Low impedance US made multimeter

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JHZR2

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Analog or digital, doesnt matter. Looking to compliment my Fluke with something that is low impedance for when Im tracing voltages and want to filter out stray capacitance.

Was looking at Fluke 117, but it is Chinesium. I think id like a modern analog meter though anyway, if one exists...

Suggestions?

Thanks!
 
Low impedance?

Wouldn't that load down what ever you are trying to test?

I'm not sure such a device exists. I always look for high input impedance, the higher, the better.

U.S. made might be tough. Simpson may still make some meters in the U.S. or Canada.

Megger probably makes some, but get your wallet out.

edit: http://www.simpsonelectric.com/products/test-equipment
 
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Originally Posted By: Win
Low impedance?

Wouldn't that load down what ever you are trying to test?

I'm not sure such a device exists. I always look for high input impedance, the higher, the better.

U.S. made might be tough. Simpson may still make some meters in the U.S. or Canada.

Megger probably makes some, but get your wallet out.

edit: http://www.simpsonelectric.com/products/test-equipment


He's talking about a voltmeter with a low-impedance mode, which alleviates one problem with Hi-impedance meters. AC voltages have this nasty way of coupling into nearby wires through capacitance and mutual inductance. A Hi-Z meter might show some phantom voltages that look like a circuit is live when it really isn't.

Fluke is the only one I can think of where I've seen that Low-Z mode.
 
Maybe a handheld scope would be a better choice, then, set one channel to DC, the other AC.

I find I use mine quite a bit.
 
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Unfortunately pretty much any US-made electronic gadget is going to be comprised almost entirely of chinesium parts, it's just the site of final assembly that gives them the rah-rah-rah USA! USA! USA! stamp. And the people putting them together in the USA are usually low-paid immigrants who don't care for America.
That's my editorial.

This website from Klein Tools directly contradicts my above claim, at least as far as Klein Tools is concerned. Take both with a pinch of salt..
http://www.kleintools.com/content/american-manufacturing
Originally Posted By: Klein Tools
American Manufacturing

Since 1857, Klein Tools has been manufacturing tools in America, and it’s as important for the Klein family to keep that tradition now, as it was more than 150 years ago. You see, Klein isn’t just the name of our company; it’s also our family name, so we have to be proud of everything we make.
[Fifth and sixth generation Klein family members continue the Klein Tools legacy]
Fifth and sixth generation Klein family members continue the Klein Tools legacy.

These days, it can be hard to find companies that make products you can count on. But that’s exactly what you’ll get from Klein Tools.

We don’t just make great products; we make great products that stand up to the demands of the professionals who use them every day. Because our standards are as high as yours, we demand that every one of our hand tools delivers all the performance, durability and precision that you need to get the job done right.

And by using only the highest quality materials, superior workmanship, and keeping our manufacturing as close to home as possible, we’re able to uphold those rigorous standards.

Klein Tools continues to invest in U.S. manufacturing and is committed to maintaining its place as the favorite among electricians. Klein is the only major tool manufacturer worldwide focused on electrical and utility applications. No other manufacturer of hand tools and related products used in electrical applications makes more items in America than Klein Tools. We appreciate your business and interest in Klein Tools and hope the information on this page will answer questions you have about our commitment to US manufacturing.
[Klein Tools employees cut the ribbon at the new Heat Treating Facility in Mansfield, TX – April 2014.]
Klein Tools employees cut the ribbon at the new Heat Treating Facility in Mansfield, TX – April 2014.
Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What commitment has Klein Tools made to American manufacturing?

A: Klein Tools was founded in the USA in 1857. We are continually investing in our manufacturing capabilities in the US as we grow our product lines. Over the last 10 years, the vast majority of our investments have been to increase our U.S. manufacturing capabilities. Additionally, while we have recently built several new facilities, we also continue to invest in our existing factories to support improvement initiatives in product quality and productivity. Future planned investments in excess of $100 million will allow us to manufacture in the USA some of the products we currently source as well as make new USA-made products that would otherwise be imported without this investment.

Q: What does ‘Made in the USA’ mean?

A: When our products say ‘Made in the USA,’ they are, in fact, made in the USA. It is illegal to mislabel a product's “Country of Origin”. According to the FTC, “for a product to be called Made in USA, or claimed to be of domestic origin without qualifications or limits on the claim, the product must be ‘all or virtually all’ made in the U.S. The term ’United States’, as referred to in the Enforcement Policy Statement, includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the US territories and possessions.” You can learn more here.

Q: How many of your tools are made in the USA?

A: The vast majority of the products we sell are made in the USA. The exact percentage changes frequently as we insource some products to our USA plants and add new products to our lineup. Klein has introduced many new US-manufactured products in recent years (hole-making, screwdrivers, fish tapes, utility wrenches, buckets, bags, etc.). We have invested in four new US manufacturing facilities in the past decade, and have invested heavily in new equipment and tooling in our plants to expand our capacity and quality.
 
Fluke 179. The display is funky so Im going to see how much it costs to fix, and decide if I want to buy an 87-V. But for some stuff, low impedance to get rid of capacitive ghost voltages is useful.
 
Originally Posted By: Win
Maybe a handheld scope would be a better choice, then, set one channel to DC, the other AC.

I find I use mine quite a bit.


this ^^^^
I love my hand held BK. I'm always a TEK guy but I couldn't swing the extra coin for the TEK hand held. I have 3 scopes and one is a TEK TDS which is essentially portable.

That being said, I have probably 10 different DMM's for different reasons. I recently purchased a Klein Tools MM5000, they are roughly $120-140 but so far it seems great and it is a TRUE RMS low imp. that is made in the USA. I personally would go with a FLUKE if its your only one, maybe a FLUKE 114. FLUKES are by far the most reliable meter's, I used them in my HVAC business for years and now use them daily in an engineering/repair environment.

FWIW: I always like to mention when DMM's come up that, the best meter I have ever bought that was under $100 is a craftsman that I paid $20 @ sears several years ago.... and the best that I bought that was above $100 is my BK benchtop (I think its a 3830 ??) and was around $400.
 
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So you want a voltmeter that loads what you're measuring. What is it you're measuring? Voltage range? mV's? AC or DC?

I recently ran across an article on measuring low impedances using the 4-wire technique...without buying such a meter. Very efffective for measuring DC voice coil resistance to two decimals. Let me know if you're interested.
 
I think you may need an Analog multimeter.

I have Exectech Analog and Digital MM's and have found them to be accurate and tough:

http://www.grainger.com/product/EXTECH-Analog-Multimeter-3JZK7?s_pp=false&picUrl=//static.grainger.com/rp/s/is/image/Grainger/3JZK7_AS01?$smthumb$

If you want a Simpson or Triplet, the "standards," you'll pay upward of $350.00.

http://www.grainger.com/category/analog-.../ecatalog/N-b8w
 
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I've got a Simpson 260 collecting dust from work also a Fluke 12B and 177 that's made in the USA.

Also a Fluke 124 for testing ESU's
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Fluke 179. The display is funky so Im going to see how much it costs to fix, and decide if I want to buy an 87-V. But for some stuff, low impedance to get rid of capacitive ghost voltages is useful.


Exactly what is flaky about the display?

Fluke meters (at least my 77 is) famous for having a display that seemly goes bad after a while, but it can be cleaned and will work as good as new again, for years (more like decades). I am sure that Youtube can show you how to do this, but mine was cleaned by an electrician at the waste water treatment plant that I used to work at (this was pre-internet, and only took a few minutes). If you don't know that it can be cleaned and work as good as new again, then yes I could see you wanting to get another meter, but it might be unnecessary.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MTulo_SIE6E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPHsVG8K1so
 
Interesting, thanks for sharing!! Ill have to look into that, since I figured Id have to send to Fluke and they would want $150 or some crazy amount to repair... At which time Id just buy a more capable meter. If I can work this, then life is so much better because I just saved a few hundred dollars.

Still want a low impedance meter though
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Interesting, thanks for sharing!! Ill have to look into that, since I figured Id have to send to Fluke and they would want $150 or some crazy amount to repair... At which time Id just buy a more capable meter. If I can work this, then life is so much better because I just saved a few hundred dollars.

Still want a low impedance meter though
smile.gif



NO, if your into science enough to understand the importance of L.I. meter, than you can surely swap out an LCD......If not there used to be a guy on EBAY that repaired the display issue for (i think) $50.
 
Originally Posted By: wsar10
Originally Posted By: JHZR2
Interesting, thanks for sharing!! Ill have to look into that, since I figured Id have to send to Fluke and they would want $150 or some crazy amount to repair... At which time Id just buy a more capable meter. If I can work this, then life is so much better because I just saved a few hundred dollars.

Still want a low impedance meter though
smile.gif



NO, if your into science enough to understand the importance of L.I. meter, than you can surely swap out an LCD......If not there used to be a guy on EBAY that repaired the display issue for (i think) $50.


For what I saw this person doing to mine, $50 was way too much money for what he did. It's an easy DIY.
 
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