Old Multi-Meter Died

[John C.]

Well it finally gave up the ghost. It's as old as my kids and has four times more miles on it. Rode with me faithfully in four service trucks and three pickup trucks. Had a hard life as I got it second hand in a trade for some other stuff about twenty years ago. It's been dropped, soaked, electrified, broke and glued back together twice and now the needle only moves halfway and gets stuck. It's a Simpson 260 that's been one of the most durable and trouble free tool I've ever had in my inventory.

So here is the question. Is there anything out there with at least half toughness and doesn't cost a quarter of the national debt that will do the same job as this unit?

 

[Tenwheeler]

I don't that stuff like that is made anymore! I am still using my father in laws battery charger at home. He passed away 33 years ago.
When I was at an R/V shop that guy had a Fluke that would read A/C amps with an inductive clamp. Did not know any little meters had that capability. That was much nicer than lugging around my large machine. I bought brand X off Amazon. Was supposed to do everything but it does not. I thank I will look at his and buy the same thing. Give this one away or just leave it around the house.

 

[repowerguy]

I’d hit eBay and find another one, I use a -8 and it’s the stuff. I’m on another board and I started a thread about who uses one still, the younger guys hassled me some, but grudgingly admitted that it was a great meter, just bulky and heavy. If you are used to a analog meter, you’ll have a hard time with a digital, they don’t follow pulses like an analog will.
You got great service out of your-6, it’s at least 40 years old, buy another for your next 40 years of work!

 

[Ct Farmer]

If you like the Simpson 260, why not just buy a new one? They go for around $275 new. My 260 is over 40 years old and still going fine but I've seen guys with the new ones and they seem as durable and of good quality.

There are some cheap DMM's under $100 that can do a lot of things but quality is hit or miss. Fluke has some great meters. I've got a model 70 that has been to war and back and is a really solid tool but did cost about $500. I use it every day.

The Simpson stays on the bench, the Fluke goes everywhere else.

 

[Tenwheeler]

I don't that stuff like that is made anymore! I am still using my father in laws battery charger at home. He passed away 33 years ago.
When I was at an R/V shop that guy had a Fluke that would read A/C amps with an inductive clamp. Did not know any little meters had that capability. That was much nicer than lugging around my large machine. I bought brand X off Amazon. Was supposed to do everything but it does not. I thank I will look at his and buy the same thing. Give this one away or just leave it around the house.

I meant to say they don't make stuff like that anymore.
Looks like E bay is your place. Sometimes I still struggle with with some of the electronic stuff but that little Fluke was the cats meow for what I was working on.

 

[Birken Vogt]

Fluke model 115. I bought mine used a long, long time ago and it has never given a lick of trouble. It has a bar graph across the bottom that takes the place of the analog needle for wavering measurements. Mostly I like a digital readout and it has a good backlight also.

 

[JD955SC]

If you want to get a digital one get a military surplus Fluke 27FM on EBay. I brought one in cherry condition with case leads military manual and high voltage probe for $70. The dark gray military ones are true rms too

Analog just buy another Simpson

At work I use a Fluke 87V. Pricey but it has the stuff we need for some of our tests

 

[thepumpguysc]

x2 on the Fluke 87..

 

[Vetech63]

That pic made me think I was in a Antiques Roadshow episode. Everything I use now is Fluke and have never had an issue with any of their products. Well worth the money if you ask me!

 

[boaterri]

I assume that you have checked the fuse inside the case.......

Rick

 

[funwithfuel]

Fluke 88 and power probe. As BV pointed out you have the bar graph for fluctuating voltage. I also tote an old snap on vantage for the graphing meter.

 

[repowerguy]

I assume that you have checked the fuse inside the case.......

Rick

If it goes to half scale and sticks, that means the movement is bad. Most likely the pivot jewels.

 

[laycobeau]

Sometimes the foil strip behind the glass curls up on the old ones and makes the meter stick check you just might get lucky

 

[John C.]

I figure it is in the movement as well.

So what will a digital meter enable me to accomplish that an analog meter won't? All I use is the ohm meter and the volt meter.

 

[laycobeau]

No you just take an exacto knife and cut off the foil and it will be ok may not be the movement what do you have to lose

 

[Tenwheeler]

I figure it is in the movement as well.

So what will a digital meter enable me to accomplish that an analog meter won't? All I use is the ohm meter and the volt meter.

In that case nothing.

 

[Birken Vogt]

I need to be very precise with some voltages and the big display that is four digits, 00.00 is nice. When I started analog was the thing also but I don't miss the slow action or anything.

 

[willie59]

I figure it is in the movement as well.

So what will a digital meter enable me to accomplish that an analog meter won't? All I use is the ohm meter and the volt meter.

I love analog, but for ohm, digital is the way. Infinity indicates break in coil, zero indicates dead short inside coil, and then when all things are good you get a digital (resistance) reading of the coil. Bonus, most digital meters in ohm position will offer an audible beeeeeeeep for continuity test, very handy. As for volts, analog is better, but you'll learn to live with volts just don't seem to settle down on a hard number when you switch to digital. Digital meters are hyper sensitive to voltage fluxuations where analog is more forgiving of such. Setting the recommended 9.0 volts on the horsepower limiter board on a Genie lift with a digital meter, yeah, good luck, get it bouncing somewhere around the 9 volt range with wild +/- fluxuations and call it good. LoL

 

[John C.]

Does anyone read milliamps through a coil with either unit? Why won't a digital meter read out a diode? Why would I need a graph ever when working on heavy equipment?

 

[John C.]

laycobeau, I did the foil thing about five years ago.