What is a good multimeter thanks .

Get a FLUKE. They are a trade quality meter. I got mine through work so don't know about price

I have the 116 and it does everything I need it too and has a thermometer as well

G'day Luther,
It depends how proficient you are, a $10.00 Bunnings special is good and will measure DC Amps in series and dc volts. This clamp meter is handy for dc amps measurement without disconnecting anything. It also has DC volts.
They have been on special at $100.00. Have a practice with a cheap one on the car using ohms for checking fuses, you might find it is good enough. I use the cheap one and break out the big one when it's getting trickier.

From Dick Smith online -----------

1000A AC/DC True RMS Digital Clamp Meter
1000A AC/DC True RMS Digital Clamp Meter

Product Code: Q1476

[+] Enlarge image

Features a 4000 count bar graph display, AC/DC current range to 1000 Amps, and data hold, MAX/MIN hold & peak hold. Category III 1000V safety rating. Supplied with test leads.
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A$168
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Cheers,
Bill

for that sort of money, you'll get a DC current clamp meter included.
Mine's got V/A/Ohms/diode/Hz/duty cycle, all in AC and DC, auto ranging, hold and delta functions.
Most importantly, the current clamp is good for AC and DC in two ranges, 40 and 400 amps.

It's got fast integration times, good readout and it was cheap - I use it every day and love it.

From memory, they're around 120 bucks at Jaycar, half that on ebay.

Best regards, Peter

I have a Fluke 73 which I've had for about 15 years. Top quality gear.

Meters adequate for automotive use are available from about $10. For $50 you'll buy a Fluke lookalike. (As already said, Fluke is something of an industrial standard.) I've been in electronics for many years and I have a lookalike that I treat with respect, and carry a cheap one for most automotive jobs. Accuracy is much the same, but if the cheap one is killed, or dies, I'm not too distressed. An expensive meter can be damaged or killed just as easily as a cheap one.

There is some advantage in having one with a dc current tong and a good big display, but apart from that, for automotive use, I'd suggest buy cheap.

Cheers

John

Serious work demand serious quality .... however ... and even tho I hate digital readouts ... I bought the model before this a while back.

Has more than enough features for basic use ... and as one lives in the toolbox stuffed into a thick sock for most of its life ... The price for two of them was acceptable.

Site Link

Fluke are the best but i think jaycar might be the go thanks .

I got a Fluke Clamp Meter look alike for $1.99 + postage ($18 from HonKong)
on ebay.
Here is an example
not a Fluke look alike but cheap enough
Multimeter
Sometimes you get lucky when noone bids and the seller is honest and does not cancel the auction.

Search fro Clamp meter and you will find Fluke Clamp meters for around 100 or cheaper. Get a clamp meter, has many andvantages.

If you pay more than $100 you have more money than sense.

good luck
gmd

AI worked in electrical engineering up until about 15 years ago and we all used flukes. Thats because we had to measure ac voltages and currents accurately so you need a calibrate'able true rms meter and fluke was the only choice, they were expensive but work paid! For around the house and auto a regular meter will fine its easy to make a meter measure dc reasonably accurately. Heres an example for under $30 then spend $50 on a range of test leads, clip leads, current adaptor etc they are more handy than the last digit of accuracy on the meter.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QM1524&CATID=12&form=CAT&SUBCATID=457
If you want to spend a bit more theres another one here that has a beep continuity tester, very handy, throw that in your kit, a long piece of (10m+) medium duty hookup wire and some clip leads and you'll be well set up to solve any truck or van electrical problems that occur along the way.
http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=QM1326&CATID=12&form=CAT&SUBCATID=558

Go to jaycar and have a look. Fluke are excellent but you wont need 99% of their accuracy and what they can do.

Just go and get a simple one from the staff at Jaycar. Give Dick Smith a miss as they only know about woolies stuff and groceries.

Phil

Hi Luther, As has been said, Fluke are good but expensive for non-professional use. I have used many in my time but the one I carry in the troopy is this one from Jacar for $119.
It will do all you want without fancy features to trip you up.

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Depends what you want it for. I've had a Fluke from the mid 80's and they are a really good bit of kit but I think it was more than $200 even then. If you are thinking of putting it in a tool box or taking it on trips get a cheap one from Jaycar or Dick Smith. I have got a $10 Dick smith anologue meter in the car which I find sufficent while travelling around. If it gets destroyed or lost I won't lose any sleep over it. I'd be a bit peeved if anything happened to the Fluke meter though!

Steve

Also try RS Components. I purchased a ISO TECH IDM72 for around $175.00 and it does every thing the fluke will do, and is looks/feels like a quality meter.
(Page 2725 on their 09/10 cat)

Dont be fooled into thinking that digital is best either. For many automotive applications an analogue meter is superior especially with intermittant voltages like blinkers. An analogue will show whats giong on while a digital is still trying to figure out what just happened. Cheers marn

Any multimeter for $50 or so is good enough unless you are an experienced sparky and then you would probably already have one.

Mine was $45 NZ from dicky about 10 years ago and does all I want around vehicles.

Have put all the extra wiring in car and rewired vanwirh heavier 12v and its been OK.

These comparative results are ranked according to the average of their DC % variation measurements.

Model - Average DC % variation

Aulec CTC DT9205A - 0.03%
Triplett 2030 - 0.06%
Heathkit IM-2215 - 0.09%
Fluke 8022A - 0.11%
DSE Q-1559 - 0.13% ($79)
Fluke 21 - 0.16%
Parameters 7080B - 0.21%
Fluke 75 - 0.23%
Brymen BM727 - 0.28%
DSE Q-1419 - 0.35%
Meterman DM78A -0.37%
Aulec DT9205A - 0.38%
Digitech QM-1500 - 0.83%
Digitech QM-1536 - 0.85%

The DC readings of all Digital Multy Meters shown varied less than 1 % compared to a Fluke 289 meter as the comparison test meter.

Maîneÿ . . .