DMM Recommendation

[joelorigo]

I am trying to measure some resistors and my DMM is lighting up every separate symbol on the LED screen.

Anyone want to recommend a good one?

Don't think I want to get the same one again which is this one:

Economy Digital Multimeter

Perfect low-cost entry-level digital multimeter to get you started until you graduate to a more expensive DMM. It takes voltage, current, and resistance readings well enough for the purpose of DIY guitar effects pedal building and it even has a transistor tester. Actual color may vary.

buildyourownclone.myshopify.com

 

[Erik S]

I’ve had one of these for a few years and it hasn’t given me any trouble.

https://www.amazon.com/Extech-EX330-Autoranging-Multimeter-Temperature/dp/B000EX0AE4/ref=mp_s_a_1_3?crid=1O8URQ3S6OXN5&keywords=multimeter+extech&qid=1684798200&sprefix=multimeter+extech%2Caps%2C131&sr=8-3

 

[Guardians of the analog]

I have been using this one since 2019 without fail and know a couple people who use it and love theirs as well.

Amazon.com

 

[Erik S]

I have been using this one since 2019 without fail and know a couple people who use it and love theirs as well.

Amazon.com

I hadn't seen those plug-in component test sockets before. That's neat!

Are you testing transistors with that?

 

[Guardians of the analog]

I hadn't seen those plug-in component test sockets before. That's neat!

Are you testing transistors with that?

I don't test transistors with the DMM. I have a peak dca55 for bjt transistors and I test jfets on a geofx jfet matcher I made on Vero. The accuracy of a DMM for transistors isn't the best. For caps, frequency, diodes fv and other common uses it's perfect though

 

[benny_profane]

For caps

How accurate is the cap meter and how low is the resolution? A lot of meters tend to not be able to cope well with measuring lower capacitance.

 

[Guardians of the analog]

How accurate is the cap meter and how low is the resolution? A lot of meters tend to not be able to cope well with measuring lower capacitance.

the lowest range was 10pf, below that it struggles. With values below that I just throw them in the board unless they are super critical. I have tested up to 470u and it's been consistently accurate. I hang out in the biomedical engineering department in the hospital a lot and had tested it against various high end equipment with a variety of caps and it was always consistent to the more expensive equipment. for the bulk of pedal building I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it.

 

[joelorigo]

Thanks guys.
Yesterday I bought this one based on another thread on this board. It was on sale at Harbor Freight and I could physically go get it.

Cen-Tech 11 Function Digital Multimeter with Audible Continuity - Cen Tech - Amazon.com

Cen-Tech 11 Function Digital Multimeter with Audible Continuity - Cen Tech - Amazon.com

www.amazon.com

Can I trust it to test hFE and capacitor values?

 

[angelrulax]

Buy one of this. It´s cheap, very useful and easy to use.View attachment 49265

 

[joelorigo]

Thanks! Is that just for transistors?

 

[RetiredUnit1]

I am trying to measure some resistors and my DMM is lighting up every separate symbol on the LED screen.

Anyone want to recommend a good one?

Don't think I want to get the same one again which is this one:

Economy Digital Multimeter

Perfect low-cost entry-level digital multimeter to get you started until you graduate to a more expensive DMM. It takes voltage, current, and resistance readings well enough for the purpose of DIY guitar effects pedal building and it even has a transistor tester. Actual color may vary.

buildyourownclone.myshopify.com

Did you check the battery? 99 times out of 100 when my MM is messin' up it's because of the batteries. One time in 24 years I needed to replace it.

 

[joelorigo]

I did. It still was not working correctly. It seems weird but I guess things like that can happen. I bought a new one already that was on a clearance sale!

 

[RetiredUnit1]

I did. It still was not working correctly. It seems weird but I guess things like that can happen. I bought a new one already that was on a clearance sale!

Indeed, they can and do.... My hakko soldering station went up in smoke (literally) six months after I bought it and everyone else swears by there's. I've been using Weller since.

 

[cwsquared]

I have been using this one since 2019 without fail and know a couple people who use it and love theirs as well.

Amazon.com

I love my AstroAI as well. I have a slightly different model, M6KOR, https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08FDVQDM5. Works like a champ.

 

[joelorigo]

Buy one of this. It´s cheap, very useful and easy to use.View attachment 49265View attachment 49267

Does this measure leakage on transistors?

 

[finebyfine]

Does this measure leakage on transistors?

No - for BJTs it measures HFE and base-emitter voltage.

 

[andare]

Get a TC1 tester for germanium leakage. It also reads resistors caps diodes very quickly.
I only use a multimeter with unbent resistors, everything else is popped into the TC1 to make sure it's the correct value.
Reliable for transistors too, though sometimes one or two will read as a diode.

 

[KR Sound]

I bought a Fluke 115 over the winter when my old one died on me and it's been a nice upgrade.

https://www.amazon.com/Fluke-115-digital-Multi-meter/dp/B00K17CMKS

 

[joelorigo]

Awesome thanks!

 

[spi]

If you're looking for a budget dmm, the AstroAI ones are pretty good.