Is this old multimeter any good? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: ElectricPower
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 11:36:28 pm
content: I remember my father had one multimeter called "ABB M2004". I'm not sure what the exact model number was, but i can say i remeber the multimeter was wery heavy and big to be an handhielt meter.I have an picture i found online that looks exactly on that meter.Back then i have no clue due to electrisity. I just remember the meter as it was wery robust and heavy. Mutch more heavy and my Brymen 869 i have today.Someone that have som more info on that meter? Just for fun btw

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 11:40:11 pm
content: It looks primitive but probably fine, typical of DMMs of the era. They were all expensive back then, even the "cheap" digital meters cost more than a good one does today.

author: BeBuLamar
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 11:46:06 pm
content: Look very nice.

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 12, 2023, 11:57:16 pm
content: I've never owned that model, it looks very good quality (German) by today's standards.Quite basic so depending on your use it may lack a few features.I'd keep it unless you can find better for the price it would sell.

author: BillyO
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 12:00:18 am
content: Asea Brown Boveri are a Swiss company. I had no idea they ever made DMMs. That thing probably cost something like $5000 in today's dollars and was probably for their own service staff.Edit: I see one on eBay in Europe for 150 Euro.Man, that look like you could roll over it with a car an not hurt it,

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 12:03:36 am
content: https://www.eevblog.com/forum/reviews/abb-metrawatt-m2004-manualspecs-wanted/Das manual:http://artandtech.info/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/M-2004-2008-BA_DE-1.pdf

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 12:06:44 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on January 13, 2023, 12:00:18 amThey didn’t, it’s a Metrawatt. Enlarge the pic.

author: ElectricPower
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 12:18:58 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on January 13, 2023, 12:00:18 amI remember it was truly a concrete brick. Very heavy.but unfortunately I threw it away about 10 years ago when I couldn't turn it on and assumed it was broken.Note that I knew nothing about multimeters and electricity at the time. it was also old 10 years ago. but today I see that I regret it.

author: james_s
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 01:27:15 am
content: Quote from: ElectricPower on January 13, 2023, 12:18:58 amThat's a shame, it was probably something easily fixed.

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 07:38:01 am
content: Quote from: BillyO on January 13, 2023, 12:00:18 amSwiss-Swedish, actually. (Asea was Swedish; Brown Boveri was Swiss; they merged to form ABB.)

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:01:46 am
content: no, since the transfer to spintronic pneumatics electricity is no longer used

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:23:37 am
content: Quote from: tooki on January 13, 2023, 07:38:01 amThere's also a strong Finnish branch. The 1889 founded electrical company Strömberg in Finland was bought by Asea in 1986 and after the Asea - Brown Boveri merger in 1988, the company was named ABB Strömberg for a while.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:28:45 am
content: I'd like to have oneEven if it was only branded by ABB and not specifically developed by them, it must have been a high quality product.

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:30:40 am
content: its amusing how it was stable for a long time and then it started being reacquired. If that trend continues will companies be reacquired continuously by HFT algorithms? The company owner changed 31211 times since the lunch break, and the virtual HQ is currently setup in the temporary confederation of states and republics located in south eastern Luxembourg IV and we are either looking to a transfer of ownership to the Nike/Dale fruit/shoe company or collectivization due to the warlords communist uprising of north eastern Luxembourg IV within the next 4 seconds.ahh the business focused mindset, no more transceiver design for you, its managing Chinese fruit sorting machines via meta from now on.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:33:38 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on January 13, 2023, 08:30:40 amI can't get over that Bell Labs is now owned by Nokia (a Finnish company).

author: coppercone2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:40:59 am
content: I hear bell labs associated with a golden age of research grants in the past by people that used to work there, now its probably trying to work out advertising banners and appealing payment plans.Well europe actually had OK internet prices in some areas, which is reasonable, because that RF amp on a pole has similar requirements to a bird house, and even looks the same when the galvanic corrosion sets in.

author: JohanH
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 08:56:34 am
content: Quote from: coppercone2 on January 13, 2023, 08:40:59 amNokia has always been a research and development company. The crazy mobile sellout to Microsoft was an exception. Now they are back to basic stuff involving network switches and xG research etc.

author: TomWinTejas
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 07:27:46 pm
content: Quote from: JohanH on January 13, 2023, 08:56:34 amOptical networking with dense wave division multiplexing as well. R&D is still alive and strong in Murray Hill, NJ at the old Bell Labs building. I had the opportunity to get a tour when doing a visit to evaluate some of their offerings. It happened to be at the same time as one of their employees was being honored for becoming a Nobel laureate and a handful of other laureates associated with the company over the years came for the ceremony... it was a cool accident of circumstances for me.

author: uski
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 13, 2023, 07:59:55 pm
content: It has a 300uA range. I would be curious to see what the burden voltage would be or what the value of the sensing resistor is?Also there is a DATA button, what does it do? Data logging? Or just store a few readings?

author: shakalnokturn
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 02:44:10 pm
content: "DATA"="HOLD"

author: HKJ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 05:08:26 pm
content: Quote from: uski on January 13, 2023, 07:59:55 pmIf it is designed as most multimeters it would be 30mV and 300mV on the 3mA range.

author: TimFox
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 14, 2023, 06:58:13 pm
content: Quote from: JohanH on January 13, 2023, 08:23:37 amBefore the merger with Asea, Brown Boveri was known as BBA, for "Brown Boveri Aktiengesellschaft", aka "Brown, Boveri & Cie".

author: tooki
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 15, 2023, 05:21:17 pm
content: Quote from: TimFox on January 14, 2023, 06:58:13 pmNo. It was never known as "BBA", always BBC. Initially it was aKollektivgesellschaft, later anAktiengesellschaft. The full legal company name was "Kollektivgesellschaft Brown, Boveri & Cie" and "Aktiengesellschaft Brown, Boveri & Cie", respectively."& Cie" simply referred to a partnership with more participants than the ones named. So "Brown, Boveri & Cie" simply means "Brown, Boveri, and others". Until recently, it was a legal requirement in Switzerland for certain kinds of Kollektivgesellschaft to include "& Cie" in its name if there were any partners not enumerated in the name of the partnership.