Wanted: Old Multimeters for... umm... some blogging fun

: :**Indeed. They go out of their way to pretend that they were the aggressors :in WWII. :

I think you meant "...NOT the agressors..."

"Ross Herbert" Phil Allison

" The Japanese are one of the most " politically correct " peoples on earth !!! To them, good manners are everything - the truth on nearly anything is not allowed to be spoken. "

** Political correctness is not what you think:

..... Phil

**OUCH! Mea culpa.

--
Trevor Wilson
www.rageaudio.com.au

Geez Dave, that would probably snot some of the not so cheapies too. :-(

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rnatezone.com/eevblog/

I saw that video - and some of the posts - most pretty strange including accusations of it being a "fluke advertisement".

Also, I had a couple of "cheap" digital meters in the 1980's (DSE) and these were quite good, lasted many years, and did all I needed of them, but remember that most of these "cheapies" were still japanese made, and you can't compare a "cheap" meter from then with a "cheap" meter from now - as the quality was no doubt much better then for the "price range" in $AUD than what you get now.

Depending on your definition of Inflation in AUD, the "cheap" DSE digital meters circa 1985 were around the $50 mark (From memory) which today could equal as much as $150 today in real retail buying power.

When the second one expired (some LCD segments went bad after about 10 years) I lashed out and bought a fluke 87 (about $650AU at the time -

1995 or so) which I still use today without problems.

If the new model Fluke 87 that you reviewed is as good as the 90's model in build quality - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone.

I would consider updating myself actually.

"KR"

I saw that video - and some of the posts - most pretty strange including accusations of it being a "fluke advertisement".

** Fluke fans tend to be a bit rabid and Fluke haters are even worse.

Also, I had a couple of "cheap" digital meters in the 1980's (DSE) and these were quite good, lasted many years, and did all I needed of them, but remember that most of these "cheapies" were still japanese made, and you can't compare a "cheap" meter from then with a "cheap" meter from now - as the quality was no doubt much better then for the "price range" in $AUD than what you get now.

** As I recall in the 80, the leading selling DMMs brands in Aussie were the likes of of SOAR and Kaise. Having "auto -ranging" was a massive plus as it largely elimineted dicky switch troubles that plagued mosts budget models with 30 plus position rotarys.

However, the real distinction between cheapies and meters like Fluke is in the area of user safety and being accidental abuse proof. Most cheapies are just plain DANGEROUS if ever used on the AC mains or other high volatage,or high current sources.

The three simple tests I suggested earlier in this thread should be passed by any meter on sale - but sadly that is not the case.

Besides those - it should NEVER be possible for the leads of a DMM to explode in an operator's face, or the banana plugs came out of the meter and electrocute the operator when he/she trys to re-insert it.

Similarly, it must NOT be possible for the battery to fall out of its compartment or even be accessed while the leads are still in use. Another nasty electrocution hazard.

The SOAR and Kaise meters I saw or owned all failed all these VERY basic requirements.

...... Phil

That's the problem, it shouldn't. Any meter designed properly (regardless of price really) should be able to pass those tests without problem. Sadly many don't.

Dave.

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Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
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Yes, a lot of people didn't quite "get it". There were many infuriated fans of cheap meters, particually on one "hackers" forum, was rather humerous.

I've found the same thing, the older "cheap" meters were much better quality than the ultra cheap meters of recent times. Although the cheap meters have improved in the last couple of years as SMD construction and machine assembly becomes more common. Still leaves lots of issues though like component quality, overload protection, brittle plastic, dicky range switches etc.

It is just as good if not better than the original. I've owned both.

Dave.

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Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.alternatezone.com/eevblog/

You have obviously never spent a night on the piss in Tokyo with a bunch of salarymen.

I've got an old Soar autoranger (made in Japan), my first digital meter given to me as a hand-me-down. Still working to this day. I remember that exact same model being used in the Fluke advertisements of the day with the slogan "How to beat the high cost of cheap meters", that showed the beat-up Soar next to the shiny new Fluke. Range switches are still one of the biggest reliability issues in meter design, so autorangers do indeed help a lot in this respect. My Soar has a real independent traditional switch mechanism rather than just contacts on the PCB pads and a plastic rotary wheel etc used in the cheaper models. The real cheapies use crap quality gold plating on the PCB contact pads, they tarish quick and wear out even quicker.

Dave.

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Check out my Electronics Engineering Video Blog & Podcast:
http://www.alternatezone.com/eevblog/