Multimeter Advice

Seveer

Member
I’m looking at investing in a multimeter for use on my A2. Any recommendations or anything I should consider?
 
A good one will be digital and come with a selection of connectors. DC , resistance, continuity and perhaps diode testing will cover most car jobs, if you need more than that buy as required.
 
Fluke are pricey but are generally considered to be the industry standard.
For occasional car related use a £20 generic one with the features listed above would probably do the job.
Also consider getting one with a back-lit display so it can be seen when perched in awkward places.
 
If the budget allows, a clamp meter is really handy (quicker and safer) for things like testing battery current drain without the need for disconnecting cables.
Here's an example of an AC / DC model which includes a set of test probes for the more usual work - https://www.test-meter.co.uk/kewtech-kt203-400-amp-ac-dc-clamp-meter/

Cheers Spike

Thanks for that, I will give Ebay a scan as suggested by DJ190 but failing that I will order one of the clamp meters you suggest.
 
If you go for a clamp meter, check it does DC current.
When I bought mine, many were advertised as AC / DC meters but in the small print only covered DC voltage.

In use, my biggest schoolboy error was trying to check AC current by clamping round a mains power lead (which of course includes the live and neutral wires) The supply and return current cancel each other out so I got a zero reading. Dohh

Cheers Spike
 
The Fluke model 77 has two ranges for current measurement : 10 Amp and 300 mA. I find that this is particularly useful when measuring battery drain with the car stood idle. Clamp meters are,(IMHO), far less versatile in what you can do with them! Especially for delicate electronic use! I feel that you should purchase a good meter that will offer you long and reliable service. I've had one Fluke meter (a 73 model) for over 20 years!

David
 
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My multimeter does ac, dc and continuity.

Not as expensive as a Fluke and is fine for diy stuff. I may even have bought it from B & Q.

It has probe terminals but had no croc clip terminals, so I made some up for when you need another pair of hands.
 
This is all excellent advice and very much appreciated. Naively I thought there would be couple of brands that pretty much everyone used.
 
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