Looking for a multimeter?

[dkjones96]

Decided I'd pass this deal on. It's not a bad unit at all.

$14 free shipping.
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.619

[GasSavers_maximilian]

Capacitor and transistor tester in a $14 unit? Nice!

[theholycow]

I don't think it tests capacitors, but the $5 (sometimes on sale for $3) Harbor Freight cheapest multimeter does test transistors:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=90899

No free shipping, but their shipping isn't too expensive and these days there's a store within driving distance for me.

[VetteOwner]

snicker, i wouldnt trust it... for small battery powered circuits and such yea fine (prolly not that accurate) but id be weary of any amperage measurements...

just cuz it can test a buncha stuff doesnt mean it should :P

[GasSavers_maximilian]

I'm still running a Heathkit multimeter I made in the 80s. Been a while since I checked it against another to see if it's accurate.

[theholycow]

I've had a few of the $5 multimeter for a long time now (before I even knew you could get it for $5 at Harbor Freight). It's as accurate for measuring resistance, AC voltage, and DC voltage as the $25 basic multimeter I bought from Radio Shack. I can't say that I've bothered with its lame current-measuring ability, which can only handle very small DC current and no AC current.

I've never needed to test a transistor, but based on its performance in resistance and voltage, I imagine it would suffice for that too.

I had to google the $14 meter to see its specifications, here's an excerpt:

DT9205A
- Voltage measurements: AC 500V and DC 500V max.
- Current measurements: DC 10A max.
- Resistance measurements: 2Mohm
- DC voltage: 200m/2/20/200/1000V
- AC voltage: 200m/2/20/200/750V
- DC current: 2/20/200n/2/20/200u/2/20m/200m/20A
- AC current: 20/200m/2A
- Resistance: 2/20/2000m/2/20/200k/2M
- Overload protection: 200mA 250V fuse (20A-range is not fuse-protected)
- Auto Power off

So, you're not going to measure how much current your tablesaw is using anyway. I'd guess that it's good enough for laymen and amateurs like myself.

[dkjones96]

DC Voltage 200mV-1000V +-(0.5%+1dgt)
AC Voltage 200mV-750V +-(0.8%+3dgt)
DC Current 2mA-20A +-(0.5%+1dgt)
AC Current 2mA-20A +-(1.0%+3dgt)
Resistance 200Ω-200MΩ +-(0.8%+1dgt)
Capacitance 2nF-20uF +-(2.5%+3dgt)

There are the accuracy specs. Now it should be mentioned that although accuracy can suffer on these cheap units precision is top notch in almost all of these meters. They might read 495.3 ohms instead of 500.0 but it'll read 495.3 every single time; if you want to match resistors between channels on an audio amp or coupling capacitors so you can keep them balanced it'll do that extremely well.