This is my main one, I've had it for almost 15 years now? It was sold by Radio Shack and I bought it for about $90 at the time but is apparently made by METEX, but also sold under the Voltcraft name as well.
I found this picture online, mine's not as in good condition, the battery compartment door got lost some time ago and the battery holder broke and had to be rewired, but other than that still works.
Here's someone else's teardown of it.
https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/radio-shack-22-168a-multimeter-tear-down/The closest looking METEX meter I could find claims True RMS but there are no such claims made on mine.
3 1/2 digit ADC with bandgap reference: Maxim MAX130CPL (datasheet) (marking: "Maxim MAX130CPL 0138-3 C10039")
CPU: Metex KS57C2016 (Samsung KS57C2016 4-bit microcontroller with custom Metex firmware) (marking: "Metex 93D3 KS57C2016-02 410")
?: Metex 9005 (marking has ST logo: "Metex 9005 MET7ACS 92A32792BA")
Crystal: 4.1856MHz crystal
555 timer: Intersil ICM7555CBA (datasheet) (marking: "H 7555 CBA L405")
Quad analog switch/quad multiplexer: Motorola 14066B (datasheet) (marking: "14066B XAC334")
Quad 2-input NAND gate: GD4011BD
Optoisolator: Lite-ON LTV-817
Unidentified ICs: Two ICs, which appear to be SSOP8 packages are hidden behind black goo. The purpose of the goo is unknown.
http://sigrok.org/wiki/RadioShack_22-168I also keep collecting these:
I just can't say no to FREE! They are however pretty bad. On the yellow switch ones the ohms range constantly floats around like crazy and thinks that the probes are 30ohms by themselves, the pots in side seem to do nothing at all.
I just can't say no to FREE!
Haha, i have also that bad habit, or dirt cheap prices either, well, what wallet can afford that is....but i just keep collecting ''junk'' last time i got about 300pcs of 1kv/100n caps, but i dont slightest idea what to do with them
Easy to use those caps, place inside each plugtop as IS capacitors. Will do a lot to reduce mains noise. I bought a whole box ( 2000 units) of class X2 0.22uF 250VAC capacitors on auction once, for about $1. Been using them for that, and there are a few motors where the capacitors failed that have 20 or so in parallel inside as replacements.
As well I bought 2 boxes of zener diodes, been using them as signal diodes for years, still have not made much of a dent on the 40k of diodes. 12V 400mW and 24V 400mW zeners I now never buy. I was asked for some 13V ones, so gave a box and told them to use 2 in series to increase the voltage by 1V2, even did a quick demo there and then with a PSU, diodes and a random resistor using a DMM to show how.
Im new with electronics but here i what i have.
that is it
I made a trip to my hometown to visit my parents last weekend, and I found this meter calling my name in a pawn shop. I guess it wanted to be with a few of its siblings. It's in like new condition, despite being over 30 years old.
I made a trip to my hometown to visit my parents last weekend, and I found this meter calling my name in a pawn shop. I guess it wanted to be with a few of its siblings. It's in like new condition, despite being over 30 years old.
Nice find!
Now how many are you up to now?
I made a trip to my hometown to visit my parents last weekend, and I found this meter calling my name in a pawn shop. I guess it wanted to be with a few of its siblings. It's in like new condition, despite being over 30 years old.
You know what will happen some dark and stormy night? All your fluke multimeters will rise, steal all the batteries in your house, and then go on a road trip to visit John Fluke's grave. Be prepared, and don't have a cheapy $5 meter block their way.
Wow, that's quite a find. In the original box and the LCD protector still on.
I made a trip to my hometown to visit my parents last weekend, and I found this meter calling my name in a pawn shop. I guess it wanted to be with a few of its siblings. It's in like new condition, despite being over 30 years old.
"The night of the living Flukes!" - coming soon, direct to late night broadcast TV on an old, analog, low power TV station.
I need to count them all. More importantly, I need to confirm that the batteries are gone from the ones I don't use. Amazingly, the 30 year old meter still had it's 35 year old battery, and it didn't leak!
I want to get a cabinet similar to the ones I have for my camera collection for the meters, but I've got a bad case of procrastinitis.
I need to count them all. More importantly, I need to confirm that the batteries are gone from the ones I don't use. Amazingly, the 30 year old meter still had it's 35 year old battery, and it didn't leak!
I went through all my equipment and pulled anything with Duracells as they have been the worst leaking POS batteries the past couple of years. Anything I don't use on a regular basis only gets batteries when needed and anything used occasionally gets Energizers now as I've had little trouble with them leaking.
You are having better luck with the energisers then. i have had plenty leak. The good thing about the 9V alkaline cells is the double layer of protection, though the 9V Eveready regular cells have a nearly dry paste which does not leak even if left for ages.
I've been using the Energizers with the 10 year shelf life. Don't know if that makes any difference as far as their case leaking or not. The Duracells have been a disaster though the past couple of years.
Batteries have gone to crap once they started making them in China years ago. leak leak leak.
I made a trip to my hometown to visit my parents last weekend, and I found this meter calling my name in a pawn shop. I guess it wanted to be with a few of its siblings. It's in like new condition, despite being over 30 years old.
How was the battery compartment? I have nightmares thinking if the batteries had been left in all this time.
So how much did you get it for?
EDIT: Doh, didn't see that he said the batteries were fine.
Hi
I digged out my first multimeter,a EICO TRUVOHM Model 20A3
It was a present from my father and theres a lot of memories connected.
Anyway I took off the back to put in new batteries and the pics tells the rest (it was stored for around 25 years w. batteries).
A good cleaning off the goof and new batteries,now testing !?... yes it works !!! (allmost crying now)
Its proberlyy nostalgia but I gets this warm and cozy feeling when using analog meters.
Jan
Nice. My first meter was an EICO - I still love the analog meters. My Eico was a clone of the Simpson 260 (the first one, not the more rounded ones from the second series up to the present)
My 77 was in the 30-50 dollar range, about what I think they should go for, less shipping. I consider that a holster is worth 20 dollars in like new condition, and worth almost nothing in dirty, beat up, nasty condition.
i only got a fluke 287 and i'm going to buy an aglilent clamp meter as soon as i have money.
just got and agilent U1232A gotta love the power on sound! , i found how to turn it off but why its there to begin with?
Disabled the sound on my Agilent multimeters as well. Somebody needs to mod the firmware so we can have contin-sounds only!
just got and agilent U1232A gotta love the power on sound! , i found how to turn it off but why its there to begin with?
haha, i was expecting only ''beep'' of some sort
Disabled the sound on my Agilent multimeters as well. Somebody needs to mod the firmware so we can have contin-sounds only!
I would be happy if I could change the volume to something other than stupid quiet! Really I like my U1241 quite a bit but the way to quite test tone is not OK with me. It makes the continuity tester almost useless.
In the wake of the revamping of this thread, please check an update to my
previous family...
From left to right:
- Top: Reed R5001 LCR Meter (yes, not a DMM but it has a similar shape), Brymen BM857, Fluke 179, Fluke 8060A, Minipa ET3021
- Bottom: Steren 602-010, Mastech MS8211 and a Fluke Y8100 clamp
(edit) ugh, I just noticed the noise on this picture is just hideous... I will upload a better one later.
They should start making DMM with battery leak alarm, in fact they should put it in anything worthy that uses alkaline.