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Products => Test Equipment => Topic started by: ddavidebor on July 16, 2013, 10:32:41 pm

Title: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: ddavidebor on July 16, 2013, 10:32:41 pm
The question is simple.

For me it nees selectable threshold, selectable max voltage, nice buzzer, maiby selectable frequency.

Light segnalation, maiby blinker.
A little led for light the zone

Must fit nice in the hand, and have interchangeable second probe

For you?
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Dave on July 16, 2013, 10:36:25 pm
Latching beeper, fast response. My 87V has both.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: notsob on July 16, 2013, 10:41:15 pm
Have a look at kripton's collection of continuity tester circuits

http://kripton2035.free.fr/continuity-repos.html (http://kripton2035.free.fr/continuity-repos.html)
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: MetraCollector on July 16, 2013, 10:58:13 pm
I am satisfied with my Ag 34401A. :D

Time ago I used MY64. ;D
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: free_electron on July 16, 2013, 11:00:20 pm
2 wires with 220 volts ac across them. sparks : contact  :-DD
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: AG6QR on July 16, 2013, 11:49:06 pm
I use a continuity to get a yes/no answer to whether two things are connected, so I don't need adjustable voltage, threshold, etc.

I do like the latching beeper and fast reaction of both of my Flukes, my 179 and 16.  I also like the fact that they use low enough voltage so as not to send semiconductor junctions into conduction, so they don't indicate continuity through diodes and transistors.

I like the V-Check feature of my Fluke 16.  If I accidentally connect it to a voltage source of more than 4.5V (AC or DC), it will switch to voltage measurement mode and display the voltage.  Without causing any damage whatsoever to the meter.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: SLJ on July 17, 2013, 12:08:54 am
I use a 87V but thought you might enjoy seeing this early one from the 1920s in my collection:

(http://www.stevenjohnson.com/pics/testometer.jpg)

If the red dot moves out of the window you have continuity.

Here are the instructions:  http://www.stevenjohnson.com/pics/testometer-inst.jpg (http://www.stevenjohnson.com/pics/testometer-inst.jpg)
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: zaoka on July 17, 2013, 01:14:33 am
Old analog Triplett meter is my favorite.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Neilm on July 17, 2013, 06:24:28 pm
Fast response for a buzzer is a must.

I saw a meter many years ago that played a tune (don't remember or care what) but it took about 5 seconds to begin playing. The only use for the meter was that when it was turned "off"  the display stayed active with a clock that was reasonably accurate.

Neil
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: ddavidebor on July 17, 2013, 06:27:39 pm
agilent now do a multimeter with a  tune that indicate the resistance
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: c4757p on July 17, 2013, 06:32:19 pm
Tune or tone? I think tone. Though I could see a case for (2.3) Ohm on the (10R) Range.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: ddavidebor on July 17, 2013, 06:42:23 pm
yeah yeah tone bad english
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: c4757p on July 17, 2013, 06:46:20 pm
If I understand correctly, I think Neilm's tester actually played a tune... :wtf:
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Dave on July 17, 2013, 07:39:03 pm
Yeah, Agilent U123xA meters can do that. The pitch of the tone depends on the resistance they measure. It's annoying as f*ck, though. I just have it set to a constant pitch.
The power-on tune was also annoying, I disabled it the first day I got that meter. I don't know what the hell Agilent were thinking when they implemented that tune. :wtf:

Aside from that, it's a really good meter. The measurements are spot on and you can disable the auto power-off function. :-+
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: komet on July 17, 2013, 07:47:11 pm
I'd like my continuity meter to measure continuity between the points I intended to touch with the probes, rather than the rather old-fashioned standard of the points I actually did touch. GET ON WITH IT FLUKE
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: ben_r_ on July 17, 2013, 09:13:57 pm
Any of the ones built into any of my DMMs...
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Phaedrus on July 17, 2013, 09:17:11 pm
One that goes "beep" when it detects continuity between the leads.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Tube_Dude on July 18, 2013, 09:25:56 am
Old analog Triplett meter is my favorite.

For me too... :-+
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: deephaven on July 18, 2013, 10:23:32 am
My vote is for my beloved Polar Toneohm 550. It's tone varies in frequency as the resistance changes and is great for tracking down those elusive shorts on a PCB.
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: KedasProbe on July 18, 2013, 04:10:50 pm
ideal:
be able to set current and max voltage.
fast obviously, and a tone that gives you info about the voltage value. freq == voltage
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: c4757p on July 18, 2013, 04:16:47 pm
My vote is for my beloved Polar Toneohm 550. It's tone varies in frequency as the resistance changes and is great for tracking down those elusive shorts on a PCB.

Oh, that is just beautiful. Hmm..... I am a massive cheapass, so I don't think I'm going to spend money on a continuity tester, but I think you've just added one more weekend project to my long list...
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Bloch on July 18, 2013, 04:20:50 pm
ideal:
be able to set current and max voltage.
fast obviously, and a tone that gives you info about the voltage value. freq == voltage
:-+


Voltage up to 1000V so it can be used as a megger  :)


Current up to 1000A so it can be used to test bus-bar / connection


Last but not least adjustable sound level  :-+


Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: Tooms on July 18, 2013, 05:00:12 pm
Hi guys

I am in the process of writing a review of the Fluke CNX multimeter and has just tested the continuity tester function on it and compairing it to other meters.

I have tested the shortest time for an good beep and here is the results..

Fluke 179_____________________0.49 ms   
Fluke CNX 3000 Multimeter_______0.68 ms
Fluke 789_____________________0.88 ms
Fluke 287_____________________1.17 ms
Fluke T5-1000_________________4.05 ms
Fluke 27_____________________69.05 ms
Fluke 8846A__________________79.06 ms


I dont have a 87V so i can test that time, sorry.


Tooms
Title: Re: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: olsenn on July 18, 2013, 05:05:08 pm
My ideal continuity tester is one where god speaks to my inner conscience telling me "they are one"
Title: What is you ideal continuity tester?
Post by: ddavidebor on July 18, 2013, 05:10:07 pm
ideal:
be able to set current and max voltage.
fast obviously, and a tone that gives you info about the voltage value. freq == voltage
:-+


Voltage up to 1000V so it can be used as a megger  :)


Current up to 1000A so it can be used to test bus-bar / connection


Last but not least adjustable sound level  :-+

That's a good idea.