Multimeters, which one?

[Noxious89123]

So I was thinking of getting a multimeter, as it seems you can get them cheaply and will no doubt prove handy at some point. More so I want to be able to check the voltage (and thus condition) of my bike and car batteries.

But a quick look on ebay brings up squillions of the things... What am I actually looking for in a multimeter? I'd rather avoid the cheapest one that come from China or Hong Kong, too much potential bullshit with poor quality stuff.

So what should I get? Links much appreciated please!
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[MickC]

Spend around £20 on one, good idea to get one with a rubber case, there's many a time mine has ended up hitting the floor (but that's what happens when you leave them perched precariously when the engines running )

As you say there is a staggering amount available and the chances are you will only ever use its volt, resistance and occasionally amps function, so there's little point spending £70+ on one.
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Previous: CG125,XS250 (converted to 400),Z250A, GPZ550, Norton Commando, XS500, 78 Laverda Jota, GPZ1100,Harris bonneville, XV750 (mono shock),TR1

[Noxious89123]

So this £125 jobby in the ads below is overkill then?

https://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=220894068941&clk_rvr_id=292820590311&item=220894068941&lgeo=1&clk_rvr_id=292820590311&vectorid=229508

EDIT: It lied, it's in $
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[ruck bodgers]

i use one of the cheaper clark ones its always been very accurate its this one

https://www.clarketooling.co.uk/tools/CDM10-Economy-Digital-Multimeter.html

[Teflon-Mike]

I have had a few over the years; I rate analogue over digital any day of the week, they are easier to reed, and voltage functions still work even if battery is flat.
Covers most working ranges required, and intuative and simple. Seen far too many people get expensive meters with gazillions of functions that have shunts and probes for measuing high amps or high volts ignition timing, even checking engine speed to calibrate tacho's, with a manual thicker than Windows 7..... seldom used, as functions not that necessary, and even when they may be useful, operators have frequently struggled to even find relevent chapter in the book, let alone follow it!
This is the one I have; Draper pocket multimeter.
https://i.ebayimg.com/00/$(KGrHqJ,!g4E1e5V9wL3BNgkUP10Lg~~0_1.JPG
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-POCKET-ANALOGUE-MULTIMETER-/400217688903?_trksid=p3284.m263&_trkparms=algo%3DSIC%26its%3DI%26itu%3DUCI%252BIA%252BUA%252BFICS%252BUFI%26otn%3D21%26pmod%3D270836198493%26ps%3D54
Available at most motorfactors; tool shops; hardware stores; e-bay for anything from £8 - £18....
Some of the ranges are less than convenient; most used for bikes cars is 0-25v so you only get about half full scale deflection for normal volts, but small gripe. Does AC & DC up to 250v so you can test mains supply, or PC's and stuff.
Cheap, versatile, useful. If its a starting point; its not a bad one.
Only gripe I have with mine, as with all multi-meters is the test probes; these have daft spring loaded plugs to go in the meter, that can 'pop-out'. But twist the sleeve thats sprung to lock them they stay put fair enough.
Also a pop rivet shaft fits the socket..... get a bit of spare wire, solder a corcadile clip on the end, wrap other end areound pop-rivet shaft and solder, you have a test lead to clip to known earth for buzzing out.
You can make up any number of test leads in this way... I have one with a veriety of common connector ends; male & female lucar's and bullets, to plug into connectors or connector blocks when testing..
You dont HAVE to use the test probes they supply!
Pretty robust too; but cheap enough it doesn't matter too much if it gets driven over!
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Current Bikes:'Honda VF1000F' ;'CB750F2N' ;'CB125TD ( 6 3 of em!)'; 'Montesa Cota 248'. Learner FAQ's:= 'U want to Ride a Motorbike! Where Do U start?'

[Noxious89123]

Does this look reasonable?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DRAPER-DIGITAL-AC-DC-POWER-ELECTRIC-MULTI-METER-TESTER-/110615595181?pt=UK_BOI_Electrical_Test_Measurement_Equipment_ET&hash=item19c13408ad

EDIT: Helps if I actually paste the link...
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'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[neatbik]

Yeah that one will do you fine.

[.....]

I bought this one recently but for £5.99

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Skytronic-Digital-Multitester-Ranges-Holster/dp/B000L0RINQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1323202392&sr=8-3

Has a rubber case and an audible continuity tone. Will do for my rookie needs.

[MickC]

[Teflon-Mike]

[swampy]

A lot of the cheaper ones don't have audible continuity, which I find really useful, so worth keeping an eye out for that. Mine's cheap, cheerful and digital and does all I need. Anything over £25 is too much for a casual user I reckons....
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[Rogerborg]

Yup, cheap and cheerful will do you for bike use. Audible continuity is ace. Don't buy more functionality than you need.
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Biking is 1/20th as dangerous as horse riding.
GONE: HN125-8, LF-250B, GPz 305, GPZ 500S, Burgman 400 // RIDING: F650GS (800 twin), Royal Enfield Bullet Electra 500 AVL, Ninja 250R because racebike

[DrDonnyBrago]

[J4mes]

Digital every time, analogue ones can get cracked just as easily as LCD ones and this can stop the needle moving correctly, the needle can become loose which can give incorrect readings. And if you are in a funny position with your hands up under something it is much easier to read off a digital display than it is an analogue one, where you need to remember which scale you are looking at and where the needle is on that scale.

IMO.

[Noxious89123]

[russeleoin]

My Digital AVO is 15 years old, outlasted the Fluke and is very easy to read. If you can, choose a meter with backlight facility. If you use the meter for fault finding then all may be dark when you are working and if you cant see the display you are stuffed. Also look for an option that has crocobile clips as well as probes as it is easy to select an earth clip onto it, then probe around for voltage, or continuity as the case may be.
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Current ride is a Yamaha YB 100 and I love it! Oooow and now a running GPZ400R!
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[Villers]

[jjdugen]

Avo's are great at RMS (AC) voltages if you need that kind of accuracy, still have mine from my apprentice days back in the 60's. But, a Fluke is bombproof, if you can fail one of those you shouldnt have a DVM in the first place.
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[Kickstart]

Hi

I have a decent one for anything accurate. But for general debugging I have a couple of cheap ones (£5 for 2 from Maplins a couple of years ago).

Analogue ones also have uses, but not easy to find and normally substantially more expensive.

All the best

Keith
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[cb1rocket]

I have this and covers everything I need for it apart from tacho measuring.

On offer at Maplin for a fiver, had mine for about 6 years now and used heavily so its pretty good and comes with a rubber case.

https://www.maplin.co.uk/domestic-multimeter-37279

[Noxious89123]

So now that I've got this doodad, how do I use it?

I've plugged the black lead into the COM port and the red lead into the VΩmA port like the instructions say for testing DC voltage. I've turned the dial to "20" for (what I think) is DC volts. But when i touch the battery terminals, nothing happens at all. Tried it on my bike battery which is in the house and so disconnected from anything, and also on my car battery which is connected to the car. (With ignition on and off).

But nothing. What am I doing wrong?

EDIT: Nvm, it's just being a twat. I've tried it again just a second after i posted this and it's working fine now. Dunno why.
____________________
'06 Honda CBR125RW-6 ~ '00 Honda CBR600F-Y ~ '07 Honda CBR600RR-7 ~ Bikeless
'53 Ford Ka 1.3 ~ '03 Vauxhall Astra SRi 1.8 ~ '52 Vauxhall Astra SRi 2.2 ~ '53 Vauxhall Astra GSi

[DrDonnyBrago]

The blue rubber bit around the outside stops the plugs going in fully if you position them wrong. Turn them until they don't foul on the rubber and it shouldn't happen .

[Vincent]

If it's any use, and you don't have one, I kept the instruction manual that came with mine and can scan it for you. It's a good idea to get an "Automotive" type meter as they usualy come with the basic instructions.
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Space Is Deep

[Noxious89123]

[stinkwheel]

I'm with Teflon on the analogue thing. Especially if you have a points ignition bike like I do. You can see the needle deflecting as the points start to come together.

Some multimeters will come rated for a much more substantial range of current than others. You can't do much useful in terms of electrical currents with a 1A rating, that's pretty much in the range of electronics rather than electrics. Some meters come rated up to 10A which, if you're sensible where and when you use it, can actually be a handy function for motorcycle electrics.

You can get surprisingly cheap analogue ones too, virtually disposable.

I use a cheap analogue one for electrics and a more expensive digital one for electronics. I actually have a seperate analogue ammeter rated up to 30A.
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