# $3.99 Multi-Meters at Harbor Freight



## GJW (Oct 31, 2005)

My local HF had these on sale again and they've updated their design from the last time I looked.
They've added a slide on-off switch and an auto power-off as well as an alkaline battery tester (AA and 9V).
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=90899

They've also got a near identical model in red that adds a pushbutton operated backlight -- same price.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=92020


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## CroMAGnet (Oct 31, 2005)

Thanks G! I was looking for a new multi-meter and $3.99 sounds great but it shows $9.99

It looks like there is a difference between the functions of the two meters. Can anyone tell me which one is better for a flashaholic with noob electronic skills


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## sniper (Oct 31, 2005)

I see the low prices from Harbor Freight and similar outlets all the time, but seriously, how good can a multimeter be for less than $10.00 ?


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## gadget_lover (Oct 31, 2005)

sniper said:


> I see the low prices from Harbor Freaight and similar outlets all the time, but seriously, how good can a multimeter be for less than $10.00 ?




Good is always relative.

Is it accurate? Well, it's fine for testing batteries, looking for shorts, measuring line voltage, etc. Does is have an accuracy/calibration certificate that can be traced back to NIST? No.

Is it reliable? Well, it can knock around in the trunk of the car for a year or two (so far) and still tell me if a fuse is OK. Can it survive a drop or a soaking in the bucket of parts cleaner? No.

Most electrical components are only within 5 to 10 percent of their marked value, so in many cases it's the repeatability of the masurment that counts more than the absolute value.

I have several GOOD meters, but I have one of these HF cheapies in the box with my spare batteries and one in each car. I also left one at each relative's house so I have some way to check light sockets and such when I'm visiting. 

Sometimes 'good enough' is just that.

Daniel


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## Xsavior (Nov 8, 2005)

What would your best suggestion for a multimeter be? Maybe something for $50 or less?


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## greenLED (Nov 8, 2005)

Xsavior said:


> What would your best suggestion for a multimeter be? Maybe something for $50 or less?



I got mine at Sears. It's their $20 Craftsman model, but I got it for $9 on Thanksgiving sale.


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## gadget_lover (Nov 8, 2005)

Xsavior said:


> What would your best suggestion for a multimeter be? Maybe something for $50 or less?



It depends on what you do with it. There are many, many models with a slew of features.

If all you are doing is checking batteries, lightbulbs and switches, then any DMM will work OK. Bear in mind that 30 years ago your average meter was analog and had a resolution that was terrible by comparison. I remember looking at a 12 volt battery and as long as it was between the 10 mark and 15 mark I was happy. 



To give you an idea of the scope of the question, I have multimeters with the following capabilities:

Volts -> milivolts
Amp -> miliamps
Max reading hold
Min reading hold
Capacitance
resistance
Auto ranging
fixed ranges
AC or DC
tachometer
temperature probe
ocilloscope
logic probe
single hand (meter built into the probe itself)
backlit display
bench-top stand
folding case (self contained)
diode check
continutity buzzer
transistor test
clamp on ammeter
rubber case
Serial port

No single meter does all of that. 

If I were just starting out I'd buy several of the cheaper ones (such as the HF model mentioned above) and learn to use them. I'd buy better ones as I needed a specific function. If you need precision, Fluke meters are well known for precision electronics.

Daniel


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## Lynx_Arc (Nov 8, 2005)

I have an autoranging craftsman model 82029 and do not recommend it.
The ball bearings in the click switch mechanism have fallen out several times and it has an annoying *feature* that it falls asleep after awhile and you have to turn if off then on again which for monitering current makes it useless as it keeps going to sleep. Also one lead broke and had to be resoldered. 
I have 3 or 4 harbor freight models and the ones with the on/off switch are nice as you can leave it on a scale on hooked up to a proto board and turn it off via slide switch and on later. 



greenLED said:


> I got mine at Sears. It's their $20 Craftsman model, but I got it for $9 on Thanksgiving sale.


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## gadget_lover (Nov 9, 2005)

Broken leads are fairly common. I have several that have been repaired multiple times as well as some that have lasted 15 years. That's one argument for owning multiple meters; it lets you use the second to test the first.


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## ABTOMAT (Nov 9, 2005)

Do you know of a sale code that can be applied online for these things? One of these days I'm going to have to get more digital meters. Just have a really tiny Craftsman I got on sale years back. On the other hand, I have quite a few analogs--a Triplett, a couple nice Microntas, some other cheaper ones, and a huge Sylvania VTVOM.


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## rdshores (Nov 9, 2005)

You can use code number 90899-3HKA. It shows as $3.99. The red model with the back light is code 92020-1HKA. It it shows at a price of $4.99. Enter the number in the "order from printed catalog" section.


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## Davidgojr (Nov 13, 2005)

That site is a good find!


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## jashhash (Nov 13, 2005)

I bought a $5.00 multimeter on ebay and it broke in a couple months. For some reason it measures voltages wrong now. It says my fully charged Li-Ions are 4.9 volts and my new alkalines are 1.8-1.9 volts. Maybe you will get lucky and yours will work better.


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## Radio (Nov 13, 2005)

Do yourself a favor and buy a good FLUKE, I will use nothing but, you guys are buying $300 flashlights and going to work on them with a $4 meter? Spend the $100 for a Fluke and get a real test instrument, you will not be disappointed.


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## gadget_lover (Nov 13, 2005)

jashhash said:


> I bought a $5.00 multimeter on ebay and it broke in a couple months. For some reason it measures voltages wrong now. It says my fully charged Li-Ions are 4.9 volts and my new alkalines are 1.8-1.9 volts. Maybe you will get lucky and yours will work better.




This points out a lesson I learned in electonics class years ago. If the measurment is not what you expect, check your instuments as well as your circuit. The meter may be mis-calibrated or the circuit may be wrong. 

That lesson has worked well in every field that I've worked in, from software to hardware.

As for buying a 100 fluke... What assurance does a Fluke have that it has not been broken? Does it have a self calibration feature to let you know that something has burned out inside from accidently hooking it up to a voltage that is outside it's range? Something to tell you if a stray wire clipping somehow got into the case when you changed the batery?

I still think that the average home experimenter can do an awful lot with simple, cheap tools. You don't need an oscilloscope to check battery voltage or continuity. You don't really need to know if you are drawing 750 ma instead of 755mm. When something is wrong the readings are usually grossly wrong. All you need is to know that it's in the ball park.

I could, of course be wrong. I do have more than 5 meters. 


Daniel

Off subject... sort of. When I worked at the phone company on their electronic switching systems we were each issued a simple little hand held analog multimeter. We used them to diagnose just about everything from battery supplies to individual transistors. There was only one digital meter in the office and it was too big to carry around. Even with our own meters, the most popular tool for checking circuits was an LED with a diode and resistor mounted on a popsicle stick shaped two sided circuit board. You could check for polarity, voltage and see the difference between 24 volts and 48 volts by sticking it between any two pins. Very effective. Very imprecise.


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## Carbonium (Dec 3, 2005)

I have a high end fluke but I also have a bunch of these cheap Harbor Freight Meters. They work great. I have one in each car and on my ATV's. They make a great backup meter. I've been using them for years and none of them have ever given me any problems.


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## cue003 (Dec 4, 2005)

I think I will order a harbor freight version and check it out. I really only need it for battery checking etc.


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## jashhash (Dec 8, 2005)

Update on my $5 multimeter:

After sitting on my desk for a month or so with no use my multimeter magicaly fixed itself. I dont know how but now it once again reads voltages with accuracy.


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## was_jlh (Dec 10, 2005)

Just left the store, they're $2.99 right now. Battery was dead in it, but who cares for that price.


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## SuperNinja (Dec 14, 2005)

If you ever see these on sale, I highly recommend them (I bought some on sale for $5.00):






http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=33499

It does not have as many functions, it does not have auto-turnoff, and it does not have a backlight, but the one thing that REALLY makes this simple meter so convienient, is the way the test leads wrap around the meter for storage.

I have better meters, but none of them come close to the portability or convienience of this one.


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## BatteryCharger (Dec 18, 2005)

I LOVE my HF meters, and have 5 of them now. I have found them to be highly accurate, when testing battery voltages they always show up in the ranges that they should. They also all agree with eachother 100%. I've left them out in the rain, droped them, and even accidently shorted one across a car battery - It got so hot the plastic melted, but I haven't managed to break one and they still all agree with eachother. I can't think of a single reason why anybody should buy a more expensive meter unless you're building a spaceship for NASA...and even then, I'd probably trust my HF meter in a life threatening situation...


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