DMM: what do you use?
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 43,322
From: Central NC
DMM: what do you use?
what is the preferred brand/type of digital multimeter? I've been using the $7 use-it-till-it-dies ones from Harbor Freight. But a lot of the FSM diagnostics tell me to check continuity between the ECU harness and some harness in a totally distant part of the car, and well, my cables are WAY too short for that. Just wondering how you guys do your testing with those kinds of multimeters, or if you have ones with much longer leads, etc.
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 43,322
From: Central NC
Originally Posted by MorpheusZero
Well... you could always just use another wire to extend....
I've got about 8 of them 
They're all generic except for my oldest one, which a Radio Shack model. I've had that one since 93! Why do I have so many? Just picked them up over the years. I bought one when I started college(tech school), then bought a kit(required for the class) and it had one in it. Needed one one day when I was away from home, so bought one. Got a few through work over the years. Lesson learned is they have all done what I need them to do. Flukes are great, but only spend the money if you need a quality true RMS meter. Otherwise, the cheapies should be fine.
They're all generic except for my oldest one, which a Radio Shack model. I've had that one since 93! Why do I have so many? Just picked them up over the years. I bought one when I started college(tech school), then bought a kit(required for the class) and it had one in it. Needed one one day when I was away from home, so bought one. Got a few through work over the years. Lesson learned is they have all done what I need them to do. Flukes are great, but only spend the money if you need a quality true RMS meter. Otherwise, the cheapies should be fine.
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 4,572
From: Middleboro/Carver, Ma
Originally Posted by D-Bo
Craftsman ftw
I've got a craftsmen model 82139, bought it for around $40 at sears about 5+ years ago, I haven't even had to replace the batteries yet (watch, they're gonna crap out on me tommorrow!) and the leads are very long, I compared the fluke one in the similiar price range and the accuracy +/- wasn't as good and it just felt cheesy to me compared to the craftsmen.
I'm an electrical engineer and I don't even use a Fluke. 
you can pick up a pretty decent meter at most electronics supply places for about $35-45. that's all I've ever spent on one and have always had more than enough capability and accuracy for working on cars.
when you're dealing with high speed switching circuitry or minute voltage differences, that's a different story. for automotive uses, the $35 ones will work just fine.
you can pick up a pretty decent meter at most electronics supply places for about $35-45. that's all I've ever spent on one and have always had more than enough capability and accuracy for working on cars.
when you're dealing with high speed switching circuitry or minute voltage differences, that's a different story. for automotive uses, the $35 ones will work just fine.
