Multimeter advice needed

[Crisis management]

I need a new multimeter as the antique chinese one has finally died and not being a sparkie I need some recomendations. I could just go to Bunnings but I'd rather have some advice beforehand.
It will get used to poking things on the bike occassionally, trouble shooting the boat wiring and for the "I wonder what happens if.." stuff I do around the house, so it doesn't need to be the top of the line Fluke but needs to have readable numbers (digital) and do the basic functions simply. I don't want to have to read the manual everytime I get it out, oh, and cheap!

Ta in advance.

[neels]

Dick Smith do some reasonable ones, autoranging is not a bad idea.

Something like this perhaps

http://www.dse.co.nz/dse.shop/4cf2dc...uct/View/Q1456

[slofox]

I use a DSE version - not autoranging though. Does the job just fine so far.

[avgas]

Buy the cheapest you can find. And learn how to use is properly.
The knowledge alone is worth a million flukes.

Auto-ranging is not important if your willing to learn. But handy if your lazy.

[nadroj]

I use an APPA-77 bought from Ideal electrical wholesalers. Excellent value for money.
http://www.appatech.com/appa_product...81003113623241

[Juzz976]

I have a few meters here

last 1 of the UNI-T UT60A
true RMS auto ranging and CATIII 600V CATII 1000V
Peak hold + backlit display
Does Freq Duty Cycle dwell.... Also has opto Isolator for pc datalogging.

Very handy, can use to log appliance usage or whatever with the serial pc link.

$50 brand new.

Otherwise get a cheapo at jaycar, DSE or wharehouse.

[avgas]

last 1 of the UNI-T UT60A
true RMS auto ranging and CATIII 600V CATII 1000V
Peak hold + backlit display
Does Freq Duty Cycle dwell.... Also has opto Isolator for pc datalogging.

Very handy, can use to log appliance usage or whatever with the serial pc link.

$50 brand new.

Buy this one!!!!

I currently have 2 x baby UNI-T UT20B.....they go everywhere with me and are surprising good. They have had dents scratches......5-10 years of really hard use and are not dead yet.

UNI-T is a very underrated brand.

[Juzz976]

Buy this one!!!!

I currently have 2 x baby UNI-T UT20B.....they go everywhere with me and are surprising good. They have had dents scratches......5-10 years of really hard use and are not dead yet.

UNI-T is a very underrated brand.

I've got 3 of these, 2 for home and 1 for work as I'm a switchgear fitter.

They have good impact resistance as they're rubber coated, I use these to datalog allsorts like how often fridge starts up / current draw or temperature, hot water cyclinder blah blah. They also look good too.

Another handy thing to have is a small dc clamp meter, awesome for finding leakages.

[Motu]

Auto ranging is good,but can get confusing if it changes range in use.Graphing is also an excellent feature,but not usually a cheap option.

[tri boy]

Dick Smith for the win.
Fluke meters are over rated. They still fail, but cost a heap to get repaired, and a small fortune to replace.MHO

[HenryDorsetCase]

I had one I liberated from captivity aka a previous employer which was an AVO brand: made in the 60's I reckon. It has a dial sweep gauge which I much prefer to digital. But to replace it I bought a $100 one from DSE and its OK.

[Crisis management]

Thanks guys, looks like Dick Smiths then....for the simple applications I need it for the basic model will do. I assume all of these modern meters have a "smoke about to escape" warning?

[notme]

Thanks guys, looks like Dick Smiths then....for the simple applications I need it for the basic model will do. I assume all of these modern meters have a "smoke about to escape" warning?

I'd advise against autoranging - it can confuse you if you are not careful and send you up the garden path looking for a problem that doesn't exist. It's not needed on a DMM - and the reason for that relates to your question above. For measuring everything except current, you are fine to whack your DMM onto the source and change voltage ranges until you find one you like. Most meters will not suffer damage measuring voltages on any setting apart from current (which requires you to move the probes on most anyway)

The pending smoke warning is when you plug the probes into the current sockets, be careful then, and always return the probes tot he voltage sockets when you are finished working with the meter.

[Juzz976]

I'd advise against autoranging - it can confuse you if you are not careful and send you up the garden path looking for a problem that doesn't exist. It's not needed on a DMM - and the reason for that relates to your question above. For measuring everything except current, you are fine to whack your DMM onto the source and change ranges until you find one you like.

The pending smoke warning is when you plug the probes into the current sockets, be careful then, and always return the probes tot he voltage sockets when you are finished working with the meter.

How can it be confusing when it displays the value and the units?

These are designed to be used by noobs.

IMHO

[ducatilover]

I've been using a Jaycar DMM for all my auto elec crap for two years, it's rather decent and was a very good price.

Oscilloscopes are more fun to look at though