Show your Multimeter!

[SunRiver]

I really like these Meratronics, the photo shows the v530 still has a defect, but it is already under control.
It's good that you can still find new period parts in the old drawers.

[Shock]

These are my main meters. All were secondhand purchases (about $480 in total) over a few years.

Two pairs of Fluke 87V, and Fluke 189 (if I need logging). The Fluke 117 has built in LoZ and non contact voltage detection. The Fluke 112 on the right is more for portability and off bench use.

[David Hess]

I recently moved my Tektronix DMM916 and Beckman RMS225 to a Nanuk 910 case.

[Neomys Sapiens]

I recently moved my Tektronix DMM916 and Beckman RMS225 to a Nanuk 910 case.

Needs more test leads/clips! 

Maybe
A: the Pomona deluxe assortment
or
B: a pair of KLEPS2600/2700/2900/2900 each?

[David Hess]

I recently moved my Tektronix DMM916 and Beckman RMS225 to a Nanuk 910 case.

Needs more test leads/clips! 

I make my own test leads and am rebuilding them as I find them and move them to the case.  Somewhere I have another thermocouple converter also.  And if I can find my Beckman DMwhatever meter, I will need another case assuming it is worth keeping.

On the subject of test leads, since none of the shrouded plugs and jacks between my various meters are compatible, I take the stock leads, cut them in two, and add Anderson powerpole connectors so that I can swap the plugs with the test lead ends.

I'm currently rebuilding a Tektronix DM501A and will post pictures when that is done.  The Siliconix ADC has a blown input multiplexer, a common problem, so I am replacing the multiplexer and input buffer with external parts, and the performance of this 200 millivolt 4.5 digit multimeter should be considerably improved from stock because the original design of the Siliconix ADC suffered from poor linearity and likely noise.

[duckduck]

My multimeters:

Fluke 26 III - Got it used a long time ago. It works. Reads a little low at high voltage (e.g. 300V) but otherwise solid. 600V CAT III. I was able to jam it in place in the shelf so it was my goto bench meter for a while. This is the meter that I use for electrical work at home (replacing outlets and light fixtures, etc.) and for checking prospective Craigslist purchases with e.g. measuring speaker resistance. I think that this is the same thing as the Fluke 79 III. Details: https://dam-assets.fluke.com/s3fs-public/7926____iseng0200.pdf

Fluke 179 - Bought it new with a couple of probe sets, case, magnet attachment (for hanging it to ferrous things), and thermometer about 10 years ago for around USD350. Really happy with it. 600V CAT IV. LED Backlight. Super-fast continuity beeper. Details: https://www.fluke.com/en-us/product/electrical-testing/digital-multimeters/fluke-179

HP 3455A - The "+" sign is missing in the photo due to scan frequency mismatch of the LED display and the camera. 5 1/2 to 6 1/2 digit multimeter. I got this one used off of Craigslist for USD60. What a steal! Like with all old gear, the line filter needs replacing. Also the fan is noisy, so I need to replace that, too. This is a beautiful piece of engineering from the late 1970s / early 1980s. Do yourself a favor and check out daqq's pictures of the inside of this thing. This meter cost more than a car when it was new. When you open it up, it becomes immediately obvious why. https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/hp-3455a-teardown/msg324586/#msg324586

There's a nice little page on HP meters, "Evolution of Digital Voltmeters during the 1960 to 1980 Period": https://www.hpmemoryproject.org/wb_pages/wall_b_page_14b.htm

Gardner Bender GMT-312 - I expensed this at work to fly around with. It cost about USD15. It runs off of a single AA battery. It came with little mini probes with mini- safety-style connectors. I chose it because it was the cheapest multimeter I could find that was listed with a reputable testing agency (Intertek's ETL program, in this case). Details: https://www.gardnerbender.com/en/p/GMT-312/5-Function-Analog-Multimeter#

GW Instek GDM-8251A - This is my goto bench meter. Bought this one used on ebay for about USD250. This model was released around 2013. It is no longer sold. 120,000 counts (about 5 digits). Mine is in pretty good condition: incudes front and rear rubber baby buggy bumpers and  the folding bale. It is fanless. I keep it powered on all of the time. It has an "OUTPUT" button on the front that turns on/off the VFD and unlocks/locks the other keys. VFD is still fairly bright (set on 4 out of 5 as shown). I was looking for something that was supported by both sigrok ( https://sigrok.org/ ) and Test Controller ( https://www.eevblog.com/forum/testgear/program-that-can-log-from-many-multimeters/msg2981004/#msg2981004 ). It's got RS-232C, USB Device, and Digital I/O. There is PC software available for it. It has various very handy features such as a user-configureable averaging, relative measurements (makes it easy to see difference between two voltages or resistors), and can do basic math on readings (you could use this to display milliamps as you measured the voltage across a 14.7kOhm resistor). It does not measure capacitance, but I have a DER DE-5000 LCR meter. Details here: https://www.gwinstek.com/en-IN/products/detail/GDM-8251A

Pro-tip: don't keep alkaline batteries in your expensive test equipment! A leaky $1 battery can RUIN a fancy $380 multimeter. Use NiMH rechargeables or lithium primary (non-rechargeable) batteries as these have a better track record.

EDIT:

The Fluke 23/26/77/79 was the first "real" multimeter I ever used. It is what I think of when someone says "multimeter".

[Ground_Loop]

Here's most of them.

[Neomys Sapiens]

Here's most of them.

Interesting. How do you like the DP100? I wonder whether it is worth keeping on the aquisition list.

[Ground_Loop]

Here's most of them.

Interesting. How do you like the DP100? I wonder whether it is worth keeping on the aquisition list.

It's terrible even when it works.  I got it as a throw-in from another purchase.  At the moment it does not boot properly.  I think I have a Power problem, but it's really not worth spending the time on.  Anyone want it? 

[joeqsmith]

My Fluke yellow clone.

***
It's very versatile.  Here I it is being used to measure the base current of a transistor.   

The meter snobs will say this meter isn't useful and that I need a real Fluke to make any meaningful measurement.    The manual states its 250uA full scale.   Looking at the half way marker (note, this meter is pretty fancy and has a linearization scale), the meter reads spot on.  So it's small, super accurate and linear.   Not to mention, it comes complete with a portable lab.   

[shakalnokturn]

This one is a keeper, the THM560 will be sold or bartered away.
I am very much interested to compare it with the more versatile Fluke 867, when I get my hands on one.

I used to own a THM565, (watch the SMD electrolytics around the RMS converter!) had to let go of it, didn't like the menus much, the scope is better than on the Fluke 867 though. I have one of those that I'm holding on to for now.

Yes definitely stick below 50 multimeters it leaves more volume for oscilloscopes.

[armandine2]

Another Fluke - my latest multimeter, the first one with a magnetic hanger.

[AaronLee]

My Fluke yellow clone.

***
It's very versatile.  Here I it is being used to measure the base current of a transistor.   

The meter snobs will say this meter isn't useful and that I need a real Fluke to make any meaningful measurement.    The manual states its 250uA full scale.   Looking at the half way marker (note, this meter is pretty fancy and has a linearization scale), the meter reads spot on.  So it's small, super accurate and linear.   Not to mention, it comes complete with a portable lab.

You have that fancy switch in the lower left but didn't connect it. I want to see it switch at least between measuring current, voltage, and resistance. And then do one of your endurance tests on the switch.

[joeqsmith]

My Fluke yellow clone.

***
It's very versatile.  Here I it is being used to measure the base current of a transistor.   

The meter snobs will say this meter isn't useful and that I need a real Fluke to make any meaningful measurement.    The manual states its 250uA full scale.   Looking at the half way marker (note, this meter is pretty fancy and has a linearization scale), the meter reads spot on.  So it's small, super accurate and linear.   Not to mention, it comes complete with a portable lab.

You have that fancy switch in the lower left but didn't connect it. I want to see it switch at least between measuring current, voltage, and resistance. And then do one of your endurance tests on the switch.

With this meter now being close to 40 years old, I feel its proven itself mechanically.   

While some may flaunt the ability to change the firmware on some meters,  my meter provides the ultimate approach.  The quick connect springs allow the real engineers (ages 10 and up)  to customize it for each particular measurement.    Say I want to measure 2-4mV.

[lowimpedance]

My Fluke yellow clone.

***
It's very versatile.  Here I it is being used to measure the base current of a transistor.   

The meter snobs will say this meter isn't useful and that I need a real Fluke to make any meaningful measurement.    The manual states its 250uA full scale.   Looking at the half way marker (note, this meter is pretty fancy and has a linearization scale), the meter reads spot on.  So it's small, super accurate and linear.   Not to mention, it comes complete with a portable lab.

I like the vintage bread board  . With all the modern fancy pants meters its easy to overlook the simple and sometimes most effective method of measurement !.... besides I like moving coil meters  .
and.......meter snobs indeed 

[Neomys Sapiens]

My Fluke yellow clone.

***
It's very versatile.  Here I it is being used to measure the base current of a transistor.   

The meter snobs will say this meter isn't useful and that I need a real Fluke to make any meaningful measurement.    The manual states its 250uA full scale.   Looking at the half way marker (note, this meter is pretty fancy and has a linearization scale), the meter reads spot on.  So it's small, super accurate and linear.   Not to mention, it comes complete with a portable lab.

You have that fancy switch in the lower left but didn't connect it. I want to see it switch at least between measuring current, voltage, and resistance. And then do one of your endurance tests on the switch.

With this meter now being close to 40 years old, I feel its proven itself mechanically.   

While some may flaunt the ability to change the firmware on some meters,  my meter provides the ultimate approach.  The quick connect springs allow the real engineers (ages 10 and up)  to customize it for each particular measurement.    Say I want to measure 2-4mV.

In several German publications, this circuit appears under the name of 'Spannungslupe' (voltage magnifier). Example see
Messinstrumente und ihre Anwendung, W.M.Koehler, Franzis 1965

[joeqsmith]

In several German publications, this circuit appears under the name of 'Spannungslupe' (voltage magnifier). Example see
Messinstrumente und ihre Anwendung, W.M.Koehler, Franzis 1965

For that demo, I used the small 7-pin amplifier included with the kit.   

I found the 160 in One in a local store that sells used items.  It came out after my childhood but I've been reading the manual for it and it seems like it was a pretty decent product.  I was no prodigy and many of the experiments would have been too advanced for me to understand at the age of 10.   I doubt I could do much more than wire the examples up. 

[Neomys Sapiens]

In several German publications, this circuit appears under the name of 'Spannungslupe' (voltage magnifier). Example see
Messinstrumente und ihre Anwendung, W.M.Koehler, Franzis 1965

For that demo, I used the small 7-pin amplifier included with the kit.   

Ah. I initially thought of this:

[armandine2]

Regarding electronic project kits like Joe's 160 I have just tried googling for the publisher of a book I have, Experiments in Transistor Circuits second Edition 1971 (Bilderback and Kaminskie) - the book assumes access to their plug in modules. No voltmeter module from what I can see. Google didn't reveal anything to me other than their existence and now their address is a furniture store? I wonder if anyone remembers using or has their modules. The books appear to be rare.

[Martin.M]

 

[ogdento]

wow, when I was a kid I had that same electronics kit that Joe posted a picture of.  I do remember the book that came with it... wish I still had it today!

[electronicsengineer]

I used different multimeters, but I couldn't find a better FLUKE-(accuracy, ergonomics, speed, convenience) ...

[AaronLee]

wow, when I was a kid I had that same electronics kit that Joe posted a picture of.  I do remember the book that came with it... wish I still had it today!

I often dreamed of being able to buy that one. The one I had was only 65-in-1. Looking at the catalog of the 160-in-1 with the "fancy" integrated circuit, and thinking of what circuits might be possible with that, but never had the chance to actually try one out. These days I guess the kids use Arduinos and the like, along with various sensors, modules, etc.

I noticed those kits are available on Ebay. I assume mine was long ago donated to the thrift shop by my mother, as I never saw it after finishing university. Perhaps one day, just for kicks, I'll buy one of the 160-in-1 kits and build the circuits I never could as a kid.

[Cubdriver]

wow, when I was a kid I had that same electronics kit that Joe posted a picture of.  I do remember the book that came with it... wish I still had it today!

I often dreamed of being able to buy that one. The one I had was only 65-in-1. Looking at the catalog of the 160-in-1 with the "fancy" integrated circuit, and thinking of what circuits might be possible with that, but never had the chance to actually try one out. These days I guess the kids use Arduinos and the like, along with various sensors, modules, etc.

I noticed those kits are available on Ebay. I assume mine was long ago donated to the thrift shop by my mother, as I never saw it after finishing university. Perhaps one day, just for kicks, I'll buy one of the 160-in-1 kits and build the circuits I never could as a kid.

I had its predecessor, the 150-in-1 in the late 70s and got a lot of enjoyment from it. If memory serves, over time I pilfered a lot of the components from it for later projects and at some point it went out with the trash.  Rat Shack had a lot of engaging stuff back in the day, between the XX-in-1 experimenter's sets and things like their P-box kits and the other Archer Kit stuff.  Then they devolved into a cell phone store.  Shame.

-Pat

[Vtile]

Here is my old trusty.

The CAT is definitely with those test leads!