Vintage electrical testers

[Rod N]

I think these are between 40 and 60 years old. Any value here? Collectors? They don’t make them like they used too guys?
They were my fathers and he passed 20 years ago. I don’t want my sons to have to deal with them when my time comes.
What do your think guys?

 

[neophyte]

Pepple still buy those judging by prices on ebay.
You can still purchase new version of multimeters with needle indicators, but the quality is supposedly nowhere near that of the older units.

 

[CoogarXR]

Sure, they have value if they still work. I buy and sell stuff like that all the time.

 

[engineer2]

The ones with the digital displays are from the 80's to 90's. The Fluke IR thermometer is from the mid-90's if I recall.
the 80's was 40 years ago? ****, where did the time go?
Google each model number to see what comes up.

 

[Rod N]

I guessed at 40 years old because my dad retired 25 years ago. The one in the leather case is quite old though.
What do you think I should ask for them?

 

[engineer2]

If you can find a history of past sales on e-bay that will give you an idea. If there is no info on the internet and it's an off-brand, it may be tough to sell. Older stuff is popular with collectors though.

I'm kind of in the same boat. Old obscure tools and meters I want to sell. Some have almost zero info on the internet. Some are from my dad and some from pervious jobs.

 

[chard98]

Most of those meters are still pretty useful. Like is has been said, You can sell them. Nice collection of stuff. I have very similar stuff, And I still work in the maintenance field!

 

[Rod N]

Sounds like work selling them.
maybe I can give them away?
A bottle for them would be nice and my dad would have approved.

 

[KnurledNut]

Sounds like work selling them.
maybe I can give them away?
A bottle for them would be nice and my dad would have approved.

They would probably move fast. Especially if they were sold as a lot.
There's definitely some value there.

 

[Rod N]

What should I ask for them?

 

[mikedodge]

Check the sold items on eBay. It looks like the only really old ones are the two with cases. The rest look like they're from the 80s and newer.

 

[unslow1]

I would try to Ebay them if you have an account or know someone who does. I have a ton of stuff I need to sell but everyone I know that used to sell on Ebay no longer does.

 

[KnurledNut]

What should I ask for them?

If everything works, id say $300 for the lot is a fair starting price.

 

[Rod N]

I have no idea if everything works.

 

[Kscardsfan]

A local ham radio club would probably be able to tell you tons about them and give you an idea on values.

 

[Ricky Joe]

I would open the ones that use batteries up and check the battery compartment. I bought a Simpson once that I thought was a good deal until I went to change the batteries and found that the old ones in it had deteriorated and corroded the insides, making the unit junk. That might help.

 

[MBfreak]

Here is a Wattmeter from around 1910 which I restored and then checked the calibration. Less than 0,5% off at FSD
Now lives in a broadcast stn museum.
Ola

 

[Rod N]

That is very cool MB.
I might keep the one in the leather case as I remember it when I was very young.

 

[redwrench60]

Most of that stuff is still usefull and made when those companies were at the peak of quality. If I saw that Meggar at a flea or pawn I’d snap it up in a second. I use one often.

 

[klassenl]

If you were close I would grab those as soon as they were listed.

 

[redmondjp]

To the OP: what electrical meters do you currently (see what I did there ) use? Both that Fluke 77 and the 27 meters are very robust and reliable. I am still daily-driving my Fluke 23 (yellow version of the 77) that I purchased new in 1988. I purchase 9v lithium batteries for their long life and use those in my meters.

If you don't have either an AC or DC clamp-on ammeter, I would also hold onto one or more of those. The AC ones are very handy for checking motors and the DC ones are useful for automotive troubleshooting.

For relative calibration I test several of my meters against each other using the same voltage sources and resistors to see if they are in agreement.

 

[Rod N]

I just checked approx. prices on ebay.
These are actually worth some coin, especially the Megger.
Now I want to keep them. lol

 

[toplessHO]

I guessed at 40 years old because my dad retired 25 years ago. The one in the leather case is quite old though.
What do you think I should ask for them?

Im guessing you mean the Amprobe ammeter?
I have one I bought new in 1975 that looks just like it.

 

[bonneyman]

The black Amprobe "beetle meters" have a special place in my heart. And most anything Greenlee is good quality.

If I were still in the market that lot of wire leads would be my pick. Leads tend to be consumable and are always getting frayed, cut, bent, etc. And trying to find just one is always a pain.

 

[four.cycle]

MBfreak - that's an amazing piece of work there.

 

[BreeStephany]

Sounds like work selling them.
maybe I can give them away?
A bottle for them would be nice and my dad would have approved.

I'd most definitely send you a bottle for them!

They definitely still hold value, and personally, I would hold on to them! They are definitely quality instruments, especially the Fluke meters and Megger!

Just my two cents.

 

[Sumboodie]

The ones with the digital displays are from the 80's to 90's. The Fluke IR thermometer is from the mid-90's if I recall.
the 80's was 40 years ago? ****, where did the time go?
Google each model number to see what comes up.

I was just thinking, no way those are 40 years old, 80s at the oldest.
Then I did the math.