Sub $500 DMM for PCB repair - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Mp3
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: March 04, 2021, 10:48:18 am
content: I'd like to begin with a short preface. I bought an East Tester ET3240 near the end of last year around the time reviews started popping up. It gets the most use of any meter I've ever had, due to both a lack of available space meaning my work very often takes place in reach of the bench meter, and as some of you may know, even though it's only 22000 counts, it's got a lot of very useful features.At this moment I'm weighing several approximately $150 options versus a used Fluke 87-V.I've been considering options like the EEVBlog Brymen's, a used Fluke 87-V if i can find a good deal, BK Precision 393, & some of the nicer CEM models. The main thing keeping me from getting an EEVblog meter is that I have to get it shipped from Australia to North America.My work only really involves troubleshooting faulty circuits, and I was realizing I couldn't have extreme safety, very high resolution, and affordable all at once.... One thing I would love to have is AC+DC mode so I can find out if stray AC is making its way to where DC should be. Some options I've been considering have that AC+DC mode, it would be nice to have, but my ET3240 can do AC+DC, and it's not something I regularly have to do, so I think I would be okay without that mode available.I'd argue I don't need very high precision. Generally i've not had any issues using cheap meters with around 5000 counts as long as the accuracy is fairly decent. I don't personally need exact values, I am okay with the numbers being "close enough". After all, for the sort of work I do, being accurate to several decimal places is not needed. I tried to get away with just a Fluke 101 for a long time but it's got a lot missing for PCB repair purposes.I have to admit I've been tempted by versions of the Bluetooth enabled CEM DT-9969, there's one that ended up in a EEVBlog Mailbag at the end of 2019, and Dave seemed quite impressed with it and noted it used the same chip as the 121GW. I love a quick response from the meter, and this one certainly was quick, especially when he tested it with gold leads. I found it on eBay. It's ugly and there's not tons of other info on it, but after poring over Wynuctls' multimeter chart for about a week now, there seems to be very little separating it from other models I've been considering such as 87V, BM869, DT4282. Obviously the CEM is a really terrible choice if you need to measure actual CAT III / CAT IV applications. But for me, the most powerful AC it will ever see is occasionally checking 120V on a transformer. I can always use my Fluke 101 if I'm not confident about the ACThe one thing I really want that is pushing me towards holding out for a 87-V is the high diode forward voltage. I would really like to have 5v or better for the diode. That would be really useful for me. But, again, the AN8008 really doesalmosteverything I need, if it had a bit better accuracy, higher diode voltage, min/max and dB...If anyone knows a good meter I haven't considered yet that fits my needs, please let me know, I've been watching so many youtubes of different meters they're all blurring together!!