I need to do some re-wiring on my dash and I need a continuity tester to measure resistance. What other features might I need in a Multimeter? I dont like cheap tools but I dont like to pay snap-on prices either. Can anyone recommend a good Multimeter for automotive use? Thanks Rick
best i have found is a fluke brand.someone liked it better than me or it grew legs and walked away :af: for what you need one for,try radio shack or try looking on ebay for the fluke.
Sears has one on sale this week for 10 bucks.....It'll be good for 98% of your needs. If you want to go to a high-end automotive style multi-meter, you can have some neat features like a built-in tachometer, and a thermocouple for measuring temperatures.
I agree, the best brand on the market. Just see that you get one which fit you, rpm, dwell, ohm, volt, diode etc. Per. :beer
there is one of the fluke models called the fluke 10. works good for most peoples needs and can sometimes be bought used as low as 20-40 bux. radio shack has a digital meter that they run on sale alot for like 29 dollars ...it is pretty good. whatever meter you end up with make sure that the leads are not "built in" to the body.
fluke is what i have at work. they are the best... bar none. but... for what you want to do, that sears will work fine, for no more than it sounds like you will use it.
Fluke's are top of the line ... and usually have a price to match. Radio Shack is almost always overpriced (unless you can catch them on sale/clearance). i know, i used to work there. the Sears one should do fine for you and you know where to take it for service. since you aren't familiar with them, get an auto-ranging unit and do NOT hook one up in resist test mode without being positive that there isn't any current flow in the circuit. IOW, if you aren't sure check for voltage first. i think most units have auto-protection on them but why test the auto-protection if you don't need too? continuity tone test and diode/transistor test are almost universal on the digital units now. the analog units aren't worth the couple of dollars you'd save. yuk's comment about seperate leads really applies to 'workhorse' units. my opinion is that light duty/rare use/low cost multi-meters are practically disposable anyway. if somehow the lead was damaged such that it couldn't be soldered back onto the unit i'd just toss it and get a new one.
my multimeter from sears has plug in leads, and is digital. If ever i do something wrong, the meter reads OL on the screen, meaning it went into Overload Protection. Im not sure what brand it is, and i dont want to freeze looking for it in my garage, but it is light grey and about $80-$90 and well worth it.
