Uses for the manual "hold" button on DMMs?

[kalel]

A lot of people mention that the manual hold button is useless on a multimeter,

However, are there any cases where it might be useful? Could it be modified to serve a useful purpose?

[slurry]

It's useful when you have to note the reading and you cant find a pen, just press "hold" and go find a pen.

Acutally, it's not very often i use it but sometimes when you crawl into some tight space,
using the probes with one hand and holding the meter with the other hand you simply press "hold",
then crawl out of the tight space and then can see reading.

[Lightages]

IMHO, it is is a completely useless feature and actually detracts from the multimeter if that button's only function is a manual hold. I sincerely doubt that anyone with the brains to use a multimeter can't remember a number for the few seconds it takes to write it down. A button added to a meter solely to add a manual hold function is a significant cost which could have been better used for something else.

[alm]

I could see it being useful if the DMM has a probe holder on the back. In that case you could put one of the probes in the holder, and use one hand to hold both the probe on the test point and press the hold button while you may not be able to see the display.

[Electro Detective]

Unless you've got 3 hands and 2 sets of eyes       it's not that useful

I've used manual "hold" button a few times when using a second or third meter for double checks on readings, meter comparisons,
or when paper and writing implements go MIA 
or the memory is suffering from a late night/s out   

Auto Hold works great on some meters such as high end Fluke models. 

A voice operated HOLD would be great if any meter manufacturers ever clue up and bother to get on to it one day..   

or a probe or foot switch activated HOLD, which is on my next mod list, one day...   


FWiW:  The MIN-MAX feature on some meters works well for a poor man's Auto Hold too,
if you first pre-select the correct ballpark 'Range'   

[GreyWoolfe]

IMHO, it is is a completely useless feature and actually detracts from the multimeter if that button's only function is a manual hold. I sincerely doubt that anyone with the brains to use a multimeter can't remember a number for the few seconds it takes to write it down. A button added to a meter solely to add a manual hold function is a significant cost which could have been better used for something else.

Nothing to do with brains.  At my age, I blink and reset all the time, just ask SWMBO.  It drives us both crazy.

[joeqsmith]

I have used it in some of the videos to compare the results of multiple meters side-by-side.  Say for example, read the same resistor with more than one meters.  Rather than slice the video which is what I started doing, a viewer recommended using the hold and get it all with one shot.   Hold works great for this.    Sorry, but I can't think of a time I have used it besides this.

[daybyter]

Are there any meters with such a hold button? I only know uni-t with their auto-hold.

[kalel]

Are there any meters with such a hold button? I only know uni-t with their auto-hold.

There are multiple cheap chinese meters with the manual hold function, but on more expensive ones, it's probably less likely to be found.

[alm]

Many Fluke meters including the 289 have a hold feature. In the Fluke case I wonder if they introduced it back when auto-hold was too expensive to implement, and are maintaining it for legacy reasons for customers accustomed to the older meters.

[Lightages]

IMHO, it is is a completely useless feature and actually detracts from the multimeter if that button's only function is a manual hold. I sincerely doubt that anyone with the brains to use a multimeter can't remember a number for the few seconds it takes to write it down. A button added to a meter solely to add a manual hold function is a significant cost which could have been better used for something else.

Nothing to do with brains.  At my age, I blink and reset all the time, just ask SWMBO.  It drives us both crazy.

Just so you know, I am not a spring chicken neither!

[Muxr]

I can see it being useful if you need to test something for a short period of time. Say you have the meter hooked up to a faulty DUT that you only want to turn on for a second (say something is overheating and you don't want to have the DUT on all the time, while you test). You can hit the on switch on the DUT and Hold in the meter at the same time. I never needed to do this, but it's the only thing that comes to mind.

Auto hold feature like it's implemented on 87v is invaluable to me. Especially when I am working on difficult to reach test points or delicate parts under the microscope.

[chronos42]

Are there any meters with such a hold button? I only know uni-t with their auto-hold.

Only the products of some very small and unkown companies like Fluke and Keysight have such a button.....

[daybyter]

No...I meant the manual hold button... have only seen auto hold so far.

[Fungus]

A lot of people mention that the manual hold button is useless on a multimeter,

I don't know about "useless" but certainly not very useful.

However, are there any cases where it might be useful?

Don't imagine millions of electrical engineers all over the world using that button all day in clever ways that you didn't think of, it's not happening.   

Could it be modified to serve a useful purpose?

Hack it into an on/off switch?

[Electro Detective]

Hey guys, FWiW:

A   -quick-   AUTO HOLD curiosity test observation on 3 Fluke models tested side by side in Ohms/Continuity mode (no buzzer):
(yes, a rare relaxed quiet afternoon..)

189/187 works great,

289/287 works a weee bit better,

87V is a bit 'slower' in comparison, but very usable 

Tip: I found if you put the 87V in High Res mode first, then press Auto Hold, it works a LOT better.

Try it for yourself, I don't reckon many users have tried that yet, or please advise if I have a freaky one.


There's always some hidden bonus feature in the Fluke 87-1-111-V series  to be found, especially if you don't read the manual,
or forgot some features existed, or perhaps some useful quirks not in the manual.