Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

[samm835]

Can someone point me in the right direction or give me a link to a decent tester....without breaking the bank. I need to do some testing on my stator, trigger, and some other great things as well. So I need a tester that is almost idiot proof and that I can afford...price is a big factor. Thanks for any help!

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Multi-testers are not and cannot be made idiot proof. If you don't have basic electrical skills it will be of no use to you. For the average shade tree mechanic Radio Shack, Lowes, Home Depot and a almost any hardware store have inexpensive VOM (volt/ohm/milliamp) meters for anywhere from $10 to $100. Volts are volts, ohms are ohms, and milliamps are milliamps. Even if the meter has a 10% error spec (not likely) it will still be fine for your use.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

As far as a brand name, Fluke is one of the better ones out there. Along with the older Simpson analog VOM's. With this economy, you may want to check out some local pawn shops..

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Good point on the Pawn Shops. I've been buying some nice stuff there as of late. Don't hesitate to negotiate on the price either.

 

[triumphrick]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Yep...unfortunately as our economy slips, many more tools and recreational items show up. I buy refurbish, and sell fishing gear and have a few shops that will call me. I get quite a few calls, but they have to keep the stuff for a while before they are ready to move on it...

 

[samm835]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Thanks for the help guys, I will check out the pawn shops first. My only reservation on that is there won't be an instruction manual most of the time. If I have a manual.....I usually don't have any problems figuring out how to use something. Thanks again!

 

[Don S]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Just pick up one of the cheapies from walmart or Home Depot or even you local Ace, get one for 15 bucks, it will give you the basic information you need, like Volts and Ohms, and it will come with instructions.
Once you start learning how to use it, then you will have a better idea what to look for in a better meter.
Don't expect the instructions to teach you how to test things on your boat, it won't.

Go to the link below, and download the 12V handbook, it will give you some insite on how to test with a meter and a test light.
http://www.motoren.ath.cx/menus/electrical.html

 

[Boatist]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

Harbor Freight has meters as Low a 2.99 up to about 8.99. The more expensive ones have a lighted LCD and may be higher quality but look exactly the same. I have one I just keep on the boat and check the Battery every year.

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

What most meter instructions fail to tell you is NEVER use the OHMS (resistance) setting on a "powered" circuit. When measuring resistance of a circuit it must be totally isolated from other circuits (disconnected) and the battery in the meter will serve as the power source. Other than that, a digital meter for the casual user is probably easier to understand. Set the meter to DC Volts, AC Volts, or OHMS and touch the probes to the circuit. Some meters are auto-ranging, but most inexpensive meters require that you manually select the range.

 

[Yepblaze]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

You may find that the meter you NEED allows peak reading. Most meters sold don't offer this.

 

[jlinder]

Re: Voltage Meter - Need help in purchase

I would suggest you start with the cheapies. For $10 or so you can't go wrong, it will probably do 99% of what you need, and it give you a better idea on what you might eventually want.

I keep one on the boat for when I am out on the water. Real help if you have problems, and if something happens to it I only lost $10.