For those in Australia & NZ and possibly elsewhere, there's a well priced
moderate performance multi-meter available with a wider than usual range of
features. NOT a particularly flash meter but appears to be better than
average value for money and with more features than usual.
Digitech "Inductance DMM" for about $NZ79 retail from Jaycar (slightly less
trade) (far less wholesale if you have access).
It's a normal mid range 3.5 digit meter with typical 10 MOhm input
impedance. As well as the more normal ranges for a meter in this class it
adds.
- Inductance (4 ranges - 20 mH, 200 mH, 2H, 20 H). 20 mH range reads to 10
uH.
This capability is rare in cheaper multitesters. DSE have a ~ $170 model
with inductance test.
- Temperature - Rudimentary K type thermocouple probe supplied.
Uses standard meter jacks for connection rather than more usual dedicated
thermocouple jack.
- Auto power off.
More normal capabilities include:
Unlike many it has a 2 mA DC range so can read to 1 uA.
AC & DC current to 10A
Capacitance - 4 ranges 2 uF to 200 uF.
Transistor beta test.
Continuity tester is on diode test range - had anaemic warbly sound but did
act immediately (as it should) rather than after a delay as some do.
Is that the "QM-1445"? Is so then its not too bad for the price. And the
digits are nice and big on the display.
My only problem with it is you need to stuff the inductor or cap into little
slots on the front on the meter, not use the leads.. I wouldn't mind so much
if I had to move the leads to a different spot, but I have to jam
wires/paperclips what ever down the contacts and attach clips to them to
measure anything useful.
Russell:
> Digitech "Inductance DMM" for about $NZ79 retail from Jaycar
> (slightly less trade) (far less wholesale if you have access).
I bought one of those Digitech meters a while back - it soon got
put out the back on the spare bench. Most meters in that price
range are crap. The Fluke ones we have are the only ones that
reliably read stuff in-circuit every time. If I had my time over, I'd
just buy all Fluke's and be done with it. I do realise however that
the average hobbyist can't afford to do that! :-) I use to think the
Fluke meters we way over the top (price wise) but for serious use
they're hard to beat.
David...
___________________________________________
David Duffy Audio Visual Devices P/L
U8, 9-11 Trade St, Cleveland 4163 Australia
Ph: +61 7 38210362 Fax: +61 7 38210281
New Web: http://www.audiovisualdevices.com.au
___________________________________________
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Ashley Roll wrote:
> Is that the "QM-1445"? Is so then its not too bad for the price. And the
> digits are nice and big on the display.
>
> My only problem with it is you need to stuff the inductor or cap into little
> slots on the front on the meter, not use the leads.. I wouldn't mind so much
> if I had to move the leads to a different spot, but I have to jam
> wires/paperclips what ever down the contacts and attach clips to them to
> measure anything useful.
These meters are cheap but quite usable for capacitance
and inductance (and also general multimeter funcions)
and good for a first or second hobby multimeter.
I also mentioned this meter on the list a couple of
months back.
Re the spring clips, yes these are a pain. I have a
couple of cap and inductance meters like this, I pull
the back off and solder 2 wires to the PCB coming out
through the case and with small alligator clips.
Much easier for clipping on to inductors and caps
with short legs. The mod takes about 10 minutes.
-Roman
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> Is that the "QM-1445"? Is so then its not too bad for the price. And
> the digits are nice and big on the display.
>
> My only problem with it is you need to stuff the inductor or cap
> into little slots on the front on the meter, not use the leads.. I
> wouldn't mind so much if I had to move the leads to a different
> spot, but I have to jam wires/paperclips what ever down the contacts
> and attach clips to them to measure anything useful.
I made a test lead once that plugged into those terminals. The lead I
started with was a twin banana to aligator clip set like you get with
some power supplies. Take off the banana plug, but leave the plastic
shroud, solder on a couple of spade lugs and glue them into the
banana plug shroud. Glue the two banana plug bodies together side by
side. Worked pretty well really. Hmmmm..don't have that lead anymore
else I could have sent a photo of it.
mitvma.mit.edu
