[AT] Multimeters for tractors, etc.

[Ken Knierim]

On Fri, Jan 1, 2010 at 3:24 PM, charliehill <charliehill at embarqmail.com>wrote:

> This doesn't apply to old tractors ............. well maybe it does.  I've
> been told that for testing things like throttle position sensors (basically
> a reostat) that you need an analog meter so that you can see that the
> instrument you are testing flows smoothly through it's range without any
> dead spots.  You just can't really tell that on a digital.
>
> Charlie
>

Charlie,
   That's not really true, if you buy a good digital one like a Fluke. They
also have a bar along the bottom that acts like an analog meter and will
show you noise if you have it in the rheostats like that. Fluke has done
some amazing things with their products over the years. We have a slew of
different DMM makes in my shop (many less costly units, etc) but I usually
reach for a Fluke.

An old adage I use: Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten. I
am a small US manufacturer of electronic equipment for my day job and I like
to support folks who build stuff here in the States. Get a Fluke and a cheap
POS for kicking around the shop on things you don't care about (where you
might drive over it, etc). After you get tired of buying batteries for the
China built widget, you'll remember the battery in the Fluke is still good
and you can get the job done.

My opinion, and worth every penny you didn't pay for it. :)

Ken in AZ