Gen Tech P37772 Digital Multi-Meter from H.F...thoughts?

[GoBlue]

Im looking for a multi meter for general automotive work i.e checking batteries, checking for parasitic draws, checking alt. output etc...As of right now the fluke is out of my price range. I had a Blue Point up untill last month but it grew legs and walked away. Any opinions on this H.F model? Seems pretty nice for less than $20.

 

[Hootbro]

I am not a fan of HF meters for use in any professional environment. If pressed, I would recommend the Craftsman 82337 meter at a minimum. They are made by Extech for Craftsman/Sears and are a decent value if you can not swing the cash for a fluke.

http://www.craftsman.com/shc/s/p_10155_12602_03482337000P?keyword=multimeter&prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=L2

 

[Jeeprz!]

Grow balls and bring it back home where it belongs.
I know that may sound harsh, and I dont mean it to sound that way, but really I just can't understand how someone can type "it walked off" and "I can't afford a fluke" so can I get the HF model and it will work?
To me, and I am tool poor so maybe that is my issue, your comparing apples to caviar to mangos. It's not unlike the bone yard thread where someone posts thoughts for ideas for cheap tools so they can loose them...

If I was in the boneyard, under a rusting hulk supported by whatever was there, the last thing I want to do is break out a cheater bar to test my jenga skills.
I don't have much but it doesn't walk off without my blessing.

 

[GoBlue]

Well "grew legs and walked off" means a number of things to me in a profesional setting. It means i could have left it under the hood of a car or under a seat, somone could have stolen it, or i simply could have misplaced it. The Blue Point model that is now missing was closer to $75 when i purchased it. Flukes are over $200 in most cases. The reason i said specificly that i was not interested in a fluke is based on the several searches i did before posting this thread. It seems everyone thinks everyone should go buy a fluke. The type of testing i will be doing is not that percise and in the event another meter grows legs, i dont want to be out a couple of hundred. With that being said your post makes very little sense and adds nothing to the conversation. I was asking about experiences with a specific meter. If you dont have that, or another alternitive in that class, what is the point of posting?

 

[ishiboo]

Im looking for a multi meter for general automotive work i.e checking batteries, checking for parasitic draws, checking alt. output etc...As of right now the fluke is out of my price range. I had a Blue Point up untill last month but it grew legs and walked away. Any opinions on this H.F model? Seems pretty nice for less than $20.

Have a couple of the $2.99 models and they've always been accurate for 12/120v work. They do feel cheap but work great. However... this model is rebranded by a bunch of companies and is very nice for the money, feels nice and is well made.

The same OEM makes a model I got for free with a SMD Rework station, and it's my go-to DMM whenever I need accuracy. Really like it and for $25 you can't go wrong.

 

[greasemonkey44]

i have a cheapy from walmart(20$) that works just fine for most stuff
its my go to meter at work; auto ranging and has a nice big display(my favorite thing about it)
http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equus-3320-Innova-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/14644666
i have a few of the HF red free ones; but they eat batteries and have really crappy leads

 

[KermitFrog]

I don't have much but it doesn't walk off without my blessing.

I don't mean to be an ***, not sure if you've caught all of the many posts by forum members here saying that they were burglarized/burgled or how ever you want to say it didn't give the burglars their blessing yet it happened.

+1 on the Craftsman as a minimum.

 

[Hootbro]

FWIW, you can pick up decent used older model 70 and 80 series Flukes for under $50 also on Ebay.

 

[Skin]

Im looking for a multi meter for general automotive work i.e checking batteries, checking for parasitic draws, checking alt. output etc...As of right now the fluke is out of my price range. I had a Blue Point up untill last month but it grew legs and walked away. Any opinions on this H.F model? Seems pretty nice for less than $20.

Perhaps they've improved but there was a gentleman on youtube from either australia or new zealand who made a habbit of dismembering all sorts of multimeter brands and most of the super cheapos from China were absolutely some of the poorest units he gutted. Bad soldering, crummy/outdated electronics etc... His vids were pretty long but worth a watch. If i remember correctly he had many good units as well in the $50-$100 range [MSRP so street should be less].

This the gent

http://www.youtube.com/user/EEVblog

 

[Rico.]

I have a UNI-T UT107 automotive multimeter, and it's pretty good, although
I am not a professional. They make a huge number of meters and are very
reasonably priced. I typed in "UNI-T multimeter" in the ebay.com search box
and it spat out over 900 results including this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/UT107-UNI-T...ultDomain_0&hash=item4ab283f791#ht_1774wt_952

and at just over $40 must have pretty much everything an automotive tech
needs including tach, dwell, Temperature, frequency and duty cycle...
Worth a thought maybe.

 

[JASTECH]

When it comes to peoples electrical systems I need to be accurate! So HF meters are out. I have Fluke 45 dual display, Fluke 8600, Keithley 2000, Simpson 160 and 260. Another Simpson for checking caps. and Amprobe. With new systems getting even more precise it's needed. I will use them now for custom wireing again and HAM/CB repair.

 

[Butters]

I actually generally steer non-professionals away from Flukes. Not because they aren't excellent meters, but because they are overkill for many. The fact is, those $2/free HF voltmeters will accurately and adequately handle the needs of 95% of the people out there.

BUT, they are also little pieces of **** that break easily and are un-fused. But for $2, or free, who cares??

But for something you actually use regularly, there's some pretty good meters in the $25-50 range. At home, my $35ish, 10 year old Craftsman is my go-to meter. I have a Fluke sitting in my worktruck, yet I rarely feel it is worth the time to walk 50 feet to go get it. It isn't going to tell me anything different.

I recently spent $50 for a Klein meter (not sure who actually makes it). Quality seems to be on par with my Craftsman, although I still like the Craftsman better.

This one here is only $27 and it is fused and autoranging: http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_03482139000P?prdNo=5&blockNo=5&blockType=G5

Edit: And +1 on Skin's comments.

 

[Jeeprz!]

Well "grew legs and walked off" means a number of things to me in a profesional setting. It means i could have left it under the hood of a car or under a seat, somone could have stolen it, or i simply could have misplaced it. The Blue Point model that is now missing was closer to $75 when i purchased it. Flukes are over $200 in most cases. The reason i said specificly that i was not interested in a fluke is based on the several searches i did before posting this thread. It seems everyone thinks everyone should go buy a fluke. The type of testing i will be doing is not that percise and in the event another meter grows legs, i dont want to be out a couple of hundred. With that being said your post makes very little sense and adds nothing to the conversation. I was asking about experiences with a specific meter. If you dont have that, or another alternitive in that class, what is the point of posting?

Fair enough, and I agree I didn't answer your question or offer anything constructive, and I will appologize for that.
It is the part that I read where "it grew legs or walked off" that stuck out to me.
So by your logic "The Blue Point model that is now missing was closer to $75 when i purchased it." well, $75 isn't so bad, you can get get alot of meters to misplace in engine bays from HF for that price - don't forget the 20% coupons.

 

[Jeeprz!]

I don't mean to be an ***, not sure if you've caught all of the many posts by forum members here saying that they were burglarized/burgled or how ever you want to say it didn't give the burglars their blessing yet it happened.

+1 on the Craftsman as a minimum.

Your not being an *** in my opinion at all, in fact your opinion is one of many that keeps me coming back here. The GJ is only as good as it's members, and the fact that we can share our opinions, even if we disagree, is priceless.

 

[KermitFrog]

Your not being an *** in my opinion at all, in fact your opinion is one of many that keeps me coming back here. The GJ is only as good as it's members, and the fact that we can share our opinions, even if we disagree, is priceless.

thanks