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DIY Stompboxes => Building your own stompbox => Topic started by: George Moore on June 05, 2018, 09:00:26 AM

Title: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: George Moore on June 05, 2018, 09:00:26 AM
 Changing the battery killed this one.
Measuring 1.5vdc using DC meter.
How robust is an expensive meter compared to an inexpensive one as far as the electronic hardware, I'm pretty darn sure some of these blown meters have good contacts etc. and that something inside them controls their obsolescence  ! It's not like they're old or got dropped...they just seem to decide to not measure voltage for a while or permanently.
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: FiveseveN on June 05, 2018, 09:32:38 AM
Quote from: George Moore on June 05, 2018, 09:00:26 AMHow robust is an expensive meter compared to an inexpensive one
Depending on how inexpensive you go, they might have minimal protection or none at all. Dave goes in-depth on this topic here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUhnGp5vh60
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: George Moore on June 05, 2018, 10:36:41 AM
  It ressurected itself again..NS why, except circuits sometimes electtrics.
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: duck_arse on June 05, 2018, 10:45:24 AM
I've been using the same sh!te yellow dmm for the last 25 years or so, and it's always had an 'offset' for zero ohms - sometimes its 1R7, sometimes 5R2, maybe 13R6 ...... and recently some circuits turned up having no voltages for me to measure!

turns out the red lead, right at the plug in the meter jack, is iffy, sometimes yes, othertimes not so much, a bit open. so it may not be yer meter as much as the leads.
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: FiveseveN on June 05, 2018, 11:23:04 AM
Quote from: George Moore on June 05, 2018, 10:36:41 AM
circuits sometimes electtrics.
Is... is that a verb?  :icon_lol:
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: DIY Bass on June 05, 2018, 04:47:34 PM
I have intermittent and also dead leads before as well.
Title: Re: How do I kill Voltometers ?
Post by: amptramp on June 05, 2018, 09:09:17 PM
I have a Radio Shack / Micronta DMM from about 1983 that has switch contacts that are printed onto the main circuit board.  Every once in a while the contacts get flakey with odd resistance measurements so I take the cover off and shoot the board with contact cleaner.  Good for another couple of years.

At the time I got the meter, it was $99 in Canada but in Florida, it was $39.  Even with the exchange rate, this was a good deal.