Electronics > Projects, Designs, and Technical Stuff
Harbor Freight Multimeter Add-on
Wimberleytech:
--- Quote from: tooki on June 25, 2019, 12:40:02 am ---And...? The DT830B like your harbor freight one are available for a dollar, including free shipping from China. Nothing to brag about.
--- End quote ---
Looks very similar. Missing battery test, but my jig would fit most likely
rsjsouza:
--- Quote from: Wimberleytech on June 24, 2019, 08:32:01 pm ---The Aneng mini is $3.34 on Amazon with free shipping...lol
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Hehehe... Yes, it is that cheap. I got it as a curiosity together with a few bits from a banggood order and the only real use I give it is as a battery tester.
The red HFs I have were freebies, got at different times to see how the quality eroded over the years (there's an ancient thread around here where me and a few others do a comparison).
Brutte:
Very nice battery tester jig.
You could add some feature to ease pulling battery out once the test is finished. Otherwise one has to use some tweezers (possibly shorting + and -).
I would also cover third banana socket (10A) for safety.
Imagine a scenario where someone does 100V DC current test, then unplugs (-) terminal leaving (+) in the meter and apply your jig "temporarily". If it is easy - make it foolproof.
I own the DT830B - it is a very nice multimeter, 0.5% with 1M input impedance.
Wimberleytech:
--- Quote from: Brutte on June 25, 2019, 11:45:13 am ---Very nice battery tester jig.
You could add some feature to ease pulling battery out once the test is finished. Otherwise one has to use some tweezers (possibly shorting + and -).
I would also cover third banana socket (10A) for safety.
Imagine a scenario where someone does 100V DC current test, then unplugs (-) terminal leaving (+) in the meter and apply your jig "temporarily". If it is easy - make it foolproof.
I own the DT830B - it is a very nice multimeter, 0.5% with 1M input impedance.
--- End quote ---
Good comments.
The depth of the housing is shallower than a normal battery holder. As a result, a AA battery sticks up above the plane of the top so it is very easy to pop out. A AAA sits a little deeper. In one iteration, I put a pad below the AAA to address that very issue, but somehow forgot to add it in this final iteration.
I am the only "someone" using this, and this meter is dedicated to battery testing--I will never remove the jig to use it for anything else. My Fluke 87V is for those "other" tasks.
There have been numerous comments on this thread (all appreciated) devolving into battery-testing philosophy. All very interesting and thought provoking. But this project started in the following way.
I have a bunch of this freebie meters scattered around the house, tool box, glove box, etc. One sits on the bench in Lab #1. I had a couple of stock battery holders wired to it (dangling). I am always thinking about doodads I can design and print with the 3D printer, so it popped in my head one day, "Hey, design a jig for this." So I did.
I am not going into production--I am sufficiently wealthy already. This was simply a fun, creative distraction between pushing over trees with my tractor and preparing for a deposition for one of my clients.
If someone wants one of these and has a 3D printer, I am happy to give them the stl file, or even the Freecad design file--go to town big boy!
Wimberleytech:
After all the carping about load resistance, I added this Phoenix connector/plug that allows for easy attachment of different load resistors.
No modification to the 3D print...just JBWeld the Phoenix socket to the test jig. Then screw-mounted a resistor on the plug.
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