I figure between my really cheap models (the ones with watch battery) to my best (currently the Radio Shack with the capacitance and frequency counter) I have around 5, not counting the old VOMs. How many you folks have?

I never throw away a good meter, or even a questionable one.

I remember this engineer working on a sputtering machine trying to measure 600VDC. In theory the DVMs were rated for it, but there must have been a high voltage spikes riding on the DC because he blew two decent Beckman's, one after the other. Those suckers were gone, the plastic inside had completely melted. On the outside it was a little darkening around the edges of the LCD, but when you opened it up, the plastic just stringed as you separated the cases. As a joke I sent it to our MRC (Manufacturing/Repair and Calibration) dept. and told them they had to fix it, since I had worked in that section a couple of years before.

He went back to the trusty Simpson VOM (remember those?).

 

I have used the Simpson 260, it is a fine meter. I would rather have it than some digital meters for checking diodes and such.

 

A meter that you use it a good meter. You will learn any meters intricacies with use.

as long as you are using A meter, you will be much safer than no meter. So a $5 meter is much better than no meter.

And two cheap meters are better than one or none.

Think of it like learning to play guitar.. You can buy a dime store 6 string and still learn the same notes and chords as a $1000 guitar. The important part is that you start.

 

You know I got married to a fluke when I was a child...and since then it never let me go..

Flukes are fast and accurate....tht's for me, I donno abt u though

 

I also own a Fluke.

But I also have four $5 Harbor Freight type meters all over. Two on my bench, one in my glove box, and one in my toolbox.

If I am searching logic or presence of a signal, I use the cheapie. If I need the RMS values of a circuit in operation, I grab the fluke.

And WOW Rifaa.. In the US gays cant even marry in most of the country... In the Maldives, you can marry test equipment! Amazing!

 

AAH!!.... see u guys did not know, my fluke is a laaaaaaaaaaady

 

AAH!!.... see u guys did not know, my fluke is a laaaaaaaaaaady

Oh I see. So you have "dated" many types of multimeters. But after a while you always come back to your Fluke.

 

Oh I see. So you have "dated" many types of multimeters. But after a while you always come back to your Fluke.

You know what?
I really donno whato to say to that......
I am totally speechless

 

You know what?
I really donno whato to say to that......
I am totally speechless

No your not.

 

Hey everybody - this is way off topic. The OP needs advice, not brags.

 

Hey everybody - this is way off topic. The OP needs advice, not brags.

ooooooooops!
Now I totally forgot what the topic was..
I had check post 1 to be sure...
you people have a way of misleading everyone.

so.. here we go again.

Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...YES.

 

Guess if I were looking to buy my first car, the advice would be Mercedes, Mercedes, Mercedes....

 

Will this multimeter be good enough for general use? Will I be able to measure capaticitance?

What exactly is your usage? Only you can really define the level of accuracy you need.

B+K Precision used to have the best value on decent meters. get DC accuracy of at least 0.1% or less, AC bandwidth of 50kHz or more, Ohm accuracy should be 0.1% or less.

Flukes are good but you pay a little extra for the name.

The BK 391A is a pretty good meter for ballpark price range of $125.

http://www.bkprecision.com/products/docs/datasheets/38xx_datasheet.pdf

 

ooooooooops!
Now I totally forgot what the topic was..
I had check post 1 to be sure...
you people have a way of misleading everyone.

so.. here we go again.

Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...Fluke...YES.

I checked the cal of my old Fluke field service meter a few weeks ago. Still in spec.