Input impedance of Dick Smith Q-1420 multimeter (cheap)

Silly question, probably. I have a cheap DSE multimeter, model Q-1420. Documentation's long gone, but I wanted to know its input impedance when measuring DCV. I'm setting the idle current on an amplifier and the service manual specifies a VTVM (tube voltmeter) to make the measurement

- presumably because of high input impedance. I assume if the DMM has

10 meg input impedance it'll be OK - but I need to know!

Cheers, MK.

Reply to
Matthew Kirkcaldie
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"Matthew Kirkcaldie"

** Thats right - Doc.

** Nearly always, DMMs have 10 or 11 Megohms impedance on DC voltage ranges.

Very cheap ones might have 1 Megohms.

** Err - must be a vacuum tube amp, right Doc ?
** Any DMM will do the job just fine. 1M or 10 M.

BTW:

Old VTVMs are just vaguely interesting relics nowadays.

DMMs are guilty of planet wide, VTVM genocide.

....... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

If you had a second meter you'd be able to measure it! The DMM most likely has in the order of 10M so it should do just fine for your application. Yes, the VTVM was specified because of its higher input impedance than a normal analog meter (10-50Kohm/volt typical). Incidentally, some DMMs have a selectable "infinite input impedance" mode (in the order of 10's Gohms) for specilised high impedance circuit measurments. I think I saw a cheapie meter once that had no input impedance on the mV range and the usual 10Mohm on all others.

Dave :)

Reply to
David L. Jones

How about using the meter in question to measure it:

Say you have a DC power supply set to 10V. You measure this with the meter and (hopefully!) it shows 10.0V. Then you measure it again with a high value resistor, of say 10M in series and, for example if the reading is now 5.0V the impedance of the meter is 10M. You might have to try a few different resistors if you start out with no clue as to the answer.

Andy Wood snipped-for-privacy@trap.ozemail.com.au

Reply to
Andy Wood

Yes, I doubt anyone could build a VTVM and sell it for $10 :-)

I still have a FET-VOM floating around though, along with an AVO 8. They are still useful for peaking and nulling. Much better than a digital read out or LCD bar graph for that purpose IMO.

MrT.

Reply to
Mr.T

"Andy Wood" ..

** To see if a DMM is 10M or 1M impedance on the DC volts range - you only need is *any* battery and a 1M resistor.

The answer is irrelevant to the OP in any case.

........ Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

connect it in series with a known resistance....

get a 9V battery and a 10M resistor, measure the battery - call this number A, then disconnect one probe from the battery and connect the resistor across the gap, call the reading you get B

B impedance is 10M x --- A-B

Bye. Jasen

Reply to
Jasen Betts

"Jasen Betts" snipped-for-privacy@free.net.nz>

** Fuck off - copy cat idiot.

...... Phil

Reply to
Phil Allison

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