Which multimeter?

Its unusual to need extreme accuracy in most applications - so its questionable whether it worth paying for AVO class instruments.

There can be advantages in using a moving coil meter, you can see the rate of movement which in some applications is useful, and they are less vulnerable to high frequencies

I have a cheap moving coil meter for the boat, never had a problem yet that would have needed a more expensive machine to solve.

If you are playing with the radio a neon mains tester will usually respond to the RF signal.

For home use I have a decent quality digital meter and access to an AVO 8 if I need it - I can't recall ever having to.

All these machines do is measure volts - which you may do occasionally and probably more - resistance (continuity). They also measure current but not often you need to do that.

In the vast majority of cases you are seeking to establish if a voltage or continuity exists or not - only occasionally is a reasonably accurate figure significant.

I would expect to find 80% of faults with a 12v bulb connected to two lengths of wire.

Another handy tool is a length of flexible wire with a croc-clip on each end.

PS don't use a digital meter if looking for a fault on a transmitter - they do not like RF up 'em
 
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Ruffles said:
You can get DC current clamps but sadly they don't read reliably down to milliamps which is a great shame. Or so it seemed when I looked into it.
BTW a good reason to buy a cheap multimeter is that when you blow up the 10A range you can just buy a new meter. The current fuse on a Fluke is £20!
Click to expand...
I splashed out on one of these..
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tecpel-Voltage-Current-Clamp-Meter/dp/B0017TQ74G

Along side a ammeter it seems accurate down to around 0.1/0.2A dc.

very useful once in a while.
 
Agree with cheap and cheerful, but... see if you can find one which times out and switches off after a period of inactivity. I had one that did, but it went AWOL. I find myself using them to trace problems, and after the "eureka moment" I always start the mend without switching the meter off, and face a flat battery next time I want to use it. If you can't get one with "auto-off" buy one that uses a readily available battery and carry a spare (or two).
 
There's just no requirement for extreme accuracy in a multimeter for any job on a boat. In fact the cheapest digital multimeter will be far more accurate than anyone would ever need.
 
Wow - back from a day of removing sails and general tidying, to find all this info! It looks as though the cheapies will do the job to get me started. Then when I know a bit more about what I am doing I will revert to this thread.
Thanks all, regards
Paul
 
ghostlymoron said:
Just found this http://www.toolsuniverse.co.uk/digital-clamp-meter-dc-and-ac.html?language=en¤cy=GBP amazing price! - its from a reputable toolmaker.
Edit. I see now that it doesn't do dc current. But i don't often measure current anyway. Maybe pay more for one that does.
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You will not often want to measure AC current either, so you might just as well buy an ordinary non clamp meter as this one.

Diode test range can be useful because digital meters are often/usually no good for this on the ohms ranges.

If your hearing is past its best you may not hear the "buzzer" on the continuity test setting. I have just bought a meter with a continuity test range but the buzzer pitch is too high for my hearing
 
I had my hearing tested at the doctors last week because Mrs Moron comments that i have the telly on too loud and i find that a lit of people mumble these days. I couldn't here at the doctors test machine at all so he has arranged for me to have a full hearing test. I can hear the uk test buzzer on my multimeter though .
 
ghostlymoron said:
I had my hearing tested at the doctors last week because Mrs Moron comments that i have the telly on too loud and i find that a lit of people mumble these days. I couldn't here at the doctors test machine at all so he has arranged for me to have a full hearing test. I can hear the uk test buzzer on my multimeter though .
Click to expand...

My hearing has been damaged by noise. Also I guess getting poor as I get older. I cannot hear bird song now, I cannot hear some of the piezo things they use in place of proper buzzers. I have bought alarm clocks that I cannot hear although some that are lower pitched are OK.

Young female voices on the telephone are a bit of a problem, esp strong regional accents.
 
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