Multimeter purchase

I've been using multimeters since Adam was a lad, and I wouldn't want to use an analogue one for general purposes again.

As there are such a vast range, the only way anyone could give you an idea is to come up with a budget. There are ones that are dedicated for automotive use; perhaps start from Googling them?

Chris

I doubt if anyone still makes analogue multi-meters - or if they do it's at the very bottom end of the market.

You can get digital multi-meters from around £3/5 (including postage) on Ebay. These would be OK for occasional usage on a car environment. I always keep one of these types in my car glove-box.

However, the very cheap one come with very flimsy measuring leads and associated connectors and you may want something better for measuring mains voltages or currents at mains voltages.

I would recommend something around £20/30 with auto-ranging for general purpose use.

One disadvantage with digital is that you have to remember to change the battery every so often. They tend to still work with a a failing battery but the reading become very inaccurate (usually reading high). Many don't come with a battery compartment so you have to split the case apart to change the PP3 9V battery.

There was a Simpson meter, in working order, at our local auction house last year. If I had had room for it, I would have bid for it. It was heavy! Personally, I always used Fluke meters at work, but somebody else was paying for them.

[...]

+1

Luckily, mine stayed in my toolbox when I retired ;-)

Chris

Your doubt is mis-founded; there are a surprising number of analogue ones available over the £150 price point. Some are over £400.

Chris

I managed to find a Fluke 8050A on ebay for 30 quid excellent unit as is most all of their range like the portable ones 77 etc, just make sure the LCD is OK. All in a nice meter better than the Chinese clones and cheapies. Also if you using it on mains make sure you have a decent pair of test leads too:)...

Since this is a car group, an automotive one with things like a dwell function can be useful. Although originally for setting points, it will still show the dwell on an electronic ignition system as well as the operation of injectors. RPM can be handy too. I got one off Ebay for about

30 quid which lives in the old car. Seems very well made.

On Ebay, you do tend to get what you pay for with DVMs. Which start at only a couple of quid. Around 30 will buy a decent one with decent leads.

As has been mentioned already in some cases ...

You can easily test for the presence of a voltage (typically 12V on a car) with either analogue or digital as you generally aren't looking for an absolute / accurate reading ("do I have 'power' at this point or not"), unless you are checking for charging voltages (in which case a digital might be better for accuracy and readability). For quick and dirty 'is there power' then an analogue or even a 'small lamp on a wire' are fine.

Something that allows you to put or have a crock clip on at least the

-ve is handy (or one fitted on there permanently) and the option of having one on the +ve is also good for longer term monitoring / hands free use (also good when checking for a loose / intermittent connector).

Many of the 'better' meters come with std (shielded / banana?) plug connectors allowing access to a good range of aftermarket leads and ends.

For a more reliable day_to_day use I'd look for something slightly ruggedised (often just a soft plastic / rubber 'skin') over any fancy features you might never use (like capacitor / transistor testing). Not only does it protect the unit (but not the display as such) from the odd knock / drop the more 'rubbery / silicone' type don't tend to slide about so much, handy when balancing your MM in a running engine bay etc.

Personally, I like a meter with an auto-off or at least a separate power button so I can leave any input selector set at say the 20V DC range or Auto DCV. Again, I personally prefer manual over auto for such roles as you might see the display trying to accurately 'display' a low voltage when in fact it's really just a poor connection and wouldn't really need to display anything other than that, giving you a pointer to trying to get a better connection.

An audible 'continuity' test is handy for 'buzzing out' what should be straight low resistance paths (cable runs or switches etc) and a good low resistance range might be more use on a car than a very high one.

A 'quality' of analogue multi meters used to be how high their input impedance was (again, not really an issue re car use) and even the cheapest digital MM will exceed that by a long way.

Many meters also come with a reasonable current range but most are only around 10A Max (I have one that goes to 20A) and so do have their limitation. So, if you were to say measure the background current drain you might connect the meter in series with the main battery lead but the initial / inrush current (as you make the connection) might be greater than 10A and possibly blowing the internal fuse. You can get round this by effectively 'shorting' the meter leads with an additional wire and then open the short, once the initial currents have stabilised (that you would have to guess at or measure with another / clip on ammeter).

Some meters also have provision for an external temperature probe or have other features like 'Hold' on the display (save you having to extend the meter leads to where you can see it if testing something remote, like voltage to a stop light etc).

You can also get DMMs with built in 'Current / Ampere clamps' (although again, you can also get them as add-on's for any multi meter as they convert amps directly into a voltage to be read on the MM voltage range as amps) and these can be very good for measuring heavy loads, starting / charging currents or how much current your EV draws on the flat at 30 mph (200A in my case). ;-)

More flexible but more bulky for general toolbox use.

Some meters also allow you to output data to a port for external logging / monitoring and I'm sure a 1000 other things these days. ;-)

I keep a DMM at all the main places I frequent (house, workshop, mobile toolbox, the cars) and have even bought a batch of small (and very usable) DMM's from eBay / China for 99p each and given some away to people who don't have anything (but who might make use of such, even for checking dry batteries and domestic fuses).

My very first MM (when a child) was a little analogue jobby and as a teen had use of an Avo 8 when working for BT.

Cheers, T i m

p.s. The problem these days is to do many things you don't need a multi meter or spanners but diagnostic tools that cost more than many cars cost new. ;-(

Unfortunately, ours were rotated on a 6-month calibration cycle, and were signed out and back in for every job, so that was not an option. And I was laid off while I was working in Mexico, so the tools were left on site while I went to the airport. Oh well, I don't need the accuracy nowadays, as mentioned elsewhere, it's more of the 'Yes/No' checks that I need now, in my retirement.

Had an analogue one from Maplins recently, £14.99

There's more to be said for an analogue meter when working with mains voltages as their low input impedance minimises phantom readings caused by inductive/capacitive coupling. But can't really think of any benefit on a car - expect perhaps not needing a battery for voltage measurement.

Yeah, perhaps it depends on old habits. But easier to follow unstable readings on an analogue. Also, I prefer analog speedo in my car.

Yup, flash burns are a far more common injury than shocks.

Yup, flash burns are a far more common injury than shocks.

And that's the best reason for an analogue meter.

I did have a digital meter with a reasonably useful bargraph across the bottom of the screen at one time.

SteveW