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Capable Digital Multi Meter

discopotato03
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discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

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Hi all , this question is aimed at the hard core electronics people here . I want to build some of Jaycars automotive electronics kits for a turbo car and need a digital multi meter . It obviously needs do the usual volts/amps/ohms and also duty cycle frequency and possibly 20a current measurement .

The biggie seems to getting one that has the high/average/low feature to for example measure airflow metre voltage range without killing yourself (eyes on DMM not road) . I've had a read through Autospeeds articles and JE thinks that this feature is very useful . So without tearing up the best part of a grand on say a Fluke 189 what is available that does all the essential things when playing with automotive electronics and the usuals for building kits ?

Cheers A .

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heller44 Mentor

heller44

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I personally use a fluke 175, reasonably priced, no duty cycle though. For those sorts of situations I use a scopemeter, but that about $3k.

Fluke 87v would be about my pick if I had to buy another general purpose meter. For current, 20 probably won't find, most max at 10A. Clampmeters are so much nicer for that sort of thing. But yet, another cost on top.

My supervisor recently bought an 87v from ebay, new for ~$380 del. We were almost surprised that it arrived.

james.

(currently working in an industrial electronics and instrumentation repair workshop)

ssshonky Grand Master

ssshonky

Posted
Posted

some of the cheaper multi meters that you get in jaycar have a serial rs232 connector so you can do data monitoring. The other thing that might be good to get your hands on is a Consult cable.

( if there is one for your car) then you can just Datalog the run ( or whatever ) and then graph it or analyse it in Excel etc.

there are a few suggestions hope it works out

sewid Grand Master

sewid

Posted
Posted

A lot of cheap multimeters out these days with data logging via USB/RS232 which would be great if the software that ships with them is user friendly. Haven't tried it though.

Get a Jaycar catalog and browse the multimeter section which is about 3 - 5 pages long with long feature lists and comparisons and a wide budget range.

heller44 Mentor

heller44

Posted
Posted
Thanks James will look into those . Its maddening that so few multi meters have that high/av/low feature .

Cheers Adrian .

Be careful which one you get, if you ever need to measure anything other than low voltage. The safety rating (cat) of the unit might not be up to the task..

Have fun.

james.

my next meter will be a nice 189... roll on tax cheque.

discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

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Yep have their 07 cattledog and have been looking into them . These Jaycar kits are aimed at an 86 Subie RX turbo not the R33 . It doesn't have a PFC/Datalogit option so I'm going to have to find other ways to alter fueling/timimg/boost with the std brain .

I'm not much of an electrician but I want to learn something along the way so hopefully my kits won't look like over done toast ! I guess I should buy a decent meter and just accept good ones cost good money . The reason I need that above mentioned feature is to find std AFM output voltages (min/average/max) and recreate them with non std AFM's or bypasses .

All still cheaper than stand alone aftermarket management (not chained to shitfull MAP sensing) and can be moved from car to car .

Cheers A .

discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

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Actually I think I may have found the answer . Protek make "6800 80,000 Count DMM" . This does duty cycle/frequency and the min/average/max readings that I really need (I think RS232 as well) . Its not a Fluke and costs nothing like a 189 but I think it does what I want at a much lower cost . The Jaycar cattledog does show a Protec 50 something so I'll ask if they can supply a 6800 .

Thoughts ? Cheers Adrian .

heller44 Mentor

heller44

Posted
Posted

Altronics sell protek meters, call and ask if they can get it in for you.. or email the manufacturer..

www.mouser.com sell protek equipment, 6800 for us$194..

the company is good to deal with, delivery is expensive though.. fedex is the cheapest option to here from them.

I use them for real weirdo connectors that I can't get anywhere else.

Other than that I wouldn't have a clue.. The duty cycle measurement and min/max measurement in the one unit sort of pushes you into at least the middle of the price bracket.

discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

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Great , thanks for that . A friend reckons Dick Smiths used to do them as well but that'd be too easy .

BTW he showed me an interesting gadget he has thats a steel base with a tree of arms and a couple of thumb screw clamps to hold PCB's . On one branch has a magnifying glass to get up close to the board when soldering things .

Feature wise I don't mind spending a little extra to get what I need because it saves buying twice .

Thanks again , cheers Adrian .

discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

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Had a look at Dick Smiths site and they carry the Fluke 115 for $268 . It does just about everything (inc 20a current) except duty cycle but Jaycar have a kit thats supposed to measure that . My friend reckons measuring injector duty cycle is not always straightforward because of electrical noise ? Anyhow if duty cycle can be measured by other means such as a cheap kick around the garage meter then this one will probably do the trick .

Thoughts ? Cheers Adrian .

discopotato03 Grand Master

discopotato03

Posted
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Hi all , I think the Meterman 38XR through Dick smiths is about as close as I can get to the wish list . It does the min/average/max thing and duty cycle though only 1-90 % which I suppose is ok . It comes with a temp adapter and K type thermocouple plus the hanging magnetic base strap gadget .

If I had to guess I'd say the distributors are reluctant to go much over $200 retail and thats why some very capable units from Extech and Protek which would probably retail for ~ 250 don't make it out here . Mores the pity .

Cheers A .

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