Is there a multimeter designed for tool belt use? - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 07:13:04 am
content: This came up recently during a debate over how many hands you need to handle a multimeter while up a ladder with a tool belt (probably three in most cases). Apart from some large and pretty pricey meggers, are there any multimeters that have the display on the end or side so you can read them when looking down onto a tool belt? Doesn't have to be at all fancy, in fact given its intended use cheap and easily replaced if dropped would be good, it just needs to read volts and ohms/continuity for checking wiring without having to pull it out of the tool belt to see the display.

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 07:34:58 am
content: Fluke 233 Remote Display DMMStrap the display module to your wrist.

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 09:03:32 am
content: Maybe just use a voltage tester with LEDs, or one with LCD voltage readout if you need more precision.No looking down, but you do need to able to view the probe body.The Fluke ones are pretty spendy, but there are plenty of cheaper ones. Something like the Wiha 45217 or Multicomp MP760855.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 09:16:10 am
content: Quote from: tautech on November 12, 2024, 07:34:58 amI'm aware of that, but that's pretty much the opposite of "cheap and easily replaced", as in "expensive and will require a note from your mother to explain how you lost it".

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 09:23:08 am
content: Quote from: Kean on November 12, 2024, 09:03:32 amI'd considered pen-type meters but typical usage will be test leads with grabber clips attached to various things just barely within reach, with the electronics doing the work somewhere a lot close to hand, e.g. tucked into a toolbelt. And it would require at least some measuring capabilities, for example to check whether a transmission line has been correctly terminated and/or whether you're using the correct cable pair in a bundle.To give a random example, for RS485 use you'd have an unused cable pair (open circuit), an in-use cable pair (some random reading based on whatever's connected to it), and the cable pair you want (120ohm terminator and nothing else).

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 09:46:30 am
content: Not a common use case I suspect. You did originally say DMM and it doesn't need to be fancy.Several DMMs have optional belt clips, but I don't recall seeing one that holds the DMM in a readable position.There are Fluke/Wiha/Multicomp/RS Pro/Uni-T/Aneng pen-type testers that can read voltage, continuity, and resistance.These could be modified with 2mm socket to grabber leads. There are various lead sets that might work, and they could be permanently attached.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 10:20:38 am
content: Ah, good point, I'll keep that in mind as a backup. One thought would be to solvent-weld something to the back of it so it forms a T-shape with the top of the T being the pen-type meter and the base sliding into the tool belt so the meter and controls face upwards for ready access/readability.I bet someone will start a crowdfunding project for something that fits the bill about a week after I finally get some bodge solution sorted :-).

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 10:27:24 am
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on November 12, 2024, 10:20:38 amNo worries, I'm on it

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 10:50:30 am
content: After some trial and error the magic search term seems to be "desktop multimeter", e.g.thisorthis, modded as per the pen-type meter. The "Atuo-ranging" one is 96x45mm which is probably about as compact as you can get while leaving room for a display and controls, so that might do it (although I'm not keen on atuo-ranging meters in general).

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 11:06:21 am
content: would be nice to exactly know what you want to do .. are you an electrician, cable guy etc ...volts ohms ... okay butyou can climb an ladder with an instrument and one hand, if you dont play stupid, i was a optical fiber tester with exfo ftb machines strapped on belt, bigger than a dmmnever had any problems .... and when you're up and stay still1st you need dedicated gear / harness and you use another strap to be locked on the ladder and you can safely extend yourself to do the testsif you don't know the basics on how climb and stay on a ladder, do nothingoh here in Quebec Canada, if you play monkey and hurt yourself while being on company materials like phone poles, electricity poles etc ... , you may be sued ...

author: indman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 11:47:07 am
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on November 12, 2024, 07:13:04 amhttps://www.ebay.com/itm/226144369859Photos of the internal world of this multimeter were taken by me. A good inexpensive compact multimeter with large numbers on the display.

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 12:45:16 pm
content: Interesting, thanks! I hadn't considered that way of mounting it, that'd work too, and it has clips for the leads and shrouded sockets for the grabber-clip cables I'm using. lygte-infohas a review, it's good enough for what I need (low voltages, resistance, continuity), and it looks like BTMeter will ship anywhere (the eBay store is US-only).

author: indman
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 12:54:05 pm
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on November 12, 2024, 12:45:16 pmPlease note that this model may have different fillings inside the box. In my version, there is a DMM chip in a normal case and there is an external memory chip for calibration. In the lygte-info version, another drop chip is installed and there is no external memory.

author: RoGeorge
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 02:14:06 pm
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on November 12, 2024, 07:13:04 amMetrix mtx3283 made in France by Chauvin Arnoux. It's quite fancy for a DMM of that year, 100 000 counts, PC connectivity, chart display, recording, and made for rugged use.Specs flyer here:https://archive.org/details/manuallib-id-2592819/mode/2up

author: Kean
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 02:33:03 pm
content: Quote from: 5U4GB on November 12, 2024, 10:50:30 amHmmm...The ToolTop thing looks like crap, small, but thickkkk. The screen must be tiny if those dimension are right.The Bside one may not be too bad, but it is expensive, and the screen is probably not great outdoors.Maybe look at the Aneng 613. I'd choose it over the ToolTop at a similar price point. I actually quite like my Aneng AN8008.Aneng isn't a brand I'd recommend for mains testing, but that model does have a better CAT rating that the other two (CAT III or IV 600V vs CAT II 600V).

author: 5U4GB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: November 12, 2024, 02:55:33 pm
content: Oh, yeah, it'll definitely be crap, but for low-voltage and resistance measurements good enough - I won't be using it for any precise measurements, or taking it anywhere near its claimed limits, just basic checks that all seems OK.Damn, the Metrix one looks nice, but with those specs it probably also came with a pre-printed mortgage application form :-).