inadequate to get the full picture. You need both numbers!

--- End quote ---

I agree. If you are getting an LCR meter, make sure it has that stuff.

Dave.

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