Multimeter Suggestions?

[ClickKlick]

I'm finishing up my lab and have all the components I need. Now I need a Multimeter. I bought a Craftsman for 30$ from Sears but the readings bounced all over the place. Any suggestions on a decent meter that won't break the bank?

Also, any suggestions on a solder station?

Thanks for all the help so far!

 

[audioguru]

I have had a fairly expensive Fluke DMM for many years and it still works perfectly.
My boss bought a RadioCrap one at the same time and it lasted about 1 week.

Then I bought a cheap one on sale for $10.00 so it doesn't matter if it is stolen or broken and it still works perfectly after a few years.

The cheap one doesn't have all the features and ranges as the good one. It will probably fail soon.

 

[JKF1000]

If its a bench meter you are after, checkout Ebay, there are always good buys to be had, as is always the case, you get what you pay for, so shop around, Karl

 

[microtexan]

Can't go wrong with a Fluke. Just pick one in your price range.

 

[RadioRon]

If you have very limited money, stick with the meter you have since it is likely working correctly, and probably has adequate performance for you. Save your money for other things, like a good DC power supply, or a used oscilloscope, or a good soldering iron.

Speaking of soldering iron, I am happy with the Weller irons that I have. I have also been very satisfied with Hakko brand irons and hot air tools. I do not like the Metcal irons that I have been forced to use. A good iron is the basic Weller WTCPT although it is nice to have a user-variable tip temperature control such as in the model WES51 or WESD51. There was also a post on these forums last summer about an iron that was only about $50 or so and the user reported that it was quite good. I wish I could remember when that was. I see the model Hakko 936-12 available on Ebay for $90. Seems like good value.

 

[duffy]

Yes, the meter could be working correctly, and it's the circuit that's bouncing around. Have you compared it against another meter?

 

[flat5]

I bought a Weller solder station in 1986 and a part went bad in about a year. It would have cost more to replace the part than I paid for the station. I'm reluctant to buy another Weller.

 

[audioguru]

I have seen Weller soldering irons with the variable temperature control not working.
My Weller soldering iron has its temperature fixed (that I have never changed) by the choice of its tip so there is almost nothing to go wrong.

 

[flat5]

The temp was fixed. Some magnetic device (I think)...
Whatever read the tip and decided the iron was hot enough went bad. The supplier told me the part I needed - looked up the price and I left the store.

 

[RadioRon]

I've never had a failure of a Weller in my lab, but I admit to seeing boxes full of burned out Weller pencils in the companies I've worked for. But they have many hundreds of these irons so I can't say if the failure rate is high or not.

 

[ClickKlick]

The meter in question was bouncing all ovr when i was taking simple resistance reading on resistors OUTSIDE of the circuit.

I'll look at Sears and see what kind of Flukes they have. Still unsure about solder iron, but maybe a cheaper priced Weller.

 

[audioguru]

Sears? You mean the shoes and clothing store?
They don't sell high quality multimeters.

 

[chemelec]

The meter in question was bouncing all ovr when i was taking simple resistance reading on resistors OUTSIDE of the circuit.

I'll look at Sears and see what kind of Flukes they have. Still unsure about solder iron, but maybe a cheaper priced Weller.

That Bouncing around, Sounds like a Contact Resistance Problem.

Make sure the Resistor Wires are Clean and Bright and get a Tight Connection to your meter probes.

Also Avoid your fingers from touching Both Probes, or you will also be measuring some Body Resistance.

 

[ClickKlick]

There are Flukes in my local Sears tool section LOL.

 

[ClickKlick]

I didn't think about body resistance.... too bad i took the meter back already

 

[kchriste]

There are Flukes in my local Sears tool section LOL.

You're right. I never would have thought to look at **broken link removed** for a fluke meter. The selection is pretty limited in the Canadian store and seems more geared towards electricians than electronics techs.

 

[selvatrinity]

Hi all,

I am using MECO 9A/04 model multimeter, this is very wel.

The meter cost is Rs.1850.

This is auto range & capacitor tester , & auto power off

Please try & Good

Osho blessing,

Selvakumar.v

 

[Jules_Theone]

I am still using a pre-war AVO, which is still functioning perfectly. I recently calibrated it against a Keithley meter at work and it was still very close to what the £1500 Keithkley says. I also have several cheapo DMMs i got buy1get1free from Maplin for £5, three failed within a month, the last one failed after connecting it to the mains on amps range (my fault). They don't makes things like they used to, the AVO is almost indestructable!

 

[Rolf]

Weller repair......

I have seen Weller soldering irons with the variable temperature control not working.
My Weller soldering iron has its temperature fixed (that I have never changed) by the choice of its tip so there is almost nothing to go wrong.

About the ONLY thing that fails in in this type of iron (Model W-TCP) is that the contacts on the thermostat gets corroded. This doesn't usually happen until decades of use. The replacement part is expensive* but you can repair it yourself by carefully disassembly and burnishing of the contacts. After reassemble it is as good as new.
Some times you can find irons with this problem on ebay listed as "as is" at a very good price.

* I have Googled for the price, it is around $30 + shipping.

 

[98formulaLS1]

for the money, you can't go wrong with a Fluke 179 DMM. I used it for YEARS without one problem. Now I'm using the Fluke 87V. A+ model

Do yourself a favor, spend the money to get the Fluke 179 Combo Kit. You'll be more than happy with the quality, and it will last YEARS!