Decent DMM for around $250?

[goontron]

Long story short, i was trying to figure out why my washing machine was dead and full of water, i had put my meter in continuity mode across the (open) thermal cutout. I forgot to unplug the machine... DMM dead.

Any suggestions?

[retiredcaps]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

DMM dead.

1) If you want to try and fix your existing dmm, I can make suggestions if you post clear focused pictures of the pcb (both sides). Show a picture of the make and model as well.

2) If you don't want to fix it, then I can make some suggestions (well under $250).

[goontron]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

1) If you want to try and fix your existing dmm, I can make suggestions if you post clear focused pictures of the pcb (both sides). Show a picture of the make and model as well.

2) If you don't want to fix it, then I can make some suggestions (well under $250).

Its an old otc multimeter plus 3391. Plastic is brittle and cracked. I don't want to sink time into it.

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

what do you want it to do, how many digits?
handheld, or desk?

if i was shopping for a new meter, it would start with a UNI-T UT61E
then end with a Rigol (and a lottery win)
there's lots in between.

one thing, i would buy new probes - i'v never been impressed with the ones you get with handheld meters.

[goontron]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

what do you want it to do, how many digits?
handheld, or desk?

if i was shopping for a new meter, it would start with a UNI-T UT61E
then end with a Rigol (and a lottery win)
there's lots in between.

one thing, i would buy new probes - i'v never been impressed with the ones you get with handheld meters.

I would need current measure, voltage, resistance, continuity, the basics. Frequency counter or capacitance would be nice, but i don't need, need them. Handheld.
and anywhere from 4.5 to 5.5 digits is fine.

[retiredcaps]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I would need current measure, voltage, resistance, continuity, the basics. Frequency counter or capacitance would be nice, but i don't need, need them. Handheld.
and anywhere from 4.5 to 5.5 digits is fine.

I wrote this in January 2015 ...

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...7&postcount=17

Some will claim that the free or $3 meters will just be as accurate/good and they are welcome to use it on 120V AC or 240V AC as they see fit (knowingly or unknowingly).

[clearchris]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

one thing, i would buy new probes - i'v never been impressed with the ones you get with handheld meters.

do you have any suggestions? One of my probe tips was... melted.

[goontron]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I wrote this in January 2015 ...

https://www.badcaps.net/forum/showpo...7&postcount=17

Some will claim that the free or $3 meters will just be as accurate/good and they are welcome to use it on 120V AC or 240V AC as they see fit (knowingly or unknowingly).

I will have to look into the BK.... Anything you know of in the $200 range?

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

do you have any suggestions? One of my probe tips was... melted.

depends on your budget.

i would say 10-20 is reasonable for decent cables, probes etc.

something like these:
http://www.rapidonline.com/Test-Meas...obe-Set-525174

http://www.rapidonline.com/Test-Meas...ads-Set-532677

http://www.rapidonline.com/Test-Meas...ads-Set-532664

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I will have to look into the BK.... Anything you know of in the $200 range?

http://www.uni-trend.com/en/product/2014_0729_802.html
http://www.dx.com/p/ut61e-2-6-lcd-di...battery-113306

only about $50 leaving change to buy decent cables!

[retiredcaps]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I will have to look into the BK.... Anything you know of in the $200 range?

There is a huge difference between a $3 multimeter and a $50 multimeter in terms of build quality, reliability, accuracy, precison and safety.

There is a noticeable difference between a $50 and a $100 multimeter, but not as much as the above.

There is a noticeable difference between a $100 and a $200 multimeter, but not as much as the above.

In another words, spending more reaches a point of diminishing returns. Everyone's different requirements will determine when this point is reached.

Some people would rather have two $100 multimeters versus one $200 multimeter. There will be times you need to measure current and voltage at the same time or you need to measure two voltages at the same time. For example, I often will use a multimeter attached to the large filter capacitor, possibly 400V DC, in a SMPS using hands free probes/attachments and another multimeter probing voltages somewhere else. When I power off, I can safely look at the multimeter measuring the large filter capacitor to ensure it is fully discharged.

$200 range.

1) new Brymen BM257S aka Greenlee DM-510A => roughly $150 USD
2) new Brymen 860 series aka Greenlee DM-820A
3) Amprobe AM-140-A - another Brymen rebadged meter

Agilent/Keysight also have meters in the $200 range, but I have no hands on experience with them. I would love to get one, but finding them in my strict price valuation parameters requires a lot of patience.

[Per Hansson]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

Yes the UNI-T UT61E is nice, I bought it at a sale from Elfa.
Wrote a small blurb about it at the last paragraph in this post.
Kind of interesting result compared to a 10 times more expensive Fluke meter...
I do agree with stj's recommendation about probes, the included ones are quite cheap...
Actually the ones I got where intermittent, so I sent a mail to Elfa and they next day shipped me some Fluke probes no questions asked!

[retiredcaps]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

Kind of interesting result compared to a 10 times more expensive Fluke meter...

The specs for ACV on the Uni-T 61E is 45Hz to 10kHz. The Fluke 28 II specs for ACV is 40Hz to 30kHz.

[goontron]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

Well, ive settled on the UNI-T UT61E and a set of FLuke leads....

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

http://www.ultradmm.com/

bookmark that.

[fzabkar]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I have a Fluke PM97 scopemeter which I bought new for AU$2750. It's been a POS since day 1.

Nowadays I stick with cheap DMMs and test their accuracy with a cheap precision reference (5.000V +/- 5mV).

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

i have one of those, it was good till a fet shorted and the charge circuit blew about a dozen parts off the power-board!

[fzabkar]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

I ordered a service manual for it. It came with one page missing -- the PSU circuit. When I received a photocopy of it, notes had been pencilled on it.

The batteries never held a charge.

The probes went O/C within a short time (no physical damage).

The AC adapter didn't adapt for very long and Fluke wanted $120 for a replacement when all I needed was the DC cable (which was easily replaceable).

One of the PCBs failed due to leaky smd crapacitors.

[stj]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

that's a long list!

was it the meter probes that oc'd or the scope probes?

[fzabkar]

Re: Decent DMM for around $250?

One of the scope probes went O/C. Not cheap to replace.