Simpson meter

[tom coffey]

I picked up this meter at a tractor show for $2. I couldn't pass it up.

 

[c1504]

That is really cool. Do you know how old it is?

 

[bonneyman]

Nice! $2 makes it even better.

Here's an owners manual on the web. Copyright day looks like 7-72.

https://www.simpson260.com/downloads/simpson_390_user_manual-1972.pdf

I have a Simpson 260. Wouldn't use it in the field but it's perfect of bench work.

 

[Lassen Forge]

My 260 got dropped on concrete and the case was in like 9 pieces held together with black tape inside the leather case. I finally got tired of messing with it, so I bought one off eBay with a good case, swapped out the guts, and I'm once again good to go.

 

[txvwnut]

When I was electronics tech school every bench had a Simpson or two on it. Those were the best meters out there in the day, I’d almost like to have another one.

 

[cvairwerks]

Simpsons are about the absolute best analog meter out there, even today. The 260 is still in production, a Series 8 runs between 350 and 500$, depending on sub-series.

 

[beemerphile]

I still have mine from the 1970's. I dropped the first one off of a 33 ft. high glass furnace fore hearth. The black pieces made a circle about 20 ft. in diameter. Great meter (mirrored scale, etc.). Always wanted a roll-top case for it.

 

[cvairwerks]

When I was electronics tech school every bench had a Simpson or two on it. Those were the best meters out there in the day, I’d almost like to have another one.

Where'd you go to school? TSTI Waco maybe?

 

[txvwnut]

Where'd you go to school? TSTI Waco maybe?

The high school I went to had a tech school for those of us that wanted to get to work right out of school.

 

[Ricky Joe]

Check the battery compartment. My old 260 had had the battery leak and corrode half of the internals. Seems it had a C and some AA batteries. Been a while. I gave it away.

 

[mikedodge]

We used Simpsons in the electrical lab at college. They looked like they were from the 60s but like someone else said you can still buy a lot of those meters new.

 

[bonneyman]

Check the battery compartment. My old 260 had had the battery leak and corrode half of the internals. Seems it had a C and some AA batteries. Been a while. I gave it away.

10-4 The Simpsons meter I got wasn't working, and when I took it apart to change/check the batteries, I discovered a problem. The spring-loaded clips that you snap the batteries into were damaged, missing, or corroded. Rigged up some new clips, and popped in new batteries. meter works like a charm. If you take it apart it looks a bit like a hack job, but it functions.

 

[Lassen Forge]

Rigged up some new clips, and popped in new batteries. meter works like a charm. If you take it apart it looks a bit like a hack job, but it functions.

THAT'S why I love my Simpson... unlike the Chinamatic K-mart $9.99 meters, you can actually repair a good Simpson meter.