Author Topic: Multimeter for beginner.  (Read 3717 times)

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Offline Black Phoenix

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #25 on: March 23, 2023, 03:39:37 am »
As a first meter my choices currently are the Uni-T UT61-E or one of the China only Fluke, the Fluke 15B+ or the 17B+.

That's the ones I have experience with. Ideally you buy a Fluke 87V or a Brymen BM869s and you are set for a big while. But lacking the funds the alternative let's you get you feet wet and learn.
 

Offline AVGresponding

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #26 on: March 23, 2023, 06:36:59 am »
A UT-210E, or a Mastech 2108A are both good, basic DMM clamp meters, also have a look at the new EEVBlog one, icr its model number. For small currents, use the mV function and a shunt (you can buy/make one cheaply enough, or reclaim one from old scrap equipment).

If you really need a scope, be wary of usb ones that you use with a laptop; it may not suit your use case. If it does, then fine, but if it doesn't (they are very limited on the voltages they can deal with, safely), it'll just be a doorstop.

A used Fluke or Tektronix scopemeter might be better, but without knowing exactly what your use case is, it's difficult to say for sure.
nuqDaq yuch Dapol?
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Offline CwmduTopic starter

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #27 on: March 23, 2023, 08:07:07 am »
How is a multimeter more useful than a scope looking at a multivibrator and simple arduino circuits?
 

Offline shapirus

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #28 on: March 23, 2023, 08:29:50 am »
How is a multimeter more useful than a scope looking at a multivibrator and simple arduino circuits?
You want to quickly check for shorts before powering on. You need to conveniently check voltages before and after powering the circuit on.
Although not strictly necessary, you want to measure your resistors and capacitors before using them in the circuit. You need it also for checking potentiometers and seeing what way the adjustment works.

Scope may or may not be needed. DMM is always needed, once you get into electronics.

On the other hand, it's not mandatory to buy everything before you start. Just start, and then buy tools when you actually need them.
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #29 on: March 23, 2023, 11:05:00 am »
As a first meter my choices currently are the Uni-T UT61-E

Overpriced, unless you need the datalogging.

or one of the China only Fluke, the Fluke 15B+ or the 17B+.

Underfeatured, for what they cost. You can have a basic Brymen for that much money.

TLDR; Buy a "trashy" meter to get you going then if you decide electronics is your thing you can choose/save up for a better meter at your leisure.
 

Online baldurn

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #30 on: March 23, 2023, 11:30:19 am »
Buy an Owon VDS1022I first.
...
I asked "What about a multimeter?"

If you are going Owon why not the Owon HDS242S ? This instrument is just slightly more expensive than the VDS1022I but has everything in one device. It is a scope, multimeter and signal generator in one package. It is also not a USB device so it works on its own. It can also be connected with USB so that is still an option.
 

Offline Black Phoenix

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #31 on: March 23, 2023, 12:15:09 pm »
As a first meter my choices currently are the Uni-T UT61-E

Overpriced, unless you need the datalogging.

or one of the China only Fluke, the Fluke 15B+ or the 17B+.

Underfeatured, for what they cost. You can have a basic Brymen for that much money.

TLDR; Buy a "trashy" meter to get you going then if you decide electronics is your thing you can choose/save up for a better meter at your leisure.

60US$ for the Uni-U is overpriced for a DMM with Data logging?

70US$ for a Fluke 17B+ with proper protection?

You really need to tell me where is your trashcan...

Although I agree price per price the UniT is a better choice compared with the Fluke if you don't pretend to use in Mains.
« Last Edit: March 23, 2023, 12:21:15 pm by Black Phoenix »
 

Offline Fungus

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #32 on: March 23, 2023, 02:02:44 pm »
60US$ for the Uni-U is overpriced for a DMM with Data logging?

No, that's why I mentioned the logging.

70US$ for a Fluke 17B+ with proper protection?

Where can you get one for that much? It's more like $140.

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-Fluke-17B%252B.html
 

Online robert.rozee

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #33 on: March 23, 2023, 02:26:24 pm »
I am retired and want to learn about electronics. I have been told [...] to stay away from anything dangerous. So no high voltages or currents. [...] I asked "What about a multimeter?" And was told: It is not necessary, but if you want one get a CEM DT337.

Is this the best multimeter for a beginner?

if you're ok spending $50, i'd advise a Fluke 101:
https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-101-Multimeter-Resistance-Capacitance/dp/B00HE6MIJY

well nigh indestructible, will protect you from (most) any harm caused by shoving the prods where they shouldn't be. no current ranges, which i see as a major bonus. proven highly robust when tested by Joe Smith, and recommended by Adam Savage:
https://youtu.be/K9fQn1bQVsQ&t=180s

if you really want to measure currents, also buy a big 1Ω resistor:
https://www.amazon.com/RELAND-SUN-Aluminum-Wirewound-Resistor/dp/B0B4PJ4J91


cheers,
rob   :-)
« Last Edit: March 23, 2023, 02:55:02 pm by robert.rozee »
 

Offline Black Phoenix

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #34 on: March 23, 2023, 04:55:56 pm »
70US$ for a Fluke 17B+ with proper protection?

Where can you get one for that much? It's more like $140.

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-Fluke-17B%252B.html

Directly on the Electronics Supermarket of Shenzhen. You just need to search a little. Specially now that the new 15B/17B Max were released.

And also a lot of shops are closing there because of the low volume of sales regarding the lockdowns (it still didn't recover as the government expected, so a ton of sellers are basically quitting).
« Last Edit: March 23, 2023, 05:08:33 pm by Black Phoenix »
 

Offline Wallace Gasiewicz

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #35 on: March 23, 2023, 07:35:31 pm »
I would get a small cheapo meter for starts, after using it for a while, figure out what you want in a fancier meter and then then put he cheapo one in your pocket for flea market forays.
The few bucks you spend will be well worth it as educational costs.
Add a cheap LCR Transistor tester and you are still under $50
I still use a cheap BSIDE daily.

The component ( diode, transistor, cap, inductance) meters like the BSIDE are so inexpensive and reasonably accurate that I would not worry about these functions on a multimeter.
 

Offline james_s

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #36 on: March 24, 2023, 06:29:49 am »
How is a multimeter more useful than a scope looking at a multivibrator and simple arduino circuits?

A multimeter can check continuity, it can measure the value of resistors and in some cases capacitors, it can test diodes and transistors, it can measure supply voltage and current draw. A scope lets you see what the circuit is doing, but a multimeter aids construction and lets you check it out before you even power it up and then troubleshoot.

Back when I learned electronics scopes were very expensive, way out of reach of most hobbyists, they were very much specialist instruments back then, the holy grail, a bit like a good RF spectrum analyzer today. We got by without one, analog VOM, some LEDs, maybe a logic probe if we were lucky and a speaker or small audio amplifier, you don't really need a scope, but it's certainly nice to have and makes some things easier. It's just more specialized than a multimeter so it is useful for a narrower range of tasks.
 

Offline n4u

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #37 on: March 24, 2023, 07:36:01 am »
First multimeter have to be cheap, but cannot be crappy. You may buy ut33a+ or some aneng, because they are cheap, small and you may trow them into car if you swith to brymen / sanwa / fluke. 210e its fine - but "normal" meters are more convenient in use. You need to know what are you doing and what want you to do before you forgot about or blow somethink expensive (fuse costs more than chinese meter)
 

Offline Pfriemler

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Re: Multimeter for beginner.
« Reply #38 on: March 24, 2023, 10:49:09 am »
Give some consideration to the Kaiweets HT118E (that E is important!  The HT118A is not half the meter).

Got an A similar one a few months ago, found it very useful but the „alarms“ (red backlight) while measuring >1A or >200V is annoing and useless, since there is no warning when the meter is at 230V mains in DC range. And I miss manual range selection. Simply Auto is a nogo for me. You wont get useful readings in some conditions.
I hope the E does it better…?
once you do it right, it works :-)
 


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