Products > Test Equipment
AN8008 US $19, 9999count, 1uV, 0.01uA, 0.01Ohm, 1pF resolution meter
<< < (102/172) > >>
prof:

--- Quote from: Mark Hennessy on August 31, 2017, 09:59:03 am ---I thought it was clear enough from what I wrote, but for the sake of clarity, I never said that you made the claim, or even that you believed it. I simply said "there is a misconception", meaning that some people believe it, possibly as a result of watching Dave's review...

--- End quote ---

Fair enough.  ;)


--- Quote from: Mark Hennessy on August 31, 2017, 09:59:03 am ---Thanks for telling us which Fluke you have. I don't have one of those, but have been considering picking one up to review for some time now. Or perhaps the 18B+, which has a dedicated LED test function that sources rather more than 3V, so will have an internal step-up converter of some type. Obviously, the 17B+ does not, though of course there will be something in there for the LED backlight, but they've obviously decided to keep that separate.

--- End quote ---

I do find REL/MIN/MAX measurements and temperature much more important than a dedicated LED testing function (I already have dedicated testers, I'm just too lazy to pull it for quick checks while working on a circuit) but YMMV of course.
Mark Hennessy:

--- Quote from: prof on August 31, 2017, 11:13:14 am ---I do find REL/MIN/MAX measurements and temperature much more important than a dedicated LED testing function (I already have dedicated testers, I'm just too lazy to pull it for quick checks while working on a circuit) but YMMV of course.

--- End quote ---

Personally, I just use a bench power supply and a resistor :-+

The PSU is always there on the shelf, as is a range of chunky resistors and other passives that get used for lots of assorted jobs like this. A dedicated tester would take up space, require battery changes and occasional testing, calibration, etc... Overkill really, especially for such a simple task.

Certainly, I've never attached great importance to a DMM being able to light an LED in diode-test mode, especially as the test current varies so much from meter to meter, and is generally only a couple of milliamps at best. But, some reviewers do, which is why I feel I should mention it in my reviews. But then, I see a lot of folk using DMMs when really they should be using a 'scope - it sometimes feels like we're going back to the old days when many people couldn't afford a 'scope :)

But the dedicated LED test function on the Fluke 18B+ is interesting to me. But not for the obvious reason, however. Instead, I'm keen to see what safety precautions they've taken - because an LED tester socket on the front of a DMM is arguably no better than the transistor tester on a DT830 :-DMM
ebastler:

--- Quote from: Fungus on August 31, 2017, 09:04:37 am ---The multimeter seems like a fundamentally wrong way to test continuity IMHO.

--- End quote ---

Could you elaborate on that please?  ???
Fungus:

--- Quote from: ebastler on August 31, 2017, 02:46:40 pm ---
--- Quote from: Fungus on August 31, 2017, 09:04:37 am ---The multimeter seems like a fundamentally wrong way to test continuity IMHO.

--- End quote ---

Could you elaborate on that please?  ???

--- End quote ---

As I said earlier, I'd like one with a LED or two in the thing I'm holding in my hand. The LEDs could give much more information than a beep somewhere in the background and would be very easy to focus on as you work. Vision is much faster than sound.
ebastler:

--- Quote from: Fungus on August 31, 2017, 03:43:08 pm ---As I said earlier, I'd like one with a LED or two in the thing I'm holding in my hand. The LEDs could give much more information than a beep somewhere in the background and would be very easy to focus on as you work. Vision is much faster than sound.

--- End quote ---

OK -- a matter of taste, I'd say. I typically like the fact that I can fully concentrate my vision on small PCB contacts, shine a bright light on the PCB etc., and rely on the audio signal when checking for contact.

Having been a radio operator during my navy service (a while ago...), I doubt the "vision is faster than sound" bit as a general statement. Humans can certainly receive and decode morse code via audio at much faster speeds than visually!
Navigation
Message Index
Next page
Previous page
There was an error while thanking
Thanking...

Go to full version
Powered by SMFPacks Advanced Attachments Uploader Mod