Help on buying a multimeter

[Mistermal]

Hi Folks, new to electronics but trying to learn. Looking to buy a multimeter. Seen a few on eBay, £13-£22. My funds aren’t great. Any advice would be much appreciated?

[paulsherwin]

There are many different opinions on this subject, but a cheap Chinese one will do all the basic measurements needed for radio restoration. Even the dirt cheap sub-£5 ones can be used, though their electrical insulation isn't great for work at valve voltages.

[Mistermal]

Ok thank you Paul. I’ve seen a sealey mm18 pocket multimeter for £13?

[Mistermal]

Just found another for £3.57!!!! Do you think that would be good enough for what I’m doing?

[paulsherwin]

See https://vintage-radio.net/forum/showthread.php?t=133000 for lots of opinions.

This forum has lots of members who are or have been professionals, and they tend to recommend professional gear like Flukes, which are fine meters but a bit pricey for a hobbyist.

As I said earlier, the dirt cheap meters work well enough but their build quality is pretty awful and they should be used with care at high voltages. It's worth getting one for those occasions when you need to measure two things at once (voltage and current, say).

[The Philpott]

There's quite an extensive thread on the Golborne Vintage Radio website, on budget digital multimeters, with many suggestions.

The cheapest of the cheap are the DT830 family, unsuitable for high voltage, and the test leads are typically sub-standard. Having said that, mine lasted well over a decade before going 'mental', which brings me to another point- 2 cheap meters are better than 1, as when they start arguing with each other it comes to your attention straight away that one of them is faulty. Then you have to tell which one...which involves buying or borrowing a third.. slippery slope!

To some extent your choice depends on where your electronic interests lie, or will lie.

[crackle]

There are some very good reviews of multimeters by a forum member here. http://golbornevintageradio.co.uk/fo...ght=multimeter

Mike

[The Philpott]

To some extent branding like Draper, Sealey or Silverline has the potential to be misleading - sometimes these will be re-badged meters bought in bulk by whichever retailer is selling them on in the UK.

[Mistermal]

Ok thanks for that info. I’m going to be using one to test and check valve radio and record players. Just checked some of the links and fluke has been said to be good but cost is out of my range. Information overload

[Radio Wrangler]

I'm one of the professionals, and i have an array of measuring equipment that had terrifying prices when new.

But for starting out something very basic, not even of particularly good quality will get you a long way. The main thing is to be aware of its limitations in terms of safety and until you've learned how to work around its limitations know what to not attempt with it.

As you get further involved and tackle more deanding things you may want to buy something better, but you'll still use your first one as a backup and when you need to monitor two things at once.

As Philott has said Draper, silverline, Sealy, are just the brand names of importers. They all get cheap gear from similar makers and have their brands printed on it. At this end of the market, makes and models don't help much. Photos may be better.

I needed a spare meter at work a couple of years ago, popped down to B&Q and fond something quite comprehensive and fairly well made... £17 wasn't bad. But places like B&Q change suppliers continually. There won't be any more quite the same there any longer.

David

[Mistermal]

Thank you David. I’ve had a look about and I’ve found two for now to choose from. There’s an ultrics and a neotech in my price range so I’ll give one of them a go and see how I get on hopefully I won’t blow myself up!!!

[dave walsh]

Not an overload it's just that you are hoping for a simple answer to a relatively complex question This should become obvious if you check out some of the advice. It will increase your knowledge base at the same time. Yes a Fluke will not be essential, especially re the cost, for most of us but Paul Sherwin had already pointed that out. A lot of enthusiasts use older large black meters from the famous AVO Range [Series 7 or 8] which can be obtained cheaply, sometimes! They are not [relatively speaking] as sensitive as some modern equipment but that wasn't the norm when 60 year old valve gear etc was built. That means the readings may, in fact, be more accurate for the purpose. This is the sort of supplementary knowledge that will help you.

Dave W.

[paulsherwin]

I have a couple of the DT830 throwaway meters and they are fine for transistor gear. I use them with valve gear now and then, but I take care and would never risk using them on anything where the voltages are over 250V. The probes are very poor quality but are nevertheless usable and take a surprisingly long time to fail.

[Mistermal]

Thank you Dave and Paul. You’re right Dave I’m just a little impatient and I guess I want it all too fast. I’ve got to slow down and take everything in bit by bit by Reading,reading and reading. I’ll do some more reading and research before I go any further. Thanks again guys.

[dave walsh]

That's ok. It will all come together and there's more enjoyment when we can really grasp things [can't say I'm there yet]. Just noticed a thread started by Superscope re "AVO Model 9 MK lV Variation" on Friday. Some people worship AVO's and collect from the whole range, restore and polish them up. They do look really great "factory fresh" probaly the Flukes of their day! However they were built as workshop "work horse" not works of Art. I notice Superscope comments [p7*] "you learn something every day...and it's very true


Dave

[Mistermal]

Ok thanks Dave. I’ll check it out. I do appreciate all the info.

[Ed_Dinning]

Hi, if you are only going to measure DC volts, it would be quite simple and instructive to build your own voltmeter. Plenty of simple meters movements have been advertised on here.

I'm not sure of your level of expertise, but do not try measuring current until you are absolutely sure how to connect the meter (or Bang). Similarly, do not try and measure resistance unless you are sure the kit is turned off and caps discharged.
Most of the cheaper meters are not fitted with a good cut out as is an AVO!

Ed

[mhennessy]

Last year I wrote a lot about cheaper multimeters on several forums (thanks for the earlier link, Mike), including this one. I brought it all together on my website, and included an introduction to the safety aspects of multimeters - not to discourage folk from buying cheap multimeters; rather to summarise the various issues so that people are able to make an informed decision. http://www.markhennessy.co.uk/budget_multimeters/

On that sort of budget, you can do a lot worse than the Aneng AN8002 or AN8008. Simply light years ahead of the DT830 meters that are so popular.

A slightly newer alternative is the ZT301, which I reviewed on EEVBlog, but haven't got around to writing up for my website. http://www.eevblog.com/forum/beginne...53/#msg1344853

Whatever you pick, I would urge you to research at least the basisc of multimeter safety. If nothing else, please restrict the use of cheap meters to your bench only - never be tempted to use them for electrical work where the energy levels will be much higher than what you find on an electronics bench.

And when funds permit, it might be worth considering some better probes...

[Mistermal]

Thank you Ed and Hennessy. I’m taking in all said. I’ve found the aneng 8009 on the auction site at £17 which is affordable. Would you say this is ok to do what I want to do in regards to fixing dansette record players?

[HamishBoxer]

I have just checked this and yes go for it!