Looking for a new multimeter - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: Crambone
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2020, 05:33:03 pm
content: Guys I’m looking for a cheap multimeter that will do VAC, VDC up-to 1000V, capacitance, diode, mA, resistance. Any suggestions for a good cheap one that’s accurate?

author: bob91343
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2020, 06:53:27 pm
content: There are many Chinese units out there that will probably do. However, asking for all those functions and accuracy too is at odds with the desire for low price.I never recommend a hand held device to measure capacitance. A bridge is far better, and often can measure resistance and inductance as well.Be aware that capacitance is not a fixed number with a particular part. It varies with temperature, frequency, and voltage, for instance. Plus there are parasitic resistances and inductances that make measurement and characterization difficult. So asking for an easy reading is pulling wool over your own eyes.Self resonant frequencies (note the plural) will cause difficulties in higher frequency circuits, even starting within the audio range.Inductors are even worse. I won't get started on that topic.So I suggest you be satisfied with a simple DVM and if you need specialized measurements, get appropriate equipment.

author: coromonadalix
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 08, 2020, 07:04:16 pm
content: If you write 1000v ac or dc, i would not buy cheap china meters, get yourself an good / used fluke meter or any prooven good brand with good cat ratings, dont play with security for a "cheap price"A meter with capacitance test a " time charging " function not a true esr etc ... you should get a separate true capacitance meter like a deer5000, have one at my job, does a very good job finding problems for inductive capacitive circuits.

author: bluey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2020, 07:35:26 am
content: I've been looking round for one for my brother, who only has some cheap meter at present. (I'm still using Fluke 87-I and have Peak Atlas ESR+ 70 for finding bad caps.) Measuring capacitance appears mostly unhelpful for the truckloads of electrolytic caps that taking down otherwise functional equipment/appliances. ESR meter or LCR meter/bridge that does ESR are much more helpful.I like the FNIRSI LCR-TC1, which is a later, fully built up version of the bare component tester Dave reviewed. If you kill it, easy to buy a new one, since it's probably still just as easy to kill any dearer LCR/ESR meter at any price point with a charged capacitor.https://www.eevblog.com/2017/09/11/eevblog-1020-is-a-7-lcr-component-tester-any-good/https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32834012816.html?spm=2114.12010615.8148356.1.43061adbUEFZaZFor meters, my shortlist looks like:Aneng AN-870 (Aneng is made by Zotek Tools but does a much better job of marketing and pricing than the OEM); the Aneng AN-8000s are much more nasty.Amprobe AN-510Fluke 106Voltcraft VC-271https://www.conrad.com/p/voltcraft-vc-271-handheld-multimeter-digital-cat-iii-600-v-display-counts-4000-1647181I like that the Amprobe and Voltcraft both run on 9V batteries, because they will be fully functional on 8.4V NiMH, whereas most of the 3V meters lose backlight and possibly LCD visibility on 1.2V NiMH batteries. Alkaline batteries are a pain to have to keep taking out, or risk leak damage one day. I can't bring myself to recommend a really cheap/nasty meter.Still trying to find out who OEMs the Voltcraft multimeter.For more information, go here:https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/technical-multimeter-review-and-tear-down-more-than-40/If you really need 1000V DC, I think you're way out of cheap range. I don't think any of my lowish cost not so nasty shortlist will go to 1000V DC. Amprobe AM-520 will do 1000V DC.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2020, 09:59:49 am
content: A lot of cheaper CAT litter rated meters will display 1000+ volts DC, but would you really want to trust them at oopsie zap time?and the leads, will they handle it?and what's the deal with these 'save a buck' meters and their cables,measuring voltage with the leads in the current inputs, due to 'idiot/tradie/DIYer blunder'or 'no real clue about multimeters error'?Stay Safe and buy meters proven to take out fuses and themselves out,and not the probing prodder

author: tautech
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2020, 10:03:38 am
content: Good to see you back ED, a few of us had wondered.Careful how you tread buddy.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2020, 11:08:09 am
content: Quote from: tautech on May 09, 2020, 10:03:38 amThanks matevery familiar how it works and everywhere else,sadly and disappointingly the entire internet has been in a form of info lockdown for at least 15 or so yearsbut occasionally someone's got to lift themselves out of their supplied 'comfort thinking zone'and make a futile standagainst theyou too might know whousual suspects and what they flog year in year out, decade after decade uncontested,even if it is a guaranteed 110% (GST inclusive) lost cause, especially when they push their luck too far as they have in 2020,'events' their predecessors were much better at staging without suspicionWhat chance is there for anyone flying solo with the good, clueless, and souless manipulators running the gig,all teamed against the 'questioning and disagreeing one' pounding them into the groundPerhaps a hidden bonus isI can say 'hey, at least I had a go at it..' in my defense at Judgement Time,if there is such a thing when we cash out. Gotta hedge some bets while we are still breathing..Another innings on Earth would be great, I could care less what existence there is upstairs or downstairs, or nothingness/nada,no one's come back to report good, suss, or no go.Empty pocket frauds and charlatans 'returning from deaths door',or 'communicating' with the deceased, and other unemployable crystal ball style 'mediums' don't count.fyi+fwiw if they were any good at the game they'd be at the racetrack, stock market and the newsagent filling out Powerball tickets,rather than wasting their talent on weak minded 'future cheat' suckers, to relieve them of retirement cash and homesoops, I've typed too much already!My sincere thanks and appreciation to the extremely tolerant Admin here, you know who you are

author: bluey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 09, 2020, 12:44:56 pm
content: Quote from: Electro Detective on May 09, 2020, 09:59:49 amI hope anyone playing round with 1000V knows a lot more about electrical safety and the meter is not their only protection!I haven’t come across anything that will do 1000V DC for under Aud100.The Voltcraft does have the “lead in the wrong hole” input alert warning that Fluke 87-I has. It si called "incorrect wiring alarm" in the manual. Only in the VC-271, not in the VC-270. Haven’t found another cheapie that does that.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 12:48:05 am
content: Quote from: bluey on May 09, 2020, 12:44:56 pmI'm with you on the 'hope' thingUnfortunately most buyers of cheapie meters, especially those that think they've dodged a Fluke-esque price bullet,scoring a 'same specs' 1000 volt CAT litter rated bargain,know next to nothing about electrical safety, and or not quite enough in a weird fault situation,or the difference between AC/DC voltage, AC/DC current, Continuity, Buzzer etc, or the correct mode/dial selection and remembering to change modes,and having the leads plugged in the right or wrong way, and there's 4 or more? wrong combos on that,assuming the leads are ok, meter batteries not flat, and the meter hasn't dived onto concrete or kitchen tiles one time too manyLet's not forget those unfortunates whose metersand themselvesare no longer with us,plugging into the '10 or 20 amp UNFUSED' current inputs and attempting to measure a high voltage source,for a nanosecond of awesome fireworks and flames.The manufacturers haven't done any notable favors to clue up newb and pro-ish buyers on actual usage and real world watch-its,the back office coffeeholic marketing teams must assume all the buyers/target market are EEs, meter designers,and oopsie survivors buying their second meter, after cooking their first one,and wiser once/thrice bitten YoutubersBlack and white folded A4 print outs supplied with the meters can't be that expensive surelyFudging specs to flog a mediocre meter I can understand, but a big flying FYI goes out to marketing teams:customers won't buy that meter brand again if it pops due to clueless operator error,or if they're not around anymore to buy another meter, due to gross clueless operator blunder

author: karamba
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 12:58:30 am
content: If you do need to measure 1000v you better buy yourself a dedicated high voltage meter that does just that. I remember having one of those but cannot tell you the brand now. It comes with 1” thick probes and is much safer to use. You cannot mistake current and voltage inputs for example as there is no current (resistance, capacitance etc ranges) just voltage.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 12:11:40 pm
content: I echo the voice of others regarding getting a safer meter. The Amprobe 560 and 570 are very well built and nicely featured options that will go to 1000V, but the others suggested before only go to 600V.https://www.amprobe.com/product/am-510/(below in the page there is a list of the different models and their specs)Same thing for the Fluke 10x (101, 106, etc.) And 11x (110, 115, 117, etc.). They all are rated up to 600V.https://www.fluke.com/en-vn/product/electrical-testing/digital-multimeters/fluke-106The Brymen is also a good choice and, as others have said, you can get by with a better capacitance checker outside the meter. If you take that route, you could probably save some money and get a meter without this feature - the BM231R seems to be a good choice, as it also goes up to 1000V.https://brymen.eu/shop/bm231/

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 01:22:28 pm
content: Quote from: bluey on May 09, 2020, 12:44:56 pmUse airgap protection, ie. don't hold the meter in your hand, connect it then power up the device via a power strip with a switch.It goes bang? Meh, it was only a DT830B.

author: Crambone
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 01:33:39 pm
content: Thanks for all the great info and safety advice. I ended up ordering a Brymen BM869.

author: Electro Detective
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 10, 2020, 11:15:12 pm
content: Quote from: rsjsouza on May 10, 2020, 12:11:40 pmI was a bit peaved at first when the 114 and 101 refused to test an insulation tester's 2mA 1000v DC setting (usually 1050v no load @ DMM 10meg)and some 660 volt AC motor run capacitors running in circuitThen I realized Fluke were being real with these budget models and not fudging the voltage rating come CAT capabilities,so newbs and serial cheapskate DIYers can't go prodding into 1000+ volts,and if they do the meters will display out of rangeSome good news is the stock leads with these budget meters, appear identical to what's supplied with 1000v capable FlukesNot the best leads around to handle/fiddle with, but keep the tips clean (and filed SHARP if blunted)and they get the job done as good as anyMy 50mA worth of advice if going cheap, and AC mains and high DC voltages are what you anticipate to work with sometime now, future, maybe..or someone else may be playing with it when you're not aroundthen get a cheap Fluke asap while they are still ok to buy,or two different cheap Fluke '600 voltage range and feature limited' models,that between both have all or most features requiredor one cheap Fluke for the nasty stuff,and a fully featured TooHungLow cheapie with everything on itincluding kitchen sink and coffee machine attachment optionsor just bite the bullet like OP Crambone did, and get a real deal meter that won't complain too much

author: bluey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2020, 05:40:49 am
content: Reading about the cheap asian market Flukes, the 15+/17+/18+ have the fuse test with 1K ohm resistor. This functions effectively as a "performance test" of the internal DC voltmeter and constant current generator. (They are also rated for 1000V.) The 100 series is missing the internal high precision resistor.So I will encourage my brother to get the cheap Fluke over any other cheapie.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2020, 02:54:04 pm
content: I don't know about Australia market, but for the same price o fth eFluke 18B+, the Amprobe AM570 or the EEVBlog's Brymen BM235R are infinitely better choices.

author: Fungus
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2020, 03:16:56 pm
content: Quote from: rsjsouza on May 12, 2020, 02:54:04 pmYeah, but they're not yellow.Buying a Fluke 18B+ isn't be a mistake in exactly the same way that buying a Fluke 87V isn't a mistake. They're good meters, just not the best bang:buck on the market.

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2020, 03:36:45 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 12, 2020, 03:16:56 pmWell, I don't think it is a mistake either but there are just better choices on the basis of features and reviews around. That is what these threads are all about, otherwise everyone would simply get the top brand.Note: other brands may even have better usability - I just got a Fluke 101 (yes, different beast) that has very poor usability overall when compared to other similar offers. Even some of the Fluke 87V folks complain about the "default to AC" on current measurements.

author: 2N3055
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 12, 2020, 07:30:02 pm
content: Quote from: Fungus on May 12, 2020, 03:16:56 pmThank you for formulating this so eloquently. This is exactly how I feel.

author: bluey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2020, 05:56:41 am
content: Quote from: rsjsouza on May 10, 2020, 12:11:40 pmSo the Amprobe AM-560 and AM-570 replace the AM-540 and AM-550 which had a tendency to blow up with high voltage!https://www.amprobe.com/amprobe-am-540-and-am-550-digital-multimeters/

author: rsjsouza
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: May 21, 2020, 11:25:21 am
content: Quote from: bluey on May 21, 2020, 05:56:41 amI didn't know that. Looking at the manufacturing dates involved and the date of the press release, that is what I call a Superb action and response! It shows how real companies that stand behind their products should behave.And no, I have no affiliation with Amprobe - I was just pleased with a meter I got from them recently (a much lesser featured AM530).

author: bluey
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: May 24, 2020, 04:11:51 am
content: Stumbled on testequipmentonline.com.au has some Hioki meters 30-50% off.Dave reviewed DT4256. Looks very nicely made. AUD250 apparently. Will do 1000V. HVAC model was half price but out of stock.https://www.eevblog.com/forum/blog/eevblog-973-hioki-multimeter-review-clamp-meter-teardown/