Input On A multi-meter purchase

Stonebriar

Stonebriar

Rick
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I need to buy a multi-meter to track down an electrical issue with a Zero Turn mower. Any suggestions on a meter. I dont want to spend $300 but I think the $20 china special cant be anything but junk. If I am buying one it would be nice to have all the features a descent meter should incorporate.

Thanks for any suggestions
Rick
 
I would buy an inexpensive Fluke.
I think I saw the model 113 for about 150 dollars.
I have used and abused many brands of meters and a Fluke will take a tumble and still work accurately. There is also the safety factor of a well built meter and leads.
If anything should happen Fluke can repair and calibrate.
 
I own multiple expensive mulitmeters. I also have a herd of really cheap ones that are disposible. Unless you need high current capability the cheap ones will work fine for your needs and cost less than a battery.
 
What do you need to measure and how accurately? I use a 20$ Radio Shack needle type cheapie for 95% of what I do and I do a lot of electrical stuff.
When troubleshooting, you very seldom need more than just a "is it there or isn't it?" type of reading. I have a couple digital meters but hardly ever need them
My two cents
-Mark
ps one very important thing is to have alligator tip clips on your test leads. Invaluable, and often safer than trying to hold probes on high voltage terminals in the dark with shaky hands
 
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For low voltage testing like a zero turn mower or automotive use a cheap meter is fine. For anything higher voltage ( 120 ac >) I would highly recommend a midrange Fluke or better depending on your budget. High voltage electrical testing is not to be taken lightly.
Mike
 
I've had a few Uni-T meters that have been ok , an ac clamp meter is often handy for measuring current draw on ac circuits in a safe non contact way.

some thing like this looks good for a fairly cheep basic RMS meter,

www.tme.eu

UT203+ UNI-T - Meter: multifunction | digital,pincers type; Øcable: 28mm; LCD | TME - Electronic components

UNI-T UT203+ | Meter: multifunction; digital,pincers type; Øcable: 28mm; LCD - This product is available in Transfer Multisort Elektronik. Check out our wide range of products.
www.tme.eu www.tme.eu

Stu
 
I am a big fan of amp-clamps in any brand. At least they will give me some warning BEFORE I smoke the fuse in my Fluke 88:cautious:.
Many modern (and fairly cheap) multimeters have the ampclamp onboard.
 
I bought a clamp meter from these guys a while back and it has served me well.

Multimeters |Autoranging & True-RMS DMMs | Circuit Specialists

Shop for an affordable, accurate digital multimeter (DMM) including true-RMS and autoranging models. Perfect for hobbyists and professionals alike. Starting at $8.50.
www.circuitspecialists.com www.circuitspecialists.com

I couldn't justify the Fluke for most of my work, I still have the Harbor Freight cheapies but wanted something a little more capable and accurate.

John
 
If this is going to be your one and only meter, consider what else besides voltage you might want to measure. Many newer ones can measure all sorts of things. I think what I miss not having the most is a frequency counter function, handy to see if sensors are doing something. In addition, continuity (with a beeper) is really handy because you can connect it and then be in another room figuring out what wire does what. This is in addition to the usual AC/DC volts, current, and resistance.
 
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