in market for multimeter

Gord, are you implying that some of us might forget to put the meter on the correct range when testing those nice new GFI's?

[S/V Elusive]

Ahem ... umm Kai? There are specialized GFI testers ... they plug in ... have a rheostat that is calibrated to a certain conductivity; causing it to trip the GFI as you rotate toward greater conductivity.

[Alan Wheeler]

Plus those GFI testers have to read the time it takes to trip as well as the current.

Roverhi, a DMM only reads what is there. If there is a stray voltage, it will read it. The meter itself is not the erroneouse part. A very small currect can be sensed in a wire due to induction and even RF signals in the air. A DMM is sensitive enough to register that. An analogue is not as sensitive, having a resistance that "loads" a circuit, and if the current is too small, it will not deflect the needle.

I was refering mainly to the mistake of leaving the meter on 50v and testing a 110v circuit. But I have never made THAT mistake

[otgadventures]

Here is another vote for the Radio Shack. I've had mine for 20 years, 2 boats, a couple of houses, our solar home, and it works fine. Ya, it has a needle, and I just added "wristband" made out of velcro straps and epoxy, so I can hold it on my left (I'm a righty) wrist, and hold the two probes with free hands, without having to set it down or risk it dropping off the transom while I take solar panel readings etc.

BTW the solar panels (Shell Solar) at 85 watts each, with a Sunkeeper controller are doing very nicely keeping 13.5 v. in the batteries. I still need a better way to feed them in, but for now, some small alligator clips to the house bank is working nicely. Ideas?

Bottom is painted, ready for day after Christmas splash. New name on boat, and my wife is buffing and waxing the gelcoat.

I've never had this much fun even on the BEST day in the office!

Merry Christmas to all...

[Alan Wheeler]

Or another horride mistake, (That I have never done :-) is to leave the meter on Amps and place the leads across 230V. It can blow (so I have been told:-) the tips clean off the probes and you can't see a thing for a while because of the flash.

[never monday]

Originally Posted by Alan Wheeler

Or another horride mistake, (That I have never done :-) is to leave the meter on Amps and place the leads across 230V. It can blow (so I have been told:-) the tips clean off the probes and you can't see a thing for a while because of the flash.

Thats why I have a seperate meter just for amps. My Fluke never sees the amp scale.

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by never monday

Thats why I have a seperate meter just for amps...

Me too.
Fluke 336 Clamp-On meter that measures AC/DC current and voltage, & ohms.
http://support.fluke.com/find-sales/...629613_C_w.pdf

[jimbim]

I shouldn't post a question and then take a short holiday, not polite, but thanks for the detailed answers. hellosailor's reply was brilliant. I guess what I will do is get Sis to pick up a couple cheap digital meters, perhaps one auto-ranging, and learn for myself. If someday I want to step up to a Fluke, at least I'll know better what the hell I'm looking for.
Many thanks and cheers to all,
Jim