Anything else for multi meter?

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Hey guys. I finally got a good DMM this year. I primarily use it for automotive work. Setting up audio in the car, testing sensors, etc. I have a TPI model 194 ( http://testproductsintl.com/194.html#.UtXAbHi9LCQ ). Got myself a set of test leads as the ones that came with the meter I don't like ( http://www.tequipment.net/Pomona6343.asp ). A soft case to hold it all as well as a fluke 80ak-a ( http://www.mouser.com/Search/m_ProductDetail.aspx?Fluke/80AK-A/&qs=nBBzPucrxarI46yNwOOTlA== ). I have a thermometer probe for it (came with the meter, but it works). What else do you think I should get? The only other accessory I'm familiar with is an amp clamp. Other than that I'm clueless!

 

[MFolks]

Have you seen this video on multimeters?

The best multimeter tutorial

 

[Cadillac fan]

You should get some alligator clips. I use them all the time with my multimeter because it gets annoying trying to test something with the probes and looking at the meter.

Another is a calibrater. I have one lying around somewhere. Very useful if you think that you DMM is not reading correctly.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Yes, I do have alligator clips coming in the kit as well as back prove attachments. Calibrator? I don't know if my meter is able to be calibrated at home but I'll look into it. Never thought about that! And yes MFolks, I've seen that video. Was one of the first I watched before I bought my meter

 

[signcrafter]

Should have skipped the Pomona leads and gotten a set of these, http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=ESP180&source=froogle&kw=ESP180. Much more useful. The book by Dan Sullivan is also a must in my opinion, http://www.tooltopia.com/electronic...cse&utm_term=ESI181&utm_campaign=shopzilla_r1.

 

[Dusty61]

take the old set of leads (the ones you dont really like) and cut the ends off, then put a regular battery terminal on one and a GM side mount on the other. presto cheap parasitic draw test set

 

[gagreen]

I don't know what kind of calibrator he was talking about, but the set to calibrate my Agilent U1253B is not something you would buy to check your own mm lol. I send my mm off once a year for calibration and if I'm iffy in between cal's I have a set of known resistors to check resistance and I have a 12v powersupply from a cb home station that I know puts out 12.437 volts. As far as real calibration once your into the big boy dmm's just send it off. 35 bucks from the avionics shop I use for instruments out of airplanes.


My favorite accessories are the ones I make for my dmm (back on topic). I have test leads in all shapes and sizes for male and female connectors, pins, plugs everything. Everytime I work on a new plug I try to order a set of the connectors so that my test lead box is complete when I need them. The agilent dmm has a host of addons blue tooth readings to a smart phone remotely, pc interface cables etc... All of them come in really handy, check to see what your manufacturer has out, it may sound silly but having bluetooth reading ability is great if it is available for yours. I can put all my readings into a file on the pc to show the customer when they question my troubleshooting leading to them having to spend big money on something.

Also a big fanboy of agilents leads. They are awesome for eliminating unintentional contact rather than having a long exposed conductor

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Should have skipped the Pomona leads and gotten a set of these, http://www.tooldiscounter.com/ItemDisplay.cfm?lookup=ESP180&source=froogle&kw=ESP180. Much more useful. The book by Dan Sullivan is also a must in my opinion, http://www.tooltopia.com/electronic...cse&utm_term=ESI181&utm_campaign=shopzilla_r1.

Already on my wish list too. I was gunna get em but wanted the leads more

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

[QUOT E=Dusty61;3661226]take the old set of leads (the ones you dont really like) and cut the ends off, then put a regular battery terminal on one and a GM side mount on the other. presto cheap parasitic draw test set[/QUOTE]

Good idea! I was gunna put speaker connectors on them for amp tuning but I like your idea better. Too bad I couldn't make a quick connect end and make multiple custom attachments.

 

[zkling]

My most used multimeter accessories are the standard leads, a pair of slip on aligator clips, one set large and one set small. A set of hook shaped slip on attachments to hang on terminals and a set of very sharp needle size lead tips that I made up.

 

[Givl Reggin]

If it's your only meter a couple of extra fuses can come in handy and a replacement set of batteries, especially if it uses anything besides the standards you already keep on hand.

 

[Deadhead]

next thing you need is the 6530A set from Pomona. The leads seperate so you plug special attachments into the red or black wire.
That set comes with the insulated wire piercers that I use several times a week. Also comes with alligator clips or bed of nails attachment, 2 different spring loaded hooks and pinchers

Next thing after that is buy you a 20ft roll or larger of the black silicon wire from them as well and make you a 20ft test lead so you can go straight off the battery for a solid ground so you can reach that back of your truck/car. I have a couple that are 50ft long but I work on big equipment.

Then if I havent spent enough of your money. There is a set of retractable leads that vary from 2 to 3 wire and 10 - 30 ft in length. One set is also magnetic.

I have a 18" tool box that is packed with stuff that I have built or bought and it really not big enough.

Radio Shack sells a kit for testing little stuff and its designed to plug into the tip of your red and black lead that you have now. Think it runs about 18-20 bucks that is very helpful at times. Wont be long and you will have 5-10 times more money than you paid for a meter ******* in attachments.

And I just saw a set at Sears that is detachable as well but the end of the leads are sprung open in the middle of the probe so that they will fit up inside a female banana plug to adapt to just about any set up. 18 bucks plus tax.
Yeah I bought it.

Welcome to the sickness...

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

next thing you need is the 6530A set from Pomona. The leads seperate so you plug special attachments into the red or black wire.

That set comes with the insulated wire piercers that I use several times a week. Also comes with alligator clips or bed of nails attachment, 2 different spring loaded hooks and pinchers



Next thing after that is buy you a 20ft roll or larger of the black silicon wire from them as well and make you a 20ft test lead so you can go straight off the battery for a solid ground so you can reach that back of your truck/car. I have a couple that are 50ft long but I work on big equipment.



Then if I havent spent enough of your money. There is a set of retractable leads that vary from 2 to 3 wire and 10 - 30 ft in length. One set is also magnetic.



I have a 18" tool box that is packed with stuff that I have built or bought and it really not big enough.



Radio Shack sells a kit for testing little stuff and its designed to plug into the tip of your red and black lead that you have now. Think it runs about 18-20 bucks that is very helpful at times. Wont be long and you will have 5-10 times more money than you paid for a meter ******* in attachments.



And I just saw a set at Sears that is detachable as well but the end of the leads are sprung open in the middle of the probe so that they will fit up inside a female banana plug to adapt to just about any set up. 18 bucks plus tax.

Yeah I bought it.



Welcome to the sickness...

Haha thanks. I love learning and a multi meter is something I look forward to mastering and applying. I was looking into buying rolls of lead wire, but what are good banana plugs?

 

[theoldwizard1]

next thing you need is the 6530A set from Pomona. The leads seperate so you plug special attachments into the red or black wire. That set comes with the insulated wire piercers that I use several times a week. Also comes with alligator clips or bed of nails attachment, 2 different spring loaded hooks and pinchers

I have this set. It is AWESOME !

Next thing after that is buy you a 20ft roll or larger of the black silicon wire from them as well and make you a 20ft test lead so you can go straight off the battery for a solid ground so you can reach that back of your truck/car. I have a couple that are 50ft long but I work on big equipment.

Concur !

The Pomona 6733-0 Test Lead Wire with Silicone Insulation is pricey ($20), but worth it. Much better than typical lead wire (more flexible and the silicon insulation will not melt if it accidentally touches a hot exhaust manifold).

 

[theoldwizard1]

Haha thanks. I love learning and a multi meter is something I look forward to mastering and applying. I was looking into buying rolls of lead wire, but what are good banana plugs?

The best banana plugs are from Pomona, which is owned by Fluke. The Pomona patch cords with stackable banana plugs on each end are the "industry standard". (Part number B-nn-mm, where nn= length in inches and mm=color code). Go to their web site and download their catalog.

The best alligator clips are from Mueller, plain (BU-60) or full insulated (BU-65).

Pomona and Mueller are available from most online elctronic suppliers.

 

[Deadhead]

As for banana plugs, I bought several packs from radio shack and crimped them. Then I turn around and soldered them as well. The 4mm male will plug directly into your meter. Where you go from there with the wire is up to you.

Mine had the screw on covers on them, so you unscrew it and orient it correctly and slide it over your wire before you crimp. Then reinstall the protective cover when done.


And what I would not give for this to be 30 ft instead of 15ft
Banana plug retractable reel with attachments.

http://www.eautotools.com/KAS-1176-p/kas-1176.htm

 

[Danglerb]

I just spent about $20 enriching the hard working people of China via ebay buying some new leads and various adapters.

Add to your list some back probes, thin pins to probe the back of connectors.

Rather than an addon clamp, I am pretty happy with a Craftsman 82369 AC/DC clamp meter. Good to have more than one meter so you can measure current and voltage at the same time etc.

 

[sdguy55]

Go to Walmart and go to the craft section and look for a box of 'Tpins' its basically a needle that instead of an eye is shaped like a T. AWESOME for backprobing sensors because the needle end is very sturdy and you can expand the t end to slide your probe in and then crimp it in there so it will just hang.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Go to Walmart and go to the craft section and look for a box of 'Tpins' its basically a needle that instead of an eye is shaped like a T. AWESOME for backprobing sensors because the needle end is very sturdy and you can expand the t end to slide your probe in and then crimp it in there so it will just hang.

Yes. Used these in the shop for testing o2 sensors live. I had no idea where to get them though. Thanks!

 

[EOC_Jason]

Alligator clips are always handy. I also have a set of mini-grabber probes because I do a lot of circuit board work. The banana plugs I found also have sharp points on the ends so they can also be used as normal probes if need-be. Also, you can get wire extensions which can come in handy. I've had times where my two probes just barely reach the two points and my meter is dangling in the middle over something it really shouldn't be. Having longer wires lets you do stuff safer... hehe..

 

[1upmoto]

I have the snap-on Lead set MTTL800 and I love it, has everything I need

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

One of my probes came bent, and upon asking joe at tpi how to zero the display I mentioned the bent probes. He's sending out a new pair. So when I receive that set if leads, I'll snip the probes off and make a set of adapters for amp tuning. When I get my pomona set I'll snip the probes off that he sends me and make a set for something else like was mentioned earlier in this thread. I'll have a set of screw on alligator clips to do something with as well. I love making custom tools that serve a function, I think I'll enjoy customizing my dmm

 

[Moose-LandTran]

LoadPro leads!

I have a set and they're awesome.

 

[signcrafter]

next thing you need is the 6530A set from Pomona. The leads seperate so you plug special attachments into the red or black wire.
That set comes with the insulated wire piercers that I use several times a week. Also comes with alligator clips or bed of nails attachment, 2 different spring loaded hooks and pinchers

Next thing after that is buy you a 20ft roll or larger of the black silicon wire from them as well and make you a 20ft test lead so you can go straight off the battery for a solid ground so you can reach that back of your truck/car. I have a couple that are 50ft long but I work on big equipment.

Then if I havent spent enough of your money. There is a set of retractable leads that vary from 2 to 3 wire and 10 - 30 ft in length. One set is also magnetic.

I have a 18" tool box that is packed with stuff that I have built or bought and it really not big enough.

Radio Shack sells a kit for testing little stuff and its designed to plug into the tip of your red and black lead that you have now. Think it runs about 18-20 bucks that is very helpful at times. Wont be long and you will have 5-10 times more money than you paid for a meter ******* in attachments.

And I just saw a set at Sears that is detachable as well but the end of the leads are sprung open in the middle of the probe so that they will fit up inside a female banana plug to adapt to just about any set up. 18 bucks plus tax.
Yeah I bought it.

Welcome to the sickness...

Could you post some pictures of your custom made adapters? Or of any of your DMM stuff?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I may make some custom
Adapters as well. T pins will be more used though, but an abs harness adapter would be very useful on gm's. Maybe a tps adapter as well.

 

[signcrafter]

I may make some custom
Adapters as well. T pins will be more used though, but an abs harness adapter would be very useful on gm's. Maybe a tps adapter as well.

Would love to see some pictures when you do this.

I just ordered some 4mm banana jacks and plugs to make some custom leads.

I've been wanting to make one of these for a while now and have been gathering parts and pieces here and there. It's a starter voltage drop tester, here is a thread I started on it, http://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=178744&highlight=starter. I'm going to make mine with banana jacks so I can hook different wires or leads up if needed. So it can also be used as a long meter lead extension.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I will! I'm pretty sure when I replaced the harnesses on my car I saved the plug end of the harness. I will report back when I get a chance. If I don't have them I can always buy one.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

What do you guys think about soldering a cig plug to the extra leads u have for plugging in and checking for power? Right now I have some spade terminals on there but I think I'll make an adapter for those later on. All I can think of with the cig lighter plug would be a yes or no on power. Is there anything else I could check with it?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

adapters for tuning an amplifier. Used a quick disconnect on the lead ends so I can make many adapters to hook up to it. Low voltage type stuff.

 

[theoldwizard1]

adapters for tuning an amplifier. Used a quick disconnect on the lead ends so I can make many adapters to hook up to it. Low voltage type stuff.

Those are called "fastons" (get it, fast on).

How do you use those to "tune" an amplifier ?

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Tuning an amplifier with a digital multimeter isn't as precise as an oscilloscope, but I don't always have access to that. The way you tune an amplifier to get it close to where the gain should be is simple. Since the output is ac, you set the meter accordingly. Plug in to your speaker outputs. Head unit goes to 75% volume since you're matching the output of the head unit to your amp to prevent clipping. Let's take for example my amp. It's rms is 1000w at 1 ohm. My speaker impedance is 1 ohm the way I have them wired. 1 ohm x 1000watt is 1000. Square root of 1000 is 31.62v. You turn the gain until you hit that. Another example is say 500w rms at 2ohm. Or so on. Since gain is a voltage reading you can get in the area of where your gains are.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

Fuse Buddy - haven't used yet



Various other leads

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

My grandfather said hooking a cigarette plug straight to the test leads and into my multimeter would cause too many amps and probably blow up my meter. Is this true? I just wanted to read voltage with it...

 

[theoldwizard1]

My grandfather said hooking a cigarette plug straight to the test leads and into my multimeter would cause too many amps and probably blow up my meter. Is this true? I just wanted to read voltage with it...

Reading voltage you are okay.

Do NOT try reading AMPS. Hopefully the internal fuse would blow before the meter.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

Why would he say the amps would cause an issue?

 

[wolf_from_wv]

When you measure amps with you meter, it basically becomes a fused jumper wire with a readout. If you were to try to read current through the lighter plug, you would have problems.

https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/how-to-use-a-multimeter/measuring-current

Reading voltage is ok. Walmart even sells a voltmeter that just has a lighter plug on it.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Everstart-932W-Everstart-Battery-Monitor/16139506?action=product_interest&action_type=image&placement_id=irs_top&strategy=PWVAV&visitor_id=40171827378&category=0%3A91083%3A1045959%3A1074767%3A1043587&client_guid=42ea30b3-d7d5-4af9-866e-dfafeb47bf98&config_id=2&parent_item_id=15137663&guid=4e15a933-f4d6-48b5-984c-696f88e73575&bucket_id=irsbucket002&findingMethod=p13n

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

So do you think hooking up an extra cig plug would be fine for testing? Just don't set my meter to amps, only volts DC.

 

[zkling]

So do you think hooking up an extra cig plug would be fine for testing? Just don't set my meter to amps, only volts DC.

I wouldn't do that, just go find a broken phone car charger, clip the end and put on meter leads or what ever jack tickles your fancy. Although I don't see much value in it unless you need to trouble shoot the outlets on a regular basis. They aren't that deep that the can't be probed with standard leads IMHO.

The cig lighter portion works like a toaster with an element (the coil you see) acting as a resistor and heating up as it is being shorted across the terminals. I guess you really could modify one if you wanted to but the actual outlet plug would be much safer and concern free IMHO.

Remember amperage is measured inline where voltage is measured across. When set on amps the meter can be considered a continuous bar of copper from one lead to the other. So putting it across a voltage difference like say the battery terminals is like shorting the battery out.

 

[Kracin]

Have you seen this video on multimeters?

The best multimeter tutorial

that tutorial is kind of.. well.. ****.


"get digital, not that oldschool analog ****. and don't bother if it doesn't have autoranging"....


except i dont even do crazy electrical work and i've ran into times when you NEED analog to get a reading because most digitals don't show fluctuations well at all. not to mention all autoranging is not equal, i've had a meter with a 4000 ohm range, tell me much more accurate auto-ranged readings than one with a 9000 ohm range. the difference between one digit in a scale can mean getting no reading, and getting a reading you can use..


there is more to it than this video lets on.


not to mention that he mentioned listening for a beep and using that for continuity, except there are situations yet again where you measure continuity, and get a reading through a transformer or something and end up getting continuity by hearing a beep, but have a high enough resistance that you know something is wrong. where another meter may not beep because it won't beep unless the continuity is a low enough ohm reading that it wont beep. two different outcomes, same test, same item.


that is a generalized video that i don't find very informative at all.

 

[SuzukiGS750EZ]

I wouldn't do that, just go find a broken phone car charger, clip the end and put on meter leads or what ever jack tickles your fancy. Although I don't see much value in it unless you need to trouble shoot the outlets on a regular basis. They aren't that deep that the can't be probed with standard leads IMHO.

The cig lighter portion works like a toaster with an element (the coil you see) acting as a resistor and heating up as it is being shorted across the terminals. I guess you really could modify one if you wanted to but the actual outlet plug would be much safer and concern free IMHO.

Remember amperage is measured inline where voltage is measured across. When set on amps the meter can be considered a continuous bar of copper from one lead to the other. So putting it across a voltage difference like say the battery terminals is like shorting the battery out.

I meant a plug lol. I have one off of a mobile cb a buddy was throwing away and also one from a cell phone charger someone threw away. I used them for wiring things up quick such as lights and whatnot to see if they will look good where put. So I have a few to spare. I soldered on some connectors on the end of an extra set of test leads so I have a way to connect adapters. I was thinking of wiring up a thicker 16g wire to the cig plugs and then putting the female end (male end on leads and it's protected with a plastic covering to help shorting) on the plug to take readings. I've bumped into issues where the cig outlet wasn't working or other issues where I'd like to watch the battery voltage but didn't have a long enough test lead set. I mentioned it to my grandfather and he said I would have amperage issues if I plugged in but I'm only looking to use te voltage not amperage.