#91 - $50 Multimeter Shootout

[Simon]

thats a good idea

[saturation]

Dave, outstanding, I just saw this today you do a very good job with equipment reviews.

It was good to see that in basic accuracy, many of cheapos can hold to about ~< 0.5% reading in various ranges, as you compared it against its peers and then the Fluke 87V.  And testing range extremes, from mV to 600V etc., was very appropriate.

So it does corroborate what many feel about cheap DMM, they do measure decently, its more faulted towards ergonomics, and you can't go wrong using them in none line voltage work, except maybe in the sub 1V range.

You didn't test if they truly were CAT safety related or the extent of physical abuse, but I wouldn't expect anything from these DMM, so your drop test was both appropriate and a good idea, as if ever, most would possibly drop it off a workbench to the floor.

Finding duds like the Global Specialties is something everyone wishes to avoid, its probably why its dated 2001, old stock still trying to be sold?

[Excavatoree]

I think mains on the 10A range (with the supplied leads!) would not only be fun, but actually moderately useful in terms of evaluation safety. ...

There's nothing as humbling as wondering why your meter isn't displaying the voltage you expect when you measure your 220V AC circuit and then looking at your meter and seeing the red lead in the 10 A socket.  It's humbling and expensive.

My Fluke meters never let me down!  The fuse was the only component that needed replacing.

My dad has a crappy, LED meter that he built from a kit back in the late 70s.  Some dumb kid blew the fuse checking voltage with the current jack, then used aluminum foil on the fuse because he didn't have another.  Yes, he made the same mistake again! (Perhaps I shouldn't have told that story, but I'm older and wiser, now)  The foil lifted off the meter.  I thought I'd ruined it.  I repaired the PCB with some jumper wires, and the thing still works.

[saturation]

Looking at safety in less costly DMM, look at the current EEVBlog on the Extech meter to see what can happen.
Its not so much the device is poorly made, its looks like engineering oversight in its design.

You have only one life to lose, or one hand to burn, why injure yourself with meters of lesser reputation?

[RQDQ]

I'm just getting started with electronics (I'm a software geek) and this video was helpful in letting me know what to look for in a meter.   Thanks for the heads up on safety on the cheapo meters - I've used them in the past to check mains power - I'll never do that again!