So, I want to pick up a multimeter so I can test electrical outlets and power adapters and things to make sure things are working properly. However, I don't know what the difference is between them to know what I need.



Can anyone help?



I was checking on Menards.com and they range from Under $10 to $200+ and I don't know why I'd want one over the other.



http://www.menards.com/main/search.h...ortby=priceAsc



I'm assuming that for what I'd use it for, one of the cheapest ones would work fine but just wanted to check and see if anyone knows more about them than I do to offer any feedback.

 

Buy the cheap one. I use multimeters all the time. You only need an expensive one if you:

A. Need .001 accuracy

or

B. Need ruggedness



Otherwise, go with the $12 one from Walmart. If it breaks, buy the $12 one at Walmart.

 

I got one for like $40 that can plug into the computer and datalog, and a couple cheap ones to double check important readings.

 

Expensive meters do everything the cheap meters do. They do it better, faster, and more accurately. Sometimes they offer better or more functions. They will often be far more rugged and stand up to abuse better. The leads will be higher quality wire. The displays will be better. The controls and ergonomics will be better. The calibration will stay accurate for longer sometimes.



...but if you just need it for quick checks, there's no real need to spend more than a few dollars.

 

The only thing I saw an expensive one do a cheap one couldn't was "catch" a very very momentary voltage drop and display it. The regular/cheap meter never saw it. 99% of things didn't give a crap amount the drop, but the copier I was working on did give a crap. Voltage drop (due to too much on the circuit) caused a jam/logic issues.





So what they said: For anything close to normal; get a cheap one that you can read.

 

If you're talking about 110v voltage momentary spikes/drops, there are different types of monitoring equipment for that. They range from 500-5k and will alert you to changes. If you're after logic, a triggered logic analyzer or oscilloscope is the tool. If you're trying to catch quick voltage drops, a multi-meter is generally the wrong tool. They are used to measure voltage, and not to sense changes over time.



The high end, fast reacting multimeters are used in calibration of pulses, such as X-Ray, or Radars (I've used them for both purposes), and when you want to catch peaks, you're operating in fast-max or fast-min mode. Most devices are tolerant of quick power drops because the logic is separated from the movers by power supply isolation. The example above with a copier is one of those 1:1,000,000 situations.

 

He's talking about "peak/hold". My Fluke 88 does it. I use it for DC voltage. It helps to see if a sensor that transmits a short burst, too short to see even on an analog voltmeter, is functioning. I also use to to test BCM inputs and outputs.



I also have a cheap RadioShack DMM for normal stuff.