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Old 7th Jul 2005, 1:10 pm   #67
pmmunro
Octode
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Dundee, UK.
Posts: 1,797
Default Re: AVO Multimeter survey

Over the years there were a number of Avo models which were smaller than the mainstream range. There should be some identifying information somewhere on them. Specials were also produced but were rarely adopted for general sale.

The Heavy Duty range was produced from the late 1940s and is described in another thread on this forum. These have a single range knob centrally placed directly below the scale window. This was originally designed at the request of the Great Western Railway before going on general sale with revised ranges.

From around 1960, there was the Model 12, designed especially for auto-electrical work. It is the same size as the Heavy Duty, but in "landscape" format with the range knob at the lower right corner.

The Models 14, 15, 16, 20 and the EA113 were a range of multimeters designed principally for the export market. These too are "landscape" format and most, possibly all, have a blue/grey front panel moulding. Examples of the EA113 and Model 16 have just been sold on ebay.

There were also some "cheaper" meters of an entirely different format such as the 70 series and the EM272. I would have to check which of these were made in Dover. They were superseded by yellow cased types which were produced in the far-east and "suitably" badged.

On the digital side, production started around 1970 with the DA112, a bench instrument using Nixie tubes. This was followed by the DA114, also with Nixie tubes, but portable and about 20% LARGER than the conventional Avometer. Then came the DA116/117 with LCD displays, manually switched and autoranging respectively. As well as commercial sales, the DA116 was an Admiralty/NATO standard known to have been standard issue for conventional submarines. These appear frequently on ebay. The DA117 is less common (and I would like one or an LCD display to suit).

These were followed by oriental digital meters and then an excellent range of rebadged German meters made by ABB/Gossen-Metrawatt-Camille Bauer.

If you can, post some pictures and I would think we will be able to identify the mystery items.
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