Multimeter choice. Which one?

[Olazz]

Guys, I'm going to learn about Auto electrics and currently looking at doing an evening course for same.

I have a couple of multimeters, analogue cheap and an auto ranging mid price. Both work but I wanted something more professional.

Thinking of getting a FLUKE Multimeter.
Sort of migrating to the 87v as my favoured choice.

So anyone got any advice or guidance for me?

Thanks

 

[Gary820]

You won't go wrong with a fluke imo, had mine over 10 years now and it gets used a fair bit, passes calibration every 6 months and does everything I need it to. Not the cheapest out there but worth every penny.

Everything after that I use the oscilloscope we've got at work.

 

[Doodle]

Seconded. Had Fluke meters for as long as I can remember - dad used to get a new one as demo kit every couple of years but was never asked to return them. Never given us any issues at all.

 

[Jon Wildsmith]

I have never owned a Fluke, just have some cheap BOGOF meter from Maplin that lives in the 80 and a Meterman 37XR just because it was on special offer. Apart from having a fancy new toy (which is always a good enough justification on it's own ) what are you expecting your Fluke to do that a cheap simple meter doesn't do?

 

[sae70]

I'd wait to see what the course tutor recommends as there are a number of options that I wished I had and don,t have! For car electrics you'll need something that'll accurately give you at least two decimal places for checking the state of a battery or charging circuit, but at the same time you often only need something as simple as a lamp on a lead for checking if there's a voltage there or not rather than waiting for your super expensive Flike or Avo to auto range thro! I have an all singing all dancing Avo that does Capacitance and frequency (never used) as well as DC/AC voltage and Amps, but does not have a temperature feature that I feel is essential for car electrics and maintenance. For example you can check glow plug function with a temp gauge by placing the prob on top of the glow plug or check auto box oil temp before taking a level reading etc. For me its not so much about the name, but the functions that I want. Its also nice to be able to take current reading using a clamp meter, but not all current clamp meters will do DC amps!!!

I think to cover all possibilities your best off with two or three separate bits of kit. This also builds redundancy into what you have.

1 x Simple Lamp pen with a lead and a crocodile clip
1 x Good quality Volt meter with Amps, Continuity and Temperature functions
1 x Good quality AC/DC Current Clamp meter (this will also likely have the ability the be used as a Volt meter and so provide the redundancy)

1 x Large safety pin (I use one of these to see whats going on inside a wire without seriously compromising the insulation by just gently piercing through)
1 x three meter long wire with a crocodile clip on each end for extending the length of a prob lead

This would be my perfect list if starting a fresh

 

[Olazz]

Thanks for all the advice chaps.

@Jon - I know a simple analogue would work just as well to diagnose, but you never know where this new found electrickery knowledge may lead me!
@ Steve - Makes perfect sense Steve. Just need to find a safety pin now.

 

[Crispin]

Stay away from analogue ones - they cannot take much abuse before the needle unseats and renders it useless. The digital ones, auto-ranging or not, take a hammering before giving up. I've had mine - which I got when I was in Std 6 - fall off cranes and I stil;l use it daily today.

For motor use a cheapie will be fine. I have a couple of Flukes and a few £10 jobbies and the cheapies work just fine. For the more "advanced" stuff I will use the Fluke though.

Get the one you want and get a cheapie to leave rattling around in the glove box for "emergencies".

 

[Gary820]

Must admit I've got a cheap one that lives in the truck tool kit and a test light. Don't need accuracy etc for the situations they get used. Some lengths of wire too, like the safety pin idea, carry them in first aid kit anyway.

 

[Towpack]

For 99% of jobs on a vehicle you don't need an expensive meter, be it Fluke, Avo or whatever. Unless you'll be diagnosing and repairing faults in electronic components and circuits, a decent 'budget' meter will be fine and even if you are then you can still do a lot with one. The knowledge how to use one is far more valuable than a £££ meter IMO so your training course is an excellent idea if you find electrics a bit of a mystery.

 

[uHu]

Love the Flukes. Always used them professionally as an electronic techie. But for car electrics, there isn't normally any use for anything else than a 10 £ alternative. A high-end fluke will be better if you are comparing gate voltages of transistors in high impedance circuits, e.g. FETs; but for a normally low impedance/resistance car electric system, any accurate meter will do. The Fluke 87, e.g, is a very nice meter tho, so if you can: Get one.

More important than brand, is ruggedness and accuracy. There are other brands, e.g. here at the office I have a Mastech - similar specs to a Fluke which is 2-3 times the price.

 

[sae70]

This thread has had me reconsidering my current eclectic collection of older Avo and Fluke test instruments and after a bit of a search around I've found this http://www.tester.co.uk/extech-ma220-400a-ac-dc-clamp-meter and it ticks all of my box's for a glovebox multimeter Of course it does volts and amps and continuity, but the exciting bits are the 400Amp clamp meter Imagine being able to clamp your winch in operation or your charging circuit and the wip out the temperature prob and see how hot your ATF fluid is or your back axle or your engine or glow plugs or even just how hot it is today There's a Fluke one also http://www.tester.co.uk/fluke325-400a-ac-dc-true-rms-clamp-with-temperature for more than twice the price!!!

 

[stumog]

i dont think you need to spend a fortune on a mutimeter at all. i have a really cheap and nasty one. it does every thing you need to check. i used to use a powerprobe when i was in working on hgv &psv these are worth having.
stu

 

[TonyP]

I like both of those Steve..... must... resist!

 

[nivapilot]

"i used to use a powerprobe when i was in working on hgv &psv these are worth having. "

Careful with a powerprobe, especially on anything with an ECU, unless you know what you are doing, seen one or two go bang probing the wrong wire, or sending wrong voltage in...but saying that, they are a very versatile bit of kit.

Got to echo what most are sayng though....get a semi decent cheapie for the car, and if really needed then a more expensive one. I have only found though that a "good" unit is only needed by the professionals, a cheapie is all that's needed for general use.

 

[stumog]

we used power probes on all kinds of jobs with ecu,s and never had any issues at all. I wouldn't use one inside a ecu but on the rest of the electronics its fine. what sort of things have you seen blow up with them very interested in that for future reference.
stu

 

[Gav Peter]

Got mine from ALDI years ago - for car work its not worth getting anything special IMHO...

 

[Gary820]

Got a power probe sat in my tool box at work, gets used now and again (came in handy sorting my rear locker out) electrical testing I use a multimeter though.

 

[Olazz]

Thanks for the heads up and advice guys. Managed to pick up a brand new 87v for less than half price.

 

[uHu]

Thanks for the heads up and advice guys. Managed to pick up a brand new 87v for less than half price.

 

[Gary820]

Result.
Hope you enjoy the course you'll be taking.