Which multimeter should I buy for farm use ?
- Thread starter Pilatus
- Start date
- Location
- North West
Both. Thanks.
I had a Draper one until it disappeared when an employee left. The best one I've had was £5 in a Tandy closing down sale - it's still going strong 15 years later! Fluke are the best but the price makes them professional sparky level only.
What do you need to measure? Voltage? Current? Resistance? Capacity?
What do you need to measure? Voltage? Current? Resistance? Capacity?
ollie989898
Member
Fluke or Kewtech. There are some cheaper versions around but don't have the same functionality. I got given a nice kewtech one by my old man, some tradesman left it behind at his work so that was promptly zoinked.
I have never had on before, but would like one to try and find the odd simple electric faults on my old MF 390, MF 6290 and Ford 3910. So nothing too ambitious, but sometimes cheaper to buy a descent one in the first place to give me scope should I get more ambitious,ONCE I find out how to use the thing without being electrocuted!!!
So will steer clear of mains electricity to start with
- Location
- North West
I’d get a Fluke as you won’t get any better. However If the majority of the things you’re testing are tractors 12/24v DC systems I’d get a power probe, they’re excellent for fault finding. I wouldn’t be without mine it gets way more use than the multimeter! But I still have the multimeter as well.I have never had on before, but would like one to try and find the odd simple electric faults on my old MF 390, MF 6290 and Ford 3910. So nothing too ambitious, but sometimes cheaper to buy a descent one in the first place to give me scope should I get more ambitious,ONCE I find out how to use the thing without being electrocuted!!!
So will steer clear of mains electricity to start with
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Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
I was going to say Robin aren't bad, but it looks like they don't exist now. I've mine some 30 years or so. Also have a Kewtech clamp meter(cheap off eBay) and a Weston clipper clamp meter from the ark.
defender
Member
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
You will got one good enough to do all you need for £20
Don't need Fluke or anything expensive to do basic or beginner type stuff
I have fluke as well but the one used most cost £14.50
Don't need Fluke or anything expensive to do basic or beginner type stuff
I have fluke as well but the one used most cost £14.50
What do you need to have to test alternator current output? I’ve seen roadside mechanics clip something onto the cable to measure the current flow. I wouldn’t want to be disconnecting anything to put a 10A max ammeter in series with a tractor alternator.
It's what you do with the readings that matter. Basic 12 volt stuff is straightforward and unlikely to kill you. Serious mains stuff leave to the qualified.
Netherfield
Member
- Location
- West Yorkshire
Durite 0-534-30 Clip-On Induction Ammeter 30 - 0 - 30 amp - Auto Electrical Supplies
Clip-On Induction Ammeter
www.aes.group
Durite Hand Held Digital Clamp Multimeter AC / DC - Auto Electrical Supplies
Hand Held Digital Clamp Multimeter AC / DC
www.aes.group
Both will test alternator output, obviously the cheaper one only goes to 30 amp, but a quick clip on and off will give a clue if the alt is charging or not, whereas the othe is probably no different than a mains clamp on.
TechWise
Member
- Location
- South Ayrshire, Scotland
As above, Fluke is the defacto standard for professionals but you don't really need such a thing for basic stuff. Outside of an electronics lab, there's seldom any reason to demand the sort of absolute accuracy or precision that the expensive stuff provides. 99 times out of 100, you're just going to be seeing if you've got 12V getting to somewhere or checking continuity. You can do both of those things just fine with a £10 Amazon/eBay type tool.
Steevo
Member
- Location
- Gloucestershire
I have a cheap Tacklife version from Amazon. @Cowabunga recommended them on here a while back and can’t really fault it.
Non contact voltage detector comes in very handy at times.
Non contact voltage detector comes in very handy at times.
- Location
- America's dairyland
I've never seen a need to check amp output on an alternator. If you turn all the lights and accessories on and it can maintain the voltage close to 14V, then it's fine.
The Power probe is handy, you can do everything it does with some test leads and a $3 multimeter, but it's so much handier with the clamps and switches built in. Most of us don't do electrical diagnostics enough to be good at it, a little help goes a long ways.
tomlad
Member
- Location
- nr. preston
I bought a better one to do a resistance test on a coil of my quad , it proved it was at fault so 30 quid or whatever seemed cheep. For meter.
Quad dude too busy to fix but happy to offer advice. He got it rewound.
Id be thinking middle ground 30 40 quidy ..
Digger muppet mate uses a probe thing with led alot , so thats on my list too.
Quad dude too busy to fix but happy to offer advice. He got it rewound.
Id be thinking middle ground 30 40 quidy ..
Digger muppet mate uses a probe thing with led alot , so thats on my list too.
- Location
- East Sussex
I've got a fluke 179. It's a well built tool but in reality does nothing more than a cheapy......... will confidently use it on 3ph stuff where I would'nt dare go with a chinesium special though.A backlight for the screen is handy.