Selectest Super K multimeter - UK Vintage Radio Repair and Restoration Discussion Forum

ORAWA01 · 4th Oct 2018, 10:33 pm

Anyone still using this meter?

I have one sitting on the shed workbench for years, and got it connected up.

The meter was still working, very smooth and nice movement.

Not sure how to use it or check the accuracy. I wonder of if this meter is still practical in daily use after all these years.

But for ohm and DC voltage checking would be still fine if checked out accuracy.

AC/HL · 4th Oct 2018, 11:58 pm

Do you mean Selectest Super K? If so this is perfectly usable.
If you don't have another meter to compare readings, as a rough test measure a battery.

Vintage_RC · 6th Oct 2018, 12:23 am

I recently checked the calibration of my Selectest Super 50 against an AD584L reference (results in another thread). Bottom line is after more than 50 years and never having been serviced or calibrated it still met its original spec.

ORAWA01 · 6th Oct 2018, 2:45 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by AC/HL

Do you mean Selectest Super K?

Yes, that is the one. Sorry for my mis-spelling.

I better open it up and check the battery. I think it used D size battery, and another one, which I cannot remember what type it was. It could be something not easy to get?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Vintage_RC

I recently checked the calibration of my Selectest Super 50 against an AD584L reference (results in another thread). Bottom line is after more than 50 years and never having been serviced or calibrated it still met its original spec.

Yes, mine is SELECTEST SUPER K. It is a large meter, and movement of the hand is so smooth and bouncy.

I am planning to replace the old batteries inside, if they are gone.

AC/HL · 6th Oct 2018, 3:48 pm

It's not worth the risk of leaving them in. The 15 volt BLR121 is still available, but TBH I don't bother with the high resistance ranges, a digital meter is much more convenient. The low range is handy for continuity checks though. As said, your meter is probably fine for normal uses still.

turretslug · 6th Oct 2018, 8:24 pm

ISTR that the Super K has a basic DC voltage range sensitivity of 1 kilohm per volt, making it more comparable with the AVO 7 than the AVO 8- perhaps that's where the 'K' in the name comes from? Otherwise, it's very similar in appearance and layout to the 20 kilohm per volt Selectest Super 50 (perhaps from 50uA at FSD?), the most obvious external difference being that the Super K has scales ending in 75 and 300, rather than 25 and 100.

It is a nice piece of kit, but the low sensitivity means relatively high loading and voltage reading discrepancy in high resistance circuits, though still perfectly credible as a current meter.

MotorBikeLes · 6th Oct 2018, 10:16 pm

I am pretty certain it is 20,000ohms per volt. NOT 1,000. These are TOP QUALITY meters, much easier to read than most AVOs.
Les.

turretslug · 6th Oct 2018, 10:29 pm

https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=28063

stuarth · 6th Oct 2018, 10:58 pm

Super 50, 20,000ohms/volt, ranges markings on the faceplate, ~AVO 8
Super K, 1,000ohms/volt, range markings on the switch knob, ~ AVO 7

Stuart

turretslug · 7th Oct 2018, 2:17 pm

It's worth highlighting the differences between Super K and Super 50, as one could be mistaken for the other in the enthusiasm for an apparent bargain more easily than with AVO 7 and 8. I've heard the Super K and AVO 7 described as "sparky's meter", with the lower-sensitivity movement supposedly being more electrically and mechanically robust. Also, anyone who's used neon testers, "standard" 10 Megohm resistance DMMs or high-resistance analogue meters in an AC electrical fitting-type environment is likely have encountered the tendency to give misleading indication due to capacitive or inductive pick-up between conductors- at least this is much more likely to give safer false positives but it can be confusingly and annoyingly misleading. A 1 kilohm per volt meter will be much less susceptible to misleading indication- I think that there are electrical-work orientated DMMs available of relatively low input resistance of perhaps 1 Megohm for just this reason.

4th Oct 2018, 10:33 pm	#1
ORAWA01 Hexode Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Stirlingshire, UK. Posts: 407	Selectest Super K multimeter Anyone still using this meter? I have one sitting on the shed workbench for years, and got it connected up. The meter was still working, very smooth and nice movement. Not sure how to use it or check the accuracy. I wonder of if this meter is still practical in daily use after all these years. But for ohm and DC voltage checking would be still fine if checked out accuracy.

4th Oct 2018, 11:58 pm	#2
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: SELECTA SUPER K Multimeter Do you mean Selectest Super K? If so this is perfectly usable. If you don't have another meter to compare readings, as a rough test measure a battery.

6th Oct 2018, 12:23 am	#3
Vintage_RC Heptode Join Date: Sep 2018 Location: Twickenham, London, UK. Posts: 538	Re: SELECTA SUPER K Multimeter I recently checked the calibration of my Selectest Super 50 against an AD584L reference (results in another thread). Bottom line is after more than 50 years and never having been serviced or calibrated it still met its original spec.

6th Oct 2018, 3:48 pm	#5
AC/HL Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Heckmondwike, West Yorkshire, UK. Posts: 9,642	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter It's not worth the risk of leaving them in. The 15 volt BLR121 is still available, but TBH I don't bother with the high resistance ranges, a digital meter is much more convenient. The low range is handy for continuity checks though. As said, your meter is probably fine for normal uses still.

6th Oct 2018, 8:24 pm	#6
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,395	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter ISTR that the Super K has a basic DC voltage range sensitivity of 1 kilohm per volt, making it more comparable with the AVO 7 than the AVO 8- perhaps that's where the 'K' in the name comes from? Otherwise, it's very similar in appearance and layout to the 20 kilohm per volt Selectest Super 50 (perhaps from 50uA at FSD?), the most obvious external difference being that the Super K has scales ending in 75 and 300, rather than 25 and 100. It is a nice piece of kit, but the low sensitivity means relatively high loading and voltage reading discrepancy in high resistance circuits, though still perfectly credible as a current meter.

6th Oct 2018, 10:16 pm	#7
MotorBikeLes Nonode Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: Kirk Michael, Isle of Man Posts: 2,350	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter I am pretty certain it is 20,000ohms per volt. NOT 1,000. These are TOP QUALITY meters, much easier to read than most AVOs. Les.

6th Oct 2018, 10:29 pm	#8
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,395	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter https://www.vintage-radio.net/forum/...ad.php?t=28063

6th Oct 2018, 10:58 pm	#9
stuarth Heptode Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Heysham, Lancashire, UK. Posts: 668	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter Super 50, 20,000ohms/volt, ranges markings on the faceplate, ~AVO 8 Super K, 1,000ohms/volt, range markings on the switch knob, ~ AVO 7 Stuart

7th Oct 2018, 2:17 pm	#10
turretslug Dekatron Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Surrey, UK. Posts: 4,395	Re: Selectest Super K multimeter It's worth highlighting the differences between Super K and Super 50, as one could be mistaken for the other in the enthusiasm for an apparent bargain more easily than with AVO 7 and 8. I've heard the Super K and AVO 7 described as "sparky's meter", with the lower-sensitivity movement supposedly being more electrically and mechanically robust. Also, anyone who's used neon testers, "standard" 10 Megohm resistance DMMs or high-resistance analogue meters in an AC electrical fitting-type environment is likely have encountered the tendency to give misleading indication due to capacitive or inductive pick-up between conductors- at least this is much more likely to give safer false positives but it can be confusingly and annoyingly misleading. A 1 kilohm per volt meter will be much less susceptible to misleading indication- I think that there are electrical-work orientated DMMs available of relatively low input resistance of perhaps 1 Megohm for just this reason.