Member Since: 08 Nov 2005
Location: Surrey
Posts: 217
get a Fluke....or if you are old school like me and like an analog meter, try hunting down a good old AVO!!MG
HSE V6 Diesel
Buckingham Blue
Ebony Leather
Side Steps
Mini Fridge
Rosen A7 Roof-mount DVD player
Parrot 3100 Bluetooth
Removable Towbar and Elecs
Pure Highway DAB
Portable Fridge
21st Nov 2012 6:32 pm
WOODY179
Member Since: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Chesterfield
Posts: 3646
Robbie wrote:
I'm a Fluke user too but for most I recommend:
The Amprobe AM-240.
It has all the safety features of a Fluke, good basic accuracy, good response time, good features, good leads and good to use.
It costs just over £30, so a fraction of the price of a Fluke.
I have the AM-240 (amongst a few others) and I throughly recommend it. There are a few others that would make my budget list, but I genuinely own one of these.
If you have an hour to kill with the legendary Dave Jones one of his famous multimeter reviews can be found here:
(ok I cheated a little as Amprobe is owned by Fluke)
Just ordered myself one of these.
If anyone else is interested in one, you can order it direct from Rapid's website, and if you the discount code '10NOV' at checkout you get free delivery for anything over £5 making the Amprobe AM-240 cost just £30.60
30th Nov 2012 10:20 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
Very good price!
Just noticed my typo too!
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
Last edited by Robbie on 30th Nov 2012 10:35 pm. Edited 1 time in total
30th Nov 2012 10:34 pm
Tomcat 106
Member Since: 28 Aug 2010
Location: Essex....just
Posts: 160
+1 For Amprobe
We use these for technical training - tested against Fluke and close enough for anyone!!
Recommend the 38XR. For those that want to do more than look at battery voltage could I sugest that you choose one that is capable of measuring %PWM (Duty Cycle) and Frequency.
Or if you get really excited go for a PicoScope!!
30th Nov 2012 10:35 pm
Albert0109
Member Since: 15 Aug 2012
Location: Sunny Essex
Posts: 404
how would those two options benefit us in maintaining our cars, duty cycle and frequency
Your knowledge on car electronics obviously eclipses mine Faultmate Owner
New front lower wishbone bushes and balljoints
New suspension compressor with two new front height sensors
Clock on dash plus 3 flash indicators
New Exide 017 battery
EGR,s blanked
Front and rear belts replaced by Me
Including new idlers, water pump and serpentine belt tensioner
1st Dec 2012 10:13 am
Robbed666
Member Since: 18 Jun 2008
Location: Portsmouth
Posts: 60
Fluke all the way......
PW and fo useful for injectors, cam/crank shaft postion sensors, VS sensors..... er.. anything with a pulsed output.....
3rd Dec 2012 9:00 am
hensoni
Member Since: 01 Oct 2007
Location: Sleepy Somerset
Posts: 576
Nice porn!
Fluke all the way (type 87 MkII). I dropped my first one from 15ft and my "apprentice" is still using it 14 years later
Accuracy is not the only parameter to worry about:
1) likelihood of probes breaking down under high voltages - I've been belted by cheap probes before
2) easy replacement of current fuse when behaving like an idiot
3) current capacity - most cheap DMMs can only handle a few amps (see point 2...)
4) RMS or peak? Do you care? Do you know the difference?
5) battery life - flukes consume next to nothing... In the last year, I have put 3 PP3s into my cheapy hall effect clampmeter, still on the first PP3 in the fluke
6) Resolution of reading - sometimes, you need lots of digits
7) Now considerably cheaper than they used to beClub missing my D3
3rd Dec 2012 8:36 pm
Robbie
Member Since: 05 Feb 2006
Location: ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Posts: 17932
hensoni,
All very good points that I echo. I recommend a Fluke for more serious users for the reasons you state. As the Amprobe shares a number of safety features with its parent Fluke range it also gets a thumbs up, but clearly cannot compete with the features of a high end DMM.
Some of the cheap DMMs have few if any safety features like HRC fuses or blast protection. They can be lethal but I thought it worthy to emphasise your point about test leads as they are often overlooked and they too can be life threatening at mains voltages.
Land Rover - Turning Drivers into Mechanics Since 1948
You cannot post new topics in this forum You cannot reply to topics in this forum You cannot edit your posts in this forum You cannot delete your posts in this forum You cannot vote in polls in this forum
