Just an FYI:I got a coupon in the mail from HF for a free DMM with any purchase. I can always use another meter and I'm in need of a larger vise grip so I stopped by HF and cashed in my coupon.I tested it out today and was disappointed. on DC volts my Fieldpiece measured 15.0VDC, my Fluke measured 15.1VDC while the HF measured 14.2VDCOn DCA the Fluke measured 5.0ADC and the HF meter measured 4.4ADC.I didn't go going any further. Granted, this is only one sample but if you own one you might want to validate it. I thing I'm going to use mine for parts.

Take it apart and look at the cheap circuit board and you will see whay it was FREE.Ken

Hmm, that is quite a difference. Oh well, at least your not out much ;)

I suspect every tech may be concerned about slight errors. However, I suspect if I was trouble shooting a ckt my concern would be the voltage difference. Free or not I'm betting if you picked up 20 different digital volt meters there would be errors between them. Back when techs really repaired electronic equipment instead of throw away in todays world we used analog volt meters and calibrated them to flashlight batteries. Didn't seem to handicap the techs. In fact many techs including myself measured DC with a scope which probably had considerable DC error. I have never had a problem trouble shooting an RV problem with a Harbor Freight free meter. I have about 5 or 6 of those free meters. Never had a problem. When was the last time your John Fluke was calibrated? When working in the aero space industry our equipment was calibrated every 30 days on Uncle Sam's dime. Probably a Harbor Freight meter would have worked just fine in the lab without any calibration. :B A meter is only as good as the person holding the probes and reading the meter, calibrated or not. I use the Harbor Freight meters all the time in my RV. Doubt it handicapped my troubleshooting skills. I totally recommend these free meters for every RVer.

I must have 10 or so of these free Harbor Freight meters, with most still in their display packaging. (They were free without having to buy anything up until late last year.) I use them frequently. I don't depend on the meter to give me an exact readout, and most of the time an accurate reading isn't that important anyway. They come in handy to determine if a circuit is hot, or ground is functioning. Besides, you can't beat the price. (Even if you have to buy something else now, it is still a good deal.)

WyoTraveler wrote:When was the last time your John Fluke was calibrated? When working in the aero space industry our equipment was calibrated every 30 days on Uncle Sam's dime...The Fieldpiece is calibrated once a year on your dime. :B That's my standard. I calibrate the Fluke 88 and Simpson 260 to that as needed.The HF has a single pot calibration. It must just adjust the display stage. Regardless, I calibrated it to 15V and now the current reads 4.8A @ 5.0A input.

Harbor Freight Freebie DMM | Good Sam Community

MrWizard
Moderator
May 08, 2015
It's something to put in the glove box or tool box for Emg trouble shooting
Find an open circuit blown fuse bad ground etc..
Not to be compared too more expensive meters used to calibrate and set charging systems
FlatBroke
Explorer II
May 08, 2015
Use mine to check voltage in c,d,aa,aaa batteries. Batteries ain't up to snuff on some things work in others as long as the voltage is not way low. I save the higher ones. HF meter is pretty accurate for that. Good to see if any charging system actually working.
landyacht318
Explorer
May 08, 2015
Open up that centech.

There is a small potentiometer one can use to calibrate the voltage reading.

Mine drifted over time and started reading low. I dialed it in with a more trusted DMM, but not one of fluke quality.

Good enough for my uses.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
May 08, 2015
TIPS

Purchase a new 9-volt lithium non-rechargeable battery. One that has the longest to expire date. Secondly, get a precision resistor a 1% if possible. One Megohm would be a good value. Whatever it takes measure the resistance across the resistor with a known high-quality ohm meter. Write it down.

You are not looking for accuracy in values. But repeatability when verifying an unknown measuring device. I have seen cheap resistors wander in resistance even when stored in drawer. Weird, but a quality resistor is not pricey, so who cares??

The lithium battery will retain stable voltage for quite a number of years.
nineoaks2004
Explorer
May 09, 2015
I have several of the meters, they work ok for me. For more precise work I have better meters, but the Harbor Freight ones accurate enough for on the road work and the price is good. i also have a few of the free LED lights and have two in the pup, 1 in my pu, and several scattered through the house..The do a decent job so i don't kill myself at night.
j-d
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
^^^ 'Zactly! I think I got a meter DOA once, let the smoke out of another one. At the "price" I don't feel bad when one gets wet or worse.

Agree with the OP's who point out that a decent meter wherever it's needed is better than an excellent meter at home.

Same with the flashlights. They usually work well long enough to deplete the batteries then there are more free ones. But once in awhile I'll buy more, but only on sale...of course!
2112
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
wilanddij wrote:
OK, you know you're complaining about a free meter, right?
LOL
I wasn't complaining. I was attempting to inform the less informed to not take it as being even close to gospel until it has been validated.

I was beyond surprised to find it that far off, free or not.
It was the difference between absorption and equalization charge.
Gjac
Explorer III
May 09, 2015
2112, thanks for posting your findings. I am not an electrician and use the HF meters for troubleshooting problems in the MH. I have found that when the batteries get low the readings get higher for DC Voltage. I have gone through several meters in working on the MH, gas ruined one when checking my fuel pump on generator, one I left outside in the rain, leads broke on several, and blew one out when being on the wrong scale. Being that they were free I did not feel bad. If they were a an expensive meter like the Fluke I would have been very upset.
wilanddij
Explorer
May 09, 2015
LOL
I wasn't complaining. I was attempting to inform the less informed to not take it as being even close to gospel until it has been validated.
Yeah, I get ya.

Seems like it kinda depends on your point of reference. Like, the support engineer says, "If it ain't broke don't fix it" and the design engineer says, "If it ain't broke it doesn't have enough features". :)
j-d
Explorer II
May 09, 2015
Gjac, I feel you. Blew up a vintage Simpson 260 Analog on wrong scale working on a residential water heater. I brought it in for repair and there was just too much burned out... Made me sick, still does. For a few things, Analog will tell you things Digital won't.