What multimeter to start with? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / beginners

author: idunno
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 05, 2022, 10:44:25 pm
content: I am looking for something to diagnose automotive and marine electrical. I have very limited knowledge in this area. At the moment I have a pressing need to track down a parasitic drain on one of my vehicles. Whatever meter I go with, though, I'd like to be future-proofed.EEVblog-branded BM235 and 786 are currently available to me in the US via Amazon. The 121GW looked interesting, with it's programmability and bluetooth, but it appears to be no longer available (?)more info: I had bought a used kit of 8x Renogy 100w solar panels, 3x 100w LiFePO4 batteries, a MidNight Solar Classic 150 charge controller and Cotek 2000w inverter as a package deal. My intention was to split the gear, and supplement as needed, between a sailboat, camper and/or SUV.

author: py-bb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2022, 11:30:49 pm
content: a fused oneOtherwise you can't fuck it up.You only need this if you measure currents, with a battery powered multimeter you can stick those probes anywhere you like pretty much harmlessly (as long as it's <= 600volts usually) - seriously go wildthe risk is you'll short something with the tip of the probes!they're pointy and tend to not be suited for touching the legs of ICs (and prefer to sit between them, shorting them)I also like backlights in mine. I colour-code them, I have a yellowish one I use for voltages and a blue one for current as getting those mixed up is bad.A friend of mine has got one with bluetooth that can plot a graph of stuff... it's yet to come in handy (as when we do want to see stuff, it's too slow as it shows like 1 second on the screen), you can also drop hundreds on a Fluke one, Fluke have a reputation but the lowly multimeters are pretty much generic (if I show you mine you'll recognise the casing from several others)You may never actually need the fuse but if you doit will save so much stuff by that stuff not breakingthat for the extra 50p it's well worth it.Beyond these concerns unless you're in a specialist area you don't need to care. Like if you need something that measures 8 digits + (accurately with a calibration certificate) - totally different thing.ED: I've only hot partial-horror stories about how I blew fuses rather than did something stupid (3 of which were probe tips slipping - fool me 4 times though and shame on me!) anyone got any non-averted horror stories?BTW pretty much all multimeters are 1 MOhm, so you can pretend circuit wise it goes probe - 1 MOhm resistor - probe. As you can imagine not much current flows

author: nightfire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2022, 11:34:12 pm
content: In this regard, the Brymen 786 looks nice if you want to have a nice multimeter that is capable of 1000 Volts and a good precision at measuring small amounts of DC Amps.Question is, if you would need some elaborated features of those "automotive" multimeters, that sport a very rugged housing and being dropproof and are capable of directly calculating signals into rpm and other gizmos?

author: py-bb
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 05, 2022, 11:39:55 pm
content: Quote from: nightfire on November 05, 2022, 11:34:12 pmI think with stuff like that if you don't know you need it, you don't need it.If it has an ECM plug is it really a multimeter? Although I guess it evolved from one and the name stuck...

author: idunno
author_rank: Newbie
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 01:51:20 am
content: Wow, fast replies. Thanks!I'll up the ante: Suppose I was living in one of those mobile vehicles, therefore depended on 24/7 functionality. Also consider that solar and lithium battery(s) will be involved. I know a Fluke is either out of my price range and/or overkill. That's all I know though.Maybe all I need is a basic cheapo multimeter, but I tend to equate cheap with low quality and low accuracy. And I don't even know what I need. Amazon doesn't help with their "everything store" attitude. And the Big Box stores tend to have deals with particular suppliers, regardless of value or quality I am currently attempting to sus out relevant youtube reviews, but "just google it" isn't as easy as it sounds.

author: themadhippy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 01:59:21 am
content: Quoteok cokey. try measuring the resistance of a powered 415v circuit,best have some clean pants on standby

author: nightfire
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 02:05:47 am
content: Quote from: idunno on November 06, 2022, 01:51:20 amI use Fluke multimeters for about 15 years now at work, and as I could get them for a decent price, also at home for my tinkering.But: It simply might occur that you are no customer for a Fluke multimeter, because you do not utilize the features that Fluke charges serious money for and what industrial customers are very willing to pay for.(Most important here is the build quality and the papertrail regarding certifications, calibration possibilities etc.)In this regard, lots of other manufacturers have nice products, and Brymen has earned some good reputation, especially regarding safety and transient protection.So it is no wrong choice to go this route to have a starting point. Later on, when you discover that you need more features etc. the multimeter still has some value as a brand name and then a better multimeter can be bought- or additional testing devixes specialized on the task at hand.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 02:09:34 am
content: The missing datapoint from your requirements is how much "automotive" features you need. Several multimeters designed for automotive uses have features that simplify the life of engine repairs. This does not seem to be a top concern for you, right?In this case, you need a general purpose multimeter that can serve you well. The first gut instinct is to go for the aforementioned BM235 from Dave, but the BM257 is also a bit more interesting for the bargraph - it helps to see small fluctuations in the measurements, just like an analog needle.The upper range meters auch as the BM786 are nice but are more expensive and do not bring much value to general purpose applications.I tend to recommend some other meters less protected at a lower cost, but that does not seem to be what you are looking for.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 04:40:14 am
content: Quote from: themadhippy on November 06, 2022, 01:59:21 amThis exact thing happened where I worked when someone tried to measure 480V on the Ohms scale using a Simpson 260 - an old one, I'm not sure it was even fused. The meter exploded and shrapnel was embedded in the tech's chest. That circuit could probably deliver 60,000 Amps short circuit.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 04:49:06 am
content: Quote from: idunno on November 06, 2022, 01:51:20 amI had one of the $5 Harbor Freight meters on my sailboat for many years. It was adequate for diagnosing battery and charger related problems. I didn't need a lot of accuracy and I only used it to measure voltage, never resistance and I don't recall ever measuring current.Why don't you just get a $28 Aneng AN8008 and see how it works out?If you want something specifically for automotive, the Fluke 88V ought to cover it for about $500https://www.testequipmentdepot.com/fluke/dmm/handheld/automotive-multimeters/88.htmIt can even measure the duration of the pulse to a fuel injector and other specialized measurements.I highly recommend Fluke, I have a 189 model but I reach for the Aneng. Go figure...Back to the Aneng:https://www.amazon.com/ANENG-AN8008-Multimeter-Resistance-Capacitance/dp/B076GZK62BThere is a review by Dave:https://youtu.be/xdGQEVdxmQQIt's a handy little meter and the one I reach for even though I have many other high dollar DMMs including both of the EEVblog meters. BTW, both are excellent.

author: bdunham7
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 05:28:52 am
content: For autoand marine, you don't really need auto-specific features in a DMM because IMO they aren't that useful, except perhaps for temperature and you can just use a thermometer for that. You probably also don't need TRMS, which in fact a lot of people don't 'need'. What would be nice is something quite rugged and waterproof.https://www.ebay.com/itm/394089701592(I actually grab this one first on cars despite having 5 other meters and a Scopemeter)https://www.ebay.com/itm/155083414895

author: EPAIII
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 11:01:41 am
content: What multimeter? The first question I would ask you is what is your budget? Meters can be purchased for under $10 (I have one and yes, I actually use it - on occasion), for under $35, for under $50, for under $100, and all the way up to thousands of US dollars. The range is wide open. So it boils down to just how much are you willing to pay for just how much "future proofing"?I would suggest that Flute is a well respected name and they have a digital meter for under $50 which would made a good first meter.https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-101-Multimeter-Resistance-Capacitance/dp/B00HE6MIJY/ref=asc_df_B00HE6MIJY/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=366343882692&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11832883491918524570&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027887&hvtargid=pla-434551935004&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=76503872296&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=366343882692&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11832883491918524570&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9027887&hvtargid=pla-434551935004

author: bidrohini
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 01:13:33 pm
content: Sanwa CD800A Digital Multimeter is good. If you're looking for something cheap you can choose 9205A Digital Multimeter. But the probes often betray. I often had to re-solder the probes with the cables when using this meter.

author: JustMeHere
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 05:56:07 pm
content: What ever you choose, get two.

author: rstofer
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 06, 2022, 10:29:15 pm
content: Quote from: JustMeHere on November 06, 2022, 05:56:07 pmAfter watching Dave's and w2aew's videos, three isn't too many.