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Started By
Message
Anyone recommend a good low-end multimeter?
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:15 am
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:15 am
My dirt cheap one bit the dust. Just looking for one in the $20-ish range for little stuff around the house and shop. Any particular one yall like and/or features you look for in one? Any reason to pay more? Will mostly be used for checking voltage on trolling motor batteries, tracking down parasitic draws, and possibly checking resistance on some old coils in the 2 ohm range.
5
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:16 am to TheDrunkenTigah
I've got a cheap analog one from ace hardware. It's about 12 years old and still works great. It's no fluke but it is accurate.
Eta: think it was $15 or something
Eta: think it was $15 or something
This post was edited on 3/15/19 at 9:17 am
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:18 am to TheDrunkenTigah
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:24 am to Chuker
not sure if they still make it but i have a craftsman one that is going 20+ years.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:26 am to TheDrunkenTigah
I have this from HD. The combo was about $40. I like having the non-contact voltage tester.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:38 am to TheDrunkenTigah
Harbor Freight has some. Innova makes some good cheaper ones. The leads suck on them. Mine works pretty damn good though. The cheap Klein I have is garbage. I don't even use it anymore. I have a Craftsman one that is almost the same as the HF ones that works okay. It stays in my dirty truck toolbox, if that means anything. Craftsman just rebrands other meters.
If I'm not at work, I'm using my Fluke or Innova 99% of the time. Hell, you can have the Klein if you are in New Orleans.
FWIW, my Fluke 117 shows the same exact readings as my $1100 one and $7000 one that both get calibrated. Buy once, cry once (they're only like $150 IIRC)
Eta: I put my 117 in a Pelican box. It was only $25 on Amazon. The 789 came with a Fluke box. The GE Druck came in bags, but I'm thinking about putting it in a box. It's a great way to protect the meters and keep leads/extra fuses from getting lost
If I'm not at work, I'm using my Fluke or Innova 99% of the time. Hell, you can have the Klein if you are in New Orleans.
FWIW, my Fluke 117 shows the same exact readings as my $1100 one and $7000 one that both get calibrated. Buy once, cry once (they're only like $150 IIRC)
Eta: I put my 117 in a Pelican box. It was only $25 on Amazon. The 789 came with a Fluke box. The GE Druck came in bags, but I'm thinking about putting it in a box. It's a great way to protect the meters and keep leads/extra fuses from getting lost
This post was edited on 3/15/19 at 9:57 am
Posted on 3/15/19 at 9:52 am to Hammertime
quote:
Harbor Freight has some.
LINK
For a cheap multi-meter, this is the answer. For the simple things I do, they can't be beat. You can often get them on sale for less than $5.
I've got about 3 or 4 or them. They're so inexpensive that I keep one in the travel trailer, with the kids H.O. Train stuff and one in the regular tool box.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 10:03 am to Lonnie Utah
That's actually the one I had that bit the dust, but it got dunked in water so it wasn't exactly on the meter. May pick up one or two of those just to keep around like you said and get a little nicer one for projects.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 10:12 am to TheDrunkenTigah
I have several of the Free Harbor Freight ones and also a $12 Innova 3300 w auto ranging from Amazon which keeps it simple.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 10:14 am to Chuker
That's the Innova one I have. I would buy it again if I didn't have 12 other ones already. I consider the other ones throw-away meters
Posted on 3/15/19 at 10:15 am to Hammertime
quote:
Fluke 117
I miss my Fluke 111. It died in a flood. And they don’t make it anymore.
I have the same Klein set from HD above. Works well.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 11:17 am to TheDrunkenTigah
Harbor freight basically gives them away for free via a coupon.
Posted on 3/15/19 at 11:49 am to Boudreaux35
quote:
I have this from HD. The combo was about $40. I like having the non-contact voltage tester.
That is a really good option for home use.
If you want just the multimeter I'd suggest an autoranging like this one for $49.99
Posted on 3/15/19 at 11:59 am to mdomingue
I went with the innova for now, thanks guys.
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