Good and low priced multi meter? - Printable Version
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Good and low priced multi meter? - jake wells - 12-05-2019
Looking for something that can read resistance over 2M my current meter doesn't go any higher than that. Something low priced and fairly accurate is fine but not sure if those words should be used in the same sentence.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - mikethedruid - 12-05-2019
Jake, take a look at Harbor Freight. This one goes to 20 Meg. Download the PDF of the manual and look at the specs. It should serve your purposes fine. I may buy one for myself. My old Craftsman died a few weeks ago, and I need a replacement. This one os very much the same as that one was, and it served me for YEARS. https://www.harborfreight.com/11-function-digital-multimeter-with-audible-continuity-61593.html
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - jake wells - 12-05-2019
Mike that is a fine looking meter. My old radioshack meter is toast the screen died but some of the functions didn't work at all.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - Eliot Ness - 12-05-2019
Jake, I'm kind of spoiled because for about 40 years I carried a Fluke meter. Our meters had to be sent in for calibration once a year but I'd measure a known source before and after and they never drifted. I've got about 3 Flukes laying about, but one is a military issued 27FM that is built like a tank and came with a high voltage probe.
For a hobbyist a full blown Fluke might be overkill and they are rather expensive. The Harbor Freight meter Mike linked to would probably serve you just fine, but depending on your budget there is a more affordable Fluke available, the model 15B:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XltjGUyjrc
You can pick a new one up on eBay for about $80 shipped. These are made and sold in China unlike the U.S. made Flukes, hence the lower price. If you go to Harbor Freight just don't buy one of their $5 meters. Those are OK for carrying around in your car but the test leads are very cheap as is the meter.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - jake wells - 12-05-2019
I got a simpson analog meter but i never could read one.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - Eliot Ness - 12-10-2019
I was browsing the other site where a similar topic was being discussed and this Klein MM400 was mentioned:
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Klein-Tools-600V-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter-MM400/206517333
A little more than the HF meter, but if I was looking for a decent lower cost meter I'd pay a few extra $$$ for the Klein.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - Jake Blake - 12-10-2019
". . . but if I was looking for a decent lower cost meter, . . ."
Yes! I run into an over voltage-thing with my 500 volt Sperry. At the time, I wasn't thinking about antique radio power supplies. If I had it to do all over again, I would have taken this Klein also.
RE: Good and low priced multi meter? - gregb - 12-10-2019
Don't waste your money on the cheap HF meters, they are junk. The Klein mentioned above doesn't look to bad. Like John said above I carried a Fluke meter for 35 years and am now spoiled and can't use anything but a Fluke.
Gregb