The best budget DMM is the free HF one. :bigsmile:
Thanks, I looked at the picture and didn’t see the 10A port. That’s a good deal.
The left most port is marked 10A. Link to the pdf manual.
I bought the DMM that Flashpilot linked to http://www.walmart.com/ip/Equus-3320-Innova-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/14644666?adid=bzv_fb_revshr_001 today. It is really a nice unit for the money. Auto ranging for $15. I bought online and picked up after work. It was $15 online and when I picked it up I checked to see what it cost out on the floor, $26.
EDIT The leads are very thin. With the standard leads I get 2.82A tailcap with an L2i/UF 3Mode/Callies Kustoms CGR18650CH. http://callieskustoms.com/CalliesKustoms-Batteries.html With the thicker leads from my old HF $4 DMM I get 3.8A. The HF DMM never was worth much for measuring current but I wasnt the leads fault. I made super short and thick leads for the HF and still got the same measurements as with the standard leads. The HF $4 unit I got the leads from is pretty old, I dont know if the newer ones have the same leads, probably not.
The 3.8 reading seems to be about right for that flashlight so I can finally feel like my measurements are in the right ballpark. Very happy with this DMM, just change the leads for current measurements.
You'll find that many items are cheaper through walmart.com than their floor prices. Even at $40, that meter is highly regarded. At $15, its a complete steal.
What does your HF cheapo get on the same light?
I got 2.4A on the old HF. This is the $4 HF DMM, not the one in the OP.
It's currently in stock at my nearest Walmart so I'll pick one up tomorrow. Thanks for the heads up!
Oh, where would one start looking for a decent set of leads? Preferably cheap, like the DMM ;)
I've got several of the Walmart DMMs scattered about my ham shack/study/garage areas. Seem to work OK, for the money, for what they are intended.
Well, I've been trying out my new Equus 3320 vs the HF DMM and there's quite the dramatic difference in current measurement, as I expected. I'm testing on an L2i with MF Ultrafire XM-L drop-in and the Sky Ray G6 that just arrived, and using fully charged Flames:
L2i XM-L
Equus: High @ 3.15A
HF DMM: High @ 1.35A
G6 XP-G
Equus: High @ 1.0A
HF DMM: High @ 0.85A
I'm not saying the Equus is totally reliable, but it sure is a heck of a lot closer to the claimed current draw than what the HF DMM is reading. The G6 is spot on. I'm definitely happy with this DMM, for being a cheapie :)
That's odd because my HF cheapos (x3) are actually pretty good; reads the same as more expensive meters. I do notice though that they come with different leads sometimes. To be fair I also paid a few bucks for mine because I got the backlit version (which is identical save for the backlighting thing inside). Guess there's significant variation among these.
Can you swap the leads from the Equus and HF and retake your readings to find out if the leads are at fault for the HF?
Oh it's definitely the leads. I can only try the HF leads in the Equus DMM and not vise-versa because of compatibility issues. With that I got a reading of ~1.34A on the L2i, which is about what I was getting with the HF DMM.
But this is definitely a much better deal even if it is only a matter of swapping leads. This DMM is auto ranging and takes 2xAA batteries vs 9 volt. This is for a difference of roughly $10; WAY better deal, imo. It also has the rubberized protection on the corners.
For gits-n-shiggles, picked-up the 5 in 1 HF DMM today, with the 20 percent coupon. Really went-in with a fistful of coupons to buy everything but that, but on the way out the house door, I ripped the 20 percent coupon off the flyer, which I had thrown away.
I wound-up buying the DMM and a magnesium firestarter. Go figure. I happened to see the box, looking for other stuff, and opened it. SOLD!
Put batteries in it, played with the selector, and got a chuckle when the correct test lead jacks lit-up to prompt newbies which to use!
Have to spend quality time with the wife, this eve, so can't play with the meter. Shux...no lux.
Even if the meter performs somewhat inaccurately, it's a steal at the price, if for nothing more than comparative measurements.
Ditto on ordering it online and picking it up at the store. Saved over ten dollars doing it that way. I'm going to consider doing that for future purchases at wally world. Nice meter by the way. Thanks all.
I really like the Equus meter I just got the other day. Mine only shows 2.6A with a Xtar 18700 on the MF drop-in, but I care more about the continuity and voltage stuff most of the time anyhow.
It might be the drop-in or the test leads. Also make sure your battery is charged above 4.17V resting. Clean all contact surfaces. Try replacing the test leads with short thick wires and retest. Let us know how it goes.
I bought one yesterday online. $16.12 to my door.
Amazon.com: Equus 3320 Auto-Ranging Digital Multimeter: Automotive - http://www.amazon.com/Equus-3320-Auto-Ranging-Digital-Multimeter/dp/B000EVYGZA
Can across this link. It made me chuckle. How the heck do you use a DMM handsfree ??????