Happy Birthday to Meeeeeeeee...

[Joe Viau]

Well, I have a birthday coming up, and I'm getting a DMM.  I've posted a question about this about a year ago, and got some good responses.  However, things DO change, and I'd like to get a good DMM.

What does everybody use and recommend? In searching the forum, I found this meter:

http://www.circuitspecialists.com/prod.itml/icOid/4633

Auto-ranging would be nice, but not a necessity.

I'm also going to be getting the Atlas transistor checker:

http://www.anatekcorp.com/testequipment/atlas.htm

TIA,
Joe

[D Wagner]

Joe,

Do yourself a favor, and get an auto ranging DMM.  I have both types, and the only thing I use the manual range one for is checking voltages.

FWIW, I got my auto ranging meter on sale at (cough, cough) Radio Shack.  The manual range meter is the freebie from Circuit Specialists for ordering over $50 worth of parts.  The Circuit Specialists DMM doesn't have a capacitance check feature.  You need that to build stompboxes!

I hope this helps,

Derek

ps  Happy Birthday!

[petemoore]

Somehow, some of us fudge by without the C checker.
 The Circuit Specialists deal is the deal...looks like a good one to me, I too should go for one of those.
 Having the second meter is cool, I go for the second 'drill' [say one for a drill bit and one for a screwdriver]...less setting up that way.
  Happy Birthday To You .. Joe Vaiu !!!
  I spent 40 for a basic DMM...probably not the best deal, a DMM, for elementary testing is fundamentally a great thing to have... .

[smashinator]

I have the circuit specialists meter you linked to, and so far it's treated me great.

Just to be clear, that one DOES have capacitance testing.  The one they give away for free does not.

[aron]

I would go for auto-ranging and the capacitance checker is a nice feature. Make sure it can handle high DC voltages (in case you do tube amps next).

Look for NPN, PNP id and diode checking.

In any case, for me, I pay for auto-ranging. I just love it.

[aron]

oh, I forgot. Happy Birthday!

[pop.adams]

Happy Birthday!

carsten

[Joe Viau]

Aw, thank you!  :lol:

I looked up the specs on the Radio Shack meter, it does RMS, auto-ranging, diode test, frequency, continuity, capacitance up to 200 uf, etc.  It's a little pricey at $89.99, but I'm not paying for it! bwahahahahahah!

http://www.radioshack.com/images/ProductCatalog/Manuals/OME22-816.pdf if you're interested.

The Atlas checker that I cited above does Hfe and transistor identification.  About the only thing that I don't have is inductance, but that's not important right now--it will be when I decide to try to wind my own inductors, but that won't be for a while.

Thanks for all for the great input and birthday wishes.