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.
--
PeteCresswell

Harbor Freight has a digital meter for $3 -- but I don't know how sturdy it
is.

On Feb 21, 1:27*pm, "William Sommerwerck"
wrote:
Harbor Freight has a digital meter for $3 -- but I don't know how sturdy it
is.

I have it (among others)...it'll get you by.

William Sommerwerck wrote:
Harbor Freight has a digital meter for $3 -- but I don't know how
sturdy it is.

The unit itself is sturdy enough for occasional use (I keep one in the car
and a couple near the workbench), but the leads are about the cheapest I
have seen, especially the banana plugs.

Still, for a couple of bucks they are good enough to have a few laying about
for when you need an extra meter.

Jon

On 2/21/2011 11:27 AM William Sommerwerck spake thus:

Harbor Freight has a digital meter for $3 -- but I don't know how sturdy it
is.

Plenty sturdy. The weak point of these meters (I've bought several of
them) seems to be the leads, the wires of which pull out pretty easily.
Other than that, they seem as good as any other hardware-store DMM.


--
The phrase "jump the shark" itself jumped the shark about a decade ago.

- Usenet

On Feb 21, 2:16*pm, "(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.
--
PeteCresswell

Try Harbor Freight.

greg

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

(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

(picture mode)google accu tester

300000 hits.

http://www.winparts.nl/534/werkplaat...ulader/0106747

The above link shows the one our local gasstation uses.

(PeteCresswell) wrote:
- Checking automobile battery voltages

Make sure you turn on the headlights first.

- Checking various other batteries' voltages

Again, no-load voltages are mostly meaningless;
make yourself a test load to get any useful readings.
That the device that uses the batteries is still working properly
is the best indicator of their suitability.

There's a bi-monthly swap meet near me for computer stuff, etc.
that has old voltmeters (analog too!). They are mostly returns
that somebody blew the fuse in and returned.
Watching a needle move *can* give useful information
that a digital readout doesn't easily communicate.

In article ,
Peabody wrote:
There's a bi-monthly swap meet near me for computer
stuff, etc. that has old voltmeters (analog too!). They
are mostly returns that somebody blew the fuse in and
returned. Watching a needle move *can* give useful
information that a digital readout doesn't easily
communicate.

I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.

--
*The statement below is true.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Where would you find an inexpensive new analog
meter? Do they even make them anymore?

Yes. Try MCM or any other large parts distributor.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

In article ,
Peabody wrote:
There's a bi-monthly swap meet near me for computer
stuff, etc. that has old voltmeters (analog too!). They
are mostly returns that somebody blew the fuse in and
returned. Watching a needle move *can* give useful
information that a digital readout doesn't easily
communicate.

I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.


A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.

That must make my Fluke 87 indecent.

William Sommerwerck wrote:

A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.

That must make my Fluke 87 indecent.


I prefer a good bench meter, and always found meters with bargraphs
to be very annoying. They don't have enough resolution for the work I
need a DVM for. For some jobs I've had to use a 5&3/4 digit DVM.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

In article ,
Michael A. Terrell wrote:
I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.


A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.

It's there to inform. Of course information may well annoy you. And I
consider my Fluke quite decent.

--
*I want it all and I want it delivered

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

In article ,
Michael A. Terrell wrote:
I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.

A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.

It's there to inform. Of course information may well annoy you. And I
consider my Fluke quite decent.


When you're at a bench with over 30 pieces of test equipment,
including four or more identical DVMs the bargraph is just more visual
noise.

--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
m...

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

In article ,
Peabody wrote:
There's a bi-monthly swap meet near me for computer
stuff, etc. that has old voltmeters (analog too!). They
are mostly returns that somebody blew the fuse in and
returned. Watching a needle move *can* give useful
information that a digital readout doesn't easily
communicate.

I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.


A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.



Fluke meters have a bar graph and I find it usefull.

Shaun wrote:

"Michael A. Terrell" wrote in message
m...

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

In article ,
Peabody wrote:
There's a bi-monthly swap meet near me for computer
stuff, etc. that has old voltmeters (analog too!). They
are mostly returns that somebody blew the fuse in and
returned. Watching a needle move *can* give useful
information that a digital readout doesn't easily
communicate.

I agree. I use mine all the time, but the contacts inside
are wearing out. Where would you find an inexpensive new
analog meter? Do they even make them anymore?

A half decent DVM will have a a bargraph to mimic a needle movement.


A decent DVM won't have a bargraph to annoy you.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.


Fluke meters have a bar graph and I find it usefull.


God for you. I never have. BTW, it's spelled useful, with one 'l'.


--
You can't fix stupid. You can't even put a band-aid on it, because it's
Teflon coated.

In article ,
(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 very cheap ones sort of work ok. But pay a bit more - perhaps around
$25 dollars from Ebay - and you can get quite a decent one.

--
*Wedding dress for sale. Worn once by mistake.*

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.