Tiny digital ac volt/amp meter

[camallison]

Thanks Joe - not sure what I did wrong?

Colin

[Yorkie]

Thanks Joe,

Very interesting - all our yesterdays!

[Mark Hennessy]

Hi Colin,

Thanks for the update in your earlier post - this all sounds very promising indeed. With a bit of time, patience and luck, I reckon I'll be able to figure out what the pins joining the PCBs do, and it might well be feasible to replace the back board with one of my own. Looking forward to mine arriving

I'm also thinking of using one as it comes in exactly the same way for my workbench. One thing that's nice about this particular variant is that it fits a 1U panel nicely...

I guess the black/red wires go to the LED backlight. Perhaps options for changing the colour, etc...

Thanks again,

Mark

[Mark Hennessy]

Even cheaper: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Blue-Digital-V...7675.m2109&_trkparms=aid%3D555001%26algo%3DPW.CURRENT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D14840%26meid%3D7012040494658022432%26pid%3D100010%26prg%3D1013%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D271094462087%26

[camallison]

That's the one I was talking about, with separate CT - I was tempted, but didn't want additional loose wires inside the box, so plumped for the £7 one.

Colin

[Yorkie]

A bit off topic but when browsing these meters, I came across a neat little pocket multimeter - handy to take to events such as the NVCF to check continuity of transformer windings etc. I have a little Beckman DM78 and the one at this link is on similar lines, but will read higher voltages (up to 600V rather than 240). Reads AC voltages from 40 - 400 Hz. Auto ranging and auto Off. The prods and test leads tuck neatly away, and though it isn't clear from the pic, I think there is a cover which fits over the display. £6.86 with free P&P. What's not to like?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330793811281

[Mark Hennessy]

A friend of mine has one of those - it seems OK for occasional basic use. I'm not sure I'd want to measure 600V with those probes though! Can't argue with the price - everyone should have one in their glovebox...

[Nick]

That's the one I was talking about, with separate CT - I was tempted, but didn't want additional loose wires inside the box, so plumped for the £7 one.

My understanding was always that for any sort of accuracy the CT burden should be as close to the CT as possible - being at the end of some fly-leads is not great (but probably ok-ish).

[camallison]

A bit off topic but when browsing these meters, I came across a neat little pocket multimeter - handy to take to events such as the NVCF to check continuity of transformer windings etc. I have a little Beckman DM78 and the one at this link is on similar lines, but will read higher voltages (up to 600V rather than 240). Reads AC voltages from 40 - 400 Hz. Auto ranging and auto Off. The prods and test leads tuck neatly away, and though it isn't clear from the pic, I think there is a cover which fits over the display. £6.86 with free P&P. What's not to like?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330793811281

I would open it up when it arrives David - I bought a similar one and it had an intermittent problem. The (UK) seller OKd me to open it to check, and I was horrified at the extremely poor quality internally. It was a death trap. Therefore I photographed it and sent the pics to the seller asking for my money to be refunded. He obliged and withdrew them from sale immediately.

Not saying the one you linked to is the same, but worth checking on arrival.

Colin

[Yorkie]

Thanks for the info on your experiences Colin.

I may have misled you in my post - I haven't actually ordered one of those as I've had a little Beckman DM78 for some time. I just thought the one at the link looked a handy little meter for taking to events etc. I agree with Nick's comments re the test leads - I certainly wouldn't trust them at 600V - I'm too young to die, and too old for nasty shocks!