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MultiMeter

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lefty:
Hi,

I just signed up today and am new to the whole electronics game. I have a multimeter that I picked up years ago, a Sperry DM-4100A. It's served me well but I've been learning that there are some other features that would be helpful in the electronics world. I checked out Amazon and the web but just like everything else these days, there's almost too much information. I'd like to be able to check capacitors and maybe have an auto-ranging feature. Does anyone have a suggestion? This is strictly a hobby at this point. I hope this is the appropriate sub-forum for this type of question and apologize if not.

Thanks
Lefty

rstofer:
There is a Test Equipment subforum that might be more appropriate but the management doesn't care for duplicate posts.

In the sticky section of the Test Equipment forum there is at least one thread dealing with DMMs.

Everybody will have their favorite, some will suggest that either of Dave's (our host) DMMs are just right for the job (I have both) and others will expound on the CAT ratings and how high they ought to be. If you want to mess with mains, you should probably pay attention to the CAT ratings. 

For ordinary electronics work, there are some high dollar answers and some low dollar answers and everything in between.

This question comes up about every other week and there is a Search feature.  The replies, by contributor, don't change much over time.

You need 3 DMMs so think about that before you start spending a lot on one meter.

As I said, I have a bunch of meters including a high dollar Fluke, both of Dave's meters and a mix of others.  The one I USE is the inexpensive Aneng 8008.  It's a really handy meter and, yes, it measures capacitance.

https://www.amazon.com/Alloet-True-RMS-Digital-Multimeter-Voltage/dp/B072JMBLJS

rstofer:
For the most part, unless the meter is from a VERY reputable manufacturer, the CAT ratings are bull-twinkle.  There is a thread over in Test Equipment (sticky, I believe) where one of the members has done a lot of testing.

I try to avoid working on mains and, when I do, I'm not using a DMM.  Why do I need 3 or 4 decimal places in a value I can't change?  A simple 'Wiggy' (or Knopp) will do a better job.  And, yes, I used to use these to make a living and I have had one version or another for about 56 years.  That's when I started work, I was using them for several years around the house before that.  My dad was an electrician...

https://www.amazon.com/Knopp-K-60-Cat-Number-14460/dp/B003A7T5KG

https://www.amazon.com/INDUSTRIES-61-065-Vol-Test-Voltage-Tester/dp/B000BVNSLG

The theme is that these are 'solenoid' type testers and they vibrate or bounce in your hand when you get something hot.  You don't need to look down, you don't need to look at a meter, you can keep your attention on the thing you're probing.

Clearly of no value in electronics...

rstofer:
Dave did a video on the Aneng 8008


bob91343:
It's a gamble to buy a meter when your requirements are too general.  Or, for that matter, when they are too specific.

The world is running over with meters.  In my ham shack/electronics lab I have about 15 or 20 of them, some analog and some digital, most are old.  Not to speak of oscilloscopes and signal generators and component testers and spectrum analyzers.

My suggestion is to decide what you want to do and then ask around for suggestions.  Each thing you want to do will come with a plethora of options.  You want to measure a capacitor?  Just with that, you will need to decide how accurately, at what frequency, and whether the parasitic parameters are important (ESR, ESL, breakdown, leakage, self resonance, temperature coefficient, etc.).  Similar issues exist for any other kind of component.

To measure volts, well there is input impedance, accuracy, frequency response, waveform effect, etc.

I could go on but you probably get the point.  Save your money until you see something that looks good at a decent price and that answers at least some of your list items.

For starters, you can pick up a cheapie Harbor Freight unit for almost nothing (and sometimes even nothing) and that will measure a lot of things accurately enough for many purposes.  I recommend what I call the Chinese Magic Box that measures resistors, transistors, diodes, capacitors, and inductors.  It also identifies the pinout of transistors.  They can be had for just a few bucks online; do a search on Mega328 I think it is.

Go to swap meets; it's amazing how much you can learn and how nice everyone can be to help.  You can see what all the parts look and feel like and how much they might be worth.

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