Wanted: Old Multimeters for... umm... some blogging fun

[Phil Allison]

"Ross Herbert"
Phil Allison

" The Japanese are one of the most " politically correct " peoples on earth
!!!
To them, good manners are everything - the truth on nearly anything is not
allowed to be spoken. "


** Political correctness is not what you think:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Political_correctness




...... Phil

 

[Trevor Wilson]

On Sat, 20 Jun 2009 15:50:57 +1000, "Trevor Wilson"


:
:**Indeed. They go out of their way to pretend that they were the
aggressors
:in WWII.
:


I think you meant "...NOT the agressors..."

**OUCH! Mea culpa.

 

[Alan Rutlidge]

Especially with the rubber holster meters of course.
I have several tests somewhat beyond 1.2m in mind...


Yup, any of those would pretty much snot most of the cheapie meters.

Dave.

Geez Dave, that would probably snot some of the not so cheapies too. :-(

 

[Phil Allison]

"KR"

I saw that video - and some of the posts - most pretty strange
including accusations of it being a "fluke advertisement".

** Fluke fans tend to be a bit rabid and Fluke haters are even worse.


Also, I had a couple of "cheap" digital meters in the 1980's (DSE) and
these were quite good, lasted many years, and did all I needed of
them, but remember that most of these "cheapies" were still japanese
made, and you can't compare a "cheap" meter from then with a "cheap"
meter from now - as the quality was no doubt much better then for the
"price range" in $AUD than what you get now.


** As I recall in the 80, the leading selling DMMs brands in Aussie were
the likes of of SOAR and Kaise. Having "auto -ranging" was a massive plus
as it largely elimineted dicky switch troubles that plagued mosts budget
models with 30 plus position rotarys.

However, the real distinction between cheapies and meters like Fluke is in
the area of user safety and being accidental abuse proof. Most cheapies are
just plain DANGEROUS if ever used on the AC mains or other high volatage,or
high current sources.

The three simple tests I suggested earlier in this thread should be passed
by any meter on sale - but sadly that is not the case.

Besides those - it should NEVER be possible for the leads of a DMM to
explode in an operator's face, or the banana plugs came out of the meter and
electrocute the operator when he/she trys to re-insert it.

Similarly, it must NOT be possible for the battery to fall out of its
compartment or even be accessed while the leads are still in use. Another
nasty electrocution hazard.

The SOAR and Kaise meters I saw or owned all failed all these VERY basic
requirements.


....... Phil

 

[David L. Jones]

Geez Dave, that would probably snot some of the not so cheapies too.

That's the problem, it shouldn't. Any meter designed properly (regardless of
price really) should be able to pass those tests without problem. Sadly many
don't.

Dave.

 

[David L. Jones]

I saw that video - and some of the posts - most pretty strange
including accusations of it being a "fluke advertisement".

Yes, a lot of people didn't quite "get it".
There were many infuriated fans of cheap meters, particually on one
"hackers" forum, was rather humerous.

Also, I had a couple of "cheap" digital meters in the 1980's (DSE) and
these were quite good, lasted many years, and did all I needed of
them, but remember that most of these "cheapies" were still japanese
made, and you can't compare a "cheap" meter from then with a "cheap"
meter from now - as the quality was no doubt much better then for the
"price range" in $AUD than what you get now.

I've found the same thing, the older "cheap" meters were much better quality
than the ultra cheap meters of recent times.
Although the cheap meters have improved in the last couple of years as SMD
construction and machine assembly becomes more common. Still leaves lots of
issues though like component quality, overload protection, brittle plastic,
dicky range switches etc.

If the new model Fluke 87 that you reviewed is as good as the 90's
model in build quality - I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to
anyone.

It is just as good if not better than the original. I've owned both.

Dave.

 

[Keithr]

"Trevor Wilson"



** That only shows, yet boringly again, the TW congenital defective has no
idea what the term even means.

The Japanese are one of the most " politically correct " peoples on earth
!!!

To them, good manners are everything - the truth on nearly anything is not
allowed to be spoken.

As Basil Fawlty famously said:

" Don't mention the war.
I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it all right. "




..... Phil

You have obviously never spent a night on the piss in Tokyo with a bunch
of salarymen.

 

[David L. Jones]

"KR"

I saw that video - and some of the posts - most pretty strange
including accusations of it being a "fluke advertisement".

** Fluke fans tend to be a bit rabid and Fluke haters are even worse.


Also, I had a couple of "cheap" digital meters in the 1980's (DSE) and
these were quite good, lasted many years, and did all I needed of
them, but remember that most of these "cheapies" were still japanese
made, and you can't compare a "cheap" meter from then with a "cheap"
meter from now - as the quality was no doubt much better then for the
"price range" in $AUD than what you get now.


** As I recall in the 80, the leading selling DMMs brands in Aussie
were the likes of of SOAR and Kaise. Having "auto -ranging" was a
massive plus as it largely elimineted dicky switch troubles that
plagued mosts budget models with 30 plus position rotarys.

I've got an old Soar autoranger (made in Japan), my first digital meter
given to me as a hand-me-down.
Still working to this day.
I remember that exact same model being used in the Fluke advertisements of
the day with the slogan "How to beat the high cost of cheap meters", that
showed the beat-up Soar next to the shiny new Fluke.
Range switches are still one of the biggest reliability issues in meter
design, so autorangers do indeed help a lot in this respect.
My Soar has a real independent traditional switch mechanism rather than just
contacts on the PCB pads and a plastic rotary wheel etc used in the cheaper
models.
The real cheapies use crap quality gold plating on the PCB contact pads,
they tarish quick and wear out even quicker.

Dave.