Recommend (Cheap) Multimeter?

[greenrvgreen]

My cheap Lowes Multimeter seved its purpose and is pretty much shot. I use a Multimeter to check for hot wires as I putter. I would like this multimeter to ACCURATELY read low DC voltages, but other than that it just has to work. Any recommendations, maybe off of Amazon?

[rkentzel]

I have this one along with couple of B&K's. I find the HF works just fine.Meter

Well at least it has overload protection


Digital multimeter measures AC/DC voltage, AC/DC current, diode overload protection, audible continuity and temperature

[BrianinMichigan]

I have this one along with couple of B&K's. I find the HF works just fine.Meter

[rkentzel]

Yes recomend a cheap meter and some one on here buys one not knowing what they are doing may find it melted in there hand before they know it. Using the wrong setting could cause a big problem. If you dont know how to use it dont buy one just because you think you need one by reading this thread.

[Don_McL]

i too ordered another.

i plan to give one to my daughter.

do i give her this new cheap one?

or the older pricier (must be better) one?

don

[greenrvgreen]

OP here. I got my Equus 3320 from Amazon today also. My first digital meter, seems like great fun--checks out fine on my battery bank. Also, device is much larger than I expected, but still manageable.

Regarding desired price point, $17 was right on the nail. Fact is I was fishing for a reason to spend $50 or more, but I'm glad to learn there really isn't any.

Thanks again for the recommendation, and the great discussion.

[Bumpyroad]

Almot wrote:

westend wrote:
... If $50 is above the price threshold, pick another, having a working meter is better than having NO meter, IMO.

I am surprised that this thread is not 10 pages long yet. The OP didn't specify the price threshold. He did mention accuracy in low DC voltage, though.

I consider "cheap" to be from free to 15-20 bucks.
bumpy

[Almot]

westend wrote:
... If $50 is above the price threshold, pick another, having a working meter is better than having NO meter, IMO.

I am surprised that this thread is not 10 pages long yet. The OP didn't specify the price threshold. He did mention accuracy in low DC voltage, though.

[westend]

Bumpyroad wrote:
my concern is that the OP requested a recommendation for a cheap multimeter, not the best available. exactly what is wrong with that $17 wal mart one for general use around the RV? I assume that one could spend $100s if not $1000s on fancy exotic electronic equipment if such precision was needed.
All too often in this forum recommendations are made by "buffs" in their specific area of expertise for equipment, etc., better than required. Somebody asked about a basic tool set and I and others recommended a $39 set from Harbor Freight and then to add in better equipment as seen necessary. somebody seemed to indicate that a $499 Craftsman tool set was required, it was not.
So those two meters both come from China, albeit from different production lines. is the quality control actually better on one than the other? what are the specs on them? is there a practical difference in the specifications, for RV use, not for monitoring the construction of a Lunar Module?
bumpy

Lunar Module...lol. I'm not disparaging the $17 meter for a hobbyist or RV use. It would probably do the job. Like I said, I own and use a variety of meters, both dirt cheap and those that cost a lot more. Use depends on application and the need for durability or exacting measurement/ball park numbers. I do consider $50 to be a lower price to pay for a reliable meter with good specifications. I thought someone, previously in this thread, alluded to paying a bit more for a step up in quality. That is why I suggested the Tenma as fitting the application. I know a couple of technicians that recommended the Tenma as a quality product. If $50 is above the price threshold, pick another, having a working meter is better than having NO meter, IMO.

[SaltiDawg]

Don McL wrote:
i bought this one quite a few years ago for maybe 50$.

walmart has it on sale at 17$.

has the audible sound for cont and it has a auto shutdown feature where it beeps and the shuts itself off when you forget. (very handy)

Don,

I received my $17 meter from amazon.com in today's mail.

Checks out fine! If anything, overkill for home/RV general use.

Thanks for the recommendation!

[Bumpyroad]

SaltiDawg wrote:

Bumpyroad wrote:
my concern is that the OP requested a recommendation for a cheap multimeter, not the best available. exactly what is wrong with that $17 wal mart one for general use around the RV?...

As I pointed out, that $17 meter is also available at amazon.com for $17 with free prime shipping. And to answer your question, based on hundreds of Customer Reviews, it looks like a 4+ Star product and up to most tasks.

I tried to find the specs on those two meters and sort of struck out, found specks but cut and paste didn't work and formatting got all messed up.
bumpy

[SaltiDawg]

Bumpyroad wrote:
my concern is that the OP requested a recommendation for a cheap multimeter, not the best available. exactly what is wrong with that $17 wal mart one for general use around the RV?...

As I pointed out, that $17 meter is also available at amazon.com for $17 with free prime shipping. And to answer your question, based on hundreds of Customer Reviews, it looks like a 4+ Star product and up to most tasks.

[wa8yxm]

I have a bunch of MultiMeters ranging from around 5-7 Dollars at Harbor Freight to about 250 (Suggested retail) and frankly Other than some very advanced features on the big one..(Measures frequency, temperature and capacitance) I really can't recommend one over the other..

Oh the big one blew a non-replacable module.. With the HF ones you don't worry about that.. Some of 'em if the battery goes dead it's cheaper to toss 'em

[Bumpyroad]

my concern is that the OP requested a recommendation for a cheap multimeter, not the best available. exactly what is wrong with that $17 wal mart one for general use around the RV? I assume that one could spend $100s if not $1000s on fancy exotic electronic equipment if such precision was needed.
All too often in this forum recommendations are made by "buffs" in their specific area of expertise for equipment, etc., better than required. Somebody asked about a basic tool set and I and others recommended a $39 set from Harbor Freight and then to add in better equipment as seen necessary. somebody seemed to indicate that a $499 Craftsman tool set was required, it was not.
So those two meters both come from China, albeit from different production lines. is the quality control actually better on one than the other? what are the specs on them? is there a practical difference in the specifications, for RV use, not for monitoring the construction of a Lunar Module?
bumpy

[westend]

Bumpyroad wrote:

westend wrote:
My everyday meters are Flukes. I also have a drawer full of HF cheapies should I need to measure multiple voltages. I even have some analog meters should I need to see a needle move.
If I didn't need constant reliability for work situations, I think I'd get one of these Tenma meters. I know a couple of bench techs that swear they are good.

and you know that is better than the $17 Equus 3320 Inova at walmart because?
are you positive that they didn't both come off the same assembly line in China?
bumpy

I guess this is a serious question so I'll answer it as such.
The Equus product is made for the consumer hobbyist, it is not built as part of the Innova automotive lineup but is engineered to a price point, a low price point. The Tenma meter is from a line of electronic test equipment by that manufacturer, most of it used by technicians in their field. Tenma has a considerable history of building quality test equipment.

Innova/Equus and Tenma are two distinct companies having their own factories in different locations. Tenma is a brand owned by Premium Farnell, owners of MCM Electronics and Newark, both quality line distributors of electronic equipment.

FWIW, I didn't characterize any meter as being less than or better than another. As stated, I use a variety of them. If I was looking for another meter (I'm always looking), the Tenma would be on a short list and the Equus would not. That's my list and doesn't have to be yours.