24-11-2012, 09:54 PM
(04-05-2012, 09:49 PM)Skywave Wrote: . . . Anyway, the only multimeter he ever owned & used was a Heathtkit VTVM. I'll never forget the way he used to gently tap the meter transparent plastic cover now and again, because the needle would occasionally stick!I never did discover if he cleared that minor, but irritating, fault.
Al.
(24-11-2012, 08:55 PM)Yorkie Wrote: I had one for a number of years, with the same apparently defective meter. . . . . . I later discovered that it wasn't the meter itself, but the clear plastic front that was the culprit. Static built up and caused the meter needle to freeze. Take the front off and all was well. I used to just wet my finger and thumb and put them on the dial and to the case, and it removed the static. It was most likely that tapping the plastic cover would have the same effect in removing the static.
Y'know, now you come to mention it, I do have a kinda vague recollection that that 'wet finger and thumb' technique was what my aforementioned colleague used to do.
As we all know, you could but Heathkit products as a kit for the home-constructor to build. Since Heathkit offered a 'we'll fix it for you' facility for the head-scratching home constructor, I just wonder how many of those VTVMs were sent back to their repair facility with that fault! And what did the Heathkit technicians did to fix it . . . .
Al.
