On Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:16:53 -0500, "(PeteCresswell)"
wrote:

I've got a Micronta that's getting weird on me. Thing must be
30 years old, but it always did what little I needed of it:

- Checking automobile battery voltages

- Checking various other batteries' voltages

- Looking for shorts


Can anybody recommend a replacement that doesn't cost an arm and
a leg?

I'm thinking hardware-store quality is going tb adequate, but
don't know the ins and outs.

The little US$27 (at Lowes) Extech model DM110 is a nice "tool bag"
meter. Small, handles the basic functions, includes a case. Downside is
no backlight and the leads are permanently attached.

In general: Autoranging is nice but increases the time between probing
something and getting a stable reading. Autoranging plus a "range hold"
function is a nice compromise. Having a continuity beeper is handy for
checking for shorts/opens without having to keep looking back at the
meter. Backlighted displays are nice. Don't get too wrapped up in
"counts"; the world is mostly three significant figures, so 0-1999 is
okay for the vast majority of situations for a general-purpose meter.

--
Rich Webb Norfolk, VA